Cheap Chinese Knock-Offs

[jamesd1628]

Anyone have any thoughts on just how much impact on the mod (including co-op) market the cheap Chinese knock-off attys and battery tubes will have? I'm talking about products like (i) the Phoenix rebuildable (Bulli knock-off), (ii) the Chinese DID, (iii) the SmokTech telescoping mod (Empire knock-off), etc. I can't see how these products wouldn't cut into mod/co-op sales. Personally, I already have a Phoenix and have a Chinese DID and telescoping mod on the way. I have paid a lot for some very high quality gear, and I look at these knock-offs as things that are cheap enough to give away (or loan out) to people who want to try vaping for the first time, so they don't have to start out on some crappy stock atomizer. However, I'm sure that many will just buy the cheap product instead of the real thing. I'm sure the quality won't be nearly as good, but as long as it works, many will find it difficult to buy one that costs 10+ times as much when they can buy the cheap knock-offs. I'm wondering just how much this is going to impact the mod makers. They are the reason we have all of these awesome toys in the first place and China is essentially trying to shut them down. Any thoughts?

 

[Optimo]

There will always be people buying Ferraris as there will always be people that buy Camrys same goes for anything else. If they have the cash they will buy what's in their budget. The knock-offs are a cheap alternative for people that can't afford to throw down 100's of dollars.

Personaly I never seen a DiD or Genesis or even a Empire Mod out in the open for people to actually purchase when they want. Having these mass produced knock-offs makes it possible to get cheaper made clones of these hard to get products.

 

[Commie]

I love them.
Only been vaping for a few months. Still have no idea what I like -- tanks, cartos, clearos, RBA's and what kind of wick, bottom feeders, dripping, etc. I don't really feel like spending several thousand bucks trying to find my perfect vape. I like being able to buy some cheapo things to try out (keeping in mind that it does not stand up to the real thing).
When I do find what I like vaping, I'll end up buying one good quality toy to use all the time.

I'd really hate to spend money and time to chase down a real grown-up rebuildable just to find out that I hate making my own wicks

Plus, like you mentioned, it gives you a bunch of stuff to loan to fresh converts.

 

[jamesd1628]

There will always be people buying Ferraris as there will always be people that buy Camrys same goes for anything else. If they have the cash they will buy what's in their budget. The knock-offs are a cheap alternative for people that can't afford to throw down 100's of dollars.

Personaly I never seen a DiD or Genesis or even a Empire Mod out in the open for people to actually purchase when they want. Having these mass produced knock-offs makes it possible to get cheaper made clones of these hard to get products.

This is very true - the demand for the quality products always seems to outweigh the supply. I bet we will see a sharp decrease in prices in the classys, if we haven't already.

 

[BJ43]

I think it is great if it gets more people off of analogs which IMO is the main reason for vaping. The money making on mods is just an off shoot and has it's risks like any business. The new Chinese knockoffs with a little tweaking work as good as any of the expensive mods.

 

[Scubabatdan]

One thing I have notice is that the smoktech tank that is suppose to be stainless steel is actually chromed plated brass. So it makes me wonder how many other supposed SS mods are actually chome plated brass. That is one way they can be produced so cheaply. Have you noticed the price of SS stock, it aint cheap.
Dan

 

[Optimo]

Yeah that's one fail...the Smoktech Vivi tank is horrible.

 

[BJ43]

One thing I have notice is that the smoktech tank that is suppose to be stainless steel is actually chromed plated brass. So it makes me wonder how many other supposed SS mods are actually chome plated brass. That is one way they can be produced so cheaply. Have you noticed the price of SS stock, it aint cheap.
Dan

I agree, but it sure makes drilling out the wick hole easy. PITA for us that don't have a machine shop (I'm jealous) if it were SS.

 

[Theken]

@Optimo, I agree with you. I have been stalking for an nHaler, Empire Mod, and a GG and have not had any luck with actually being able to buy one. I refuse to help someone else make a profit on a used item through the classifieds. The difference with your comparison to cars is that people can buy a Ferrari if they have the cash. I have been looking for the z-atty now for 8 months (checking 2-3 times per week), as of last week I have given my search up.

I believe that this industry is on the bubble as it is. With these stealth new laws on the verge of being allowed through and big-tobacco gearing up, it will be really interesting to see where this industry is in the next 3 years.

 

[Switched]

One thing I have notice is that the smoktech tank that is suppose to be stainless steel is actually chromed plated brass. So it makes me wonder how many other supposed SS mods are actually chome plated brass. That is one way they can be produced so cheaply. Have you noticed the price of SS stock, it aint cheap.
Dan

The Chinese do not have acces to SS readily, nor do they produce it.

 

[Commie]

The Chinese do not have acces to SS readily, nor do they produce it.

That's not a bad thing in our particular case, I think. I like the option of being able to buy something really cheap, knowing that it's far from top quality.

Since I can't afford a few grand's worth of really good vaping gear, I'd rather vape knockoffs than go back to (in my case cheaper) analogs.

Yeah that's one fail...the Smoktech Vivi tank is horrible.

With all due respect, Optimo, I disagree. Smoktech Vivi is great to tinker with. It's like a qubic zirconia in the rough After a few botched attempts, I'm hoping to turn it into something very usable.
Though out of the box it does suck (unless you got freakishly lucky and got a decent coil)

 

[atavanhalen]

The Chinese do not have acces to SS readily, nor do they produce it.

But they could get access to it,no?

 

[Switched]

But they could get access to it,no?

Yes but they don't.

 

[Tynesider]

I couldnt believe it when I saw the prices at vaporbreak a Chinese company Their merchandise is poor to say the least. I bought a passthrough battery from them and the button was defective. I was told to send a photo! I was told it looks ok so it must be ok! What a joke, how can you tell from a photo if the button doesnt work. They more or less told me I was a liar and that i must prove that it's defective. Don't buy from them because if there is something wrong then they don't want to know. Also their merchandise is unbranded!
I have learn my lesson and will stick to the companies with good reviews.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

You get what you paid for in many sitautions. You buy a cheap knock off you get a cheap knock off. I think some people just want cheap, they don't realize that spending more now means less later. I bought a provari shortly after I started vaping, it hasn't died, my friend has been through 3 lava tubes in the same time frame. he dropped one and it broke (i drop my provari all the time), another one actually started to smoke out of the bottom and the battery was fine... fried the circuits somehow, and the third one he's still using right now. I'm ahead of him money wise yet he still makes fun of me for spending "so much" on a provari when I could have a lava tube that works just as well!

 

[Salt&PePPer]

I would much rather spend the money and buy the real thing, if I could afford it.

 

[Jimi D.]

The Chinese do not have acces to SS readily, nor do they produce it.

All my SS deck screws comes from China. http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?SearchText=stainless+steel+deck+screws&IndexArea=Products&fsb=y

 

[Commie]

I would much rather spend the money and buy the real thing, if I could afford it.

Most of us would. The point is most of us can't afford *all* the toys we want

 

[BJ43]

Just saying, if it were not for the Chinese we wouldn't be vaping. They own the patent, look it up. Are all the expensive mods paying them their royalty.
Hon Lik applied for his first patent on the electronic cigarette in 2003 and subsequently introduced e cigs to the Chinese Market in the following year through his employer, Golden Dragon Holdings. Golden Dragon Holdings later changed the company name to “Ruyan” in order to better match the company’s name (Ruyan means “almost like smoke”) to the new product. Since the renaming, the Ruyan company has continued e cigarette development and grown to be one of the largest global e cig manufacturers.

 

[asdaq]

I saw something circa 2003 on Slashdot about ecigs, but at the time it just sounded too outlandish and not well thought through.