If You Don't Know Anything About Vaping, Don't Open a Vape Shop

[WarHawk-AVG]

Well...you just blew a PERFECT opportunity to educate them AND get some massive discounts along the way

Heck...maybe you could have gotten a side gig on weekends and helped them become a GREAT shop and earned a few "employee of the month" placards on the wall

Either way...they are trying to dabble as entrepreneurs...you would be amazed at people that start businesses that DON'T know their heads from a hole in the ground but get there eventually (if I knew how to do the book keeping and whatnot and wasn't so afraid to step away from the security I have currently I would have my own vaping shop)...shooting them down before they get off the runway is a bit harsh...and the vaping community needs people like you and them to keep this thing going (remember its US against THEM now [them being the nanny state tax it out of existence gubbermint])

I sure hope you pointed those "noobs" to ECF so we could set em straight

Either way...take all your rigs up there with you...show em a thing or three and maybe you will have a location close to you to get your supplies, with employee discount of course

 

[Rocketpunk]

Don't hate.

Educate.

 

[DeadbeatJeff]

You know, a while back I was looking for Type-As for my GF's eGo and went to a vapor lounge, and they were at the opposite end - knew nothing beyond Kanger and Aspire, some drippers and a kayfuns. A couple mechs and some itaste stuff.

Knew eGo batteries, but looked at me like I was an Fn alien when I said "Joye Type-A". I thought it was weird, cause those are like kinda standard starter ecig staples

 

[Funk Dracula]

NATE: "Clearly. I just came into your store asking for the most common replacement part for one of the most common PVs on the face of the earth, and you guys looked at me like I was from outer space."

Clearomizer heads and cartomizers I'd expect at most any random vape shop.

Joytech type A Atomizer heads? The most common replacement part on the face of the Earth? Today? You serious? Sounds more like a mall kiosk starter kit type deal, you dig? Not a common vape shop item.

Well, at least you didn't "beat the wife over her head with your all-mighty Provari." That's how the last smug B&M thread I read went down.

 

[duroSIG556R]

..........

This smacks of author elaboration.

Instead of belittling a husband and wife, perhaps you could have politely conversed with them in conversation and help educate them a bit. You like to get to know your proprietors, you say. Maybe extend a hand of friendship and courtesy and welcome them to the community. Are you making them out to be fly-by-night shysters? Being smug and thinking you're above anyone else is poor vaper behavior. I hope you feel good about yourself.

P.S. I've had poor service at a number of retail/food chains and I've never felt compelled to regale my behavior over the employees or companies and make an almost screenplay-like rant. I chalk it up to, well, that was a miss. Man.

Some people are simply in it for the gold rush. In two years they won't be fighting the FDA, they'll be on to their next thing...maybe a pawn shop, or something.

 

[Nate760]

Don't hate.

Educate.

Okay, so now I'm hateful in addition to having a raging superiority complex? Thanks for all these insights into my own character and psyche, I really appreciate it.

 

[chrisj3982]

I must live around the corner from the best damn b&m shop then. The staff is very knowledgeable, and helpful. The have their rebuild station set up (always busy as hell I might add) the juice bar, again, always busy, and some of the nicest people running the store.


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[Tinkiegrrl]

I've seen some pretty ignorant vape shop owners and employees learn very fast. The most helpful and educated that I've come across was the head shop owner, whose head shop I can see will soon be overtaken by their vaping section. He's a great owner who takes the time to explain how to do things and when he comes across something he has never seen, asks to examine it, asks where I got it, and asks what the pros and cons are. He then starts carrying it if his own research shows it may be worth it to do so. He did not start out with much of a selection or knowledge. The place is a head shop after all. But over time his head shop became my absolute favorite vape shop, not because he knew what he was doing in te beginning, but because he kept his mind open to learning.

 

[TheJakeBailey]

Clearomizer heads and cartomizers I'd expect at most any random vape shop.

Joytech type A Atomizer heads? The most common replacement part on the face of the Earth? Today? You serious? Sounds more like a mall kiosk starter kit type deal, you dig? Not a common vape shop item.

Well, at least you didn't "beat the wife over her head with your all-mighty Provari." That's how the last smug B&M thread I read went down.

YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH! All of it. Even the reference to the "all mighty Provari." I remember that thread well.

I've found myself in these situations, and think there are two reasonable responses.

1. " Ok, thanks anyway." Leave
2. Educate them on what YOU would want THEM to carry. Maybe they will.

Instead it seems you chose to belittle them and make them feel small.

I've seen a couple of starter shops turn into really great shops in a matter of months. Yes, it would be nice if they all started out knowing what the heck is going on, and maybe they should. Still doesn't excuse bad behavior in my opinion.

 

[-mj01-]

The OP's scenario sounds very familiar. I do not think the OP was out of line at all.

If someone decides they're going to get into a niche business, they SHOULD know the in's and outs of the business BEFORE getting into it. Too often, peeps see an opportunity to "go into business for themselves" and quite frankly, they do more harm than good.

To sell something they believed to be "new" (because they were told "new" when they bought) and for a patron to be able to spot how "not new" the parts were while still in the bag = fail. I can only imagine how the talk about juice would go and I'd not be surprised if the "you can smoke these anywhere" line is not part of the "pitch".

A business like this has the right to be in business, but hopefully the educated market forces them to become a victim of natural selection.

 

[dannydestroy]

I stopped in a small shop over the weekend. Ma and pa. Gave some advice. Cool people. They had some hardware. Kayfun, nautilus, patriot, nemesis, wire wick. Some of these people don't know what they are talking about. Please edu.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Funny.... but at the same time, not so funny.

 

[flbutterfly1]

I went to shop last weekend ann I asked if they were aware that the FDA had just real eased their proposed regulations. Their answer was yes and that they read it and it would not change their business. When I asked why they thought that and told them this was only the beginning that In 6 mos things could really change like them mixing their liquid in the back room and so on their answer was oh well that won't affect us. Then proceeded to argue with me about important regulations our county is trying impose and how I didn't read read all of the document. I just said oh really when you're out of business maybe you will have wished you weren't so naive. I have been to this particular store twice before when they were almost non existent and they didn't even know what a bottom coil tank was. I will not be going there again. They were rude and uneducated about their products. I have educated several smoke shop ecig vendors of their products, about the forum, CASAA and they were happy to have the info. But for people that actually open a store for a certain specialty product they should know what their doing or don't open the store and try to pawn off your merchandise when you don't even know what it is. I have had store dedicated to beads that do the same thing and I find it the most irritating thing ever.

 

[Tinkiegrrl]

There's a difference in my mind between rude and uneducated. There's simply uneducated but willing to learn and wise enough to know that they don't know everything, and then there's rude and dismissive. I have only written off one shop in my area, not because they were uneducated, but because they tried to lecture ME over products I knew more about then they did. They tried to tell me my MVP 2 was a clone because it was the brushed black version. They were familiar with, and carried (for 3 times the amount online) the plain black MVP 2. They proceeded to lecture me about the issue of clones and how I'm taking money from honest vendors. I didn't return.

 

[Yohkos]

When someone opens a business, they should educate themselves first. In this case they had no idea what their business was about. It is their responsibility to educate the customer about this product, not the customer's. Now if this owner was was just a little knowledgeable, it would make sense to add and share with him. As I see it, this owner did show any initiative to learn. He just wants to open the store to make money.

I hate stores like this especially when I was just starting I needed sound advice. This owner is doing more harm getting people off cigs and into vaping.

I am so disgusted at the money hungry people going into this business. It was not this reader's responsibility to bring the owner up from step one. He wasn't being arrogant.

I enjoy learning and sharing with shop owners who at least try to learn the product and I'm not interested in being their emoployee of the month, lmao or coming in my off time to help them out..so why make this guy feel guilty for not hanging around and sharing all his knowledge with these lazy shop owners?

I work with someone that owns a couple of vape shops, and she doesn't seem interested in learning anymore than she has too. It's all about the money. Funny how she keeps up with the fda stuff but not the product.

 

[DaveP]

I guess I'm just lucky. Stormy's Vapor Cellar B&M in Macon is run by a lady who came from the same vaping roots as many of us. The first day I visited the store we talked about how archaic things were in the early days with Fluval blue foam in drink stirrers and polyfill fillers in 510s and 808s. She talks the talk and knows from whence vaping originated.

Most of the people who work for her are into winding coils, mesh in RSST tanks, and dripping. There's always a new person who's learning the ropes, but she conducts team meetings where the information is disseminated and taught. I can walk in and tell anyone that I want Nautilus 1.8 ohm heads and they turn around and find them on the wall behind the counter. If it's a new person, there's someone working with them who points to the item and directs them.

There's a vape meet there at least once a month and that provides a mixer for new vapers and seasoned vapers to share information. It's all good.

 

[Johnny Phatsaqs]

I'm fortunate to have 2 really good vape shops in my little suburb of Houston. Both have knowledgeable staff, and are well stocked. Problem is, the owners of each hate one another. They apparently used to be really good friends and one feels screwed over by the other for "stealing" his idea of opening a vape shop. I literally had one ask me a few days ago, "what will it take for you to stop going to the other store?" I said, "Lower your prices on some things, and sell more lines of juice."

One shop sells higher end clone mods and attys, Hcigar. Along with a much larger selection of hardware. Problem is, the literally only sell Suicide Bunny, Space Jam and house juice. The other has low end mod clones, but has over 200 types of juice. Now house juice, but a ton of makers. They also are the only local shop that sells my adv, Halo Purity Tribeca. Their other advantage is the have a card, that after you buy 6 30mil bottles, your 7th is free. Only exception to the freebee is Five Pawns, which is fine because I don't like it. But, I was able to get a free 30 mil of SB's Mothers Milk this weekend.

 

[distortoblotto]

Oh, Come on man, Don't you know that rust improves the flavor?......yeah............NOT!

 

[viseversa101]

i love going to newly opened shops asking a bunch of questions and checking their inventory to determine whether or not to refer someone to them. Locally I found 2 out of 5 id recommend.

 

[DancingHeretik]

A baggy full of rusty atomizers?! Why would they buy a baggy of stuff from someone in the first place? Are they getting the rest of their product from the same guy?

There's just something not right here.