Johnson Creek Rant

[roxics]

I'm a Johnson Creek fan. I know their juice is hit or miss with a lot of vapers. But I happen to really like their JC Original and Red Oak Domestic. I absolutely love their Spiced Apple Cider. Their prices are not horrible either. $9.95 for a 15mL bottle is decent. They don't give any discounts when you buy 30mL unfortunately, but that's ok. I'd prefer to a see quality juice from an American company that can make a profit rather than a race to the bottom (competing on price) like some newer liquid vendors are doing.

But my biggest pet peeve with Johnson Creek is their shipping cost. $6 shipping on a single 15mL bottle of juice!!! WTF!! I know everyone will say just order in bulk, but that's not how I order juice. I go to Johnson Creek because I have a particular taste for something and so I will order a bottle or two. It's not my daily vape.

I haven't ordered from them in about 8 months because I've been DIYing my own juice. But I got the taste for their Spiced Apple Cider since it's fall again and I had forgetton how expensive their shipping was. Maybe it's just that I've gotten used to paying a little over $2 for shipping from various vendors when buying attys, cartos, batteries and parts. But JC really needs to start offering a first class shipping rate somewhere around $2-3. Because until then, sadly, I'm not ordering again.

I think there are two things to take away from this
1. I will pay a decent reasonable rate for good quality juice. $0.55-$0.70 a mL is a decent reasonable rate.
2. I will not overpay for priority shipping when first class gets here just as fast and in just as good of conidition. Especailly when buying juice or other small parts.

End rant.

 

[Jibba73]

I agree. I like a few of their juices. I am new, but ordered their start-up pack and loved all the goodies I got. However, the shipping costs are on the higher end. They should have it scaled by weight with a cap off maximum cost. Maybe you could write them a note on their website?

 

[the_vape_nerd]

There are a couple of vendors with pretty high shipping cost. I think this sorta discourages small orders and I guess what it all boils down to is whether a small sale is worth it to them or not.

 

[Kirwin]

Well, If you're a fan of Red Oak Domestic... It's on sale for $6.47 per 15 ml bottle 'til next Friday!

Red Oak™ Smoke Juice - Domestic

Grab some bottles of Domestic and some Spiced Apple Cider...
and that should offset the total cost of your order.

 

[zerominusone]

I agree, their shipping prices are too high. But if you want something bad enough, you'll have to pay for it. BTW, they are running weekly specials right now. Two weeks ago, they had Tennessee Cured for 35%off and this week, it's Artic Menthol. That cuts down on the total cost; making the 15ml bottle cost just over 6 bucks. Keep an eye on their site and you could get your juices for a lesser price. Also, they just ran a 50% off sale on their entire stock; but they probably won't do that again for about 6 months. Oh, I did a survey on their site a few days ago and two of the questions were about shipping prices.

 

[roxics]

There are a couple of vendors with pretty high shipping cost. I think this sorta discourages small orders and I guess what it all boils down to is whether a small sale is worth it to them or not.

Yeah I mean I guess I can undeerstand that aspect of it. There used to be a lot of small gas stations and small tobacco shops that would not accept a credit card for anything under $10 because of the processing fee. But that seems to have changed. I don't know if processing fees just got cheaper or more people were looking to use credit cards so they just gave in.

I know JC is a bigger operation in terms of liquid manufacturers. They aren't just a mom and pop operation set up in their kitchen or home office. They also supply other vendors who resell their liquid and they used to supply Blu. I don't know if they still do. So I guess maybe I should just change my view of who they are and how they want to sell their juice. Maybe try to find a vendor that resells their stuff with first class shipping. Anyone have any linsk to vendors that do?

 

[roxics]

Also, they just ran a 50% off sale on their entire stock; but they probably won't do that again for about 6 months. Oh, I did a survey on their site a few days ago and two of the questions were about shipping prices.

Dammit you think they would have sent out an email for a 50% off sale. I've ordered their juice more times than I can count and I'm on their facebook fan list. But I didn't see that at all.

BTW I mentioned shipping prices to them a while back when they mentioned on facebook they were offering more shipping options to be more competitive. I told them then it was too high still and they said it was because it was priority and not first class mail. I don't think they like first class mail. I love it.

 

[SnakeFarm]

I'm Vapeing JC Original right now. I really like their mint-chocolate too, but Espresso and Tennessee Cured left me a little flat.

I can get them from my local head-shop for 13 bucks per 15ml bottle which makes it fairly expensive, but still a couple of bucks cheaper than If i got the same thing online.

I'd like to see JC online offer a "refill" 30 ml package. No fancy glass dropper in the nice brown pharmacy bottle, just a cheap plastic squirt bottle would do. I've already got an empty 15 ml Original bottle I could use.

 

[Kirwin]

Dammit you think they would have sent out an email for a 50% off sale. I've ordered their juice more times than I can count and I'm on their facebook fan list. But I didn't see that at all. [\QUOTE]

Actually it was 35% off of everything sale... I ended up purchasing a six month supply.

If you log into your account... You can subscribe to newsletters, and special announcements via email. Works great for me.

 

[Kirwin]

Deleted. Repeat post.

 

[Mindfield]

Could be worse. You could live in Canada, have a desire to try a 10ml bottle of Totally Wicked's Diablo Loco as a TH booster, and discover they want $36 to ship that one tiny bottle here.

 

[roxics]

If you log into your account... You can subscribe to newsletters, and special announcements via email. Works great for me.

Hmm. I thought I had already subscribed to their mailing list but I guess I hadn't.
You're right, with the discounted Domestic that does even out the shipping price and as a result I will probably place an order here shortly. If they continue to offer such discounts that will be an alright balance, but without them I still think they should offer a first class shipping option. Especially when the juice you want is not on sale.

 

[Kirwin]

Hmm. I thought I had already subscribed to their mailing list but I guess I hadn't.
You're right, with the discounted Domestic that does even out the shipping price and as a result I will probably place an order here shortly. If they continue to offer such discounts that will be an alright balance, but without them I still think they should offer a first class shipping option. Especially when the juice you want is not on sale.

Yeah it would be nice if they offered some more shipping options... But I'm gonna continue to purchase their smoke juice because...

- It's an excellent product
- It's made in the USA with FDA approved ingredients
- I consider their smoke juice to be a fair value for the quality of product and service. (Of course your experience may vary.)

I love Domestic also... Marcado is excellent too. Enjoy your order with JC.

 

[mistinthewoods]

Suggestion, why not support local Michigan juice makers? You could try this guy, Premium E-Liquid and Handmade USA E-Juice by Mister-E-Liquid.com Dan mixes some pretty tasty juice and he's in Grand Rapids. Then there's James, Welcome To The Kalamazoo Vapor Shop! He mixes some decent juice and has a nice little shop with a lounge corner to sit and vape in.

 

[roxics]

Suggestion, why not support local Michigan juice makers?

I did not know about them. Thanks for the links though.
To be honest I really don't buy a lot of new juice anymore since I make my own and I've been pretty happy with it. The only reason I'll still buy JC every once in a great while is because I have a taste for it.

I'm totally open to trying new juice but I'd hate to fall back into that money trap of buying all kinds of juice willy nilly looking for something I like. DIYing has helped keep me under $20 a month for my vaping hobby, so I tend to stick with what I know and like. But every so often I'll go all fancy and get new hardware or a commercial juice. Espeically if something has been highly recommended to me.

I'm also picky about marketing. I'm really turned off by these juice vendors that put up a generic stock photo of apples or a pina colada drink with a name and price next to it. Just makes me think they threw some apple flavor and VG in a dripper bottle and set up a godaddy shopping cart. If I'm buying it I want to see some production quality in the website, bottling and labeling of the juice. I know that seems superficial, but my philosophy is that if they have taken the time to actually do those things well, they're serious about it and chances are they probably spent a little more time getting their mixes perfect as well. I may be wrong and I have been, but you've got to sell me on it. i'm not just going to whip out the credit card and go on a random spending spree, even if the manufacturers are based in Michigan.

I have no problem paying the $10 per 15mL bottle from a company that has taken the time to do it right. But I do have issues with high shipping cost.

 

[mistinthewoods]

I don't buy juice either. I've been mixing my own since a month after I started vaping. I know both of the guys I linked to though and I like to point people their way whenever I can. They're both good honest guys.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Their juice is great, everyone has their own tastes and can seem to find a good one at Johnson. I dig the Tennessee and the Peach (of all things...peach) That spiced apple is the gnarliest of the lot. You can have mine!

The prices aren't great but the products are. If you have any issues, the generally respond to emails within hours and will break themselves to satisfy. Totally impressed with that part.

 

[FreeFire]

I see lots of dissapointment in shipping costs but allow me to expound on the "why". As consumers, we're always looking for "free" something. Those places that offer free shipping or next to nothing shipping are losing quite a bit of money and personally, don't know how they do it.

I own a company (not e-cig related) and we ship daily. We use UPS, USPS, FedEX. Shipping costs are high to begin with, even for a manufacturer such as us...we ship all the time. What consumers don't take into consideration are the expenses associated with shipping. Allow me to provide a breakdown. Boxes, paper, peanuts, air filled plastic, packing tape, ink for the printer to print labels (most labels are provided from shippers for free...about the only thing). We have easily 2K in shipping materials on hand at all times. Do the math and you'll have deeper understanding.....let's get to the product....

Bottles, droppers, labels (labels aren't something printed with some little dot matrix printer btw). How much expense is associated with just the final bottled product? But wait, there's more (LOL..not the Ginsu knives)...we haven't even touched on the actual bulk ingredients of the juices, the minimums required for purchase, the containers, the filling racks, etc.

Next is labor. How much does it cost to actually pay someone to "build" the product, then bottle it, then label it, then ship it? If it is an employee, one must figure in unemployment taxes, SS (stuff I call Fuda Dooda and Cruda). If you paid $7.00 per hour min. wage, as an employer it costs you around $17.00 when all said and done. Someone has to do payroll, quarterly taxes.....the list is huge...and the money goes out the door quicker than juice evaporates

So, ordering a measly bottle of $15.00 juice and complaining about paying $6.00 shipping really is absurd. If the company "ate" the shipping (which they have to pay for) they would be out of business within a month.