anyone feel awkward in vape shops

[Jaylah]

That's a good vape shop you have there.

They guided you to an excellent choice to start with...heck a good combo to continue with, even

Good to know. Because, since then, I've gone back and gotten two more tanks (makes switching flavors a lot easier), and a second ItasteVV. Ever since I started vaping I've had this nightmarish thought about, "What if I break it and go back to smoking cigarettes again!" So now I've got a spare.

 

[Chelonian]

There is one recommendation that I always make to vapers starting out - and that's to try cartos. They taste great when properly used, are dead simple, reliable as a hammer, and aren't plagued with hit and miss replacement coil quality. You can also add a tank to them.

I will put it this way - I have a lot of good gear, and I still like my cartos

 

[aldenf]

I have three shops around my house in the country. One is owner operated. The other two are owned by the same gentleman but staffed by under-trained people who often look at me like I'm speaking Chinese.

I stopped in to all three today looking for a bridgeless 510 atty to test my steeping juices. No one knew what I was even talking about. The owner of the first was telling me about a knew mech dual-battery box mod he was getting in. 7.4 volts of pure vaping madness. But, "The batteries aren't stacked. It's far too dangerous to stack batteries." I just nodded, purchased a couple of juices he had on sale and walked out.

One sales person recommended that a brand new PAD light smoker start with 24mg eJuice. Really?

I've only been at this seven weeks or so and it seems that I know more than 90% of these shop owners/workers. Granted, I've spent 50 hours or so of research on the topic. But if I can do it, shouldn't the people in the industry do at least the same? The mark-up in general of many B&M is ridiculous. They tried to sell me an RDA clone for $30 that I can buy from trusted online US vendors for around $10. For those prices, I expect darned-near experts, with better than average knowledge about the industry, vaping politics, safety and basic electrical theory. Heck, I had one rep ask me if I'd teach her how to rebuild Kanger coils with cotton & microcoil.

This industry better get it's act together quickly or the states will step in and regulate the hell out of it.

This is just my opinion. I could be wrong...

 

[AndriaD]

we need to start up "Ye Olde Curmudgeon Club"

We could wander into random threads, and grumble at the OP

ROFL! I thought I was already doing that... especially the threads where the OP is blaming their new case of .... pimples on vaping.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

Grumble, grumble, grumble. When I was a kid ... You young people have it all .....

GET OFF MY LAWN

My husband yells this at the adolescents who seem to think our yard is a shortcut, about twice a week.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

There is one recommendation that I always make to vapers starting out - and that's to try cartos. They taste great when properly used, are dead simple, reliable as a hammer, and aren't plagued with hit and miss replacement coil quality. You can also add a tank to them.

I will put it this way - I have a lot of good gear, and I still like my cartos

I'm nuts about my kayfuns, but I have a really nice SmokTech UDCT that I keep for emergencies, plus the cartos for it -- because I know, if worse comes to worst, I can *always* get a decent vape from that UDCT. ALWAYS.

Andria

 

[rc3po]

i dont know if thats just me

I've never been in a vape shop. I've bought all of my gear, juice & everything on-line. After finding out that the B&M stores mark everything up it's a good thing that I haven't been in one.

 

[bamani71]

I've been to a couple in my area. The first was pretty decent but I didn't really get a chance to hang out because I was on lunch. The second was kind of terrible. The kid "helping" me was monotone and looked totally bored. Also vaping during our conversation. Anything I wanted was out of stock, and the vaping clouds had made the store smell kind of terrible. I don't think I'll be going back to that one. I have 2 more in the area to try, but their websites look kind of sparse so I'm not really hopeful about the amount of stock. One is also selling the protank 3 mini for almost 10 bucks more than online, and only have it in clear...

 

[TonyG-string]

No.. (10 char min)

 

[epicdoom]

Never! I bust in da joint and yell that's rite you mother jumpers, Daddy's here who wants some. Ok not really, but I don't feel odd anywhere I'm a pretty forward type confident and outgoing for the most part I feel comfortable every where.

 

[ILoveNorCal]

i dont know if thats just me

Yes. I hate going into B&M's. Aside from the fact that I always feel like I'm getting ripped of in them, every one I've been too, I always feel like i'm walking into a club house that I'm not a member of. People just hanging out, can't tell who is staff and who's just a regular; and then of course you have to overhear the gaggle of 18-20 year olds bragging about there .001 Ω builds and their 'fat clouds, bro'

I guess I would feel more comfortable there if I were a regular (like my old cigar lounge-- but that was a lounge first, shop second) but I don't want to have to waste that much money to become a regular when I can find most of the stuff for 1/2 the price online.

 

[pressman57]

I don't feel uncomfortable with "head" shops, but in my area, the only stores of that type are "Starship" which are also, apparently, porn and porn-wear shops -- which wouldn't make me uncomfortable browsing online, but I'm 53 and look it, I feel a bit stupid in a store with all that S&M wear on display. And anyway, Starship's prices on vape *anything* are just flippin unbelievable; when I saw those prices I was kinda relieved, and hustled on out, really glad to not have to encounter the whips and chains and latex stuff in there ever again.

Andria

Good Lord I've been in some pretty sleazy places, but you got me beat with that one.

 

[ILoveNorCal]

Good Lord I've been in some pretty sleazy places, but you got me beat with that one.

I've seen some vape gear popping up in at least one of the sex shops in my area. Real entry level crap though.

 

[KBMP529]

I've pretty much given up on my local b&m's... Thanks to ECF I've found reputable vendors who are much cheaper & I'm quite comfortable using. And if I have any questions it's a click away.

For me, the two biggest issues I have are

A) seeing a "newbie" being sold cheap overpriced crap as "starter kits"... I hear the questions they have and it's frustrating as hell not being able to scream DONT BUY THAT.... I have actually seen people walk out without buying something and I want to run out after them to answer their questions and tell them about ECF

B) the elitists... Yes I do just want some juice & want a few Kanger coils, No I'm not interested in your sub ohm car battery cumulus cloud creator... Doesn't make me any less important customer.

 

[xena222]

We only have one b&m store here, and it is a puff and snuff that sells awful tasting vape....LOL, I felt weird going in there...not just you - the girl looked at me like I was a crazy person when I asked her for menthol eliquid - I am starting to mix my own and sticking with places here to buy stuff - it literally tasted like old chewed gum mixed with plastic!!! EWWWW!!

 

[AndriaD]

Good Lord I've been in some pretty sleazy places, but you got me beat with that one.

Oh, it was an experience. When I was younger, I didn't really mind places like that, but now, I'm really REALLY out of place! I just hang close to my husband, who looks like a cross between Charles Manson/Willie Nelson, on a bad hair day. Nobody says "boo" to him, ever.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

A) seeing a "newbie" being sold cheap overpriced crap as "starter kits"... I hear the questions they have and it's frustrating as hell not being able to scream DONT BUY THAT.... I have actually seen people walk out without buying something and I want to run out after them to answer their questions and tell them about ECF

I felt a little bit that way, last week when we were at the Vaping Shack for me to taste some new juices. However, it was a fairly decent Evod starter kit, and only a little overpriced, just regular retail markup, AND the really nice guy that owns the shop explained everything about it to the kid buying it. Well hell he may have been 30, but that's kinda kiddish to me. So even though yeah I could have steered him to some websites with better prices, he got a good solid run-thru from the shop owner, on filling/charging/knowing when it's time to change the coil, etc, and he also got some juices, which the guy was very patient with the tasting of. So not really a bad deal for that newbie at all.

B) the elitists... Yes I do just want some juice & want a few Kanger coils, No I'm not interested in your sub ohm car battery cumulus cloud creator... Doesn't make me any less important customer.

Yeah I think it's that sort that have turned me off SteamCigs since the first time I went in there. It's kind of odd, really, because I've chatted with the owner or whatever, on facebook a few times, and he's really nice, but that doesn't come thru, in person, at all. That's why I call it "Modzzzzzz Central" because of all the "elite d00dz" hanging out in there, blowing "righteous cloudz {knuckle-bump}".

Andria

 

[2muffins]

I feel awkward trying dozens of flavors and then leaving without buying anything. It's even worse when I'm the only person in there and the person working is just sort of watching me try flavors. I have found shops with good atmosphere though. I go to them before anywhere else.

 

[Hemptation]

this s exactly the situation in my Area. we have a few shops that have popped up. and one is 3-4 30+ year old dudes blowing clouds and hard to get their attention for help, and lord don't ask them a question or need to learn something. make them have to set their mod down so they can explain something. cause you then become the enemy. no matter what you are spending. their nautilus tank is 45.99$ btw

about 12 miles from there is another shop. where everyone there is willing to sit down and explain anything and everything to the best of their knowledge. and if you have some experience and knowledge, they are willing to sit down and listen to what you have to say. their nautilus tanks are 34.99$ needless to say this shop has become my local B&M that I go to pretty regularly. I will support them as long as they are in business.

 

[87slosohc]

There's about 7-8 local ones for me and only one has really had a welcoming feeling to it. But it is set up more as a lounge and is family run. A few of the other ones have become more friendly after visiting a few times.

Also always feel the need to buy something if I sample juices.