guy at work bought a "mall" ecig

[teamscon]

I don't care what size e-cig people are using. The 'mall' type cigs do make me mad though. When someone pays $239 for a starter kit and $19.99 for 5 small cartomizers (which they are told is the equivalent of a carton of cigarettes) they get reamed. If they don't go looking for better options then they will think those are what e-cigs are, and that they are expensive and don't work well. If they see the lower priced (probably better quality) e-cigs online, they are going to assume them they are even worse than the 'premium' kit that they got suckered into buying.

I don't assume that people are stupid for buying these things. Many people are desperate to stop smoking or switch to a less harmful alternative. The over priced mall kits are probably often an impulse purchase, and it's hard to research these things (plethora of fake review sites). Hey, I bought an inferior drug store e-cig without really doing any research. I googled, but all that came up at the time were those fake review sites. Luckily I didn't pay more than $50 for my lack of in depth research, and it saddens me when people do. For the many people here who accept that they got suckered and are okay with it because it brought them down the path of learning more, there are probably many more who wrote e-cigs off as an idiotic fad and a waste of money. I dunno, not much I can do about it except try to tell people that there are better options and hope they listen.

Buyers need to be more wise ... Period. They should have tried it first there, and if they wouldnt let them try before they buy ... DONT buy. What these guys do isnt illegal at all. People must have more cash then me to spend 234.00 during a impulse buy at the mall. I also got a gasstation ecig ... About 7 of them. I would still use them IF I HAD TO only lol. The Logics were my fave. Blu's had the most vapor followed close by logic.

Stop blaming the mall .. They did nothing wrong or illegal. Things/Anything is worth what people will pay. The economy will regulate it PLEASE DONT MAKE A LAW AGAINST PROFIT ... lol ..

Things arent hard to research. Do a google search and youll know everything about a ecig.
Sorry this guy wasted his money and everyone else, but its your fault and most people know that shiz. I got screwed hard on a car purchase about 3 years ago and lost around $5,000 ... I still HATE that dealership but I know I did wrong and trusted that sleezbag.

Always use WELL KNOWN dealerships lol ! This will save you a ton!

 

[Spazmelda]

Where did I say anything about making a law!?! Good lord. Sure, what they are doing is perfectly legal, and there's a sucker born every minute. People can and do buy what they want. Rah rah, capitalism! That doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to help them avoid a costly mistake if possible.

 

[thinkingaboutit]

I'll go ahead and throw out that the worst thing the E-Cig community can possibly do is make a post like the OP. Instead of being happy that a friend is quitting, he is essentially ridiculing him because of a bad purchase. All of these threads that talk down to smokers and people who prefer mini-sized E-Cigs do nothing but fuel an image that E-Cig smokers are elitists. We need to be helpful, supportive, and embrace those that are interested in order to grow our numbers so that one day we will be the norm and not the minority. There is nothing wrong with suggesting a better unit to someone who has bought a lower end product, there is everything wrong with talking down about them behind their back...

I agree for the most part. I got immense help here...but I knew to look. Ask the average person to find the best price on an HDTV and they might well pay twice what I would. HELP them learn, even from their mistakes. It's still a step in the right direction, even if it costs five times the price. Sure, he could have had a supervolcanomultivoltdualtank syemtem for half as much...but HE WANTS TO QUIT....give him some credit.

 

[teamscon]

Where did I say anything about making a law!?! Good lord.

Just check the news out .. They make new fun laws everyday
Obama is even running against the idea of profit lol.

Hope I didn't highjack your thread

 

[jch419]

Wow, yes there is a mall stand where I'm from in Ohio and they are ripping big time. It's too bad really. Your buddy should've went with a mod that has a battery slot, that way the batteries can be replaced and it will last way longer this way. The reason mall mods are so much is because mall rent is outrageous in most cities. Next time they will be more informed about their options, I hope! Yikes! Could have bought a couple vari's for that price.

 

[JENerationX]

Just hang out near the kiosk and vape clouds... then pass out ECF cards.

 

[DC2]

Just hang out near the kiosk and vape clouds... then pass out ECF cards.

They will call security and attempt to have you thrown out.
Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[JENerationX]

They will call security and attempt to have you thrown out.
Don't ask me how I know this.

Really? What for? I've gotten dirty looks from the vendor, but explained that I was just vaping away on the bench and speaking to interested patrons. I'm not selling anything.

 

[Unspokenzero]

It happens some of us learn the lesson the hard way. Not all capers had the pleasure of finding ECF early before making too many mistakes. I know I spent about $120 before I found ECF on duds. After I got my first eGo it has been only bigger mods from there. Now I have a lavatube 1.0 and a Provari v2 on the way. We live and we learn. Be an encouragement to the guy and show him some mods. He will thank you for your kindness in the long run.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[Hondo69]

I always wondered what would happen if those mall rats had a little competition?

I mean, what if a respectable vendor setup shop close by and offered good products and fair prices? Bet that would cut down on all the complaints as the scammers would be sent packing in no time.

 

[TonyTT]

I agree with the original poster that it is a shame. All that money could have been used a lot better. I'm a student, and I wasted so much money in the beginning, and that's WITH the advice and guidance of ECF. Well waste is a strong word, but we all know how much you have to spend in the beginning to get the right set-up for you. I went through a lot of trial and error, before I was able to balance the right amount of vape satisfaction versus, cost satisfaction etc. It just makes me sad that the person could spend 25 bucks on the same thing, and then used the other 175 to go fail on other things, on his journey towards his personal perfect vape. Spending 200 dollars on step 1 kinda sucks.

 

[TonyTT]

Hmmmm....now that I think about it...screw that guy...if he knew you vaped, and still went ahead and bought stuff at the kiosk, he got what he deserved. You're obviously on ecf, and when you think about it, the reason you know everything you know about e-cigs, is because you did your research, you asked your questions, and you did your homework. It's only right that you know how to get better deals. When I think about the long hours I've poured over ecf, reading the latest reviews, I think I've earned the 10 dollar price tag, to his 200 dollar price tag.

I think you're being more than generous by being willing to provide your hard earned knowledge and expertise...

 

[lasttango]

I always bring one of my fanciest... highest tech mods with me in the mall and whip it out around the ecig kiosk...
Usually the guys/women try to argue with me about how theirs is better etc... and I typically win that argument... if nothing else...I make new friends and point a few folks towards ECF.

One time... the guy working at the kiosk decided to quit his job after seeing my ecig and listening to my "lecture" (well... said he was quitting that day and he is in fact.... gone...

After showing him ECF and a handful of vendor sites... he was convinced that with the $4000 he had saved he could become the next donald trump by getting in the ecig business... I told him it wasn't that easy... but he seemed instantly bent on reselling 510's... kr808's and egos etc... I wonder what ever happened to him.

 

[NancyR]

While I may agree that the mall kiosk are rip offs for the most part, we all need to remember this is a journey, we don't start out knowing what will work what won't or where to buy.

OP as far as him not speaking or listening to you to start with, is there a chance that because you don't understand why he wants to start with something that looks like a cig that you closed a line of communication? You also said his girlfriend is pushing this, so it may not even be something he wants to do, and well let's face it the best set up in the world won't help him if he doesn't want to, or feels he is being pushed.

Just my opinion, but seems to me one of the best things we can do for family or friends, is just be supportive. Offer our input when they ask for it, and be ready with information for things like ECF. This way they are more apt to listen as they won't feel we are pushing it on them.

 

[Eddie.Willers]

Google smokekingcigs and prepare your Rage Face.

I did...$40 for 10ml of juice?

 

[bassworm]

I always wondered what would happen if those mall rats had a little competition?

I mean, what if a respectable vendor setup shop close by and offered good products and fair prices? Bet that would cut down on all the complaints as the scammers would be sent packing in no time.

We have a Totally Vapor e-cig kiosk in our mall which sells "ego" set ups for like 240.00 without juice , i believe the slimline kits roll in the 150.00 area and those arent ones with the PCC -- In fact, I was in the market for a LR stainless steal cartomizer and decided to ask how much it was the lady at the kiosk quoted me $13.00 for cartomizer needless to say I handed it back to her and walked away.

This past December a Revolver E-cig shop opened up about 4 miles away from the mall, their parts are fairly reasonable in price , i have made friends with the owner and employees , the owner has said he gets alot of customers that are very unsatisfied with their mall purchase coming in.

 

[Jixchel]

Sounds like it's the girlfriend that wants him to quit more than he wants to quit himself. You say you see him all the time at work, do you talk to him or just to the girlfriend? If he is like a lot of smokers that are not yet ready to quit don't push him toward the ecigs he will resist all the more if he is feeling like it is being forced on him.

 

[ad356]

im not pised that he bought it, i am just ...... he didnt ask me first. i wasted allot of money figuring out what worked and what didnt work. him and his girlfriend have a young daughter and not allot of money. i would have listened to what he wanted and steered him in the right direction. i hate it when people believe lies, and get taken advantage of. i would have gladly steered him in the direction of an inexpensive joye 510 started kit if thats what he wanted, at least it would have worked acceptably and would have been much cheaper.

 

[motox]

I'll go ahead and throw out that the worst thing the E-Cig community can possibly do is make a post like the OP. Instead of being happy that a friend is quitting, he is essentially ridiculing him because of a bad purchase.

I think it's easy sometimes to forget what we all went through when we started vaping, and there is a LOT more to this than just focusing on the device. When I started out, I was on a Blu kit and I found it satisfying - despite all of the negative and condescending comments found on the forums. To be sure, there were much better devices and systems out there, but as a new vaper pulling away from cigarettes (after over 30 years), the form factor of the Blu scratched my itch. They looked like cigarettes, had a cute little PCC "pack", the flavors were pretty decent and they were easy as heck to use - albeit expensive with the cartos. They just "worked" for me at that stage of my quit.

Fast forward a few months and I start looking at the videos on youtube. Back then, these were virtually all 3.7v mods, and I was taken in by the convincing testimonials that "this 18650 mech mod makes SO MUCH MORE vapor than this other 18650 mech mod". I ended up with a stack of mods that all virtually did the same thing. Is a Silver Bullet better than a Bolt? Who knows, but it was fun testing out the options - but it really boiled down to form factor for the mod. These are individual choices, and everyone needs to find their own sweet spot without being ridiculed for their choices.

I'm on a Provari now and I do think it's the cats meow - but when I see fellow vapers using other devices, I don't pass judgement. If it works for them, it works. And if and when they are ready for a change, they will figure it out themselves - just like I did. It's phenomenal that there are already so many more choices and varieties available now than there was 2 years ago - and just imagine what we'll be vaping in another 2 years!

Someone upthread mentioned the "enthusiast" factor and that is a big one - a lot of us are collectors and we really look at our vaping as a hobby. Others, not so much - it's a medium to replace smoking cigarettes. The differences and technology doesn't really matter to them - as long as what they are using scratches the itch ya know? Bless 'em all for tossing the cigs and starting their journey to the wonderful world of vaping - how they do it is not as significant.

 

[Stinknugget]

what a waste of money, $200. he could have had a really good unit like a provari or a buzzpro, instead he chooses to waste his money at a mall and buy something that probably isnt equal to a cheap joye 510 that he could have had for $40. i havent seen him use it yet (his grandmother died recently), but i was talking to his girlfriend that also works with me(they both work where i work). she has wanted him to quit smoking for some time, i told her that an ecig is the right way...... but dont be surprised with that mall thing that he will stay off of cigarettes. i guess they only sell these prefilled "carts", we all know they are cheap, inferior cartomizers. i dont know what these malls are selling i never bothered to check one out, but from what i heard about them here is that they suck. i guess this guy wants to continue to look "cool" in front of his friends and wants something that looks like a cigarette. the sooner he realizes that he should seperate himself from the smokers and not look like them the better off he will be. i love going outside with my provari and looking unique and different from all of the people that are filling their bodies with disease causing toxins. im glad he decided he bought an ecig and decided to buy SOMETING; but i wish i knew why he decided to buy that mall crap. he sees me vape everyday; i would have gladly pointed him in the right direction with a quality product for a reasonable price; he wasted $200 on a peice of dung product. he will find that the less then 280 MAH battery and cheap atomizer is not going to work for him and hopefully he will ask me before returning to the stinkies. i just wish i could have saved him some money OR got him a really screaming product for the same amount of money.

the biggest problem i see is that people insist on buying something that still looks like a cigarette. i guess the provari is just too big of a unit for a newbee; personally i think its a rockin' product and a good value when you consider just how long something that is built so well will last. the provari seems to be built to last the long haul.

he thinks that something like a provari looks big and akward, the reason it is big is so it can accomdaite a much better battery. personally i love the fact that it is big, its much easier to no loose it.

what is it that they sell in mall stands anyways. is it some variation of a joye 510, or is it some garbage like njoy; blu; or green?

my first ecig was an njoy and it was junk. people that want to get into vaping should ask experienced vapers before they spend their money. learn from the people that already made the mistakes.

I am going through this with my girlfriend. She hates pushing a button and relies on the automatics. Her biggest complaints are the weight of the unit in comparison to analogs as well as the button. I tried to explain vaping isnt smoking. She has come much farther using the button as she is noticing a different hit depedent on how long she hold the button for.