Aftermarket gouging disgusts me.

[Niagara]

I just read a similar comment on one of my favorite reviewers Facebook pages. After thought I totally agree. This is my biggest pet peeve about this Vap market and pastime. That is people buying mods and selling them on secondary marketplace for huge increased prices.

What irks me as much is that the small manufacturing guys out their building high quality mods etc. can't keep up with demand and are causing the secondary market to go through the roof. Fairly new to vapping, along with advent of Kick I am now in market for a GGTS. I see Oddy's and GG's selling for 2x original value. Why? Because every retailer we know has no inventory and is waiting for next batch to arrive which can take 3-5 months.

These manufacturer guys make small modest profits with the amount of hand labor time and love required to build these wonderful items. Assume the retailers making 30+% margins. I get that they just cant hire off street people with proper skills and workmanship to supply current heightened demand. However they don't understand the negative effect on the secondary marketplace. Maybe they do and they allow retailers to continue to drive up their values through shortage of supply and high demand. What they don't understand is that as this market grows, more competition come in to market driven by the shortage vacuum they create and eventually the demand for their current items is diminished as people move on to the latest and greatest, which could easily be superior to their device technology and quality.

Clearly on the consumer side of equation the new buyer like me is so elated at quitting smoking, combined with pride of owning a new gadget that they research forums and YouTube and then they buy whatever they see a good review or 2 on and looks pretty in order to satisfy their desires which are attuned to their spending/ credit potential. +1moditis. I have read about people with 5 plus Provari, 10 + Oddy style tanks etc.

This trend will continue until a medium/large sized machinist company ( most likely owned in US and built in China/India comes into market with capability and resources to market and create demand then follow through to supply inventory that will for the most part shut down most existing small turn builders today. They will be able to meet demand and supply retailers consistent supply at better margins at retail, also offer retail prices lower prices to market then small guys can build at wholesale pricing.

With 20 years manufacturing experience I have seen this trend happen in both industries with businesses I have owned and saw similar trends and in hobbies not dissimilar to vaping mods such as Knives and Flashlights.

IMHO the first guy to market with a magnetic Control System and Titanium milled and anodized construction for around $150 retail will be the ultimate brand winner. I'll read this 2 years from now and congratulate that manufacturer by re-posting to this OP. I also see if market grows the way i see it expanding, that nic juice will be underground and above ground federal regulated/taxed like smokes within 10 years. You will buy ejuice at corner liquor/beer store. If this organization wanted it to get its self straight, I'd suggest to self-impose a 1$ per 30 ml levy on a lobby fund now to hope to turn that around. that would give everyone a fighting chance.

 

[player30]

This thread probably belongs in another forum on ECF.

My thought on this is that if the market will bear it, then reselling at a gain is good for both the manufacturer and the original purchaser. I am all for the free market.

 

[zenman223]

I agree completely, although the small time manufacturers usually have little control over the secondary market. Some may have the capability of ramping up production but choose not to so as to keep the supply low and price high(im sure one or two does this) but most likely do not. Also the secondary market is driven by consumer demand as long as their are people willing to pay 2-3X what something costs people will sell them at that price.
I see it happen all the time with guns as well, new guns come out are hard to get and theres always those few with more money than sense and are willing to pay WAYYY over retail just to be the first on the block with the newest toy. But as far as being disgusted with aftermarket gouging it goes both ways, its more the consumers fault for paying the ridiculous prices than the seller for asking that price. If someone wants to pay me 3x what I paid for something and I can get another if I just wait awhile for the original price, you certainly can buy mine!! Theres a sucker born every minute!

Ive also seen the same thing happen with custom one off gun parts eventually the company not willing to step up and meet demand will be pushed out by a larger company who can. Its on the suppliers to keep their business alive by expanding and increasing production. Alot of people have good Ideas but no clue how to run a business so they are not around long. I suspect we will see many Ecig companies go by the wayside within 5 years.

 

[Niagara]

I didn't see ant appropriate general rant discussion forum, but moderator can move at their desire.

Don't get me wrong I am all for the free market system. Supply and demand are basic elements of any free market economy. It doesn't hurt me as I am not stupid enough to pay $300 plus dollars for a GGTS, I will wait and get one from Bruce when he has one. I am just alluding what negative external consequences it will create over time IMHO.

 

[ogredog]

There is no chance. Politicians are all payed for or else they wouldn't be where they are. They will sign any bill that will benefit them. So if big tobacco wants it, it will happen.

Mom and pop stores will still be around but will not be able to compete with the mass produced stuff pricewise for sure. Wal mart is a perfect example of the "free" market killing small stores with prices and legal/political intimidation. Mom and pop don't have money for legal battles, just the threat sends most people packing...

“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

Thomas Jefferson also said this in 1816,

“I hope that we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”

.....ONLY A MATTER OF TIME....

 

[Caridwen]

Moving this to General E-Smoking Discussion.

 

[Charlz]

well there we have an economics class 101 lesson. The market regulates itself and prices go down until it becomes regulated for us and costs more than when they first hit the market. Small honest suppliers go out of business because they can't compete with volume dealers and we all line the pockets of big business and government. It's really interesting and perturbing at the same time to watch this industry at it's early stages.

 

[Mylt1]

I didn't see ant appropriate general rant discussion forum, but moderator can move at their desire.

Don't get me wrong I am all for the free market system. Supply and demand are basic elements of any free market economy. It doesn't hurt me as I am not stupid enough to pay $300 plus dollars for a GGTS, I will wait and get one from Bruce when he has one. I am just alluding what negative external consequences it will create over time IMHO.

so which is it, are you for free market or against it? you have contradicted yourself.

 

[poetofisis]

"Free" market... Can't say I've seen too much that would justify using that particular adjective to describe our present model of business. What I have seen is an endless supply of bullying, lying, cheating, attrition, and corruption. A free market, by definition, implies that any man may succeed in his business, given adequate prowess. Exactly how much of that have we seen? The only models of modern business ever to foul my vision have been greed choked groups of tyrannical garbage salesmen in need of a lesson in humility.

Thomas Jefferson should have done the gentlemanly thing and had them all shot. "The greed brings us together." Lmao! Anyone who truly believes that can consider themselves clinically brain dead.