How's B&M situation where you live?

[desk1%]

I live in Laughlin, NV and all the local B&M shops that are vape suppliers or vape only seem to be way overpriced. For example; 15ml of juice = $11, eGo battery 900 mAh = $27-$35, Ce4 = $7-$11, ViVi head = $6, Evic = $320, Bolt (mech mod) = $80. Now please note this is the entire local area including: Bullhead City, AZ; Mohave Valley, AZ; Fort Mohave, AZ and Needles, CA. I work in the Las Vegas metro area and have seen prices comparable to web stores, but tend to get off work too late to take advantage of them. Is this hyper-inflation at the retail level common in small town america? What kind of ridiculousness are you seeing in your area? Do you feel that this type of business ethic is harmful to the vape community?

 

[entitynein]

Well, in Reno, we have one shop total, that sells overpriced juice, ego batteries, sub-par mechs and drip tips with 300% mark-up. At least you have choices! I'm trying to convince my wife that I need to open one.

 

[samwest]

There are only 16,000 people in Gainesville, Texas but we have 3 stores. Pretty much as OP posted. They got overhead buddy. On-line is the only way to go unless you have a vape emergency.

 

[desk1%]

I've been contemplating approaching one of the local retailers and offering my services in exchange for a contracted percentage of their vapor division. Just through being a hobbyist vaper I've stumbled across countless wholesale opportunities that would allow a B&M to operate at web store prices.

 

[mare ze dotes]

I was to one in Green Bay,WI. It was a bit more expensive. I can under stand that with over head and all. But It was people in and out all during my shopping visit. They are making money with or with out me. I will happily stay with my fav online vendors.

 

[beckdg]

Laughable.

I've heard of one place that's frankly too much of a drive for me, personally.

There is a "smoke shop" if one could call it that just over 20 minutes down the road that carries a couple ego style starter kits if one could call them that and maybe a dozen or less nic flavors running around $10 to $12 for 3ml in "refill" cartridges. the nic juice only comes in 2 strengths, too.

But the lady at counter is one HECK of a sales person. According to her, you don't want to shop online because everything changes so fast, everything will be incompatible by the time it's delivered to your door. that's where my "curiosity" ended and i just walked out.

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

I don't buy everything I get that's vape related at my favorite B&M but they do custom mix my favorite vapes, and the wife's favorite vapes too. I'll buy extra tanks and and occasion mod. They're very valuable to me and I don't mind spending extra occasionally to help keep them in business. They also give me exceptional service and are very knowledgeable. An oh, I also consider them friends.

A mod purchased from a B&M that appears to be overpriced can be offset by warrenty service that may be necessary in the future and frustration with the USPS, in terms of product paid for but is undelivered.

 

[CommaHolly]

ours is expensive, of course,,,,,,

I bought an 1100 mah ego (not a twist) and it cost me 25 bucks,,,,,,,I could have saved 3 bucks if I'd wanted plain black, but I wanted the pretty blue-green color

vivi nova heads (NOT real Vision ones, but they're not bad) run 13.00 a box of 5,,,,,,,

CE4's run about 5 bucks,,,,,,,and I bought a vivi nova (again, not real Vision but decent) for 12 bucks,,,,,,,,

the juice is pretty well priced though,,,,,10ml is only 5 bucks. but I DIY, so it's pretty useless for me,,,,,,

they at least know their stuff,,,,,I went to a smoke shop that sells e-cig stuff, and they didn't even know the Twist TWISTED.

 

[NPTreeBanger]

I've been contemplating approaching one of the local retailers and offering my services in exchange for a contracted percentage of their vapor division. Just through being a hobbyist vaper I've stumbled across countless wholesale opportunities that would allow a B&M to operate at web store prices.

Not a bad idea at all ! My town is dry ... but I do know a local retailer that may be interested in something like this. It's a discount beer/soda outlet but they have a huge turnover in tobacco everything -- low prices.
Thanks for sharing your thought and I'd say go for it !
Good luck with your venture.

 

[dwarfcat]

Pretty good. We have Mr E Liquid, which is all we really need but there are at least 5 others I cant think of

 

[Metroicon]

I second Michigan being really cool place to be a vaper. Prices around here seem to be in line with prices you would see online. We have some of the best juice makers in the world, great gear selections and a very friendly vaper community.

 

[x3ro]

There's a couple local shops I frequent. Of course their prices on batteries and such are a bit higher than online retailers. Their prices on tanks are just a bit higher, but when you factor in cost of shipping for online purchases, it evens out pretty.

One sells Evod coils for $4 or something crazy per coil, but the other one I frequent sells them for $1.99 per coil, or $9 for a pack of 5. Which is pretty much the same price you'll find them for online.

They both make their own flavors. One sells 30mL for $15, the other sells 30mL for around $12. Both have some good flavors that I enjoy.

But being in the DFW area, there's a ton of shops around. It just so happens that the two that are closest to me (one's about 5 minutes down the street, the other's about 10-15 minutes one way depending on traffic) have decent prices and awesome service.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Closest one is a 30 minute drive..... Not bad but it's only one and hoping more open soon!!

 

[FearTX]

I try and support the local vendors. I know there are several in the area with great service, the one that I go to the most will honor warranties for batteries and mods in the store as long as you have your receipt. They sale authentic merchandise and are not "wildy" overpriced, a bit under MSRP on most items.
I did save some money on an MVP2 buying online recently but try to make the bulk of my purchases local.
Is it worth the extra few dollars for face to face service? IMO it is. It may well not be for other people.

 

[jotook24tovaip]

I live in the dallas metro area (garland) and we have over 75 shops that sell vape supplies more than half are vapor "bars" where you can relax try juices etc. For some reason even with all this competition the prices range from $6.99-10.99 for 10ml. and $10.99-16.99 for 30ml. juice. the average 650 mah ego is $14-19.99 with twists $25 and up I taste MVP $69-89 and so on.
We do have some shops that custom blend with flavors not pre bottled e-juice but real cannela, tfa, fa, lorann etc. One has over 30 tobacco flavors alone. Vaporscape in oak cliff. Guess I'm lucky. Vape on everyone and enjoy the holiday if your here in America.

 

[Dusif]

Ive been to 2 shops here in denmark... They got nothing basicly and its way overpriced

An ego start set with 2 750's and 2 ce4's and a charger is about 70-80$... No juice...

Juice is 10-30ml for 15-20$ depending on the "brand"

They have the following vape gear

Vamo
Evic
Eroll
E-pipe
Ego
K100 (in the good shop)

Vivi nova
Ce4
Kanger evod and protank (in the good shop)

Various unknown batteries (in the good shop)


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[optsmk]

Well, in Reno, we have one shop total, that sells overpriced juice, ego batteries, sub-par mechs and drip tips with 300% mark-up. At least you have choices! I'm trying to convince my wife that I need to open one.

Is that the one right off McCarren in Sparks? I think it's sierra smoke or something like that. I have been there a few times when I go there for business. It is a little over priced, but they do have a pretty good selection of stuff and a pretty knowledgeable staff.

 

[optsmk]

Ok, I hate to brag here, but in the San Francisco Bay area, they are everywhere. I have not been to a city yet that I can find one. You can find just about anything here. The only thing I have not seen is a Provari lol. But other than that, we got everything. I even found one store in San Leandro that sells organic juice from Virgin Vapor. It's a little expensive, but it's really good stuff. I live up in the hills in Hayward, but there is a little store downtown called It Is Vapor 5. I usually go there for most of my stuff these days. Before I moved here from Pleasanton, I even had a couple places I could go there for vape stuff too. I got my K200 at a vape store in Pleasanton for 70 bucks. That's pretty good pricing for a B&M.
Sure you can save a lot of money if you order online, but then you gotta wait for it and that's no fun.

 

[Sucker_dad]

Live in Topeka KS. I would love to open a store as we have nothing. We have about 8-10 tobacco stores that sell ego starters but a single 900 mah with one ce4 is $30 a 1100 mah twist by it self with out a clearo is $40. All the juices are bulk chinese stuff except for one small store that has vapors corner brand juice and it's pretty good but it's $9.99 for 10 ml

 

[tA71ana]

I am in rural MN and the closest B&M that I know of is 50miles away in ND.
I love their shop and I wish that I were closer to them.
They do have an online presence and their prices are reasonable...I don't consider them to be overpriced at all.
I get over there probably once a month on average.