I just think that BT is worried that too many places are banning analog cigarettes and to keep up their bottom line, is trying to make sure that they have some market in selling e-cigs for those places that have banned smoking inside and in public places. We've been in some bars in Chicago that actually sell Blu behind the counter for people who want a smoke, but don't want to go outside. I've also seen them in drug stores now, right next to regular analog cigarettes. BT is just jumping on the bandwagon, and whether it is good or bad for vaping, it shows that BT is paying attention to how popular vaping is becoming.
Blu ecig buyout--boycott??
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Let me ask everyone another question. With the new 800 pound gorilla in the room (BT) How long will it be before you ten or twenty dollar bottle of juice which is the equivalent of a carton of tobacco cigarettes is all of a sudden 50 or 60 dollars. BT is not going to let that price disparity last. With their powerful Washington lobby, you can pretty much be assured that new rules and taxes will be put in place.
I think that’s coming with or without BT in the mix.
As vaping grows and politicians (local, state and federal) see the potential for easy money via sin-taxes it will certainly be taxed more. Here in Illinois the Governor is once again proposing yet another $1 increase in cigarette taxes, this seems to be an annual occurrence. Once the vaping population grows to the point that a dollar of state tax can generate significant revenue…they will jump on that opportunity to increase the taxes.
As the saying goes…the only two sure things in life are death and taxes.
I worry much less about that scenario. Bigger profits are from outlawing consumer applied eliquid completely and forcing everyone to use sealed carts only. Much bigger profits for the large companies and much more control for government. Oh and limiting the nicotine to 2 & 4mg strength. This would force many back to smoking.
It will be interesting to see what happens with BT involved, it could go either way. It could help ecigs become more accepted with BT lobbying for it, or it could get more controled, hard to say. No one really knows. bnrk
There will always be product available for DIY whether it's legal or not. Sure I like the fact BT is getting involved but don't like the fact that the many Mom and Pop operations may not be able to compete. Rather than boycott Blu/ BT I will remain loyal to those vendors that were the very people/ vendors that took the abuse and were hassled at every turn by BT, BP and the Government. Without their hard work and perseverance we wouldn't be here talking about the vaping movement and I, personally, owe them a HUGE debt of gratitude.
You are spot on with your concerns. I just worry that being associated with BT will accelerate the process. However, we have seen the results of prohibition and as the DIY community is already quite large, I don't believe the government is so foolish as to make those mistakes again. Then again, perhaps I am being naive.
Commercial Interruption...
Please be careful referencing PVs looking like "Other Items" they are not allowed to be mentioned by name. "Other Item" gets the point across just fine.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/announcements-rules/51178-forum-rules.html
9.3 Discussion or mention of illegal/illicit drugs or sexual content.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/255864-why-we-dont-allow-drug-talk.html
Editing to add...Since I have been moderating, I have had quite the learning experience...there are many non E-Liquid using items that look just like our beloved PVs.
Please be careful referencing PVs looking like "Other Items" they are not allowed to be mentioned by name. "Other Item" gets the point across just fine.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/announcements-rules/51178-forum-rules.html
9.3 Discussion or mention of illegal/illicit drugs or sexual content.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/255864-why-we-dont-allow-drug-talk.html
Editing to add...Since I have been moderating, I have had quite the learning experience...there are many non E-Liquid using items that look just like our beloved PVs.
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Yeah, it is Hard to Say.
BTW – Wouldn’t a Corporation like Lorillard have the funds to do some Scientific Studies regarding e-Liquid Safety and or Effectiveness as a Nicotine Delivery System?
I think this may end up being a good thing. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
I do agree with you about the small manufacturers and retailers though. But the good news is, Lorillard sees vaping as the future, and they think enough of it to invest in it. (Assuming that they're not just shutting Blu down, which would be a very bad business move.)
I do agree with you about the small manufacturers and retailers though. But the good news is, Lorillard sees vaping as the future, and they think enough of it to invest in it. (Assuming that they're not just shutting Blu down, which would be a very bad business move.)
They bought Blu solely for the brand name. Whether we like it or not Blu has put oodles of $$ into the marketing of their product and have been very successful in selling their products with very high profit margins. How many times have we read of newbies owning the Blucig.
New marketing slogan for Blu:
Blu, it will make you "blue"
once you've tried a really good PV!Oh, wait, I forgot, telling the truth when marketing is a big no-no.
I already boycotted Blue indirectly when I joined these forums and started seeing better alternatives everywhere.
On the one hand, e-cigs like blu are great because they get people started vaping.
On the other hand, they suck because they arent very effective and combined with their marketing strategy turn a LOT of people off vaping before theyre even properly started.
Metro (a Blue competitor and rip-off) has people convinced on their facebook page that refilling cartos tastes bad and is too much of a hassle.
On the one hand, e-cigs like blu are great because they get people started vaping.
On the other hand, they suck because they arent very effective and combined with their marketing strategy turn a LOT of people off vaping before theyre even properly started.
Metro (a Blue competitor and rip-off) has people convinced on their facebook page that refilling cartos tastes bad and is too much of a hassle.
What you may see is a Revamping of the Blu Product Line.
I’m sure the fine folks at Lorillard scoured the ECF getting the pulse of what people like/don’t like about the Blu before acquiring them.
But more importantly, what more people will spend their hard earned Money on Besides the Blu.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Blu came out with an entire 510 / KR808 line of e-Cigs to capture more of the Mainstream Market.
From the many smokers I have talked to who tried vaping and went back to smoking, I find it runs about 10 to 1 that for everyone who tried a model like the Blu and found it quite ineffective, 1 came to a place like ECF and found better alternatives and 10 decided vaping was a scam/waste of time and went back to smoking. BT probably knows this too and factored it into their decision.
I m for the buyout- if vaping takes off like it probably will tobacco companies are going to either have to best it or join it, tobacco companies aren't inherently evil they just want to make money. If their financial interests lie with making vaping successful, which is a situation this buyout has created, I don't see that as a negative.
Were the lucky ones then, or the smart ones, as we chose to learn as much as we could about something before dismissing it out of hand.
I think youre giving the tobacco companies too much credit.Yeah the information is out there, but its been my experience that a lot of people,especially the younger generation, dont take the time to research a product thoroughly before assuming they have all the answers.Im not sure anyone at Lorillard is going to wade through 1000s of pages of posts on here and other vaping forums to do their marketing research, they'll just rely on Blu's faulty marketing data and wont be much of a threat.
IF (and thats a big if) someone actually does their homework and comes out with a Provari type of unit for 19.99 then Ill be seriously surprised.My biggest fear is the big tobacco companies pushing to have all e-juices manufactured in a laboratory under strict f.d.a regulation and the addition of taxes.
Do the BT execs use their own product and encourage their kids to use it? I'll never forget, a few yrs ago, when the Do Not Call List started. The top execs of the largest telemarketing company in the U.S. were the first to sign up. They sure had some splaining to do
zapped - I respectfully disagree. Many people in general do not do research, but the young generation may be an exception. I was practically born with a computer next to me and I can't imagine doing/buying anything without googling it first, reading reviews, etc.
I could be wrong.
But Usually when a Company shells out 135 Million or so to acquire another company, they like to know as much about what they are buying as possible.
Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if some Lorillard policy makers are subscribed to This thread right now. Seeing that Blu is a Corporate Sponsor of the ECF through Advertising, I don’t think this is too far out of the question.
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