expensive mods

[hogarth]

Like many fairly new vapours I have spent an awful lot of money trying to find the perfect PV and juices. One thing has struck me above others and that is the price of many mods. If you take a tube mod it is a tube with a little circutry and a button to press, more or less the same as a torch or a childs battery operated toy. Why then is it I can buy a torch or toy for around ten dollars but a mod can easily cost up to $200! Now I am all for people making a decent profit but I cant help feeling more than a little ripped off sometimes. Today I recieved a little sister mod and I am the first to say that it works really really well. It is however made of a very flimsy plastic and a tiny wobbly switch so whilst it works well now I am not at all sure that it will last more than a few weeks at most. It has a bic lighter body but not as sturdy. I know it is a decent PV but in no other area do we pay $60+ for a bit of plastic and electronics. You can buy a cell phone for less and that is far more sturdy and has more complicated electronics. I realise they are not made in the same numbers as the other items but I still feel we are over paying for these items

 

[XKingXGregX]

Get a provari or reo grand

 

[hogarth]

Got a reo mini nice little mod but button in wrong place and difficult to use Just ordered a more reasonable priced vv tube mod than the provari I ordered a saber touch today. I was put off getting a provari as I got one of their provapes when I first started vaping and I was not impressed with it at all.

 

[misplacedsooner]

i like my little provape-1, its a sweet little mod and built very well. what is it you didnt like?

 

[tj99959]

I build my own mods. My last little jem cost all of $2.20 to build.

The SB is looking all neglected and rejected sitting on the book shelf.

BTW, you can get a VV from MadVapes for $35.00.
Cost me about $15.00 or so to build mine, so I would say their mark up is about right.

 

[Goldenkobold]

I like how the OP is talking about mods being comparatively overpriced to other items of similar build and the first two responses are about 100+ dollar mods with no relation to the post. Its awesome sauce.

The answer to your question is that the 10 dollar plastic toy with better circutry and higher polish (or the 20 dollar metal telescope with machine quality fit and finish that would put 99% of the tubes mods to shame) are mass produced and are probably made somewhere else, i.e. china...then brought over to wal-mart and sold in such quantities that the profit margin is still acceptable even though per item its not that large...oh and because we keep buying them.

That is why for 50 dollars you can get a fijit friend that is voice interactive has facial lighting and programming in it...and dances

but 50 dollars will get you a plastic some wires and maybe a battery (you should be so lucky) in mods.

 

[36tinybells]

It's a bit like clothes- IMO. There are things high priced for their quality and things high priced for their fashion and you hAve to figure out which is which. You can certainlymod what you want, just like you could sew the garments. But if you want to buy readymade, you've got to pay the maker.

 

[kabonk]

if you bought a GG and a iatty 2 to go with it it would run you $500 without batteries and a charger and a UltraMax full kit is $445 and they're both unregulated 3.7 devices

 

[Justice]

Got a reo mini nice little mod but button in wrong place and difficult to use Just ordered a more reasonable priced vv tube mod than the provari I ordered a saber touch today. I was put off getting a provari as I got one of their provapes when I first started vaping and I was not impressed with it at all.

How do you figure the button is in the wrong place ??? It's absolutely perfect IMO. As far as quality and durability is concerned I don't think anything can compare. Now I'm no expert as I've had very little other pvs but I can attest to what I hold in my hand all day to keep me off the analogs is one of my Reo's. They all have a slightly different feel ie size or aluminium versus wood. But all three that I have at the moment are the easiest simplest and most durable mod I've seen and investigated. I can't see myself using anything else. The quality and durability is well worth the moderate investment. So to the op yes some may be way over priced but if you do some research I do believe you can find what you want maybe even for a price you find satisfactory to yourself.

 

[hogarth]

Without wanting to be too contraversial and no disrespect to the people who make mods I not only feel they overprice but many just lack immagination and always take the easy route. For example a lot of mods have the button on the very top which is hard to get to or at the bottom which is awkward too, they do this for one reason and that is because it is easier for them and not what is best for the customer. They seem to lack immagination too. PVs have been around for many years now, you would think they could have come up with more innovative design and functionallity. I probably would not mind paying so much if I really believed that a lot of thought had gone into the PV. I know there are some exceptions but in general someone makes a mod and then lots of other makers simply copy it to a great extent cos it is easier than thinking of something better!! It is all very disappointing, I wish I could make them myself but sadly I lack any sort of electronic ability so I will have to continue paying others for their mediocrity.

 

[hogarth]

It totally lacked any punch I got more punch from a simple 510 riva battery

 

[misplacedsooner]

It totally lacked any punch I got more punch from a simple 510 riva battery

is that the provape your talking about? i havent noticed any lack of punch in mine. im using aw batts on it and have a buzz and phidias sitting next to me but its the provape im hitting. guess mileage can differ though.

 

[JD1]

I guess it depends on which side of the fence you're on. I don't make them, but if I did, I'd charge more.

 

[fsroq]

In the next few days will be available the Lavatube from Volcano, and the VV Power, both made by L-Rider. 18650 based VV mods with a price tag from around 35$ for the VV power, and a little more for the Lavatube.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/mods-discussion/219507-power-vv-mod-new-post.html

 

[Michael Curry]

I guess it's all in the perspective. My ProVari cost half what my cell phone did. Difference being, I have gotten great amounts of pleasure from the PV, as compared to the frustration and aggravation of figuring out this evil entity known as the 'smart phone'. Android, shmamdroid. Gimme a box of carto's instead.

 

[Goldenkobold]

Yea the lavatube may become to tube mods what the Riva was for fat batts,
for awhile there no matter what you recommended the response was "yea but why pay that much for x when you can get a complete riva kit for 30%-50% less"

If its priced even sub $80 for just the mod (and knowing volcano it will come as a kit when its first released and be "beautified" but I hear they are trying to keep it less than $100) or sub $100 for a complete kit (mod,battery,charger maybe an atty) then this would really really present a viable alternative to the current american mods out there. at 30-50% less than the current norm.

Of course once you can get a bunch of provari/buzz like features in a 70 dollar mod...someone is going wonder where the heck all the american mod makers went, and honestly that's not always a good thing.

edit: I understand volcano likes to stick with the theme...but couldn't they have come up with a better name than lava tube? How about rain of fire, house destroying VV, The Plume, The Caldera, The Pele....
(volcano if you steal one of my names you better send me a unit for review purposes)

 

[washvap]

Got a reo mini nice little mod but button in wrong place and difficult to use Just ordered a more reasonable priced vv tube mod than the provari I ordered a saber touch today. I was put off getting a provari as I got one of their provapes when I first started vaping and I was not impressed with it at all.

Actually, the button is where it should be located. You see, with all mechanical mods. The button has to be directly on top or on the bottom of the battery to make contact. This is how it gets power. Also, how is it difficult to use? Bottom feeders do take a little bit of practice to get over the learning curve. You might wanna check this thread out:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-tricks-some-basic-troubleshooting-ideas.html

Try and visit the REO sub-forum since there are a lot of members that are more than willing to help you.

 

[RandaPandaBear]

I believe it really has to do with modders. If you have a shop, and you're an even 5 man building team, you don't have the kind of time to produce many mods. Therefore, the price must go up to accommodate, or people would be CONSTANTLY waiting on mods. We are not talking about huge factories making mods, and in many cases, we are probably talking about a one or two man (woman) maker...

JMO

 

[wv2win]

Without wanting to be too contraversial and no disrespect to the people who make mods I not only feel they overprice but many just lack immagination and always take the easy route. For example a lot of mods have the button on the very top which is hard to get to or at the bottom which is awkward too, they do this for one reason and that is because it is easier for them and not what is best for the customer. They seem to lack immagination too. PVs have been around for many years now, you would think they could have come up with more innovative design and functionallity. I probably would not mind paying so much if I really believed that a lot of thought had gone into the PV. I know there are some exceptions but in general someone makes a mod and then lots of other makers simply copy it to a great extent cos it is easier than thinking of something better!! It is all very disappointing, I wish I could make them myself but sadly I lack any sort of electronic ability so I will have to continue paying others for their mediocrity.

You have NO clue what you are talking about or what is involved in the making of some of the high end mods such as the Darwin which is quite innovative in functionality and design. And on the simpler mods, as Golden pointed out, these are not mass produced which would lower the cost.

Instead of complaining, why don't you buy the parts for $11 from MadVapes and make your own? Then sell it in the classified section so we could see how much you value your time and effort.

 

[Ande]

Value is an abstract concept. My ecigs are ALL worth what I paid for them. (I'm NOT smoking.)

Price, on the other hand, is just a market construct. Things cost what people will pay for them.

If people will pay enough to justify what goes into making them, then things are sold.

If people are not willing to pay the asking price, either the price lowers (if it was unnaturally high), lower cost producers replace higher cost producers, or the product doesn't sell and disappears.

We've seen this a little in the few years ecigs have been on the market. Some products have had dramatic price drops. Others vanish. And most products cost more when they first appear (and have novelty value), and get cheaper later on. (So do Apple products, or anything else.)

The things about mods, though- they cost what people are willing to pay, if someone can/wants to produce them for that cost. I sure wouldn't mind if they got cheaper. But there are reasons they cost what they do.

Another poster mentioned volume- mostly, we're dealing with products that sell thousands of units a year, if that. Some are hand made individual units, and sell dozens or perhaps a couple of hundred. When you compare them to children's toys, flashlights, or Chinese-made telescopes, you're comparing to products that sell millions of units a year. High volume allows lower profit margins, lower volume tends to require and support higher margins.

But also- I haven't had a Little Sister, so I can't talk about those. But good mods are a LOT different than flashlights or children's toys. Unlike every toy I played with as a kid, these are high drain, high voltage devices, and voltage (therefore conductivity) matters. Good mods are made to deliver, as nearly as possible, the full voltage of the battery to your atomizer. The need for good conductivity means using materials that children's toys don't. Also, try this: Buy a flashlight or children's toy that you think resembles a mod. Press the button or flick the switch. HOw does it feel? Quality? Usually not. Then, press the button 1000 times. Does it still work? Some will, some won't. BUt an average ecig user will press the button many thousands of times over the life of a mod. (I have an ecig with a counter, and found out that I take 200-to 500 drags a day.) Try this with your toy- it WILL fail, in weeks if you're lucky, but probably sooner. We expect our ecigs to take a LOT of use.

And, I carry mine everywhere. Drop it sometimes. Stuff it in my pocket, bang it against the table, you know.

I've had a lot of cheap and mid-range ecigs. (Cost $30 to $80, maybe.) Not a bargain if they wear out in a hurry. I've also had one riva battery explode when it gave up, which made me think again about bargain shopping.

I'm now awaiting the arrival of a fairly high end mod. (Apex Alpha Ultramax) I suppose I wish it were cheaper. Most of us would rather pay less than more. But if it works as it seems to (according to many users), I'm happy enough to pay what it costs.

Best,
Ande