Dear friends and loyal customers of Arom-Team,
It is with a strange mix of sadness and determination that I pick up the pen today to share with you some challenging news about our company, Arom-Team.
The journey so far has been filled with obstacles, and it is time to honestly explain the difficulties that assail us and threaten the very existence of our site.
The year 2022 has been a whirlwind of adversities.
The COVID-19 crisis has shaken the world, causing unprecedented economic disruptions.
The repercussions of this crisis have affected many sectors, including ours.
The vaping industry, already facing regulatory challenges, had to deal with a drop in demand and increased logistical constraints.
Moreover, the global economic crisis has exacerbated financial difficulties.
Production costs have risen due to rampant inflation affecting every aspect of our business.
Raw materials, packaging, transportation—everything has experienced a significant cost increase, putting a strain on our already thin margins.
Life has not spared me either, and a personal tragedy at the end of 2022 has further eroded an already fragile mood.
The loss of a loved one is already a terrible ordeal, but when it is the unexpected result of this horrible epidemic, the following months become a true ordeal.
I won't lie to you; the ending 2023 has not been a year of robust health and absolute resilience.
Arom-Team is likely a reflection of my heart, scattered with emptiness and anticipation.
But I also know that I cannot justify the current situation of a business with immense grief, however real it may be.
I have been in the vaping world since 2011.
Through the forum-ecigarette (biggest french ecig forum), the vapers' defense association Aiduce, and the creation of my business, I have witnessed the changing approach of governments towards e-cigarettes.
I confess that these last few years have been among the worst I have experienced in terms of discrediting leading to repression.
The future of the vaping industry remains uncertain as lies about it are widespread.
Ever-changing regulations and increasingly strict restrictions threaten our ability to continue our activities, in addition to our financial difficulties.
But should we give up the fight?
Some may say that a lack of optimism about future prospects contributes to an atmosphere of doubt and concern.
But should we yield and surrender?
I founded Arom-Team in 2013 with the aim of expanding an electronic device to help quit smoking, despite what some "authorities" claim, always better informed than users who have been pioneers for over a decade.
I turned to flavors to persuade people of the effectiveness of this device and to encourage them to continue their smoke-free journey in the pleasure of flavors.
It was only a continuation of my involvement in the community, and I am happy to have crossed the 10-year mark of existence, which, despite all the difficulties encountered, is a real success in my eyes, even on my small scale.
Giving up is not in my DNA.
I refuse to abandon what Arom-Team represents to me.
But, with a heavy heart, I must also admit that the company is currently facing increasing debt that could force me to close very quickly.
So, I have no choice but to dare, in desperation.
I have decided to open an online fundraiser to gather the funds needed to overcome these financial difficulties that are not yet irreversible.
Addressing you, dear customers, partners, and friends, is also a difficult ordeal, but without a viable solution in the short term, I have no choice but to attempt this final act of honor.
If this message resonates with you, perhaps you can help us by sharing it, contributing to the fundraiser to the best of your ability, and supporting our cause.
Every gesture, no matter how small, counts, and every support will restore my determination to overcome these difficulties and not disappear, not yet.
I want to believe in the strength of the community, and even if this appeal may seem selfish to some, it is not.
It is about saving a business that carries a message and a cause, and together giving it a second chance not to succumb to the pressure.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continuous support and loyalty to Arom-Team over the years.
I know that together we can write a new chapter for the years to come.
With gratitude,
Jacqueline
Founder, Arom-Team
