1st time buyer, all award winners steeped and reviewed

[penguiness]

Michellemw20, first of all... Welcome!

Even though the prices went up, they are still lower in comparison to most of the vendors you were buying from before you found NT. I used to order from several of those myself! Before the price increase NT was bottling in the plastic bottles by hand. As production increased, it was becoming more difficult to keep up. With the FDA sanctions about to come into place, Clark (Kent Brooks) had to change the way they did things. In order to ensure they would be able to afford the 1.2million USD for each SKU for FDA approvals, production needed to step up so they could stay in business. This required the purchase of bottling equipment and the move to a new location that could store a larger inventory. He did discuss these changes with his customers in advance to get their thoughts. That vast majority of us decided that we would much rather pay the higher prices than to lose our beloved Nicoticket e-liquid forever, and all the wonderful people associated with it that we call family.

I know that you did not get to be a part of these discussions, but if you look through topics in the Nicoticket forum, you will see there were several starting back 6 months to the present. The customer facing transition portions began about 3 weeks ago. I am still hoping to see the 120ml bottles soon. I have a large enough stash of NT liquid that I always have well-steeped flavors, but 120ml would be what I ordered.

I hope we don't lose you as a member of the family and that you are able to decide to keep NT in your dripper.

 

[ReigntheGamer]

The 500ml bottles had to go, for lots of reasons... the most important one is brand integrity. Unfortunately, there were lots of people purchasing 500ml bottles and reselling for upwards of $1/ml. We try to make liquid affordable, we're not too into people flipping our liquid and ripping people off with it. We had people all over the world complaining about "authorized distributors" that were never authorized, that were diluting the liquid for profit, etc. Sad, I know - diluted liquid for twice the price.

The prices "leveled off". Some went down (Strawnilla, Band Camp, ACB, Banana Pudding, Butterscotch Pudding, Raz Cup, Got Cookie?, Sure Bert)... <<<Speaking of which, Got Cookie should be back next week, in glass! The rest should be back before the end of the year

We removed the site-wide 20% discount (no coupon required) on CLS, CB, GCD, Betelgeuse, Gravity - they've always been $9.99, we've just been discounting them for a looooong time.

The $9.99 flavors stayed the same.

More flavors went down in price than went up, actually!


The pricing thing was just getting complicated with three different tiers of pricing... we were subsidizing cheap "core flavors" with more expensive short-runs for a median price of $9.99. This way the playing field is even.

Also, we are ramping up a wholesale program and one of the residual concerns of potential retailers is that the prices on the website be the same as MSRP - they don't want to get their customers hooked on NT and then lose them back to the website. MSRP on the bottles in the retail stores is a reasonable $9.99 for an overfilled 15ml bottle with a dropper, or $18.99 for an overfilled 30ml with a flat CRC cap. We're still having a conversation about 60ml pricing... not sure exactly where that will land just yet, but it will definitely be south of 60c/ml.

Just woke up and checking the forums with my coffee and The Virus and I see this. It just made my day I know what I am buying next week. I haven't been able to try Got Cookie and have been dying too since I love Oreos. Can't wait, and my new Reo should be here too I know exactly what to put in it now.

 

[Megan Kogijiki Ratchford]

Welcome Michellemw20!!

I loved your post, very fun reading you and your hubby's journey!

One thing that wasn't mentioned is you are only two-ish months off smokes, right? Your tastes will change, what may be your perfect vape today may be blah in six months and visa versa. Getting those taste buds back is a fun ride in it's own right. For instance I LOVED Betelgeuse when I found NT in the first of August last year and was not sold on GCD at all. By September (I quit July 14) I could barely stand BG (or any fruit vapes) but GCD was my ADV, and still is. I prefer a 4-6 months steep for my GCD as the cinnamon falls back a bit letting the pastry and icing flavors come to the front.

But again, taste is subjective and in the end all that matters is vaping something that keeps you from smoking!

And do stick around even if you won't ever buy from NT again as you both are members of the family no matter what!

 

[solace.discord]

Your tastes will change, what may be your perfect vape today may be blah in six months and visa versa. Getting those taste buds back is a fun ride in it's own right.

excellent point!

 

[Kent Brooks]

Whatever you decide will surely be fair and the phenomenal juice WILL BE WORTH EVERY PENNY AND THEN SOME!!! love you guys and your juice!!!

I'm passionate about the 50c/ml threshold on the big bottles. It'll probably be 29.99

 

[DaBucs]

Awesome read....I personally like my virus at least 8 weeks after i have received it

With the GCD, i seriously suggest you give this mix a try: 25% GCD/ 25% CLS/ 50% CB = Wow yummy...and also puts me on death row with the GCD mafia and da Don

 

[distortoblotto]

Just woke up and checking the forums with my coffee and The Virus and I see this. It just made my day I know what I am buying next week. I haven't been able to try Got Cookie and have been dying too since I love Oreos. Can't wait, and my new Reo should be here too I now exactly what to put in it now..

Oh Doood! Try a little Wookie Wa'Cookie in that baby ( Wakonda/ Got Cookie 80/20 blend) with the morning cup. Congratulations on your new " Officially Approved Delivery Device" my brother!

 

[Kent Brooks]

Michellemw20, first of all... Welcome!

Even though the prices went up, they are still lower in comparison to most of the vendors you were buying from before you found NT. I used to order from several of those myself! Before the price increase NT was bottling in the plastic bottles by hand. As production increased, it was becoming more difficult to keep up. With the FDA sanctions about to come into place, Clark (Kent Brooks) had to change the way they did things. In order to ensure they would be able to afford the 1.2million USD for each SKU for FDA approvals, production needed to step up so they could stay in business. This required the purchase of bottling equipment and the move to a new location that could store a larger inventory. He did discuss these changes with his customers in advance to get their thoughts. That vast majority of us decided that we would much rather pay the higher prices than to lose our beloved Nicoticket e-liquid forever, and all the wonderful people associated with it that we call family.

I know that you did not get to be a part of these discussions, but if you look through topics in the Nicoticket forum, you will see there were several starting back 6 months to the present. The customer facing transition portions began about 3 weeks ago. I am still hoping to see the 120ml bottles soon. I have a large enough stash of NT liquid that I always have well-steeped flavors, but 120ml would be what I ordered.

I hope we don't lose you as a member of the family and that you are able to decide to keep NT in your dripper.

Thank you Pen for the clarification. XOOX

Yes - this was very much a community decision - much deliberation and consultation involved before we proceeded. In my mind, there are are two types of vendors in the market presently...

1) The companies who are pimping cheap liquid to turn a fast buck, utilizing minimal investment, with every expectation that they will head for the door when the regulation hits.

2) The companies who are proactively preparing for the regulation, making sufficient investment in the product and process to build a sustainable business.

Yes, there is an abundance of cheap liquid out there - but it'll dry up. We're going the distance...



I confess, we flirted with the first option - but we felt like we owed it to the community to make a run at getting over the bar. We're investing an astronomical amount of money (over a million) - a tremendous risk not knowing the outcome - in a good faith effort to ensure that the people who depend on quality liquid can continue to get it.

 

[distortoblotto]

Welcome Michellemw20!!

I loved your post, very fun reading you and your hubby's journey!

One thing that wasn't mentioned is you are only two-ish months off smokes, right? Your tastes will change, what may be your perfect vape today may be blah in six months and visa versa. Getting those taste buds back is a fun ride in it's own right. For instance I LOVED Betelgeuse when I found NT in the first of August last year and was not sold on GCD at all. By September (I quit July 14) I could barely stand BG (or any fruit vapes) but GCD was my ADV, and still is. I prefer a 4-6 months steep for my GCD as the cinnamon falls back a bit letting the pastry and icing flavors come to the front.

But again, taste is subjective and in the end all that matters is vaping something that keeps you from smoking!

And do stick around even if you won't ever buy from NT again as you both are members of the family no matter what!

Megan!!!....

 

[ReigntheGamer]

Oh Doood! Try a little Wookie Wa'Cookie in that baby ( Wakonda/ Got Cookie 80/20 blend) with the morning cup. Congratulations on your new " Officially Approved Delivery Device" my brother!

Thanks!! I'll have two now both filled with NT awesome. And I will give the Wookie Wa'Cookie a go for sure!

 

[Snugglepooter]

@Clark - Cake!!! Bwahahahaha!


I love you, man...

 

[Newportlocal]

Seriously wondering what happened on your strawnilla. It tastes like strawberry quick from my childhood. One of my all time favorites.
Hope you figured it out with wattage,builds,tanks,etc. Always enjoy reading people's experiences. GCD is magic in a bottle, and the virus will grow on you the more in steeps. Thanks for sharing your thoughts so comprehensively.

 

[57chilicat]

What a great review! Goes to show that it's always best to wait awhile before you give up a juice in trade! I remember one crazy day when I decided after less than a week that ACB just wasn't for me, now it's in my top five! I love how the NT juices get better with time!

 

[Augmented Dog]

Seriously wondering what happened on your strawnilla. It tastes like strawberry quick from my childhood. One of my all time favorites.
Hope you figured it out with wattage,builds,tanks,etc. Always enjoy reading people's experiences. GCD is magic in a bottle, and the virus will grow on you the more in steeps. Thanks for sharing your thoughts so comprehensively.

I'm with you on the Strawnilla question. Can't figure out why the strawberry seems so muted for them. Could it be because they're so close to their quit date that their taste buds haven't recovered yet?

 

[Michellemw20]

Wow, I spend a day away from the thread and it grew. I'm glad that my post was entertaining for all the NT fans, and I do hope that someone like my husband and I are checking out the forums and come across this thread to help push them to try NT. Additionally, the experiences laid out on steeping and the improvements that can be made in taste by following Clark and Katy's method will hopefully prove useful. Likewise, the links provided by some folks here that show the threads that Clark wrote explaining the changes is an added bonus. It's always helpful to consolidate helpful resources.

We do love the juices, and the customer service was both personal (talking with Katy) and professional (emails and timely delivery). We do plan to buy more NT, and understand the reasons behind the changes. As an aside, my husband would like to point out to everyone that believes big government is great for our freedom and economy that, with one stroke of the pen, the bureaucrats/politicians are going to put a ton of small businesses, very much like NT, out of work....to protect us from people like Clark, pushing his dangerous goods on helpless individuals like us. Even though the changes are understandable I have to say that, for me, the large bottles would have been nice just for convenience sake. Also, glass looks great but isn't nearly as functional as those nice plastic bottles you currently offer. I'll just have to save these and transfer the juice for use. No biggie.

And then there was Strawnilla..... I do not know where the strawberries went, but from the sound of it you guys may have gotten my helping. Perhaps our taste buds aren't picking it up yet due to being singed for years. My hubby says he's starting to taste the strawberry with his last taste test: which suggests it's either going to come out more over time, or our sense of taste is improving. Only thing to do is shake, wait, and test. That picture of the strawberries in the cream still makes my mouth water. I really hope it pops at some point so I can enjoy it....and order more

Clark and Katy, you guys have a great company and it really does deserve to survive. I believe it will. It's a shame that has to be a question mark due to government regulations. In a sane world the success of your business would be in safe hands....your own.

Live long and vape strong!

 

[Megan Kogijiki Ratchford]

As an aside, my husband would like to point out to everyone that believes big government is great for our freedom and economy that, with one stroke of the pen, the bureaucrats/politicians are going to put a ton of small businesses, very much like NT, out of work....to protect us from people like Clark, pushing his dangerous goods on helpless individuals like us.

M'dear, he's preaching to the choir here...See my siggy. *points down*

 

[penguiness]

Wow, I spend a day away from the thread and it grew. I'm glad that my post was entertaining for all the NT fans, and I do hope that someone like my husband and I are checking out the forums and come across this thread to help push them to try NT. Additionally, the experiences laid out on steeping and the improvements that can be made in taste by following Clark and Katy's method will hopefully prove useful. Likewise, the links provided by some folks here that show the threads that Clark wrote explaining the changes is an added bonus. It's always helpful to consolidate helpful resources.

We do love the juices, and the customer service was both personal (talking with Katy) and professional (emails and timely delivery). We do plan to buy more NT, and understand the reasons behind the changes. As an aside, my husband would like to point out to everyone that believes big government is great for our freedom and economy that, with one stroke of the pen, the bureaucrats/politicians are going to put a ton of small businesses, very much like NT, out of work....to protect us from people like Clark, pushing his dangerous goods on helpless individuals like us. Even though the changes are understandable I have to say that, for me, the large bottles would have been nice just for convenience sake. Also, glass looks great but isn't nearly as functional as those nice plastic bottles you currently offer. I'll just have to save these and transfer the juice for use. No biggie.

And then there was Strawnilla..... I do not know where the strawberries went, but from the sound of it you guys may have gotten my helping. Perhaps our taste buds aren't picking it up yet due to being singed for years. My hubby says he's starting to taste the strawberry with his last taste test: which suggests it's either going to come out more over time, or our sense of taste is improving. Only thing to do is shake, wait, and test. That picture of the strawberries in the cream still makes my mouth water. I really hope it pops at some point so I can enjoy it....and order more

Clark and Katy, you guys have a great company and it really does deserve to survive. I believe it will. It's a shame that has to be a question mark due to government regulations. In a sane world the success of your business would be in safe hands....your own.

Live long and vape strong!

Very well stated thoughts regarding NT and regulation. I do hope Strawnilla comes around for you. We all want to help you get the most out of your vaping experience, so if we can assist in any way please let us know.

 

[Kent Brooks]

Wow, I spend a day away from the thread and it grew. I'm glad that my post was entertaining for all the NT fans, and I do hope that someone like my husband and I are checking out the forums and come across this thread to help push them to try NT. Additionally, the experiences laid out on steeping and the improvements that can be made in taste by following Clark and Katy's method will hopefully prove useful. Likewise, the links provided by some folks here that show the threads that Clark wrote explaining the changes is an added bonus. It's always helpful to consolidate helpful resources.

We do love the juices, and the customer service was both personal (talking with Katy) and professional (emails and timely delivery). We do plan to buy more NT, and understand the reasons behind the changes. As an aside, my husband would like to point out to everyone that believes big government is great for our freedom and economy that, with one stroke of the pen, the bureaucrats/politicians are going to put a ton of small businesses, very much like NT, out of work....to protect us from people like Clark, pushing his dangerous goods on helpless individuals like us. Even though the changes are understandable I have to say that, for me, the large bottles would have been nice just for convenience sake. Also, glass looks great but isn't nearly as functional as those nice plastic bottles you currently offer. I'll just have to save these and transfer the juice for use. No biggie.

And then there was Strawnilla..... I do not know where the strawberries went, but from the sound of it you guys may have gotten my helping. Perhaps our taste buds aren't picking it up yet due to being singed for years. My hubby says he's starting to taste the strawberry with his last taste test: which suggests it's either going to come out more over time, or our sense of taste is improving. Only thing to do is shake, wait, and test. That picture of the strawberries in the cream still makes my mouth water. I really hope it pops at some point so I can enjoy it....and order more

Clark and Katy, you guys have a great company and it really does deserve to survive. I believe it will. It's a shame that has to be a question mark due to government regulations. In a sane world the success of your business would be in safe hands....your own.

Live long and vape strong!

Thank you kindly for taking the time to share you candid thoughts - I'd much prefer the real deal as opposed to yearbook feedback. For my part I totally agree with you from a functional perspective on the pros/cons of LDPE plastic bottles vs glass.