Buying From Local Vape Shop vs Buying Online

[Mig01]

Hi,
I am curious about how many people prefer to buy at a local vape shop (when there is one) versus buying online.
In my case, I prefer to buy at the vape shop, even when it means paying more than buying online. For me, it is about being able to try the products before buying, about receiving personal advice on use and maintenance of vaping products, and about encouraging local businesses. At the shop I go to, I can also order online (I do that for juices that I already like, coils, etc...) and I get delivery within 24 hours, and free shipping for large orders, such as several e-liquid bottles. It all depends on the quality of service I guess. I may be just lucky to have a shop in my area manned by competent and helpful people.

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

I buy my vapors locally. Any hardware I need I buy online for the most part, because I spend less overall.

 

[DaveP]

I'm fortunate to live within 5 miles of Stormy's Vapor Cellar's brick and mortar store. They stock everything in the store or in the warehouse next door where the online business is. If it's online but not in the store, they will usually walk next door and bring it back for you.

Stormy's store prices are equal to the online price plus the standard USPS shipping cost, so it's the same price either way. I think that's fair since operating a brick and mortar store is more expensive than some warehouse or home basement location.

I like to buy where I can look at a device and hold it. If it's something I've already seen or read enough reviews to feel comfortable buying it, I'm good with mail order sight unseen. In the case of a mod or expensive tank, I like to go see it in person if I can.

Going into the store can be a strain on your credit card, though. If it's staring at me through a glass case, I just might buy it because it's instant gratification.

 

[jstjoehere]

You are very lucky to have a vape shop that has a good staff that gives you good service. I wouldnt mind paying a little more either if it meant I could try it and take it home. My local vape shop isnt like that they are just kind of there. Yes they have some decent stuff in there but the mark ups are insane. Their juice isnt any good and they wont order anything. I will actually drive a couple miles further to go the the tobacco shop here to get my Juice when i run but I try to keep it stocked up. This vendor really kind of forced me to order online since they didnt have much enthusiasm to speak after the initial start up sale. But hey its great that you have a good vape shop near by.

 

[werefrog]

i try to buy mostly from b&m to suport those local stores unless there is a really significant price difference(more than 15-20 dollars).plus i find that if i can get something online for alot cheaper i bring it up to the b&m to help him with his supplies

 

[H2OIntolerant]

I love supporting my LVS. I usually pay more for the items, but I really enjoy having helpful experienced vapors guiding me along my path. Also, I despise waiting for anything online; the instant gratification is well worth it to me.

However, recently my LVS is trying to sell me a mech for $200, the same authentic mech is online for $100. At what point do I draw the line on markups and buy online?

 

[anumber1]

I buy from both b&m stores and online. I feel no guilt regarding shopping for price when I know what I want.

I will try and buy juice locally but have no problem buying more juice online if the price is significantly better for the brand/flavor I desire.

 

[epicdoom]

I buy from local B&M mostly due to the fact I get it rite now. I'm a rather inpatient type. I also want to support local business, That said I buy online for things I don't mind waiting for and just find ridiculously priced in B&M shops. An example of that is a kayfun clone unknown maker just in a plain white box for $55 I can get an EHpro Best made IMO for $30

 

[Justjames75]

I tend to buy from both. I get my juice locally, that way I can try it out and order hardware online. The b&m has a good price on their juice and can mix to suit my needs in a few minutes, unfortunately their hardware prices are a bit too high.

 

[Bunnykiller]

Items I dont mind waiting for .... online...
Stuff I need now... B&M
To try out new stuff and get touchy-feely B&M and then buy it Online
Juice... only 1 place to get that... Heathers Heavenly Vapes

 

[DaveP]

I'll pay 20% more for instant in-my-hand-now service. I would have paid $3-$4 for shipping anyhow. I can buy a Zmax for $74 at the B&M or $59 online + shipping. It's $10 more to get it today at the B&M and be able to exchange it over the counter if there's something wrong. When I bought my Sigelei Zmax V3, later that night I noticed the display was slanted. I went back the next morning and showed it to the owner. She reached under the counter and swapped it out right there for one that was perfect. Service is worth a little extra.

 

[catlady60]

I buy online because my local, or not-so-local, B&M doesn't have the flavors I like.

 

[Blackboar]

I do both. I like supporting the local b&m's and also like talking to people about vaping. I also have flavors that I really enjoy that are only available online. For hardware, my researched buys are usually online purchased. At the local B&M, it's usually shinyitis syndrome and impulse buys.

 

[DaveP]

I buy my juices online. It's the hardware that I'm likely to buy from a B&M.

 

[Caffeine7]

I do both. I'm lucky to have some really good b&m shops near me but if the price difference is big I will order online. Some juices i like are not available near me so I will order those. Also don't forget, unless you are ordering from fasttech etc that are based in other countries the mail order sites are also small local businesses too.

 

[Kabooma]

There's only 2 vape shops near me. One is 45+ minutes away and the other is another 30 on top of that.

The closer one sells ALL clone hardware, but won't admit it, and they also sell cheap knockoff (and awful) juice. No DIY supplies. The hardware is so cheaply made (not good clones) that it always breaks quickly. I learned my lesson and won't be going back.

The second shop that's further away does sell genuine brand names and they off both american and chinese juices. Since I DIY, it doesn't really matter, but I do stop out there on occasion to buy new batteries/APV as the junk I bought at store#1 broke down. This store also carries no DIY, and they don't carry vision products (sorry, gotta have my vivi nova 3.5's!), but they are honest as far as I can tell.

So I still buy the majority of stuff online (diy products, tanks), although I would rather purchase locally, simply because of the shipping costs and snafu's with deliveries (especially stuff that ships USPS.. my god they are completely inept!).

 

[Boiler]

I don't buy much stuff anymore, but when I do, I prefer the convenience of shopping locally. When I started that option didn't exist, now we have a dozen shops nearby and their inventory is slowly gaining depth and diversity.

 

[Nightshard]

There are NO vape shops in my stupid country, not a single one that i know of.
If there were i would have preferred them over online shops.

 

[realsis]

I really feel awful about saying this, however it's true. I buy ALL my equipment online due to the fact that my local shops are not trust worthy and their mark up is 200%. One of my local shops makes the claim that their juice is so special it takes them two days to make it. I'm sorry but I don't buy this. I make my own juice at home and it's a fairly easy process taking about 4 to 5 minutes to make a batch. If it's taking them so called two days then they are doing something very wrong. Another favorite thing for my local shops to do is purchase juice online then resell the same juice, same label, at a 200% mark up. That's just wrong. Also they sell their juice for a whopping 12 dollars for 10 ml. That is outrageous. They also sell obvious clones as genuine products. And they don't know what their doing. I went to try one of their juices and I wanted 24 mg nicotine. They said they only had 18 but could make it into a 24. I agreed and the man took out a UNMEASURED dropper and put a SYRINGE full of what he called "pure nicotine" into my juice. Now I make my own juices and know that precise measurements are VERY important when it comes to nicotine. That man had no idea how much nicotine he put into my juice. It was absolutely unsmokeable. Besides having could have potentially poisoned me with too much nicotine!! That was the last time I went to the shop. I find its much better to get genuine products online, without the crazy mark up, and after the nicotine thing, I just don't trust them. So i stick with shopping online.

 

[OBDave]

I'll pay 20% more for instant in-my-hand-now service. I would have paid $3-$4 for shipping anyhow. I can buy a Zmax for $74 at the B&M or $59 online + shipping. It's $10 more to get it today at the B&M and be able to exchange it over the counter if there's something wrong. When I bought my Sigelei Zmax V3, later that night I noticed the display was slanted. I went back the next morning and showed it to the owner. She reached under the counter and swapped it out right there for one that was perfect. Service is worth a little extra.

I'd pay 20-30% extra to support a local, but nearly every one of the 15-20 vape shops I've visited in my area run somewhere between 100-300% markup vs. a US-based online supplier. So I go for the juice bars and to pick up a couple bottles of expensive juice now and then, but never would I ever buy hardware or accessories from a B&M.