Well, closest B&M that carries anything other than the cig-a-likes for me is in Abilene and it's not even just a true e-cig shop. The place is actually a local computer shop that sells e-cigs, accessories, and juice as a sideline. There is a discount "analog" shop in Abilene as well that sells juice and is one of the few places in Abilene where you can actually smoke indoors, which is one of the main reasons I don't go there. As I've mentioned before in other posts, I do occasionally "break down" and choke on an "analog" but that's becoming even less and less of an occurance. I just make sure I've got my back-ups handy and if need be, my car charger and I'm golden.
- Status
Hey i am in austin, tx too! Need to update my profile. I have only been to one so far in south austin, was not great, but i am looking forward to checking out All About Vapor.
My opinion tho, B&M's are good for juices, thats it. It does cost a bit more BUT you get to taste it. Some will carry Virgin Vapor stuff, some Bobas Bounty and gorrilla juice and Some carried Bloog. List goes on, then as a topper they make their own juices as well so you can really have a chance to find your fav vapes without blowing money on sample packs and shipping on 10ml bottles from places.
That is my take on it.. Usually i impulse buy on drip tips, replaceable heads, lanyards, maybe a tank or 2 if I like the place. But i wont go in there looking for a MOD at 200% markup, thats for sure
My opinion tho, B&M's are good for juices, thats it. It does cost a bit more BUT you get to taste it. Some will carry Virgin Vapor stuff, some Bobas Bounty and gorrilla juice and Some carried Bloog. List goes on, then as a topper they make their own juices as well so you can really have a chance to find your fav vapes without blowing money on sample packs and shipping on 10ml bottles from places.
That is my take on it.. Usually i impulse buy on drip tips, replaceable heads, lanyards, maybe a tank or 2 if I like the place. But i wont go in there looking for a MOD at 200% markup, thats for sure
I live in a city of 150k. We have six B & M's and they're all very similar in the way items are displayed in a manner resembling a jewelry store. Onesie twosie of each type of clearo, tank, dripper, batteries, Mods, etc in glass display counters that separate the staff from the customer. Stock is pulled from storage area, sometimes in customer view, sometimes not. Juice sampling area or lounge away from the display cases. Plenty of seats or sofas for hanging out to vape and BS.
One shoppe really stands out with a juice bar any regular bar would kill for & vapor lounge twice as big as the equipment sales area. They also mix all the juice on the spot.
One shoppe really stands out with a juice bar any regular bar would kill for & vapor lounge twice as big as the equipment sales area. They also mix all the juice on the spot.
It's easy, most mods are meant to be carried in your pocket or easily hidden ...who wants to see (not that you necessarily would) your merchandise walking out your front door unpaid for?
It's a sad state of the world today, but many people have absolutely no qualms about stealing what you have. I remember reading something somewhere - don't remember where or have a link - that essentially said a lot of people, in a multitude of age groups but primarily lower-lower middle class income, don't even consider stealing as "wrong" anymore - or, at the very least, in their minds, it's easily 'justifiable'.
The one B&M I know of in my area is a small business - a VERY small business - not in the most crime-free portion of the city either, if you know what I mean. ALL of their merchandise is behind the counter.
I was so excited when a b&m finally opened not two miles from me. I went in a few weeks ago and was seriously disappointed.
The guy was selling nothing but overpriced eGo knock offs, literally no other hardware in the store. He had about 20 flavors of juices and a 350mah eGo+CE4 for each juice. His juice is mixe in China and he relabels it
I asked him why he doesn't DIY in the back of the store and make some really unique custom juices at a fraction of the cost. He told me, and I quote.. "99% of the juice sellers in the US buy from China and relabel for their brand"
The guy was selling nothing but overpriced eGo knock offs, literally no other hardware in the store. He had about 20 flavors of juices and a 350mah eGo+CE4 for each juice. His juice is mixe in China and he relabels it
I asked him why he doesn't DIY in the back of the store and make some really unique custom juices at a fraction of the cost. He told me, and I quote.. "99% of the juice sellers in the US buy from China and relabel for their brand"
We have 4 or 5 within driving distance for me. I know the owners of all of them. I belong to 2 local groups, and we've had meet ups in the shops.
The thing the 'hobby vapers' like myself forget, is that the bulk of a B&M shop's day to day business doesn't come from vapers such as myself, or many vapers who belong to forums like ECF. It comes from folks who want simple cigalike devices, cartomizers (sometimes prefilled), and will never purchase anything beyond an Ego kit. That's the bread and butter business. Not vv/vw devices, mechanical mods, rebuildables, DIY supplies, etc.
Those of us who have become hobbyists sometime think that we are the average vaper. We're not. Most B&M shops are set up to cater to those who fit into the largest percentage of the market.
The thing the 'hobby vapers' like myself forget, is that the bulk of a B&M shop's day to day business doesn't come from vapers such as myself, or many vapers who belong to forums like ECF. It comes from folks who want simple cigalike devices, cartomizers (sometimes prefilled), and will never purchase anything beyond an Ego kit. That's the bread and butter business. Not vv/vw devices, mechanical mods, rebuildables, DIY supplies, etc.
Those of us who have become hobbyists sometime think that we are the average vaper. We're not. Most B&M shops are set up to cater to those who fit into the largest percentage of the market.
The B&M near me is exactly like Rule said above. Mostly knockoff gear, ego style. Very few vv/vw device. I don't even think they carry 18xxx batteries! Juice is $10/10ml. The store itself is in a small strip mall, 3 glass cases. One has 10-15 bottles of juice displayed, other 2 have items displayed with stock on shelves behind them.
I think a lot of it comes down to money. Good extra help costs money - younger, less knowledgeable staff tend to be cheaper to hire. Stock merchandise is money just sitting on the shelves. I would love to walk in to a B&M and find a trove of top-end mods for me to see first hand - but I can't find them in stock online most of the time so I really won't expect B&M's to be able to stock them.
There are B&M's that do of course sell higher end mods but they typically sell out as soon as they come in stock.
TLDR - most B&Ms are probably under-capitalized and good stock is expensive and hard to get a hold of and keep on shelves.
There are B&M's that do of course sell higher end mods but they typically sell out as soon as they come in stock.
TLDR - most B&Ms are probably under-capitalized and good stock is expensive and hard to get a hold of and keep on shelves.
I can't tell you often I have heard someone who has used a cigalike for a month say "I am gonna open a vape store"
Most have no clue how a retail business should be run, which is why you see the empty shelves, if the have them, and lack of decor.
A good friend of mine is opening a b&m and he did a 2 month research traveling to different b&m in different states to get an idea of what was out there. (He currently owns a very successful clothing store) and he said it is sad what little retail knowledge these people have. In his words you can't have empty shelves, stick something on them anything.
Sadly it has become the new American "goldrush". While on one hand it is awesome the amount of jobs created, it has also spurned amass amount of people looking to make a quick buck on those who don't know better.
Eventually they will get it right, most don't have the Capitol to make a store the way it should be. Ecigs are still very controversial and it's very difficult to get a business loan for them.
As far as juice is concerned, I think most stores don't realize or haven't researched enough to know that there are several quality juice vendors/wholesalers in the market that don't sell direct to the public but to b&m so they can offer customers a variety to choose from.
Just my 2cents
Most have no clue how a retail business should be run, which is why you see the empty shelves, if the have them, and lack of decor.
A good friend of mine is opening a b&m and he did a 2 month research traveling to different b&m in different states to get an idea of what was out there. (He currently owns a very successful clothing store) and he said it is sad what little retail knowledge these people have. In his words you can't have empty shelves, stick something on them anything.
Sadly it has become the new American "goldrush". While on one hand it is awesome the amount of jobs created, it has also spurned amass amount of people looking to make a quick buck on those who don't know better.
Eventually they will get it right, most don't have the Capitol to make a store the way it should be. Ecigs are still very controversial and it's very difficult to get a business loan for them.
As far as juice is concerned, I think most stores don't realize or haven't researched enough to know that there are several quality juice vendors/wholesalers in the market that don't sell direct to the public but to b&m so they can offer customers a variety to choose from.
Just my 2cents
The B& M near me is also like that, all behind glass and some couches. But the one I went to does not permit juice tasting. I have seen online some B&M that look a lot more interesting but they do not seem to be near me.
Last edited:
Has anyone of you that's complaining about the B&M lack of stock and other problems ever owned a biz, or tried to get a loan lately?
Look as a former biz owner the economic times are tough as they have ever been right now for most of working class America. I'm not talking about the Hollyweird self proclaimed "elite" and other richy rich people, I'm talking about the family that has two working parents or the young couple who are renting an apt. There just isn't much extra money to spend on luxury items.
Then there's the suppliers!!! Have you tried to get a Svoemesto (sp) Kayfun 3.1 lately or Poldiac's when they were all the rage or Boba's Bounty or Nemesis Mods or Pluid??? Manufacturers simply cannot get everything that it takes together to consistently supply the demand. Be it money or cash FLOW or the supply chain. It's a bear to get your hands on anything popular and in demand one or two at a time let alone 30-50 or for God's sake 300-500 at a time.
Look at bigger and more established "chain" vaping stores. Very recently I have read apologies from a arguably the biggest B&M vendor in the USA about the lack of consistent stock in their stores.
I invite all of you to come up with a plan to change and or improve the problems.
Start your own place, do it better. If you do you WILL succeed.
I submit that this industry is still in the transition phase where MOST people who are avid vapers (read: the one's who are spending 90% of the money) are buying online and that trend will continue till something cracks the bubble. The only way you can compete with internet pricing is to buy in massive bulk and keep overhead very low. Yet some have posted here that the "office like" atmosphere of many B&M's is undesirable, well have you priced hardwood flooring and beautiful artwork and comfy leather and stainless steel furniture lately? How is the owner supposed to provide you with a stellar environment in which to buy your cheap Chinese vaping gear without inflating prices to cover the costs?
Carry on, I'm tired of typing.
Look as a former biz owner the economic times are tough as they have ever been right now for most of working class America. I'm not talking about the Hollyweird self proclaimed "elite" and other richy rich people, I'm talking about the family that has two working parents or the young couple who are renting an apt. There just isn't much extra money to spend on luxury items.
Then there's the suppliers!!! Have you tried to get a Svoemesto (sp) Kayfun 3.1 lately or Poldiac's when they were all the rage or Boba's Bounty or Nemesis Mods or Pluid??? Manufacturers simply cannot get everything that it takes together to consistently supply the demand. Be it money or cash FLOW or the supply chain. It's a bear to get your hands on anything popular and in demand one or two at a time let alone 30-50 or for God's sake 300-500 at a time.
Look at bigger and more established "chain" vaping stores. Very recently I have read apologies from a arguably the biggest B&M vendor in the USA about the lack of consistent stock in their stores.
I invite all of you to come up with a plan to change and or improve the problems.
Start your own place, do it better. If you do you WILL succeed.
I submit that this industry is still in the transition phase where MOST people who are avid vapers (read: the one's who are spending 90% of the money) are buying online and that trend will continue till something cracks the bubble. The only way you can compete with internet pricing is to buy in massive bulk and keep overhead very low. Yet some have posted here that the "office like" atmosphere of many B&M's is undesirable, well have you priced hardwood flooring and beautiful artwork and comfy leather and stainless steel furniture lately? How is the owner supposed to provide you with a stellar environment in which to buy your cheap Chinese vaping gear without inflating prices to cover the costs?
Carry on, I'm tired of typing.
Last edited:
Right and Pink Spot is no upstart newbie, but they certainly started out that way.
Last edited:
It seems to me in reading this that you guys want a "mod" shop. A vape shop is a place where traditional tobacco smokers go to make a conversion. 99% of my customers don't even know what a mod is. They have no use for all the stuff your complaining about. Now the shop I work in DOES have all the mod stuff from k100+ all the way to ProVari but that stuff sits around forever. We mod guys and hobbyists make up 1% of this market and it is COMPLETELY REDICULOUS to assume the entire marketplace should cater itself to us. Understand that we have taken something completely simple on the surface and overcomplicated it for no reason other than a tinkerer's curiosity. We really have no value in the industry for people who simply want to get off tobacco.
As for complaints about juice prices and selection... do you remember what you paid for cigarettes? 30 bucks a week on average. $10 for 10ml of quality juice is a good deal. You can't expect a B&M with employees and bills and such to match online prices. It makes no sense.
My local B&M is owned by a guy who understands business. He stocks what he can sell quickly at either location. He has blister pack eGo starter kits, popular accessories and consumables, and several brands of juice, including his own brand. There are a couple of mods on display, but the same ones always seem to be there. I think these are more for decoration/display than anything else because that kind of pricey gadgetry just doesn't fly off the shelf like the eGo batteries, cartridges, atomizers and clearomizers.
These are small businesses. Inventory is money burning if it's not selling. Nothing will put you out of business quicker than a huge stock of stuff that collects dust. You can't expect to walk into such a specialized small business and expect to see it stocked like Walmart. You can expect to pay $10 for 10ml of juice and twice the price of online gear. That's how retail works.
These are small businesses. Inventory is money burning if it's not selling. Nothing will put you out of business quicker than a huge stock of stuff that collects dust. You can't expect to walk into such a specialized small business and expect to see it stocked like Walmart. You can expect to pay $10 for 10ml of juice and twice the price of online gear. That's how retail works.
Good point but then again the reason lots of people dont know about mods and other delivery devices in these places is because These types of stores don't want anything to do with the higher end stuff.
One of my favorite shops is ecig city in Lagoona Beach CA. They have everything for all levels of vapors. A bigger lounge area would be nice but Im sure space is expensive on a main street store there.
I agree completely. That's why our shop carries it all. Gotta get it out there and educate people.I get calls for cig-a-likes as often as I get calls for Kanthal. I love the direction vaping is going in my town.
100% agreed If I went in to a shop when I wanted to quit smoking and someone tried to sell me a GG with a ODY and started telling me about resistance and nr wires needed and the 350$ price tag Id of laughed at them and would kept smoking. On the flip side if cigalikes were the only choice I might of went back to smoking.
As a store owner Id think Id like to have their business threw all stages not just the start up or the end. Im just guessing but Id imagine consumables make up the bulk of sales any way. There will be a point if and when ecigs replace cigs that every third person walking threw the door is not a noob but just a guy needing more supplies.
- Status
Similar threads
