Buying From Local Vape Shop vs Buying Online

[jstjoehere]

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.

realsis Im so with you in this. They sound exactly like my vape shop. Seriously a Kanger mega in their shop is close to $60 come on guys thats way over what kangertech sells them for. They only sell their own DIY juice and seriously most of it is pretty bland. Not to mention once they sold me my first set up and I went back in I was pretty much non existant to them. So I just keep a good stock of supplies and order everything online as well. I would love to support my local business and Im a believer in that but they are taking advantage of people. A vision spinner 1100 ma for 40 bucks I dont have much more than that in my box mod lol. Any way to those of you that have a good vape shop GOOD FOR YOU keep supporting them. Just remember some of us really dont have a choice but to shop online.

 

[Deryan3]

I have built a good rapport with the one quality local B&M guys, I try to support them as much as possible, they have given me a 10% off discount on occasions. But i am still a consumer and i will still keep an eye for a great deal. I buy my common flavors from the local and order my "exotic" flavors from an online vendor.

 

[Stringplucker]

I support my local B&M, but most of my gear is bought online...mainly because he doesn't carry everything I need or desire. Much of what he carries is more expensive than online, but most online vendors don't have the overhead that he has. What I wont do is give my local guy 50-100% mark-up on items. He knows that. That's why he usually gives me discounts that others don't get...because I educate myself on the pricing prior to shopping in his store.

One thing people need to understand...all pricing is negotiable, and you have the ability to walk away from establishments that gouge the consumer. I rarely pay full price on anything...to include home electronics. I always speak with management and dicker the pricing down to something I'm willing to pay, or I walk away. High prices are shown for the uneducated and uninformed shopper.

 

[realsis]

realsis Im so with you in this. They sound exactly like my vape shop. Seriously a Kanger mega in their shop is close to $60 come on guys thats way over what kangertech sells them for. They only sell their own DIY juice and seriously most of it is pretty bland. Not to mention once they sold me my first set up and I went back in I was pretty much non existant to them. So I just keep a good stock of supplies and order everything online as well. I would love to support my local business and Im a believer in that but they are taking advantage of people. A vision spinner 1100 ma for 40 bucks I dont have much more than that in my box mod lol. Any way to those of you that have a good vape shop GOOD FOR YOU keep supporting them. Just remember some of us really dont have a choice but to shop online.

So true, I agree completely. Some shops are out to take complete advantage of people especially new people and in my town we only have two shops and they both are absolutely awful. They take complete advantage of people and I wasn't joking about a 200% mark up. I know a lady who went to one and she was new and they told her to tip her tank up when she vaped, she was vaping from a bottom fed coil. I asked her why she's tipping up her tank like that and she said they told her too. This will make her coil burn up aND not get juice to it!!! There is just no reason to do these kinds of things to new people. She was walking around tipping up her bottom fed coil tank and no juice was getting to the coil!! Now why on earth would they tell her this!! Well I think it was so she would burn out her coils faster and have to come back for more of them! That's just so wrong!! I wouldn't give them a dime of my money!!

 

[joesquid]

I buy my mods at the local B&M but more expensive toppers online. HI was happy I did when my vv V3 quit on me. A 2 minute ride and I had a brand new one. Certainly worth the extra $20 or 30 to me not to have to wait weeks for a replacement.

 

[Chelonian]

There are at least 7 vape shops within a 20 minute drive from my house.
The biggest is TERRIBLE. Crap juice, cloned EH Pro clones, or $280 Provari minis.
They get all the new people, then they learn and don't go back. They have a beautiful store, but are ripoff artists.

The other5 are crap. Chinese juice, knockoff Kanger products.

Then there is a great little place that carries everything from good clones to Poldiacs, Vanillas, Kings, Manhattans, and others. Great Juices, great mods, authentic Kayfuns, Russians, etc.

I support him.

 

[Lurch]

I prefer to buy from my local shop. After all, they were the ones who helped me get started! That being said, if I can find something I want online that they don't carry, no problem buying it online.

I have become friends with the owner of my local B&M and will often spend an hour or more in the store just shooting the breeze, so i usually get a discounted price. Plus I have sent him a number of customers...

 

[Limner]

I will bend over backwards to support our local B&Ms because vaping isn't a mainstream activity in my city. Just as a matter of principle, anything which attractively puts vaping into the local public eye is objectively a Good Thing. Storefronts support vaping locally, so I support local storefronts. And all of our stores are noble ones.

All of the B&Ms here are 30-60 minute bus rides in each direction for me, not including maybe a half-hour wait for a bus to come. Going to a B&M here is more comparable to making a special outing to the museum or amusement park, than to e.g. a quick stop at the local food store. I need to budget most or all of a morning to make a B&M visit. As a simple matter of efficiency, B&Ms here are decidedly inconvenient compared to online. Additionally, with only a few local stores, there's a limit to product selection and how much comparative pricing I can do for high-ticket items.

In practice, if I'm looking for the best product and the best deal, and I don't have time to kill, I go online. If I can find the product locally, and I can create time to make an excursion of it, I'll buy at the B&M, even if it's somewhat more expensive.

Because it's time consuming and often more expensive for me, one might think I regard buying at a B&M as something of a personal concession. But there's more involved than weighing bare pragmatic efficiency against political desire to support local stores: It's one of my simple but important joys to see, in the flesh, people who are not me who also vape.

 

[TheRac25]

I like idea of local stores but really their prices are insane for most items and are filled with snotty sub-ohmer friends of the owner.

 

[dbrandt01]

depends, some stuff i can buy a lot cheaper online. Sometimes the local shops are fair on prices and I'll go to them. Just depends really

 

[DoubleEdge]

I've only stopped in to one of my local shops.

I was immediately turned off by the clerk's attitude and the feel of the place.

It is where hipsters go to hang out, feel superior, play Foosball, vape, spend their parents' cash.

I'm new to vaping but not to another activity that one finds condescending attitudes in shops: bicycling.

It's hard to find a good bike shop where you are made to feel welcome, not like some ignorant n00b who doesn't have the right stuff - figuratively and literally.

So meh. For me it's online all the way.

It's sad that this chain, at least, is going that route. It can only hurt them and the hobby in the long run.

 

[Sin City Diva]

I am in the land of B&M 's. I would guess there are probably at least 20 or more within a 30 min. drive of me.

I have only been vaping a little over a month. I bought my start up gear from a B&M. But they are mostly known for selling e-liquid. They do sell mods & they have builder (whatever he does??). But they are a 30 min. drive on the freeway.

I have only been to one other B&M . I was all excited I made it to 1 month and wanted to buy a Pink MVP Shine for my 1 month anniversary. When I went in they told me $80[emoji15]! After that I just stick to buying E-Liquid with the local B&M's.

I would like to buy from them, but being new, & or a girl. I don't know if they are trying to take advantage of me or not!!
I just don't trust them[emoji20].



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[BladeZ]

Well.. For some of u are fortunate that there are local shop around.. But unfortunate for us cos there is restriction in selling e-cig product..

I personally believe that shopping directly at local shop is better.. Its not only we can see the product and test it out, we can test out other few product as well.. Moreover, we can have more information through the shop owner.. U know what I mean, learning from the person directly is better than learning alone from internet and videos.. I wouldn't mind spending hours just hanging out at the shop.. Haha..

 

[dbeast64]

I usually get my ADV's from my local B&M. Hardware online since there isn't really a good selection anywhere around me.

 

[Warpigs]

There are no decent vape stores around were I live. So I 100% do my orders online.

 

[Elizabeth Baldwin]

I buy from both online and local Vape shops. We have several good Vape stores nearby. If I want/need something right now then I go there. But most things are much cheaper online. I buy quite a bit of mods/RBAs/RDAs. I've spent over $400 on 1 order at one local store. They had what I wanted for a descent price. Usually, most higher end mods I buy online simply because I can find them way cheaper. I think its good to give business locally, but I also think saving money is important too. Those online shops need business too.

 

[Ryan Kelly]

i prefer a shop. my dream is to run my own small business so i support them whenever i can. prices are marked up a little but there is no shipping costs and you get to have a face to face interaction and hold the product in your hands before making a purchase.

 

[The Duke]

When I started vaping there were no B&M in my area just tobacco shops that might have an 80 dollar 401 mini behind the counter with no refill options. B&M are everywhere now but I have my online vendors I have been buying from so long the B&M have no draw to me. I still heavily use MBV even paying sales tax and shipping just out of habbit, and next day delivery if I time my order right since they are just up the highway.

 

[WharfRat1976]

The only way I pay the 25%-35% premium at a b nm is if I am in a pinch and have no other option.

 

[Myah_June2014]

I wish I had a local shop, would definitely support them. It sometimes is a downfall when I'm not 100% sure with the item. I order from MVS alot & they're great w/ questions & shipping. I would definitely prefer to see & hold something I'm not sure about though!