I'm a older vaper, and I'm sick and tired of these vape shop owners and workers treating us older vapers like crap, ignoring us acting like we are the dumbest people who ever lived when we ask a question.. I went into this vape shop here in Northern Michigan, and we are limited to shops, and this has happened to me more than once the eye rolls the deep breaths and once I was asked if I was stupid.. I'm sick of this considering I have disposable income to spend in there shops.. Has this problem ever happened to anyone else.
I too am an older vaper (61). I too have experienced this. In my part of the world, there are 11 vape shops within a 5 - 6 mile radius of my house (no BS). And here's the nitch! I've visited every one of them and none are worth the time spent to even get to them. What do I mean! Here's my story.
5 years ago, I felt terrible and put it down to my smoking. Back then, there wasn't too many places to learn about much and thus, I was at the mercy of either some patch, which I would never do, cold turkey quitting, or one of the local vape shops. I certainly had and still have the will power to go cold turkey, but I also knew I had a family I loved and knowing myself as I do, lets just say I spared them. So off I marched to a vape shop over by one of my family members house. Now understand this too! I knew ABOSULTY NOTHING about vaping. I was asked some questions of which I answered and was then pointed to a vape pen device (didn't know what that even meant or was at the time). I was told that, for beginners, this was the way to go ( I would never put a vape pen in someones hands these days if they can afford more) I was handed, what was claimed by the shop owner to be a Ego CTwist battery and a kanger mini pro tank. I was also sold a battery charger, some extra coils and a few 5ml bottles of juice. Grand total $106. 81 (still have the receipt) . Talk about seeing a sucker fish swim by! They saw me.
Here's the bigger twist. After about a week and having to run back to a vape shop for more juice time and again, I wondered and thought! man I must be in the wrong business. I was vaping 18ml nic (no one today would suggest doing this), I was feeling worse, then I did smoking, but was determined not to go back to them. Anyway to shorten this, eventually I went online. And while at the time, there was no where near the plethora of information there is today on vaping and the equipment used (Mostly what we had then, was sympathetic to each other, online clans. We shared information and learned knowledge. Tis pretty much how ecf got started) we muttled through. In this time frame, I had learned that I'd been duped! What I thought was Authentic vape gear, turned out to be cloned stuff from china, that could of been bought for 10 bucks including the charger. I did in truth however have an Authentic Ego CTwist, but was charged 3 times the amount ($24.00) that I could have gotten it for had I known what I'd learned. 5 bucks tops! is what I could get that for at the time. And then the bomb. I had nothing but a clone tank. My e-juice had been marked up 0ver 600% and I was going ejuice broke! not to mention, the cost of looking for the right combo of vape gear for myself, so I could continue down the quitting road,
Here's the point to the above
Since these early days I've learned a lot. And I certainly still don't know everything. But I've spend everyday for the past 5 years reading and learning about everything vape related. I Started DIYing my own e-juice about 4 months after I quit 5 years ago. Created my first box mods ( single battery, parallel, series unregulated mods then when I leaned about escapements, I built a couple of them, and my first chipped mod using a dna chip) after my first year of vaping. I literally have over 10 k worth of vape gear in my house that I've gotten over the past 5 years. What does all this mean to the topic!
This!
Today, when I walk into a vape store. I roll my eyes at them! If they open their mouth in a wrong way. I beat um up verbally with so much truth and fact information that I can, (Complete with my phone in hand to verify everything I say) and after that berating, they usually have little to say to me! I add salt to the injury too, I wait until I can talk to the store owner, if they aren't there already and suggest to them strongly, that they replace the knuckle head they had at the time I was set off on them. Some of course, could care less (most actually) which starts me to become a crusader against that store and it's owner. Yeah I'm a 61 yr old salty dog and I do bite when provoked.
Today there are just two vape stores that I've helped change. They no longer hire anyone that hasn't vaped for at least a year and I told them, if they don't know the answer to a question, call me, my phone is always on and I'm generally sitting at a computer and I'll find the answer for them. Their prices are now very fair for having a store front and a few employees to pay and there customer services, I feel are top of the line in this city of vaping that I live in. I go by the two shops many times a week, I give new vapers a day to come sit with me at one of them, so I can help them learn how to coil and wick their devises and I teach a coil building seminar type of thing for the 2 places when I can. No I have no monetary interest in them. I just like the places and owners, and like the vapers (respectful vapers/people to clarify). Simple as that!
I didn't let my negative beginning experience get the best of me. I'm getting the best of vaping because of everyone here (and other places I frequent) sharing information and stories. So even if I get under your skin here in ECF. Know this! I'm thankful always for you, even if I know you aren't 100 percent correct in something and challenge you on it. So please try not to get too emotional. Perhaps through our talk, we both might learn something. Maybe about vaping, maybe about something else. I am in fact, very thankful to all people that vape.
Cig free for 5 years almost. Still vape but with no Nic. I use it as my sucker and of course, because I like new gear to try out.
BTW I too despise chicken littles. If something is truly going to harm us, then give full quantifiable information, complete with real life testing. Not some unrealistic lab nonsense that doesn't fit in the real world environment of vaping.
