Oh yeah I know what you mean lol I went into a vape shop with like 18 other locations around the us and all I bought was a bottle of juice that was 25% off lol the guy was like I feel bad that you couldn't find anything at the big corporate chain
lets get it together vape shops
- Thread starter valooper
- Start date
- th_trl_thread_readers 0
- Status
Oh yeah I know what you mean lol I went into a vape shop with like 18 other locations around the us and all I bought was a bottle of juice that was 25% off lol the guy was like I feel bad that you couldn't find anything at the big corporate chain
I went to my local store yesterday to get get some juice. Had to queue for 30 mins. Customers were actually walking out cus it was taking so long. Only two guys serving and spending all their time selling starter kits to customers who wanted to try every product in the store before buying. One guy had obviously bought a duff atty in a multi pack and was getting the shop guy to try every one. I don't think I'll go back soon.
I have been saying just this for almost the past year. Some of the shops I have gone to do have very limited classes once in a blue moon. The vape shops need to engage their customers and attract new customers. A first vape purchase for a smoker is very intimidating and poor selection and staff training makes the experience worse. If they had a one hour class once a week for beginners it would increase sales and get them loyal customers.
Thats a shame see I will go into a shop a try everything touch everything but I tell them thats what I am going to do lol and for them to help other people cause when I go to a vape shop I am on a 10hr break so I got time lol
I gave up on the vape shops long ago, they have nothing I need or want. I went to a mech and RBA early on, then started making my own juice. None of them around here have mesh or kanthal, and none will sell you stuff to make your own juice, they just want to sell you theirs at ridiculous markup and while you can try their juices, they won't taste the same in your .7 ohm RBA as it did in that cheap clearo, and they want way too much for their juice. On the whole the vape stores are geared toward beginners anyway.
I love my B&M it is a diy store as well. They have all the supplies and lots of knowledge. Some nights they have free classes and on others they have social hour.
Bam!!! Thats what I am talking about lol what's the shop called?
A lot of the local smoke shops around here have started to shift towards vaping, and they can be really hit or miss. My biggest gripe is that they dedicate an absurd amount of space to garbage generic "Store brand" gear and liquid that they carry. I do get it, it's more profitable to sell their $5.99 store brand disposable cleros than it is to sell someone a tank. But i think it ultimately hurts vaping as a whole, when people spend a lot of money and get a sub par experience it is a lot harder for them to see it as a viable alternative to smoking.
That being said I have found a few stores with enthusiastic employees who are vapers themselves, the prices still aren't great but I am a sucker for instant gratification, i'll spend the couple extra dollars to walk out with something new. I also think it is important to support the good stores, we have to keep in mind that most new vapers aren't going to spend a few weeks lurking here and then ordering their stuff online...they are going to walk into a vape/smoke shop and ask for help.
That being said I have found a few stores with enthusiastic employees who are vapers themselves, the prices still aren't great but I am a sucker for instant gratification, i'll spend the couple extra dollars to walk out with something new. I also think it is important to support the good stores, we have to keep in mind that most new vapers aren't going to spend a few weeks lurking here and then ordering their stuff online...they are going to walk into a vape/smoke shop and ask for help.
A vape shop opened up down the street from me so I figured I'd check it out. This was my first time in a B&M so I didn't know what to expect. The guy at the counter was too busy selling an ego starter kit to someone to even look up at me. I did a 360 and got the hell out of there after 5 awkward minutes of wondering if I somehow died walking in the door and turned in to a ghost.
There's 2 vape shops in my area, both fairly new, but one is pretty over priced, seem to be trying to get max profits while it's hot.
The other one is doing it right, with fair prices for B&M and some adult knowledgeable employees.
The other one is doing it right, with fair prices for B&M and some adult knowledgeable employees.
Thats funny I went to that vape shop in mursfreesboro and then went right next door to grab a soda and I walked in and probably had twice the inventory of the vape shop in nasty china made crap lol he was like I have 1000 flavors and then I said thanks thats exactly the number I was not looking to buy I think he is in it to make a quick buck but it was neat to see his vape gear display being quite larger than the cigs display
In NJ and PA theres about 6 shops i frequent. There is a franchised shop that makes up 3 of those stores and they are horrible. No one has any knowledge of devices, they make a line of juice that all are murky colors and taste disgusting. They can never tell you the actual pg/vg %. Sometimes its 70/30, 50/50 or 60/40 and can randomly flip from pg/vg to vg/pg. All they sell is over priced clones.
Now the good shops have it all. House & other brand juices, knowledgeable employees, variety of devices including real authentic parts and a cheaper clone as well.
Now the good shops have it all. House & other brand juices, knowledgeable employees, variety of devices including real authentic parts and a cheaper clone as well.
There's one by me that I like to frequent, but not because of their prices. Only because it's nice to hang out there, play pool, and talk of all things vaping with like minded people. As a token of my appreciation for that nice, comfy, hang out spot, I'll buy some juice or a battery there. I'm paying for the experience, not the products themselves really. Despite pricing, a good shop with good employees does a great deal for the vaping industry. They give hands on help to those who need it, provide a space where vaping is acceptable, and the one by me takes an active part in the local politics of the area and signs people up for CASAA.
Since you seem to know so much about running a business maybe you should open a vape shop to see if you can make a go of it. If you don't like it stay away from them. It's expensive running a business. Did you know that the card processing companies charge them 5% for every transaction they process because they consider the vaping business high risk? That's just one little thing but it costs a lot more to run a store and if they don't make a profit they won't survive. Most people who shop locally know they are going to pay more for personal service.
I get so sick of these types of threads. Obviously there are a lot of people who have never run their own business.
I know what you mean about lacking in knowledge. I went to a local shop and they had a Stilair clone that the guy showed me. I asked if the airflow was adjustable and he said no. I went ahead and bought it because I suspected that he was wrong. Sure enough, I get home and play with it for about 1 minute and yes it does have adjustable air flow.
Another point I would also like to make is that the locals seem to only cater to the newbies. That is usually all I ever see in most vape shops. I have nothing against that, but at the same time the staff at the locals don't have a clue when I show them my rig.
Another point I would also like to make is that the locals seem to only cater to the newbies. That is usually all I ever see in most vape shops. I have nothing against that, but at the same time the staff at the locals don't have a clue when I show them my rig.
Why don't you take some of your own advise and if you see one of these threads, just don't read it. LOL
And I agree with you about not visiting them if you don't like them, but I do think some improvements could be made to most stores excluding prices. They should be higher, just not 200% higher.
Last edited:
I go to a vape shop that the prices on the hardware is three+ times more than other vape shops around with similar items. Only reason why I go there is for their juices, I love their juices 
. Example of one price gouging; Kanthal 30-34 gauge $9 for 5 feet, Kanthal that is 29-26 gauge is $12 for 5 feet. The New AR mod in flat black is $95.I know you need a profit, but don't screw your customers without evening providing lubrication. I go in, get my juices and leave, they try to show me new products and I kindly decline. I think now they do just so I can say no, because they know I will not buy any hardware from them lol
. Example of one price gouging; Kanthal 30-34 gauge $9 for 5 feet, Kanthal that is 29-26 gauge is $12 for 5 feet. The New AR mod in flat black is $95.I know you need a profit, but don't screw your customers without evening providing lubrication. I go in, get my juices and leave, they try to show me new products and I kindly decline. I think now they do just so I can say no, because they know I will not buy any hardware from them lolSince I work in a lot of different areas surrounding my city, I've made it a goal to visit the local B&M in each of the counties. There's really a huge difference in price and knowledge from store to store.
I can list a few things I've noticed:
- Almost all B&M owners/employees are kind, friendly, and as helpful as they can be.
- Prices range from ~10% markup on internet products to a ridiculous 2-300% markup.
- Most shops have 50-100+ flavors of juice, which I think is a pretty solid selection.
- About half of the shops I've visited also stock some kind of premium juice from an online vendor at a high markup.
- Some stores may only stock simple mods/APVs but most have picked up a few Mech mods and RDA/RBA clones.
- Some employees may know only the basics while others are experts with rebuildables.
- Because there are so many vape shops now, the B&Ms have to compete with one another and prices have gone down considerably over the past year.
- Some B&Ms have advertised their shop as a "vape lounge" which seems to perpetuate a comfortable/helpful community.
While B&Ms are still very new, there have been some that have risen above the rest. The one I visit most has prices not too far off from the internet. For anyone in Missouri, Vapor Savior in Arnold, MO is a very good shop.
I can list a few things I've noticed:
- Almost all B&M owners/employees are kind, friendly, and as helpful as they can be.
- Prices range from ~10% markup on internet products to a ridiculous 2-300% markup.
- Most shops have 50-100+ flavors of juice, which I think is a pretty solid selection.
- About half of the shops I've visited also stock some kind of premium juice from an online vendor at a high markup.
- Some stores may only stock simple mods/APVs but most have picked up a few Mech mods and RDA/RBA clones.
- Some employees may know only the basics while others are experts with rebuildables.
- Because there are so many vape shops now, the B&Ms have to compete with one another and prices have gone down considerably over the past year.
- Some B&Ms have advertised their shop as a "vape lounge" which seems to perpetuate a comfortable/helpful community.
While B&Ms are still very new, there have been some that have risen above the rest. The one I visit most has prices not too far off from the internet. For anyone in Missouri, Vapor Savior in Arnold, MO is a very good shop.
- Status
Similar threads
