Don't lie to me

[AndriaD]

My dad is almost like this. The man ran his own auto shop for years. He was asked to be in a an indy pit team as a mechanic. He can stand next to a running car and tell you exactly which small part isn't working just by listening to it. It doesn't matter what the mechanical device is, he can fix it when he it needs fixing. Put him on a computer and it's like watching the monkeys at the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey trying to figure out the monolith. In the end, he figured it out enough to watch The People of Walmart and epic fails on youtube.

Everytime I go to my mom's house, she greets me with some variation of "see if you can figure out why I can't logon to my bank acct" or "there's something wrong with Firefox".... the problem is usually a) she wants to type EVERYTHING in all caps, despite having it explained to her MANY MANY MANY times that pws are case-sensitive; or b) she has no clue what a "tab" in a browser is, so everytime she opens firefox, she opens a new one for her bank acct; after you get about 50 tabs open in a machine with 1gb RAM, it stops working.

Last time I was there, she and I sat at the PC together and I SHOWED her the tabs, so maybe she will remember that in future. But I ain't holding my breath.

She's smart, but she's 74, and I do think the nugget about old dogs and new tricks does have some truth in it.

Andria

 

[VaPreis]

I think it's possible that vaping might turn some people into self righteous snobs. Has Dr F looked into a possible connection?

There is an abundance of evidence....

 

[Ryedan]

Maybe they didn't know.


A lot of people got into the ecig industry because it was a good business opportunity....not because they know all about vaping.

I never assume anyone is lying to me, just that they might not really know the answer.

That's a good point Racehorse and it applies to all businesses, not just vape shops.

When I did my first bathroom reno I needed a non-standard closet flange setup. I researched online and had a couple of ideas, but I didn't know what would be best in the long run and wanted to talk it over with someone who had some experience with plumbing. I went to three home improvement stores and found no-one who could help me. I got no BS from anyone I talked to, they couldn't help me and said so. No problem, I just didn't get any help from them.

The fourth, a HD that was a few miles further than my closest and until then preferred store had an employee who not only helped me solve my problem, but also suggested a plumbing supply shop which he thought would have another product I could try if I wanted to. I spent most of the rest of my reno budget at that store and found more knowledgeable employees there. I appreciate that management has people like that working for them. It has been my preferred store since and I've recommended it to other people.

If I get BS from someone I know they either don't know any better or they have ulterior motives. It doesn't really matter why they do it, management hired them, trained them and supervises them so management approves of what they do and/or their lack of knowledge. If I have the time and I feel it may be beneficial to me I talk to a supervisor about it, but most of the time I just leave and that business goes to the bottom of the list the next time I'm looking for something. What was described in the OP definitely counts as BS to me.

 

[Rocketpunk]

One thing I will say: I was never a dripper. I knew enough to wrap my own coils, and I pretty much stuck to my Tobh and Stillaire. But as far as every detail about every dripper that has come out since a year and a half ago, I am (and always have been) the first to admit that I may not know as much as (and here is where it's different) my coworkers. Thankfully our staff is strong on all fronts; what I lack in knowledge, my coworkers make up for it. For a while I was the only person who knew how to prime a cartomizer. And so when some old-school vapers came in looking for cartos, or questions about them, my co-workers who only started vaping since the advent of drippers, mechs, et al., would refer them to me. Our strengths and weaknesses balanced each other out. So if someone started asking questions that went over my head, I'd readily admit I wasn't the best person to be asking, and another staff member would step in and pick up where I left off. I'd never look a customer directly into the eyes and blatantly lie to them. And I'm only good at B.S.ing so far...

 

[MattyTny]

Experiences with retail stores often depends on the attitude of both the buyer and the seller. I try to go in with a good attitude and try to chat a little. It's a new business still and sometimes there are kinks once in a while.

I've had really good sales people and not so great sales people at the same vapor store. I don't shop in stores much because of the prices, but the three times I made a purchase on a RBA, at three different shops, I was satisfied. I asked to check out the actual piece I was buying and asked for a recommended build, just for more conversation. I always ask questions, even if I know the answer because I like the good customer service.

I will agree that some shops employees are not as experienced as others. Before I bought the SXK Stingray X, I asked a few shops if they had one and most said no, but one guy said "oh we don't carry those, stingrays aren't that good". Maybe it's opinion based, but a simple no would been better. I still went back because they have a good selection of little odds and ends accessories like bottles and cases and such.

 

[Racehorse]

But as far as every detail about every dripper that has come out since a year and a half ago, I am (and always have been) the first to admit that I may not know as much as (and here is where it's different) my coworkers. Thankfully our staff is strong on all fronts; what I lack in knowledge, my coworkers make up for it.

You know those photos people put up here, with like 50 mods and toppers to show collections?

Well, I'm a pretty avid reader, and a year ago (or less) I could have eyeballed the photo and told ya the make, model, and topper type/name of everything in the photo, and then maybe a little bit about pros and cons.

Today?

Not so much. It's moving very fast.

I used to sell expensive SLR cameras and darkroom supplies to work myself thru college. The manufacturers would come in and give seminars, etc. It was a LOT to learn. for minimum wage. I was a youngster so I didn't mind. I was interested in the technology, so I lapped it up. But SLR camera technology also wasn't changing much year to year, let alone month to month!

I like the team approach at your shop.........that works~! A person can't know everything.....(the real world isn't an internet forum where people can claim they do. )

 

[AndriaD]

If you want great prices, buy online. If you want to look at and hold devices in your hand before buying, go to a B&M. If you want vaping expertise... COME TO ECF. Seems pretty simple to me.

The only thing I ever buy in B&Ms are driptips, because that's about all they have that I can afford. But retail stores have an enormous amount of overhead, so their prices HAVE TO be higher, no escaping it, unless they're running some kind of clearance/close-out sale. And you really can't expect every random person working in a vape shop to have every piece of vaping info at their command -- they're human beings, and it's just a job to them, not an avocation. If you want expertise... COME TO ECF.

Andria

 

[Racehorse]

Experiences with retail stores often depends on the attitude of both the buyer and the seller.

Great comment.

 

[HauntedMyst]

There is an inordinate amount of B&M bashing on these forums, and it always makes the posters come across as being the snobs and the know-it-alls instead of the company they're bashing. And it's not like we get to see THEIR side of the transaction or experience, only yours. And I'm sure if you're on here bashing a B&M, you're already biased and we're only getting your side of the story.

Sorry Rocket, I have to wholeheartedly disagree. I don't think anyone comes on here with the intention of bashing B&M's. They talk about their experiences here because this is a vape forum. Go on any special interest forum and you'll find the same thing happens. People want to talk about the good and the bad. While you may work for a good one, sadly, the vast majority of the ones I've visited in Chicago, Boston, New York, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc are simply poorly run, under funded and the sales people lack any either knowledge or people skills or both. At least 50% of the dedicated vape shops I've stopped in were cobbled together in an empty space in failing strip malls, filled with mis-matching display cases, hadn't been painted in years, had stained carpet and had sales people without a desire to sell. It was literally as though some one with no experience said to themselves "Well, I like vaping. I guess I could sell some vape stuff." I've visited mall kiosks that had better, more knowledgable sales people. If you haven't experienced this then either all the vape shops in your area are either outstanding or you haven't visited many shops. I have no problem with someone wanting to open a business but at least have some passion about it that is visible to your customers.

 

[Rocketpunk]

I can say with all honesty that the majority of vape shops I've visited in the surrounding area here in Ohio, as well as Tennessee (I have friends and family there), all have been outstanding. AltSmoke in Columbus and Cincinnati are quite upscale, with a knowledgeable staff. Heck, ask Baditude, he worked there! Mountain Oak Vapors in Cleveland, TN, and Vintage Vapors in Chattanooga, TN, are wonderful B&M's I've had the pleasure of visiting. Steve Dockery, who runs Vintage in Chatt, is also the creator and owner of Top Hat Mods, some of the most beautiful custom box mods out there. As far as Mountain Oak goes, ask Dimitri the Vapin Greek. I went to his restaurant in Chattanooga before I even knew who he was. I'm not name dropping here, but I see it from an entirely different perspective: I work in the industry with professionals who know Grimm on a personal basis. AEMSA and the Ohio Vapors Trade Association started here in the Dayton, Ohio, area. If you live in Ohio, thank Scott Eley of AEMSA (who is also part owner of a chain of B&Ms), as well as a few other Ohio vendors, for hiring a full-time lobbyist (which costs 5-10k a month) and visiting the state Capitol repeatedly, which helped stop the proposed tax by Kasich that would've raised the price of a 30 ml bottle of eliquid from $20 to $60. I've seen more nice stores, with more knowledgeable staff, than not. I mention this because there ARE B&Ms owned by hard working people who are fighting for advocacy, making sacrifices, and actually doing the legwork. Sadly these people and these B&Ms aren't as proliferate as the fly-by-night shams, but there are some pretty freaking amazing B&Ms out there, with some stellar employees.

But hey, I'm biased, too. ;-)

 

[HauntedMyst]

That's actually awesome to hear! Quitters, CigNot and CigTechs are good here in Chicagoland but beyond that I haven't seen any dedicated stores I recommend. It's nice to know some other areas of the country have more nice mainstays.

 

[cj081283]

The only thing I ever buy in B&Ms are driptips, because that's about all they have that I can afford. But retail stores have an enormous amount of overhead, so their prices HAVE TO be higher, no escaping it, unless they're running some kind of clearance/close-out sale. And you really can't expect every random person working in a vape shop to have every piece of vaping info at their command -- they're human beings, and it's just a job to them, not an avocation. If you want expertise... COME TO ECF.

Andria

Its funny how different b&ms can be. I stopped into one recently because I ran out of coils for my subtank and picked up a pack of 5 from them for 19. If its the only thing I order from sweet vapes its about 15 after shipping. But when I asked them about drip tips they said they didn't really sell them by themselves and the guy pullex out a tiny basket of puffs drip tips I think and I asked how much they were and he said 25 for the tips. This place doesn't gouge on prices really either for the most part. 4 dollars extra for having coils now and most their hardware prices aren't half bad. 40 for a coolfire iv when the price was 37 and so on.

I've been into a few others stores around here awhile back and while I haven't crossed them off because I was really there for troubleshooting in my newbie days and to check them out, I had an ego type battery and an aspire bvc clearomizer and I found out the battery I had was the source of my issue. It just barely produced anything and the guy handed me a spinner to try and said she if that fixes it. Well it solved the issue of it barely hitting and the spinner died within two months. Granted I disnt buy it from this store, but after a lil research and what he told me I found out the clearomizer I had would've worked onjust about anything with tbe ego threading adapter like if I had gotten an istick or anything without the ego threading.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

 

[Reyray]

Ya I just had something happen to me yesterday. I went into the store and asked for some wire and if he didn't mind building me a dual coil. He said oh ya I can build with the best of them so I let him and idk if it was his first time using twisted kanthal or what but my god after two hours of him messing with it and complaining that my deck was really small he got it burnt my wick to hell and used half of my juice I had on my just "testing it". I got a little ...... and told him that it was cool and that I can build it my self. Come to find out the dude had only been there for two weeks....the hell man don't use me as a test dummy. I've been disappointed with this store before but I thought what the hell I'll give it another try. So I went to my normal store that I love and the dude made my dual coils in like 20 minutes. I get my juice for this store and the mark up like double what it would be online but the staff is great very helpful and let me try every juice in the place so I don't mind helping out them out. But I'm done with the first guys. Glad you found what your looking for

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Asbestos4004]

Vape stores are like any other stores. There's good ones and bad ones. In Atlanta, we have several really good ones.....and even more bad ones. I think it's funny when I read a thread saying how bad the store or the salesman was...then they say "I told that whippersnapper what's for, then I told the other customers how crappy this store was and how high their prices were compared to FastTech! Then I knocked over their battery display screaming how they just lost a customer!!!!......" Why would any business owner even care if they lost a customer like that? Most of the junk stores don't care about the customer. It's not the stores responsibility to make sure they have what I'm looking for, for the price I want to pay and to know the answer to every question I have about any given product. They can run their store however they want to. It's theirs! It's MY responsibility to find the store that caters to my every need they way I want them to. The B&M I frequent is awesome. Great folks, great products and decent prices. It's not the closest one to me but it's worth the extra 5 minutes commute.

 

[beckdg]

Racehorse Posted basically this first.
I think a lot of these problems stem from the fact that the B&M's are probably
not ordering there stock from the internet. They are relying on what their
distributor tells them. I've got these here but only in kits. We also must consider
with so many devices on the market having expert knowledge of all of them
is near impossible. Remember that the next time you visit your friendly Ford,
Chevy,Chrysler,Dodge,Honda,Toyota,Nissan,Cadillac,Hyundai dealer.
Regards
Mike

Just skipped my post, eh mike?

Iz ok...

Tapatyped

 

[skoony]

Just skipped my pist, eh mike?

Iz ok...

Tapatyped

I missed your what?
Regards
Mike

 

[beckdg]

I missed your what?
Regards
Mike

Damn tapatalk.

LOL

Fixed

Tapatyped

 

[rico942]

and there probably ARE "blondes" who put white-out on the monitor

Andria

This made me snort hot coffee out of my nose, recalling incidents in the late 80s, when early PC started appearing in engineering departments ...

Guys who would try to use a rubber eraser on the tiny 14" screen, mystified when it didn't work. One dude theorized that an electric eraser would do the trick, and was bitterly disappointed when all he accomplished was destroying the anti-glare coating on the monitor, and his mistakes stubbornly remained on the screen ...

Had one project engineer who would make comments and notations on my screen with a felt tip pen. I could never convince him that his markups would not magically merge with the digital image ...

On topic, a B&M here recently moved into a small outbuilding that previously housed the ATMs at my local bank. It occurred to me that I had extracted thousands of dollars from those ATMs over the years, maybe I should put some back in ...

But after seeing their prices, and the condescending attitude of the sales people toward seniors, I got over it ...

 

[AndriaD]

This made me snort hot coffee out of my nose, recalling incidents in the late 80s, when early PC started appearing in engineering departments ...

Guys who would try to use a rubber eraser on the tiny 14" screen, mystified when it didn't work. One dude theorized that an electric eraser would do the trick, and was bitterly disappointed when all he accomplished was destroying the anti-glare coating on the monitor, and his mistakes stubbornly remained on the screen ...

Had one project engineer who would make comments and notations on my screen with a felt tip pen. I could never convince him that his markups would not magically merge with the digital image ...

On topic, a B&M here recently moved into a small outbuilding that previously housed the ATMs at my local bank. It occurred to me that I had extracted thousands of dollars from those ATMs over the years, maybe I should put some back in ...

But after seeing their prices, and the condescending attitude of the sales people toward seniors, I got over it ...

Sorry about your nose. But everytime someone says "there are no stupid questions" I think back to trying to do telephone computer support...

And it really doesn't surprise me that there are e-cig batteries exploding, because there really are people stupid enough to actually CAUSE that and yet claim "I didn do nuthin" -- yeah, like reading anything... ANYTHING AT ALL. You cannot protect people from themselves, it's impossible, and even stupid people who are especially in need of that protection, will resent the hell out of it, if they even notice that anyone is trying to protect them from their own stupidity. Those are the people most in need of letting Darwin's Law take its natural course, hopefully BEFORE they procreate.

Andria

 

[Asbestos4004]

Pure venom