First real B&M scam I've ever seen.

[xDarkRelic]

So I walked into a B&M today for the first time. They have a couple of cabinets full of supplies and juices. All the workers seemed really snobby! They asked what I vape on and pulled out my istick 50w w/ Subtank Mini. They basically scoffed at me. Not only that, but they are selling the Subtank Mini for $85!! That's almost double the regular price.

I casually mentioned that the price might be wrong, and they said nope. They said, and I quote,

"New people have no idea what prices look like. They don't know it's cheaper online, so don't let anyone know. We gotta make money somehow."

....seriously? I understand markups for profit, but this? It's ridiculous. They also sell 15ml juices for $25. They have a small display case of space jam, but when I asked for Andromada, they kept insisting their juices are better.

Has anyone experienced shops like this?

I HIGHLY recommend if you're new, check out stuff online first. I'm all for supporting your community, but beware of stuff like this. Check out online prices just so you know what to compare them to!

 

[drthunder]

The worst part is the companies that supply the juice and hardware have no idea how these shops act. Sadly the high markup is very common because those shops like to prey upon newer vapers. Some will say they need to pay bills but the companies you buy juice from online pay bills too and they offer good prices. If they aren't recommending good brands like Space Jam they shouldn't bother even carrying it. I would actually contact the brands and let them know whats going on in that shop.

 

[xDarkRelic]

I was thinking about that actually. But they only had a few bottles of each flavor, so I'm not actually even sure they are supplied by them. It may be them just buying it to show it off, I'm not sure.

But yeah, as someone who researched everything throughly before jumping into it, you could tell they knew I knew what I was doing, and they didn't like it. Apparently there's an antique shop next door and they have people complaining about them all the time.

 

[Vinylpimp]

those shops wont last, i love my local shop, they offer free builds and dont push their merchandise

 

[LMS62]

There is a new shop that opened recently with walking distance of my house. Roughly 2 weeks ago I stopped in with the hope that they would have a decent set-up, with reasonable prices (at least for a B&M) because they are so close.

They had a good selection of mods in the glass cabinet, but when I saw the $90.00 price tag on the iStick 50w, I made a quick about-face and left. Unless I win the Mega Powerball lottery....I won't be back.

 

[KGB7]

One of my local B&M was selling iStick 30W for $70. Told them that another B&M sells it for $50 and walked out.

 

[Rickajho]

those shops wont last, i love my local shop, they offer free builds and dont push their merchandise

Those shops won't last. They give away free builds and don't sell anything.

 

[Maiar]

I was just on a website for a B&M in Nova Scotia called The Vapour Trail that was selling a kanger EMOW Mega for $60. Yeah, that's all I saw because I'm not doing business with guys that are charging so much for a $15 tank that you'd expect them {MODERATED} after you buy it.

 

[Maiar]

I just realised that my banner says I've saved 5 large by quitting smoking and I know I haven't spent even a quarter of that on vaping or anything else. Seems I may be bad with money because I should be able to afford a 60 dollar emow and not care.... Wonder where all that money has gotten to. lol .....

 

[Cullin Kin]

That seems to be pretty regular for B&M's these days. Some at least. There's an entire chain of like 7 stores out here that sells iStick 30W for $70.00 and 50W for $89.99. Today I was having a conversation with a friend that works at one, and I asked, "Is it necessary to mark product up over 100%?" HIs response was like those above, "Gotta make money some how."

I now enjoy myself by going in there and asking a lot of silly questions, then never buying anything. lol

 

[keepsmiling]

It costs a lot of money to have a storefront you rent, pay electric, pay employees, have insurance..etc etc.. IT will always be more expensive in a small store than online where there is less overhead. It has nothing to do with 'ripping people off'

 

[Hydroscopic]

B&Ms need to have a markup because of the additional overhead to run the shops. That said, the ones that are price gouging aren't doing the vaping movement any favors. They're especially counter productive as most smokers get sticker shock and will walk out to go buy a pack because it is cheaper than the initial cost to get a vaping set up.

Not to forget to mention to not get me started on B&Ms that push new vapers into full mech mods with sub-ohm builds that have zero knowledge of rebuilding, maintenance and safety. - A good B&M will have a range of equipment at reasonable prices and be accepting to all levels of vapers.

Unfortunately as of right now I equate B&Ms to auto mechanics. If you go into any random B&M without any knowledge and shopping around, you might end up getting taken. Not supporting the less reputable B&Ms, and supporting the hell out of the good ones, is the only way that trend will change.

 

[rurwin]

It's the same for everything. Shops with lots of chrome, polished wood and open space that are located in prime locations and staffed by slick sales drones will charge too much. They have to to cover sky-high taxes, rents and salaries. They are the Apple and PC World of vaping. Not the best places to go, but generally the stuff you buy will be good enough. The ones down a back-alley with dusty shelves packed with goods and staffed by a couple of grungy hippies, or Ma and Pa, working for the love of it will always be cheaper. But even they will have to load the prices by 20-50% in order to make ends meet. That's what you have to pay to get someone that knows the hobby inside out to advise you one-to-one.

But of course, just because the shop looks like that, it doesn't mean it is one; maybe the staff like money so much they can't bear to pay so much rent and salaries. Or you get a manager who learned everything he knows in 2009 and will try to sell a dual-coil genesis to a newbie. So you can end up with a grotty shop that charges too much with unhelpful staff. Those are the ones to run away from.

 

[SissySpike]

Some stores are crappy thats for sure just like anything else but online vendors are not above the same sort of stuff. Lets take the IPV mini 2 for an example it can be had for anywhere from 80 to 50$
I dont think over charging is a scam while its not so good a scam is some sort of deceptive practice when you have your price right out in the open there is nothing underhanded involved.

 

[SissySpike]

100% of the responsibility for over paying is on the consumer. Its your money you had to earn, beg, barrow, steal,inherit, or marry to get it
Its up to you to spend it wisely I have yet had a store clerk draw down on me and force me to buy their stuff at gun point.

 

[mcclintock]

Even internet vendors are hit and miss. Name one with great deals on a whole range of hardware, a great in-house juice line and other brands as well. Some B&Ms at least try to do the best they can and have a lot of stuff. I've found several single items that were reasonable enough, and found several good juices too out of hundreds of samples. If their overhead is too high though, I don't see it sustainable.

Snobby toward a Subtank! ... it would seem more likely they were disappointed they probably wouldn't be selling you one. Yeah many drippers are elitists to some degree, they claim they can't taste anything else, which isn't really true just requires recalibration. It shouldn't translate to snobby, anyway.

 

[K_Tech]

At $25* a square foot per year, an 800 square foot storefront/storage area combo will run you a touch under $1700 a month for rental. Add in energy cost of about $100/month (hard to gauge, but retail runs around $1.25 or so per square foot per year) and let's say manpower cost at around $2800 a month (80 man-hours per week at $8 an hour) you're looking at $4600 a month just to make ends meet with NO profit - not including remodeling, taxes, insurance, and inventory costs.

Now, I am not defending a shop ripping customers off, but a brick and mortar is going to have to charge higher than someone running an online store out of a storage unit - or their basement.

*Around my area, commercial property goes for around $12 to $30 a year per square foot, smaller spaces commanding higher cost per square foot.

 

[Fuzzy Bruce]

Online vendors have the same expenses as the B & M's. They may not have all the chrome and glass with leather furniture. The advantage is a good online vendor has a larger customer base and can afford to sell more at a lesser price and maintain a decent profit margin.

I have seen some online vendors practically sell small or low cost item at cost. I can only guess they make the money on charging double or more on the cost of the shipping by calling for a handling charge.

 

[kaahn]

Yes B&M's have to make money but there is a difference between making money and down right ripping people off. I understand supporting your local B&M but the way I see it is those "new vapers" they are ripping off are not going to be new for long and eventually will not return.

One B&M here where I live wouldn't even assist me when I was starting out because I purchased the item online even though they carry the item and are an authorized dealer for the item. Prices were reasonable there for a B&M but I was asking advice one vaper to another. I mean come on really!?

Guess who will not be returning to that store?
<--------------- This guy

 

[Troy Noh]

I'm all for supporting the local B&M vape shop, but when they are charging $65 for a Kranger subtank mini, and Kbox for $70 you have to ask yourself is it better to just buy online.
My local vape shop the owner is cool bout working with you to give you a price break, but I'm sure even with the price break he's still making a small profit.