I'll try to keep this short. (I said try.) I live in Austin, and we have a nice variety of vape shops in the area. Some are really good, and some I know to stay away from based on the reviews, or from stopping by. I've been having some issues with one of my favorites, and wanted to see what you guys think.
The unnamed shop was one of my firsts when I started vaping. It's a chain store with locations in OK and TX as far as I know. Pretty nice set up, clean store, with a decent selection of liquids. What really attracted me to them was the laid back atmosphere, the friendly and not overbearing staff, and the really good liquids. I've been in almost every weekend for the last three months, and I know most of the staff by name. I've purchased many, many ml's of liquid, and many tanks and other supplies that I could have picked up online for a lot less money, but I believe in suporting local business when I can, and I REALLY believe in suporting local vape when I can and they deserve it.
Now on to the issue. From what I understand, all of the liquid is pre mixed at the home office, and sent to the store weekly. I have other shops I go to if I want something customized, and I have a few flavors from this shop that I REALLY like as is. A couple of weeks ago I stopped in to get a big bottle of one of my favorites. I got it home, loaded it up, and it was NOT the flavor I requested. (called Bumblebee) I went back to the store and had them check it out, and they agreed. Everybody was cool about it. including me. Explanation was that it ws mislabeled and they had just got it in. They apologized, and I got a different bottle of something else. no bigee. Things happen.
Went back last weekend to stock up an a 30ml of Peach Rings, and i asked if they had gotten Bumblebee back in stock, and they said they did. I got another 30ml for me, and picked up a 20ml for a friends birthday cause I thought she would like it. Had a nice chat, and headed home with my new juice. Imagine my surprise when I open it up and IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING AS LAST TIME. HONEYDEW. I've got nothing against honeydew, but it's not what I asked for. Then I smell the other juice, and it smells like absolutely nothing. Load a mini protank, and it tastes like nothing as well.
So back to the store I go today. I was very polite and pulled the manager aside. I explained that the bumblebee was not bumblebee, and was still Honeydew. He said something like "yeah, they mislableld it when they sent it to us." and I said something like "yeah, I know. You told me that two weeks ago when I brought back the last bottle." I gave him the tank of the other flavor to try, and he said it just needs to steep. I wasn't having that. I'm a regular here, I know what the flavor is suppossed to taste like, and this aint it. steeping isn't going to change that. He went to the back for a few minutes and came back with another bottle and a clearomizer, and there it was...Peach Rings. He said, yeah, you're right, that bottle wasn't right.
I THINK I was really cool about it. I made it clear that I wasn't trying to bust him out, but that being said... You have sold me a mislabeled liquid not once, but twice, even after agreeing that it wasn't correct. That's terrible business. Did you think I wouldn't notice the second time? Why not just relabel it honeydew, and order another batch of the correct product? Second, i thanked him for getting me a good bottle of Peach Rings, and I told him I would let the other bottle steep for two weeks. I said if the flavor suddenly became what it was suppossed to be, I would come back and pay him for that 30ml bottle. (I'm in no danger of paying up, and he knows it.) I told him that I would like to bring the other two bottles back to exchange for the correct product when they get it in, and he agreed.
I ALSO told him that I am not the type to fool with coming back to a store to complain. If you burn me, I'm just going to take my lumps, lose the money, and NEVER EVER shop at that store again. However, I really like this guy, and this store, and i want them to be successful, so felt it was worth the time to have a discussion about it. I said that there is a new shop opening every other week around town, and not everybody is going to make it. If you want to be one that does, it's time to tighten up on the quality control, and not feed people a line of crap when they point out something that is clearly not correct. He agreed, and thanked me for coming back in. I thanked him as well, and went on my way.
But to be honest with you, I still feel pretty burned. you sold me the wrong product TWICE. Mistakes happen, but selling it to me AGAIN is pretty crappy. Then to feed me that line about steeping, to only change your mind 30 seconds later kinda pisses me off. Any noob could take one drag and know that somethind was obviously not right with that flavor, regardless of what flavor it was suppossed to be. There are a million vendors to throw my money at, and I choose to drive to your store and give it to you. Don't treat me like an idiot...
Anyway. Rant over. I'll get my exchange, but it might be my last trip. We'll see.
(And for the record, I did not want, nor would I have accepted any freebies, etc. I just wanted what I paid for.)
The unnamed shop was one of my firsts when I started vaping. It's a chain store with locations in OK and TX as far as I know. Pretty nice set up, clean store, with a decent selection of liquids. What really attracted me to them was the laid back atmosphere, the friendly and not overbearing staff, and the really good liquids. I've been in almost every weekend for the last three months, and I know most of the staff by name. I've purchased many, many ml's of liquid, and many tanks and other supplies that I could have picked up online for a lot less money, but I believe in suporting local business when I can, and I REALLY believe in suporting local vape when I can and they deserve it.
Now on to the issue. From what I understand, all of the liquid is pre mixed at the home office, and sent to the store weekly. I have other shops I go to if I want something customized, and I have a few flavors from this shop that I REALLY like as is. A couple of weeks ago I stopped in to get a big bottle of one of my favorites. I got it home, loaded it up, and it was NOT the flavor I requested. (called Bumblebee) I went back to the store and had them check it out, and they agreed. Everybody was cool about it. including me. Explanation was that it ws mislabeled and they had just got it in. They apologized, and I got a different bottle of something else. no bigee. Things happen.
Went back last weekend to stock up an a 30ml of Peach Rings, and i asked if they had gotten Bumblebee back in stock, and they said they did. I got another 30ml for me, and picked up a 20ml for a friends birthday cause I thought she would like it. Had a nice chat, and headed home with my new juice. Imagine my surprise when I open it up and IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING AS LAST TIME. HONEYDEW. I've got nothing against honeydew, but it's not what I asked for. Then I smell the other juice, and it smells like absolutely nothing. Load a mini protank, and it tastes like nothing as well.
So back to the store I go today. I was very polite and pulled the manager aside. I explained that the bumblebee was not bumblebee, and was still Honeydew. He said something like "yeah, they mislableld it when they sent it to us." and I said something like "yeah, I know. You told me that two weeks ago when I brought back the last bottle." I gave him the tank of the other flavor to try, and he said it just needs to steep. I wasn't having that. I'm a regular here, I know what the flavor is suppossed to taste like, and this aint it. steeping isn't going to change that. He went to the back for a few minutes and came back with another bottle and a clearomizer, and there it was...Peach Rings. He said, yeah, you're right, that bottle wasn't right.
I THINK I was really cool about it. I made it clear that I wasn't trying to bust him out, but that being said... You have sold me a mislabeled liquid not once, but twice, even after agreeing that it wasn't correct. That's terrible business. Did you think I wouldn't notice the second time? Why not just relabel it honeydew, and order another batch of the correct product? Second, i thanked him for getting me a good bottle of Peach Rings, and I told him I would let the other bottle steep for two weeks. I said if the flavor suddenly became what it was suppossed to be, I would come back and pay him for that 30ml bottle. (I'm in no danger of paying up, and he knows it.) I told him that I would like to bring the other two bottles back to exchange for the correct product when they get it in, and he agreed.
I ALSO told him that I am not the type to fool with coming back to a store to complain. If you burn me, I'm just going to take my lumps, lose the money, and NEVER EVER shop at that store again. However, I really like this guy, and this store, and i want them to be successful, so felt it was worth the time to have a discussion about it. I said that there is a new shop opening every other week around town, and not everybody is going to make it. If you want to be one that does, it's time to tighten up on the quality control, and not feed people a line of crap when they point out something that is clearly not correct. He agreed, and thanked me for coming back in. I thanked him as well, and went on my way.
But to be honest with you, I still feel pretty burned. you sold me the wrong product TWICE. Mistakes happen, but selling it to me AGAIN is pretty crappy. Then to feed me that line about steeping, to only change your mind 30 seconds later kinda pisses me off. Any noob could take one drag and know that somethind was obviously not right with that flavor, regardless of what flavor it was suppossed to be. There are a million vendors to throw my money at, and I choose to drive to your store and give it to you. Don't treat me like an idiot...
Anyway. Rant over. I'll get my exchange, but it might be my last trip. We'll see.
(And for the record, I did not want, nor would I have accepted any freebies, etc. I just wanted what I paid for.)
