We, the vapers, spent more than $2.2B in 2014 on gear, juice, and various vaping supplies. That's a pair of 2's with EIGHT ZEROS behind it! The estimates for what we will have spent by the end of 2015 are even higher. Imagine if a fraction of that money was spent raising awareness and telling the truth about vaping to counter the lies and negative propaganda being spread by BT, BP, and others. Imagine if a portion of that was used to help prevent new legislation that would cripple if not condemn the industry. How much would you be willing to contribute to help keep the government from regulating vaping out of existence? Would you whip out the checkbook once a year and donate $100 or $1000 of the money you are saving by vaping instead of smoking? I'm guessing probably not or there would be no need for me to post this. What if you could donate from a different angle? What if it was easy and painless? What if someone else did it for you? Would you be game?
My idea is this. Every time we purchase something through a PARTICIPATING online shop or B&M, they collect a 1% mandatory donation. They charge 1 penny for every dollar (pre-tax) we spend, and give that to a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to spread the GOOD word about vaping. Not just on a website you have to visit on your own, but on TV, in magazines, on the radio, on the front steps of the White House and houses of congress. Don't just passively talk, but get in peoples faces and make them listen! There are several organizations out there already, but I haven't seen one try this approach yet. In return for participating, stores would get free advertising via the organization. The organization would get tons of money. And we would get a voice loud enough to be heard over the millions and millions of dollars BT, BP, and our own government are throwing at the campaign against us.
There are millions of us just here in the US who vape. I see us all here on ECF witching and moaning every day. Signing petitions, reading articles, sharing info, etc... But I don't see anyone standing on a mountain top screaming into a bullhorn. The new commercial for "abilionlives" is the first thing I've seen from an industry that has been around for more than a decade now. We need a collective voice with dollars to throw around.
My question is this: Would a store that made you donate 50 cents when you bought a $50 mod be a turn off to you? Would you see the "fee" on your bill and be peeved. Would you swear to never shop there again? Would you see it and be happy to participate? Would you LOOK FOR participating vendors when you went shopping? What do you think? It would be a selling point for me. I would look for participating vendors and would probably pay a few extra bucks if they didn't have the best price just to help us all out. Share your thoughts, folks!
My idea is this. Every time we purchase something through a PARTICIPATING online shop or B&M, they collect a 1% mandatory donation. They charge 1 penny for every dollar (pre-tax) we spend, and give that to a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to spread the GOOD word about vaping. Not just on a website you have to visit on your own, but on TV, in magazines, on the radio, on the front steps of the White House and houses of congress. Don't just passively talk, but get in peoples faces and make them listen! There are several organizations out there already, but I haven't seen one try this approach yet. In return for participating, stores would get free advertising via the organization. The organization would get tons of money. And we would get a voice loud enough to be heard over the millions and millions of dollars BT, BP, and our own government are throwing at the campaign against us.
There are millions of us just here in the US who vape. I see us all here on ECF witching and moaning every day. Signing petitions, reading articles, sharing info, etc... But I don't see anyone standing on a mountain top screaming into a bullhorn. The new commercial for "abilionlives" is the first thing I've seen from an industry that has been around for more than a decade now. We need a collective voice with dollars to throw around.
My question is this: Would a store that made you donate 50 cents when you bought a $50 mod be a turn off to you? Would you see the "fee" on your bill and be peeved. Would you swear to never shop there again? Would you see it and be happy to participate? Would you LOOK FOR participating vendors when you went shopping? What do you think? It would be a selling point for me. I would look for participating vendors and would probably pay a few extra bucks if they didn't have the best price just to help us all out. Share your thoughts, folks!
