Dinosaurs of vaping and useless B&M, again

[bluecat]

Nothing to do with this thread really. I read a long report on this one a while back. Said the company was going downhill fast, a lot of the senior staff were really ticked off and quite a few had left.

But then I read another report just a couple of weeks ago saying things had turned round in a major way. The company was booming after the initial problems and quality staff were queueing up to work there. The $70G thing was only part of the system he put in place.

I don't know if that second report was correct. And even if it was I doubt if that solution would work in many places. Interesting though.

Actually I think it does especially into how much a clerk is being paid versus what is expected of that clerk to be an expert. The 70k dude is an extreme example of this but shows why a business pays low wages to some and not all. Much like expecting this clerk supposing to know everything about vaping. (assumption of course)

I would love to read your report as we discuss this company at our luncheons. If you could throw out a link it would be appreciated.

The latest I have is this

Seattle CEO who set firm's minimum wage to $70G says he has hit hard times

 

[Rule62]

Just my opinion, but the reason vape shop employees need to be informed and accurate is this. The average person who walks into a vape shop for the first time is likely not a 'hobby vaper' just going in to hang out and kill time. He's also not likely an ECF member. Those of us who are on this forum every day know BS when we hear it. But the guy who enters a vape shop for the first time likely does not. He is entirely at the mercy of the person behind the counter. If the employee tells him that such and such battery is 40 amps, the customer has no basis to know otherwise. If an employee tells him he needs to start out using 24mg/ml nic, again, he has no basis of prior knowledge to believe otherwise. If an employee sets the guy up with a .2 ohm coil on an RDA and a mechanical mod, he is putting that customer in danger.

 

[DC2]

Haven't read the thread, just the opening post...
So I have no idea if I'm the only one to comment on the following...

This seemed like the shop for veteran vapers not the cookie cutter starter places, which anyone vaping for over a year knows we need more veteran aimed shops.

Maybe it depends on where you live.

Here in Southern California we could use a lot more starter shops.
And a lot less shops geared towards advanced vapers only.

Too many people think that to get the best vape, you need something made in the last 2 months.

And perhaps too many people think the best vape is more important than a simple but satisfying vape.

 

[Rocketpunk]

I'm an employee in a vape B&M. I don't consider my job "entry level" or on the level of a fast food restaurant. That's a blanket statement.

My hourly wage is more than comfortable, I have a full time schedule, health care, paid vacations up to 7 days, and I also have paid holidays off (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Labor Day). I get a yearly bonus -- plus a Christmas bonus -- and we get half days on Christmas and New Year's Eve. And my employee discount is icing on the cake. And I'm just a clerk. ;-)

I typed and re-typed a reply to the OP, but I just kinda sighed and decided this week's "I told off the B&M clerk/I know more than you do" thread just isn't worth it...

 

[WharfRat1976]

Ask to meet the owners of these B&Ms. All you will need to know.

 

[englishmick]

Actually I think it does especially into how much a clerk is being paid versus what is expected of that clerk to be an expert. The 70k dude is an extreme example of this but shows why a business pays low wages to some and not all. Much like expecting this clerk supposing to know everything about vaping. (assumption of course)

I would love to read your report as we discuss this company at our luncheons. If you could throw out a link it would be appreciated.

The latest I have is this

Seattle CEO who set firm's minimum wage to $70G says he has hit hard times

Wish I could help. I searched for a while and only found the same one you have, all over the internet.

I'm sure I didn't imagine it. The part about lots of new contracts was in the report I read and also in the other one. I also recall reading interviews with current staff who were seriously upbeat. Although if they were still working there and being interviewed by the press I guess they had an incentive to sound upbeat.

The going down the tubes version sounds a lot more likely. If I come across the other version I'll let you know.

 

[ENAUD]

 

[Bad Ninja]

Maybe it depends on where you live.

Here in Southern California we could use a lot more starter shops.
And a lot less shops geared towards advanced vapers only.

Here in the ACTUAL southern part of California, the Shops are terrible, uninformed and geared to rip the cash from your wallet any way they can.
I worked with three of them repairing damaged mods to help out fellow vapers.
After that experience , I wouldn't recommend any of them to anyone.

And perhaps too many people think the best vape is more important than a simple but satisfying vape.

Not everyone is satisfied by driving a Volvo.

 

[papergoblin]

I'm an employee in a vape B&M. I don't consider my job "entry level" or on the level of a fast food restaurant. That's a blanket statement.

My hourly wage is more than comfortable, I have a full time schedule, health care, paid vacations up to 7 days, and I also have paid holidays off (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Labor Day). I get a yearly bonus -- plus a Christmas bonus -- and we get half days on Christmas and New Year's Eve. And my employee discount is icing on the cake. And I'm just a clerk. ;-)

I typed and re-typed a reply to the OP, but I just kinda sighed and decided this week's "I told off the B&M clerk/I know more than you do" thread just isn't worth it...

Hey there are great shops out there, great owners, and some awesome clerks. There are people that want to get others into a healthier lifestyle, I respect those people to the fullest. Then there are the people I wouldn't trust to walk a dog and that is in any type of place, not just vape shops.

 

[AndriaD]

Not everyone is satisfied by driving a Volvo.

And not everyone is rich enough to drive an import. Or willing to; we drive Chevys ONLY.

Andria

 

[Bad Ninja]

And not everyone is rich enough to drive an import. Or willing to; we drive Chevys ONLY.

Andria

You totally missed the point of my post, but I'll play anyway

90% of the mods/atomizers in my collection cost under $15. They are also some of the best performing pieces of gear made. All very high performance pieces, that can hang with the best of the best.

I don't sacrifice performance due to price, not should I be satisfied with "less".

Money isn't everything, and means very little when it comes to vaping and performance.

If you are satisfied with your gear that's awesome, but I would not be satisfied with even the most expensive turtle fluffing setup.
I prefer thick rich warm flavor.
Not everyone is the same (thankfully).


After 22 years in the automotive industry, I am too smart to fall for the "brand loyalty".

If Chevy was all that and a bag of chips they wouldn't have ran their company to the doors of bankruptcy and asked us (taxpayers) to bail them out.

 

[AndriaD]

You totally missed the point of my post, but I'll play anyway

90% of the mods/atomizers in my collection cost under $15. They are also some of the best performing pieces of gear made. All very high performance pieces, that can hang with the best of the best.

I don't sacrifice performance due to price, not should I be satisfied with "less".

Money isn't everything, and means very little when it comes to vaping and performance.

If you are satisfied with your gear that's awesome, but I would not be satisfied with even the most expensive turtle fluffing setup.
I prefer thick rich warm flavor.
Not everyone is the same (thankfully).

I don't need more than tootle puffing. And I have lots of flavor.

It's my experience that those who say "money isn't everything" have far more of it than they need; those of us with *just enough* or less, know that money is what makes the world go round -- without it, one is homeless and hungry. To be honest, I also believe there are things more important than being rich... but having *enough* money to *survive* is pretty much the most important thing ever. Since I have to pay the mortgage and buy groceries and pay all the other bills with the little my husband makes, I know that I have to be conservative with my vape gear as I am with everything else -- or else we won't be able to survive, and my struggle to remain a non-smoker will be entirely moot, if I can't even afford to eat, or have a roof over my head.

Andria

 

[Bad Ninja]

I don't need more than tootle puffing. And I have lots of flavor.

It's my experience that those who say "money isn't everything" have far more of it than they need; those of us with *just enough* or less, know that money is what makes the world go round -- without it, one is homeless and hungry. To be honest, I also believe there are things more important than being rich... but having *enough* money to *survive* is pretty much the most important thing ever. Since I have to pay the mortgage and buy groceries and pay all the other bills with the little my husband makes, I know that I have to be conservative with my vape gear as I am with everything else -- or else we won't be able to survive, and my struggle to remain a non-smoker will be entirely moot, if I can't even afford to eat, or have a roof over my head.

Andria

Oh good lord.

Why are you going off on money?
You equate money to performance, not me.
I was referring to performance and satisfaction.
You need to go back and read my post, and quite frankly, I don't need to hear your personal financial issues, as it has no bearing on the post you quoted.

Not everyone is satisfied with a turtle fluffer set up.
Not everyone is you.

Vive la difference.

 

[jambi]

I asked about the Ileaf 20 watt. "ON SALE for 46 dollars! " "Is that negotiable? They're 30 bucks on the internet?" "No."

Pass.Snickered inwardly and moved along.

I don't usually vent like this, but I'm sick and tired of the constant parade of this (and the op's) type of attitude from (self proclaimed) "customers" in our own struggling family b&m (bookstore). "Is that negotiable"? WTF dude? You and your ilk are completely ignorant to the grief you're causing to hard working store owners. Why not just spare the b&m proprietor your grief and just keep moving along like you said...go buy it on the internet? But don't lie to yourself in the process...you can't buy it for "30 bucks", you can buy it for 30, + shipping, + however long it takes to get it into your over stuffed mailbox, vs. having it in your hand immediately. Cheaper yeah, and you don't need to interact with anybody real, possibly make friends, exchange knowledge, maybe learn a little bit, no social interaction whatsoever required, which is probably best for some in this thread.

I'm just sick of it. How many times have I gone through this over a $5 dollar book?
"Is this negotiable?"
"Uh, sure, if you buy 10 I'll give you one free."
"No, that's not what I mean. I can get The Grapes of Wrath for a penny on Amazon."
*Furious banging on keyboard, then turn monitor towards "customer"*
"Actually, the cheapest I see it here is for 4 dollars, a penny + 3.99 for economy shipping that arrives in 7 to 10 days. That's for a copy in "acceptable" condition." *reads description to customer* "Well used copy. May be ex-library, may contain highlighting or notations. The copy in your hand right now is clean, tight and ready for your reading enjoyment. You can see that because it's physically in your hand."
"I think I'll just download it to my Kindle for 10 dollars. Then I'll always have it."
(I think...yeah until the day you forget your Kindle on the Metro, or drop it, and need to re-buy your entire virtual library 'cause you self-declared yourself dependent on a single, breakable, stealable, electronic device) Would it be totally unacceptable to insert my own inward snicker here?
"Well alright then, have a nice day."

Where is this sacred institution we pray to, this "consumerism" leading? Methinks very soon in the future there will be no b&m anything, other than auto mechanics and dentists. Movies from Netflix, games from Steam, books from Amazon Kindle, and we'll be totally dependent on hoards of Amazon delivery vans for everything from our apples to our ever-lovin'-underwear. When that happens, there'll be nobody left to even ask "Is that negotiable?" Oh lawdy! Can't wait to see the price gouging!

snicker snicker Amazonians.

 

[Asbestos4004]

Oh good lord.

Why are you going off on money?
You equate money to performance, not me.
I was referring to performance and satisfaction.
You need to go back and read my post, and quite frankly, I don't need to hear your personal financial issues, as it has no bearing on the post you quoted.

Not everyone is satisfied with a turtle fluffer set up.
Not everyone is you.

Vive la difference.

that comes up at every possible opportunity.