See now, that's how a B&M shop should be. Give your customers a reason to come in and stay awhile.
How should I support my local shop?
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See now, that's how a B&M shop should be. Give your customers a reason to come in and stay awhile.
It makes no sense that the entry level stuff is so expensive. It would make much more sense, from a business standpoint, to sell it cheap and get people started/hooked. If they never get started because of the expense, they will never come back to buy supplies and juice.
My fav local B&M runs frequent sales that change often. There's no reason to have to pay full price from them. Unless you are in an absolute must have now situation. (Don't have back up and something dies or breaks).
If that sale price reflects what I can get something for online item+shipping and a small amount 10% or so for the get it now factor on a sale, then I will buy at the local shop.
I can get awesome on site mixed juice for $4 for 12 ml, less for bigger bottles. Better pricing than most sites sample packs when you add in shipping. A juice bar on site means the only chance of a dud is a difference in taste due to nic content or the mixer oopsed (they will make it again if that happens).
On sale they couldn't get close enough to the coop price on my VTR. I don't feel bad taking it in there, no doubt the juice and other accessories I buy on a weekly basis is a bigger profit margin in the long run. They also get word of mouth advertising and for small businesses that is priceless.
If that sale price reflects what I can get something for online item+shipping and a small amount 10% or so for the get it now factor on a sale, then I will buy at the local shop.
I can get awesome on site mixed juice for $4 for 12 ml, less for bigger bottles. Better pricing than most sites sample packs when you add in shipping. A juice bar on site means the only chance of a dud is a difference in taste due to nic content or the mixer oopsed (they will make it again if that happens).
On sale they couldn't get close enough to the coop price on my VTR. I don't feel bad taking it in there, no doubt the juice and other accessories I buy on a weekly basis is a bigger profit margin in the long run. They also get word of mouth advertising and for small businesses that is priceless.
I'll pay a little extra to the couple of places here that provide the service I expect from a B&M - helping me setup new gear, sampling juice, etc - because it is worth it. There is a local chain of shops, however, with a 300% markup which I will never frequent again.
I don't support them if their prices are insanely high.
Two extremes. Here in Austin there is "all about vapor" which is a fantastic shop. Very reasonable juice prices, and they carry Halo, Fuzion, as well as their own. Equipment has a very very small markup. They will get my business
Across town, cloud 9 vapor sells evod coils for $4 EACH, sells the protank for $40, and the MVP for $129. With that markup, they shouldn't get any business. That's excessive greed and I won't step foot in there. They are also dishonest, saying and MVP will go a week or more on a charge. Crooks.
I think they get away with it because of the non internet savvy newbies. They pop in and don't know any better. The thing is, any smoker entering the store CAN AFFORD THE MARKUP. And the owners know this. Smoking is rediculously expensive, and even with the crazy markup these things "look cheap" in comparison.
I'm all about helping local businesses. But I'm not up for helping greedy entrepreneurs who want to cash in on an exploding market.
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Two extremes. Here in Austin there is "all about vapor" which is a fantastic shop. Very reasonable juice prices, and they carry Halo, Fuzion, as well as their own. Equipment has a very very small markup. They will get my business
Across town, cloud 9 vapor sells evod coils for $4 EACH, sells the protank for $40, and the MVP for $129. With that markup, they shouldn't get any business. That's excessive greed and I won't step foot in there. They are also dishonest, saying and MVP will go a week or more on a charge. Crooks.
I think they get away with it because of the non internet savvy newbies. They pop in and don't know any better. The thing is, any smoker entering the store CAN AFFORD THE MARKUP. And the owners know this. Smoking is rediculously expensive, and even with the crazy markup these things "look cheap" in comparison.
I'm all about helping local businesses. But I'm not up for helping greedy entrepreneurs who want to cash in on an exploding market.
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As a shop owner this doesn't bother me one bit really. I totally understand you not wanting to pay the mark up on this items. Our Chi You clone sells for $55.as an example. B&M stores can't compete with online stores mainly because of overhead. We have them in the store for the simple fact that some people prefer to buy it now then wait days or weeks to get it online. Same with rebuilding materials. We carry them mainly as a convenience but we also need to make a profit to stay open to carry the simpler devices. We set our juice price by location and compare to what other shops are selling for in that area. Even more of a convenience in this area cause you can try any one of our flavors without buying right in the store. I wouldn't be concerned at all about offending your local shop. my $.2.
Ed that makes perfect sense. We constantly look at and adjust our prices. We do need to make a profit BUT, at the same time we realize our customers aren't stupid and can use the internet. We try to keep our markups as low as possible but still make a profit after overhead and make sure we are competing with other shops. Saw a post below this where a shop in Austin was selling the MVP for $129. Even if a v2 that is ridiculous. I've seen my share of shops do this too. I think our v2s are set at $79.99 right now. And we don't tell customers a specific length of time any battery last. Always tell them it a best guess. Every vaper is different. I tend to get about 2-4 days on my MVP. Depends on when I'm using it really. If im working at the shop I'm using it constantly, or drinking. When I'm working my day job in my office I hardly ever use it so it lasts quit awhile. We try to convey that to our customers. Same goes for juice usage. 1 5 ml bottle may be comparable to 1 pack of analogs to one person, but that wouldn't be the case for someone using an RDA. But then again that type of person wouldn't be buying a 5 ml bottle.
Wow...I thought the markup on one of my local shops ($99 for the MVP 2) was bad...
That said, there is a local-ish shop that I've been to a few times (purchased from them twice so far) that I quite like. Yes there is a mark up; but they have bills to pay so it's understandable. They're also more of a lounge. Free coffee (from a Keurig no less) and water, pool table, big tv, comfy chairs...if they had free wifi I'd seriously consider doing my work from there (assuming my work gave me a laptop rather than a remote connection).
I will continue to go there because they have a good atmosphere, are very friendly, and have a good variety of things from starter eGos, to Pro and Carto tanks; some clones and some genuine items (saw a Zenesis there the last time I was there, as well as a Semovar).
I think it comes down to finding a shop where you like the atmosphere when you walk in. If they're just in it to make a buck, then you're better off going online or somewhere else. If they have a genuine desire to be helpful and answer any questions you have, let you sample juices, whatever then you're probably more likely to purchase from them and pay their markup.
The key is that these B&M's are really busy with customers. As long as they are selling their products at these crazy prices, they have no reason to lower them for those of us more astute and informed vapers.
Ed that makes perfect sense. We constantly look at and adjust our prices. We do need to make a profit BUT, at the same time we realize our customers aren't stupid and can use the internet. We try to keep our markups as low as possible but still make a profit after overhead and make sure we are competing with other shops. Saw a post below this where a shop in Austin was selling the MVP for $129. Even if a v2 that is ridiculous. I've seen my share of shops do this too. I think our v2s are set at $79.99 right now. And we don't tell customers a specific length of time any battery last. Always tell them it a best guess. Every vaper is different. I tend to get about 2-4 days on my MVP. Depends on when I'm using it really. If im working at the shop I'm using it constantly, or drinking. When I'm working my day job in my office I hardly ever use it so it lasts quit awhile. We try to convey that to our customers. Same goes for juice usage. 1 5 ml bottle may be comparable to 1 pack of analogs to one person, but that wouldn't be the case for someone using an RDA. But then again that type of person wouldn't be buying a 5 ml bottle.
Everyone who runs a shop seems to be keen on competing with their local competition.
Y'all do realize if you keep markup margins to a profitable minimum then they would have to figure out how to keep up with you not the other way around.
The it's OK to charge these ridiculous prices is ok because my competition does it is ludicris. 2 wrongs don't make it right
An On-Line Retailer can carry a relatively large stock in a garage / basement / spare room .. it is a bit unfair to compare what a B&M charges in relation to an On-Line Only enterprise ..
In addition, the On-Line Only seller has no expenses as it relates to operation .. and as a Business Owner (not related to e-cigs), here are a few examples :
Insurance .. $195 per Month
Building .. if I were to rent it, although I bought it and paid it off 10 years ago .. $1800.00 per Month
Utilities ... $500.00 per month
that's $2495 per Month or nearly $30,000 per year before a nickel of profit is made ..
Then, you must figure in the cost of goods .. pay a bookkeeper or do it yourself, you may need employees, etc ..
The cost of owning and running a small business in a B&M location is not cheap .. in the retail World of Small business, 100% markup from cost is considered the norm .. jewelry carries up to a 300% markup .. the cost of that large soda at McDonalds was about 5 cents with cup included ..
If folks choose to shop on line to save money, that's just the way it is .. but please, don't slam the B&M retailer for trying to make a living .. if you've never walked in those shoes or researched what it takes financially, you simply don't know ..
In addition, the On-Line Only seller has no expenses as it relates to operation .. and as a Business Owner (not related to e-cigs), here are a few examples :
Insurance .. $195 per Month
Building .. if I were to rent it, although I bought it and paid it off 10 years ago .. $1800.00 per Month
Utilities ... $500.00 per month
that's $2495 per Month or nearly $30,000 per year before a nickel of profit is made ..
Then, you must figure in the cost of goods .. pay a bookkeeper or do it yourself, you may need employees, etc ..
The cost of owning and running a small business in a B&M location is not cheap .. in the retail World of Small business, 100% markup from cost is considered the norm .. jewelry carries up to a 300% markup .. the cost of that large soda at McDonalds was about 5 cents with cup included ..
If folks choose to shop on line to save money, that's just the way it is .. but please, don't slam the B&M retailer for trying to make a living .. if you've never walked in those shoes or researched what it takes financially, you simply don't know ..
I talked about this subject last night with my husband. The small business world is a brutal place. I totally want to support my local vape shop as much as possible. The best way we could think of is to talk to the owners about what would continue to bring your business to them, i.e. juices you like, mech mods/RBAs vs. starter kits, accessories. This is a new world and I believe giving them the most information on what would bring you back would be helpful to them in some way.
Umm yeah? We are cheaper than our competition. And I really don't see the prices as "ludicris" Now the kiosk in the mall? Those prices are ludicrous. $50 for 10ml of juice. Yikes! You try to keep a store open and keep up with your overhead with very minimal profit.
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