just something I thought was an important discussion.

[tattoodmommy]

well most of you know me, some of you don't, but I am a brand new SI customer, have not yet made my 1st purchase, but am so excited to do so, well I had bought blu cigs as my first PV and am very dissapointed in their product, which is why I went elsewhere for a great product and very good customer service. Well I just found out today that Blu was just bought out by big tobacco company they were bought out by Lorillard. they make the Newport cigarette. Well I guess my fear is, now that blu has sold out, the big tobacco companies are now going to try to step up and buy others out...I am just really hoping that SI isn't ever planning on doing so. There are a lot of mixed emotions about the whole thing, some people think it's good, while others think it's really bad, and I am one of the one's on the bad side of it. Just seems like a huge stab in the back to me, we get off cigarettes because they are bad for us, we want to vape for a healthier alternative, or to eventually quit alltogether. I am just really worried now that because they bought blu out, now they are going to think that most companies will be more than happy to sell their businesses for a couple million dollars. Once big tobacco companies get their hands on the ecig who knows what they will put in our ejuice, they could frankly screw up everything for us. What are your thoughts and opinions on this? And am I in no mean accusing SI of thinking about doing this at all, I am very happy with this company, and I am hoping that I have finally found the people I want to proudly give my money to.

 

[proudlion]

Hi tattoodmommy & welcome to the Voltisphere! I was not aware of this but found the following topic here on ECF - perhaps you've already seen it?

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/media-general-news/290817-lorillard-purchases-blu-e-cigs.html

 

[Anthonyy207]

U wont go wrong with SI. Quality products and excellent A+ customer service. I really hope they never sell out ESPECIALLY to a tobacco company.

 

[tattoodmommy]

Hi tattoodmommy & welcome to the Voltisphere! I was not aware of this but found the following topic here on ECF - perhaps you've already seen it?

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/media-general-news/290817-lorillard-purchases-blu-e-cigs.html

I hadn't seen this thread, I just heard about it on facebook, they were talking about it and plastering it all over my wall..I just see this turning into something really bad.

 

[tattoodmommy]

U wont go wrong with SI. Quality products and excellent A+ customer service. I really hope they never sell out ESPECIALLY to a tobacco company.

yeah I am very excited about becoming a new customer, so far, great customer service, can't wait to try the products.

 

[bebowebb]

Big tobacco is out for one thing and one thing only... money.

They realize that they can make up for some of their lost profits by buying out e-cig companies.

Some will fold, some will stand tall. Nothing we can really do about that.

I for one will not support any company/vendor that is owned by big tobacco.

As for SI, I can't see them selling out - ever. They take too much pride in their CS to ever risk it with something like that.

 

[mattkohl71]

I'd just like to point out the deal was for 135 million dollars... in cash. I don't know about you guys, but I must say I'd be ok with any company I buy from taking that. It's a great deal, and these people deserve the profits from their labor. You can't blame them for taking a once in a lifetime opportunity. That's just an insane amount of money...

I'm a little weary as well with big tobacco getting involved with e-cig's, but there are some possibilities that are actually good for people.

Vaping becomes more widespread with major cash backing behind it. It can save hundreds of thousands of lives due to more people knowing about it.

With the amount of money they (Most likely) will have for research and development, they might be able to truly revolutionize the industry. Yeah, the small Volt batteries I have are amazing, but what I hope for in the future is the same exact product but with 10 times the features and performance. Clearomizers that are small, super easy to fill, produce as much vapor as 100% VG juice at 13 watts with every puff. We could have tiny batteries like we have now but they are variable voltage, last for 10 hours or more, no drop off in performance (Every draw is the same as the one before). Possibly some crazy new e-liquid (New chemical compound possibly) that is just as safe, but lasts much longer and performs much better.

With those good things, there are also the bad.

Lolliard, with their massive budget, are able to get the FDA involved and start getting their competition taken out of the game with technicalities and insane amounts of regulation.

They're able to jack up prices to extreme highs, where a simple starter kit goes from $50 to $150+.

They force a monopoly on the market, where only are really able to sell and ship products effectively.

Yes, there are good and bad implications from this, but for now I think things won't be that bad. Who knows, maybe everything will basically stay the same... Or we'll be getting much better products a lot sooner.

Only time will tell! Right now I'm pretty indifferent to the situation.

Oh, and Smokeless Image, it's ok to take over 100 million dollars in cash if you get the opportunity. But before you go, send out a ton of free stuff for us consumers just in case

 

[Baditude]

It was inevitable that major tobacco companies begin investing in electronic cigarettes. Common sense should reveal why. Tobacco sales have been declining in recent years, not only because of their use causing health issues, but also because of government pressure and social issues of smoking in public, ever increasing taxes upon smoking consumers, health/life insurance companies increasing premiums (or denying altogether) of users, etc.

Tobacco companies must realize that eventually they have to change to survive: what better way than to switch to a product that most closely mimics the behavior of smoking yet removes the most dangerous elements. Consumers can choose how much, if any, nicotine is in their electronic cigarette. Heck, they can even promote e-cigs as a way to quit tobacco. Cigarette researchers are able to see from reading on forums like these and e-cigarette-forum that even if consumers quit nicotine they still enjoy VAPING flavored juices and for the most part, unlike the analogs, are socially acceptable. Companies can promote their own hardware as being better than the competition; their own juices better than the competition. The competition should drive companies to provide a better product.

When I first became interested in trying electronic cigarettes, I was wary of buying online. Maybe because I'm a little "old school", but I like to see the box and the product in my hand before I buy. Shopping around town one weekend, I made note of which brands were sold in local stores. I then looked for reviews online. Most of the brands that were available in stores had rather poor reviews. Luckily I ran across this forum, and was able to make an educated decision to go with a more reputable company that makes quality products and has quality customer service: Smokeless Image. I went against my unreasonable fears of buying online and I am glad I did.

The only fear I have of the big tobacco companies buying out e-cig manufacturers is that the smaller businesses (Smokeless Image) might get run out. Smaller companies like SI should do ok tho if they continue to have the business standards that they built their reputation on.

 

[kia2]

I'll stand behind Smokeless Image and hope they will never be forced to sell out. Hopefully the niche will still be here for the "mom and pop" type businesses against BT. If BT gets a hold of SI, I suspect things will be very different and I will then have to give up vaping. /sigh I hope I'm totally and completely at 0 nic by then without wanting my Volts anymore when/if that time comes.

 

[tattoodmommy]

that is my biggest fear is big tobacco taking over and rasing the prices sky high, not caring about quality, and just putting whatever they want into the juice to save a few pennies. I mean it has been proven that big tobacco companies have put things into the cigarettes to make them more addictive, why wouldn't they do it with the juice? I'm sorry I just don't trust them. I mean 50 years ago, they were saying smoking was "healthy". I just think they are big corporations who don't care about anybody but themselves, they will give you anything if it means that they can make money off of it. Just frightens me.

 

[cindycated]

Oh, crap. Bunched up with cigarettes again. It was bad enough that they're called "e-cigs." Now it's really gonna be hard to convince people that it's not smoke. Hopefully it'll be confined to Blu (just another product line for Lorillard - fine, they can have Blu), and that the brands that we actually like won't be affected by that whole Dragonite patent thing...

 

[ChinMullet]

Keep the nicotine addicts, lose the lawsuit-inspiring 4000 carcinogens...what's not to love about this for a cigarette company?

 

[Koman]

Oh, crap. Bunched up with cigarettes again. It was bad enough that they're called "e-cigs." Now it's really gonna be hard to convince people that it's not smoke. Hopefully it'll be confined to Blu (just another product line for Lorillard - fine, they can have Blu), and that the brands that we actually like won't be affected by that whole Dragonite patent thing...

Let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst!

 

[cindycated]

Yeah, let's just hope it was just another business move, like with that whole Philip Morris-Kraft Foods thing...the patent issue is a little alarming though...

 

[tattoodmommy]

well i'm not too happy right now, I was talking about how I didn't agree with it on blu's facebook page, a long with tons of other people. Well I woke up today to a hardcore follower of blu, yelling and calling me names, so I stood up for myself, now I am banned from blu's facebook page, and to think I have given them hundreds of my hard earned dollars. They obviously don't care about me, so their loss I suppose. I found me a new company, and so far, I am very pleased.

 

[kia2]

I'm sorry you found betrayal. I hope you will only find friends here.

 

[tattoodmommy]

I'm sorry you found betrayal. I hope you will only find friends here.

thanks a lot, you all have been very welcoming and answering my questions, 'even though I have so many" lol I'm really pleased with my experiences. Will be ordering within the next 2 days! just waiting on cash to come my way..lol

 

[Tokemiester]

#1. They have to wipe out the small outfits AND the inheirent nature of flexabilty in vaping.
#2. That's when I either quit vaping or go directly to my chinese friends. (I already have in some cases)

 

[tattoodmommy]

I actually had a quick question, I signed into my account on smokeless image to check my cart real quick and both my black X2 batteries in 650 mAh and 2 of my Clearomizers went out of stock in purple and clear...how often do they stock their inventory at SI? If they are still going to be out of stock when I order I will just go with stainless batteries and a couple other different colors in clearomizers, I just hope those don't go out of stock before I can order..lol

 

[bebowebb]

I couldn't give you an exact time frame for restocking like Imagine could, but I know they are great about getting things stocked back up as quickly as possible.

Couldn't ask for better