anyone feel awkward in vape shops

[frjaldomr]

I live just north of Houston, and I've visited five vape shops. Most have been small, and lacking in inventory...and anything I might want to purchase is at least double what I would pay on ebay...and they all felt uncomfortable.
I buy all my hardware on ebay, and all my juice, online, as well.
Any help I need with product information, I can get here.
I see no point, personally, to ever visit another B&M.

 

[Skeebo]

The one I go to is throwing a "gangsta" party this Saturday. I don't get how anyone would think advertising it as a "gangsta" party would help their business. But hey, maybe I'm just getting old.

 

[ijal84]

never been to one but would like to.

 

[NorthGuard]

B&M by me is awesome. Staff are super friendly, I can go in there, grab a chair and chat with them while sampling.

 

[silentbeatz]

I only go to one B&m. Mostly buy online

 

[thre365ive]

I just had one open up near me. First one I can get to on a regular basis. It was pretty decent, the kid working the register couldn't really tell me much about mech mods (or which ones they had) but what I assume was the owner stepped in pretty quickly and made sure I knew all the safety precautions and a couple features of my Nemesis clone. Price was good, I got taxed probably $5-10 over the best deal I could find on Ebay, but that's local businesses for you.

 

[MamaTried]

a
Upon leaving the shop I reflect back on the experience. I pontificate this idea: 'Perhaps its not vape shops that I loath-- maybe it's just the regulars that leave a bad taste in my mouth.

And as I write this shaggy dog, long toothed, seriously-if-you-made-it-to-the-end-of-this-I-applaud-you diatribe I find that conclusion to be truer than my love for a good scotch and more accurate than a thousand atomic clocks.

please tell me you don't live in Sacramento...

 

[Midniteoyl]

I just had one open up near me. First one I can get to on a regular basis. It was pretty decent, the kid working the register couldn't really tell me much about mech mods (or which ones they had) but what I assume was the owner stepped in pretty quickly and made sure I knew all the safety precautions and a couple features of my Nemesis clone. Price was good, I got taxed probably $5-10 over the best deal I could find on Ebay, but that's local businesses for you.

$5-$10 over ebay's lowest is not bad.. not bad at all. if I could find those prices at a B&M I would buy there w/o hesitation..

 

[zize]

ok 1st things 1st great forum and looks like a great bunch of members love the input here and its helping me know what people want,
I just want to thank you all for the comments its a real help for someone like me who is looking to open his 1st bricks and mortar premises.In A 60 MILE RADIUS WE HAVE ONE SHOP ! used to sell legal highs but closed due to public pressure and council pressure and owner has decided to turn it into a vape shop still not ready but i dont hold out much hope its going to be inviting to visit been twice now and still they are not setup to trade.
my only other competitor makes his own in the back of his shop (cough) considering he works out a sunday market with bottles that just have a pc generated label with the flavour on it i highly doubt it,i bought a bottle and he didnt even ask me the strength i wanted just picked one up and handed it to me
killed me after a night sore throat and tight chest but i had to test it rest found its way into the waste bin.
I want to turn this around here and the comments here help me to decide whats best and what to offer people i am not concerned with making a major profit although obviously i need to feed my family
I am still new to this but i am learning daily having just started vaping myself around 2.5 months ago.

so thank you all you have helped more than you can imagine just by a few simple comments

 

[DaveP]

Well it's kinda hard to say, it wasn't very long after their big Grand Opening, and it was a Saturday, so it was a bit hectic in there. However the one counter guy that I talked to was very nice, very helpful; at the time I was looking for one of the airflow controller bases, and asked if they had that in stock at the store, since they carry it online; he found out for me that they didn't have it in, just then, but would be getting it. At that point we just kinda looked around, mainly at their driptip selection, and he was very friendly and helpful with that, especially considering what a small purchase it was, but I got the gunmetal driptip I'd been eyeballing online; I hated to spend $3 for shipping for a $3.95 item; with retail markup, it was $5.95 at the shop, so I still saved a dollar, so I figured that was good enough, and got it. They had a fair selection of assorted hardware, but they probably do have more now. I just don't get up that way too much anymore, since we moved to just outside the main "business district" of Lawrenceville; MadVapes is actually in Buford, right across the street from the Walmart at Hamilton Mill. But I'd say it was a pretty decent shop; didn't feel any of the "elitism" that the "modzzzz" places have in such abundance, and the counter help seemed friendly and competent.

Andria

I don't mind paying the "get it now" price as long as it's no more than online + shipping would be. The store has more overhead than a shipping warehouse that's closed to the public.

 

[DaveP]

Stormy's sales counter is a glass case section about 25 feet long. The right end is full of small clearos and starter stuff and the hardware progresses to the left where everything is advanced to Kayfun and Terminator type tanks and RBA's. In between, there's any mod you see on their web site. One the wall are all the accessories, coils, hardware pieces, and juices.

Across from the sales counter are some tables and a drink station with the Keurig coffeemaker. Right in the center there's a juice bar with every flavor they carry in house from several outside vendors, plus their own labeled juices. Those who are mxing and mingling and vaping can find a clear area to talk and compare mods. The store is just about sized right and it's set up where they can serve every level of vaper at a different section of the sales counter.

 

[ILoveNorCal]

please tell me you don't live in Sacramento...

I don't live in Sacramento.

Why did you want me to tell you that?

 

[Thejack1]

I've been in more than a few shops here in NJ that had me wanting to take a Lysol shower before I got back in my car.

 

[yo_diego]

I felt awkward in a local store, because I was 3 step ahead. then on a business travel I went to another store were I felt totally akward because they all were cloud chasing pros and I went for my first cool dripping atomizer. It was an Igo-W.

but at the end of the day, they were kind enough to walk me trough all the new stuff, cotton wicks, and low nicotine ejuice.
so I spent just the money that fits my budget and fits my needs.

 

[wyteclouds]

If you feel awkward in the shop that you go to, you need to find a new shop! I went to almost every shop in my town, of which there are about 7, until I found one I was comfortable with. The first time in the shop, I actually just talked with the owner for about an hour and tried almost every flavor he had. LOL

 

[patkin]

For the most part I am and didn't find it odd because I'm an introvert... then it hit me: How many places do you go to a counter and interact with a person behind it these days? Fast food maybe? Post office, UPS, Customer service to return something, etc. But those are places where you know exactly what you want or have to say and just tell the person at a register. Only exception I could think of where an actual sales person has to get something to show you is a jewelry store and I'm uncomfortable there too. So I think that's the discomfort for me... the interaction factor. And I agree with all those who've mentioned bad-attitude sales people and owners... bad enough for your average introvert without dealing with that too. I like the idea of immediate gratification at a B&M of course but much prefer the comfort of online buying. Maybe if I was ever in a B&M where they actually knew their products as well as or better than I do or actually had what I need (yeh, I know how that sounds but, really, at one of the three I've been in the owner wanted to hire me and I'm a frequent ECF visitor and they're not) the experience would have been better. But online shopping has the draw back of waiting for answers in email so both have pros and cons.

 

[DaveP]

Sales is all about asking the right questions when the customer doesn't really know what they want. That means the salesperson has to know every product's pluses and minuses. Sears used to be great about conducting classes to familiarize their people with the products. Now, you go online and Google everything and sales is there to ring up the sale if you choose to buy in a B&M. If you find a knowledgeable counter person, you are fortunate.

I've been in both types of vaping stores. One guy had never seen a Provari in the local smoke shop that also sells ecig stuff. In Stormy's there's always at least one seasoned person who can talk the talk accurately from starter kits to dripping to advanced RBA use and demonstration of all the mods. If there's a new person on the counter, there's also a seasoned one within earshot who's there with the answers if needed. That's how the new employee learns the ropes, IMO.

 

[AndriaD]

The one I go to is throwing a "gangsta" party this Saturday. I don't get how anyone would think advertising it as a "gangsta" party would help their business. But hey, maybe I'm just getting old.

I don't get it either. The "gangsta" mentality is apparently responsible for so many young men shaving their heads bald. I guess they want to look like prison inmates, to which all I can say is "WHY???" To me they just look like cancer victims in the middle of a course of chemo/radiation therapy, and so many times, I want to ask one of these self-inflicted baldies, "So how's the treatment going? Are you in remission yet?" Men should have hair, at least until it gives up on its own.

Andria

 

[ILoveNorCal]

I don't get it either. The "gangsta" mentality is apparently responsible for so many young men shaving their heads bald. I guess they want to look like prison inmates, to which all I can say is "WHY???" To me they just look like cancer victims in the middle of a course of chemo/radiation therapy, and so many times, I want to ask one of these self-inflicted baldies, "So how's the treatment going? Are you in remission yet?" Men should have hair, at least until it gives up on its own.

Andria

As a man with 'long luscious locks' (as my GF puts it) I agree that that men should have hair. I know you're husband would agree with me, Andria

BUT

As a man with 'long luscious locks' I would also have to say that any man (or woman) should have the freedom to have their hair anyway they damn well please. Maybe they like it short (or none at all) because it's easier to manage... or so it doesn't get in their way when they're working. I know mine does. I usually keep a bandanna handy to keep my hair out of my face if I'm going to be working with my hands a lot.

 

[Farmaz]

Do you mean the shops where there's a bunch of kids blowing large clouds and chit-chatting amongst themselves and make you feel like you are a nuisance? If so, yes. In more professional shops where the employees are friendly and not just young punks looking to have their teeth blown out by sub-ohming in an unsafe manner, I always feel comfortable. Shops are in business to make money and they should be professionally operated. They shouldn't hire 'kids' that don't have a clue about what they are selling. Granted these are probably minimum wage jobs but, as businessman, I would do proper interviews and have written policies of what is expected of employees and I would ensure that my customers are comfortable and not intimidated.

This, taken the words right off my keyboard.