Convenient store clerk=dealer of death?

[StillMaticc]

My local store where I used to buy cigarettes has very low traffic. They are only busy when school is in, otherwise they make their money selling beer/cigarettes.

My PAD or sometimes 1 1/2 PAD was a consistent source of some income for them. However when I started vaping, the clerk not only congratulated me, but refused to sell me cigarettes ever again.

 

[WillyZee]

he was almost irate with me because he said he expected my patronage on a regular basis and now nothing, and he has my brand of cigarettes in stock with me in mind, and now they just sit there.

you should have told him ... "maybe you should consider switching over to that brand" ... then they won't just sit there

 

[FlamingoTutu]

My local store where I used to buy cigarettes has very low traffic. They are only busy when school is in, otherwise they make their money selling beer/cigarettes.

My PAD or sometimes 1 1/2 PAD was a consistent source of some income for them. However when I started vaping, the clerk not only congratulated me, but refused to sell me cigarettes ever again.

Now that is a store to patronize!

 

[meanckz]

I've been going to the same convenient store for a while, before I started vaping, but not very often now. I went there tonight to buy beer and the owner was asking me why I don't buy cigarettes there anymore - he asked me if I had quit. I told him yes and he was almost irate with me because he said he expected my patronage on a regular basis and now nothing, and he has my brand of cigarettes in stock with me in mind, and now they just sit there. I can't imagine that my cigarette consumption by any means kept this place in business or affected it more than a fraction of a percentage at most, and really not even that. I told him I was using an electronic cigarette now and he then showed me that he had SNUS and Blu's. I told him I was not interested, but thank you, and I could not help but feeling like this guy was analogous to the clerk of death. I don't say this because he offered to sell me tobacco alternatives, but because he did not even say congratulations for quitting - he simply wanted me to know I affected his bottom line. If he had it his way, I would be smoking, barreling closer towards death, but he would be happy. I know he has his finances to consider and I'm sure a family to support, but it just struck me as sad and disappointing. It reminded me of BT mentality and how people support their families by creating and pushing death for others. As small of a gesture as this is, I won't patronize this store again.

I was just curious if anyone has had a similar revelation or experience.

Thanks for reading!

(beware of explicit language)

 

[heroinesick]

Go commute! Love it xD

 

[ITPython]

I've been going to the same convenient store for a while, before I started vaping, but not very often now. I went there tonight to buy beer and the owner was asking me why I don't buy cigarettes there anymore - he asked me if I had quit. I told him yes and he was almost irate with me because he said he expected my patronage on a regular basis and now nothing, and he has my brand of cigarettes in stock with me in mind, and now they just sit there. I can't imagine that my cigarette consumption by any means kept this place in business or affected it more than a fraction of a percentage at most, and really not even that. I told him I was using an electronic cigarette now and he then showed me that he had SNUS and Blu's. I told him I was not interested, but thank you, and I could not help but feeling like this guy was analogous to the clerk of death. I don't say this because he offered to sell me tobacco alternatives, but because he did not even say congratulations for quitting - he simply wanted me to know I affected his bottom line. If he had it his way, I would be smoking, barreling closer towards death, but he would be happy. I know he has his finances to consider and I'm sure a family to support, but it just struck me as sad and disappointing. It reminded me of BT mentality and how people support their families by creating and pushing death for others. As small of a gesture as this is, I won't patronize this store again.

I was just curious if anyone has had a similar revelation or experience.

Thanks for reading!

Should have given him some suggestions on what ecig stuff to carry.

The small liquor store I used to shop at for my cigs almost NEVER had my brand in cartons available, even though I went there on a bi-weekly basis to buy them for years. It was close to my home and convenient for me, they also had decent pricing. I gave them the benefit of the doubt more than I should have. But for the life of them, they could never regularly stock what I wanted, and oftentimes didn't even have 10 packs available to 'fake' a carton (which could be charged the same price as a carton, just without the paper case).

In one way be glad they paid attention to your needs, which likely would have made them susceptible to a suggestion or two of decent ecig offerings (or heck, perhaps even carrying quality eliquid!).

 

[Iffy]

After rereading what I posted light night, it was a bit of a 'blanket'.

So, if I may correct myself...

That convenience store clerk is a convenience store clerk for a day-um good reason... think 'bout it!

 

[flowerpots]

Should have given him some suggestions on what ecig stuff to carry.

The small liquor store I used to shop at for my cigs almost NEVER had my brand in cartons available, even though I went there on a bi-weekly basis to buy them for years. It was close to my home and convenient for me, they also had decent pricing. I gave them the benefit of the doubt more than I should have. But for the life of them, they could never regularly stock what I wanted, and oftentimes didn't even have 10 packs available to 'fake' a carton (which could be charged the same price as a carton, just without the paper case).

In one way be glad they paid attention to your needs, which likely would have made them susceptible to a suggestion or two of decent ecig offerings (or heck, perhaps even carrying quality eliquid!).

A different perspective....food for thought.

 

[Talyon]

I haven't been in my local for 9 months now, and don't intend to because I don't want to go through the "where u been thing" He can now make his money from someone else, new customers are born every day. I just don't have the headspace for it.

He can think I'm dead or moved or whatever, his biz.

 

[Shadav]

A convenience store clerk is a convenience store clerk for a day-um good reason... think 'bout it!

I know you didn't really mean that to offend but as a manager of a convenience store I do take offense...some people actually enjoy working with the public and enjoy retail sales/customer service

They don't throw them out and the store isn't out anything. The BT companies have marketing rep's that come in at the least monthly. They will take out of date stale stock and replace it or issue the store a credit that goes back to the supplier on the next order. Or if it's corporate owned it goes thru them to the supplier. I was a C-store manager for over 7 years. BT companies have marketing deals with the stores be they Mom and Pop or corp owned. They actually bid against one another for the percent of advertising signage in the store and pay the stores for it.

That depends on if they have a contract and what type of contract it is and it's not a PM, Lorillard or RJ product once they buy the product most of the time it's theirs no returning/trading it.

However that said as an owner/worker/ect that is still rude and just plain bad customer service....and if they were the owner (or even just a worker that cared) and were so concerned to keep your brand in stock should have asked what brand you currently use and look into possibly carrying it.

I got out of the tobacco biz years ago when BT started making it harder for me to continue to offer my clientele with the lowest prices available, wish they had vaping back then I'd have happily implemented it into my store....if I had the money I'd love to start a vape shop. 12 years later working for gas station/conv store it's funny that I'm dealing with a lot of my same old reps and even though I can't offer deals for customers a lot of my former customers that somehow found out that I'm back into retail shops have followed me from store to store as I'm moved to the store that needs me most.

I keep putting in my rep's ears to look into ego type batteries instead of the stupid cig-a-likes so far Lorillard is the only one that likes the idea (ie owner of Blu) and she is trying to talk to her boss

 

[Iffy]

I know you didn't really mean that to offend but as a manager of a convenience store I do take offense...some people actually enjoy working with the public and enjoy retail sales/customer service

My apologies to you! I did amend my statement in post #47 to be more concise in my POV.

 

[Mrs C]

I know you didn't really mean that to offend but as a manager of a convenience store I do take offense...some people actually enjoy working with the public and enjoy retail sales/customer service



That depends on if they have a contract and what type of contract it is and it's not a PM, Lorillard or RJ product once they buy the product most of the time it's theirs no returning/trading it.

I was a manager for over 7 years. With the rare one's that don't have rep's, that's where taking the time to actually have your base set properly and take the time to actually verify your on hand stock before finalizing your order. If your controlling your inventory properly you will loose more to theft than you do ageing unpopular stock.

 

[MrStik]

I've been going to the same convenient store for a while, before I started vaping, but not very often now. I went there tonight to buy beer and the owner was asking me why I don't buy cigarettes there anymore - he asked me if I had quit. I told him yes and he was almost irate with me because he said he expected my patronage on a regular basis and now nothing, and he has my brand of cigarettes in stock with me in mind, and now they just sit there. I can't imagine that my cigarette consumption by any means kept this place in business or affected it more than a fraction of a percentage at most, and really not even that. I told him I was using an electronic cigarette now and he then showed me that he had SNUS and Blu's. I told him I was not interested, but thank you, and I could not help but feeling like this guy was analogous to the clerk of death. I don't say this because he offered to sell me tobacco alternatives, but because he did not even say congratulations for quitting - he simply wanted me to know I affected his bottom line. If he had it his way, I would be smoking, barreling closer towards death, but he would be happy. I know he has his finances to consider and I'm sure a family to support, but it just struck me as sad and disappointing. It reminded me of BT mentality and how people support their families by creating and pushing death for others. As small of a gesture as this is, I won't patronize this store again.

I was just curious if anyone has had a similar revelation or experience.

Thanks for reading!

All he sees you as is revenue. If you had told him that you picked up drinking like a hobo and purchased a bottle of hard stuff instead of smoking, he wouldn't have blinked or thought twice about that. He is seeing about 10 dollars a day not being spent in his store.

 

[SupplyDaddy]

I'm so glad I had to buy my smokes (Swisher Sweet Cherry Little Cigars) at major chain stores ( Here it Texas, HEB.. back in Va it was Food Lion).. It was fun making the cashier run to the other side of the store to make them get a carton out of the showcase.

I think 2 other people were buying the same brand in the area.. now.. I think the same smokes that were there when I quit are Still there.... They don't dust the cases out often...

(No, I didn't like having the cashier chase my smokes down.. I always hated the wait.. and I would always have to go to the display also cause they would always grab the wrong ones... Grrr LOL)

 

[sistercreepy]

I went to buy a pack of analogs one night and the convenience store clerk was vaping. He was the one that turned me on to it.

 

[Huckleberried]

I went to buy gas and milk after work one night (a while back), the clerk asked if I needed cigarettes, I said no thanks, that I had cut way back. Her face was Now (that I'm cig free!) when I go in, they just give me the total of whatever my purchase is. They no longer ask if I need cigarettes

 

[Butters78]

I pictured Apu when I read this post heh.

 

[slickrick4108]

I own a Convenience store In Detroit, and Let me tell you. My Profit Margins are way higher on ecigs than analogs. If this guy had a brain he would have asked you what you need such as e juice, cartos, Equipment. I have been vaping for 4 months now, and converted about 6 of my customers to Vaping. I carry E juice, Mods, batteries, and I seem to be the only store around to carry this stuff. So instead of offending you he could have got more of your business.

 

[flowerpots]

I had not thought of showing them my vamos and equipment because I rarely carry them out with me, unless I will be gone for a long time. So, I did not have it on me at the time. We are a small town, maybe 6 convenient stores in the immediate area, and all of them carry Blu's and SNUS at this point, which tells me there is a customer base for them. But, I've never seen anyone vaping in my town, anywhere. It would be interesting to see if he would listen to me explain about the possibility of carrying maybe some basic equipment, but I'm not confident he'll listen. It depends on what his Blu and SNUS sells are at this point, I imagine. But, I did not think of this the other night. I will make it a point to mention it to him when I am there again and see what happens.

 

[GoodNews!]

At my local e-cig vendor, who I eventually had to file a report with the BBB with, I told the clerk that I still smoke cigarettes because I was having so much trouble out of their products, and she had the guts to ask "Why do you even bother vaping if you're still going to smoke?" and I fired back, "Because your products are faulty." Horrible vendor, they sell clones advertising them as the real thing, and even promote cheaper brands as bigger brands to unexperienced customers (telling them that a smoktech device is a kanger device).

Luckily, I have a really good e-cig vendor opening up in december, one of the few in the country that has a 2-week satisfaction return policy on literally any product whatsoever, for any reason whatsoever. I can't believe they're coming to my town, but I can't wait to go there. With a return policy like that, they bound to sell the best stuff they can in order to never have to do it.