So disappointed in new local vape shop

[Stacy1]

So driving home from work the other day, I heard an advertisement for a new vape shop that opened up about an hour from where I live. We don't have ANY shops here, so as soon as I heard the commercial, I knew I was going. I talked to a guy I work with, that I just introduced to vaping, and asked if he wanted to go with me to check the shop out. He was all excited, and honestly I was too. So today was the day. We loaded up this morning, and made the hour trip with money in our pockets and high hopes. OMG! It wasn't a big shop at all, but hey, new business, no issue with starting small. I walked up to the counter to check out some of the hardware on display, and the first thing I saw was a mini pro tank3. Price tag:25.99!!!!!! 4.00 each for replacement coils for it. The guy I took with me has only been vaping a few weeks. He picked up a mvp2 from the counter and immediately says " I'm getting this for sure" (I let him use mine for a while until he made his first purchase). I asked how much it was, and the guy behind the counter replied that it was only 85.00. I almost lost it!! I left home this morning with all intentions of overpaying a little to support someone just starting out to show some appreciation for them taking a gamble and bringing vaping to light for more people. All I found was an uneducated, greedy smuck, trying to take advantage of people. The owner spotted my Reo, and of course had no idea what it was. We engaged in a few minutes of conversation and I asked if he was familiar with ECF. Never heard of that either. He tried pushing some juice I've never heard of on us before we left for 20.00 per 15ml and I responded that I usually make my own. His eyes lit up, and without asking another question he offers me a job. Says he wants to sell his own juice line and needs someone that knows how to make it. At that point I just had to walk away. I feel bad for the people that will find their way to this shop that don't know anything about vaping, but wanting to try it and looking for guidance.

 

[Harlen]

That's the way of the New store
I don't mined spending a little more to have it now but I will not buy one and give the store two for free .
I get the mini for $3.25 each by the dozen, ego 2200mah for $8.00 each SVD for $30.00 each nvp for under $45.00
I too mix my own juice .
Not going to pay there hole rent on what I buy alone .

 

[danca90]

Sadly, that's par for course. New vapers need B&M's, and the greedy owners are running them off.

 

[Wraith504]

Should have offered to make his juice for him at the very low price of 1 dollar per mL

 

[postmister]

Yeah, that's unfortunate. However, the free market has it's way of weeding out people that should not own businesses. I had a similar post about a local head shop that has a small selection of accessories and juices. It was less about the selection and price, but more about the chunky goth chick that always had an attitude about helping customers. I've gotten CE4's and PT atty's from there, before I discovered rebuilding was the way to go, which were not overly priced, in my opinion. I paid $5 per atty and $12 per CE4, but that wasn't bad for a small selection in a head shop boutique, 2 minutes from my house. Especially since the large e-cig place that's a 35 minute ride, one way, from the house sells them at $4 per atty and $10 for a CE4. Therefor isn't worth the gas if I needed one in a pinch.

I've found that store fronts usually have a noticeable markup from what you can find online. The only thing I buy from the brick and mortar stores anymore are the liquids. Most of them, you can taste the juice before you buy it. That way you pay $15 on one you like, and not 14 bucks on something not worth the water used to flush it down the commode.

 

[Prometheus72]

sadly...this is still not mainstream enough for people to buy products are reasonable prices. It's definitely buyer beware....and if you don't take the time to educate yourself then expect to get bent over at a brick and mortpr store

 

[The Torch]

There's nothing worse than getting excited about a new vape shop opening within reasonable distance and finding out it's a bad one. I have no idea, as all my local shops have a great side to them, but I sure can imagine what it would be like. The bright side is that 1 hour drive is not that local and perhaps these guys will open the door for better ones to open closer to you.

Some people are just looking for an emergent market to start a business, but don't care about how little they know. You can't even imagine how many people will walk into a shop knowing even less than that. Their problem is that a good part of the clientele will learn faster than them (didn't even know about ECF??????) and move on straight for internet orders. Many will just go back to order more juice.

 

[Caffeine7]

+1 to postmister. I travel a lot for work and like visiting vape shops to try the local juices. Most of the shops are well staffed and their prices are usually a bit more than online prices for hardware and they are still around when I go back to the same area. The shops selling house juices for $1/ml and gouging on starter kits and way overpricing gear don't last. There are enough us out here that know what fair pricing is and what good service is to tell the difference and take our business to the good shops and steer new vapers to them as well. The marketplace is already big and getting bigger daily as smokers make the switch and vapers are looking for that better vaping experience. The shops that will show someone how to build a coil will always outlast the ones that will overcharge for replacement coils.

 

[Maiar]

People are getting into the business with no experience because of the money that can be made. I know a few people in the bank business and the money they bring in is just insane apparently. Enough to get quite a few .......s trying to open up shop i'd imagine.

 

[Israfil]

Sudden urge to start my own vape shop....

 

[Steamix]

They should learn from the razor makers ... new razor you get cheap. Spare blades is where they skin your green of the wallet...

Even worse with printers. Get a new one cheap. Replacement toner or ink cartridges have price tags on them ... oh, my. And the manufacturers go to great lengths to keep the clones out of their printers. Won't be long before local snobbery switches from champagne to printing ink to show off their wealth

Same with vaping. Even a simple 900mAh battery lasts for a good while. And a bit of TLC can get a lot of 'mileage' out of a lowly single coil disposable atty.

But unless your customer's gonna switch to DIY right away he or she is going to come back for juice. And more juice. Provided it is a decent vape.

Had B&M similar to that in the neighborhood. Thanks to their crappy liquids and stiff prices on low-end stuff , I
- shop only online
- DIY
- am a regular at ECF



Their loss, my gain

 

[IMFire3605]

Having worked at a B&M, sadly to make ends meat most items were 2.5 to 3x over cost, coil heads for like protanks (stuff that moves out the door quickly) and most juices were 1.5 to 2x over cost. Business owners when it was time to re-up on hardware always tried to just get enough to move off the shelves in a month to two months. That there is the biggest problem, the hardware, suppliers like any wholesaler, you get better pricing the higher in bulk you purchase, which translates down to the final purchaser. A lot of these B&M owners are thinking they can get in with max $20k in inventory and another 10 to 15k in build out, then expect the money to come rolling in by end of month 2 or so without investing more to increase their buying power and increase inventory.

Basics of any small business I am guessing, but in such a unique and specialized market, the greedy people out for a fast buck are gaining ground instead of the vape shop owner in it to make a comfortable income and help the community and smokers get off the analogs.

 

[singalong]

I don't mind paying a few dollars more for batteries, clearos and juices in a b&m store. I am so glad that these stores exist that I will happily pay a little more to encourage their business. I used to buy everything online from reputable vendors and had to pay an average of 10$-13$ shipping fee... and wait 3-7 days to receive my order. So in my case it all evens out.

 

[leekeylee]

In the UK I have a store near me and they are not to bad on price only a few pounds for than online which I am happy to pay if I need anything when I go in their. Most the time I just go in for a chat and sometimes by a bottle or two of Juice out of courtesy more than anything.

I was in their a few weeks ago when I first got my iStick and the owner and I were chatting and he was well impressed with it, popped in a couple of days ago and they are waiting for their stock of iSticks to arrive.

They did have a real good deal on a kayfun clone the other month including the complete nano kit as well and all the spares etc. @ £28.00 better than I have seen online from UK dealers.

 

[Fuzzy Bruce]

Sudden urge to start my own vape shop....

Me Too! And, at the rate I am getting new gear, I am starting to have better stuff than one of the local B & M's.

 

[ProjektMayhem]

I'm lucky that I have a good vape shop down the street from me. I hate coming on here and reading about vape shops like you experienced. Especially when it's the only one around. I mean yeah you can always buy online for cheap but there's nothing like going to a shop and being able to hold that mod in your hands before you buy it. You can really get a feel for what you like. But when you have a shop like that it's like why bother. Not to mention all the new vapers that go there and get bad info about things. Or buying a mech and being sold 5 amp batteries....


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[samwest]

I tell anyone who will listen to check this forum out before making a large or expensive purchase. Much to the chagrin of the 4 vape stores in my town of 16,000

 

[MrsMac]

I went to a shop the other day just to try out some juice.I was curious about pricing on some of his stuff he was trying to charge me 40 for a nautilus mini and 40 for a spinner 2. Fortunately after busting out my phone and showing him online prices he came down to what was comparable. Basically what I would have paid with shipping ordering online plus being able to walk out with it versus waiting for mail. If you had no idea on pricing though he wouldve made an easy $100 with that set up and a bottle of juice. However he did have plenty of knowledge and the conversation was good so I guess that helps.

 

[TxOcelot]

I've experienced the same thing, there are three shops in my small town alone and nearly a dozen within 20 miles of me. The problem is precisely what has been described, people getting into the business solely for the fast money, and not providing a quality customer experience. Of the three I have in town, one is run by two kids, that clearly know how to vape........ but no concept of business, ethics or customer service, their product line appears to be straight from fasttech, and they promote clones as authentic, but without any form or warranty. Prices are best to ask to sit down first before they tell you, yes they do have a few of the 'new and cool' like the eleaf istick, in stock... for $70. Sad part of it for me, they have the best location, best looking store with the most potential of all the local stores.

Second, is a second business venture from a business savey lady, her other is a cig/head shop in another town, and she sells both popular names in juice and equipment, promoting the big names with vendor swag all over the walls and 'authorized dealer' letters framed and clearly visible, (I am not a lawyer, so I have no reason to think them fake) and looking over her wares I can say I didn't see any tell tale signs of clones. Her other prop is she has clones, is open they are 'knock offs' and instead of being clones of the most popular things out there, they are more unique like the X6 batteries and some vape heads I'd never seen or heard of spoken about in every few posts here. So not a bad approach. The kicker though is her location is horrid, micro and feels run down for a new store. Her knowledge of vaping is on the low end, so no custom build help, advice or technical advise; and of course no house blends for juice, it is name brands she carries or nadda.

Third up is a mom and pop opened and run, with a few employees now, store that has a limited selection of batteries, mods and tanks but has a large and well laid out sample bar, a lounge area and a really well stocked inventory for those items they have for sale. They give classes on mods, coil making and general vape actives. They are personable and seem to be about enjoying vaping and helping others enjoy vaping. Prices are a few points higher as expected and fully within a tolerable level when I am getting it in hand that day when I want/need it, and I'm more than pleased to support them as they support me. They carry prime liquids and have a large in house mix selection and will customize without a blink of the eye. So they are running a business the way they want to be and it shows.

I drive a lot, so I have long hit cigar shops in my travels and seen a lot of the same, old shops get old for a reason, new shops get recognized and live or die by such recognition. Now days I'm hitting vape shops, and I'm seeing pretty much the mix as I've described in what I see in my home town, though far to often I'm seeing more of the first and less of the latter types. I've yet to go to one of the box vape shops, those associated with known online stores or vice verse, so that should be a new thing for me to compare to.

I believe in supporting my local B&Ms, it is what keeps our economy alive and I would rather know my dollars are paying my neighbors, But to try new things I will and do order online to get more for less at times, Then make sure if I find something worth having, I tell my local B&M about it and see if they can get it for others to keep their money local. Love buying things online, that my money would normally being going to a walmart or such box store, but with specialized, I really encourage and prefer to give it to my neighbors.

 

[Rule62]

Sudden urge to start my own vape shop....

You, and everyone else, it seems. I don't recall ever seeing a hobby or activity where so many people are looking for ways to cash in. I'll be glad when every vaper in the world either owns a vape shop, works in one, or is a juice maker.