Local B&M experience.

[crawler65]

OK, let me say up front here, I'm not bashing. I'm honestly curious about my own perception.

I only have one B&M in my area that I'm aware of, and I'm not going to name them here, but they are a well know on line vendor.
I was compleat newby the 1st time I went in there. I asked a lot of questions before I bought, and told them I was new, and not sure what I SHOULD be asking that I wasn't. They were nice, explained next to nothing, told me that I wanted an eGo passthrough (no name knock off "1100 mAh") and a CE style clearomizer (also a VERY cheap no name knock off). The battery, charging cord, clearo, and a 10ml bottle of juice cost me $40. Not bad, not good, middle of the road best I can tell.
Next day the clearo fell apart, the tank separated from the base, I took it back, was told it was my fault, and sold 2 more of the same crappy clearos. (Side note, I am NOT to hard on any thing but my tools! I carry an iPhone, with NO CASE in my front pocket all the time, have for years, and never damaged one) I ask them what might be a better choice for me, and am told "That is the only thing we recommend for beginners", not the cartos, or carto tanks they have, or the Vivi novas they have, or the Evods, just low grade clearomizers...............
Long story short here, their prices are on the high side, IF it was all name brand (or even branded) stuff, but way to high for fasttech grade at best. They are nice, until there is any problem with there products, I have seen this my self, a good friend that I sent in there got a bad battery and the same treatment as I did, and the last time I went in there (poss. last time ever) they had 2 customers with bum equipment that they were pulling the same thing with.
I would like to support local biz. but not if they are this bad at custome service.

Am I being a jerk about this? Am I expecting to much from a B&M? Is this how most of them are? If this is just how it's done in this industry (over priced, no returns excepted, no knowledge passed on to new customers) I will not take by patronage away from them. But I have no basis for comparison.
What do you all think?

 

[soba1]

I got ripped off yesterday and I knew it but said what the heck. I think tanks and clearos are non returnable.
But some B&Ms can be rip offs. Only go in if you really need to. Just my opinion, if I'm in a pinch I will get some juice.
I am gonna get someone started on an ecig so I will go in and get a clearomizer.
Be wary some are in the business because they truly love vaping as well.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

I am blessed with a great B&M dealer here, who stayed open 20 minutes after their closing time after I called and explained that I was stuck in traffic and was in dire need of one of my favorite juices. Their prices are typical B&M: I could order the same stuff online, pay shipping, and save about 5% or so which to me, is often not worth the wait.

What may have happened is that the juice you bought was a tank cracker. My B&M lady warned me that a juice I was interested in would destroy my clearo and recommended a ProTank, which they have for $24.00. I declined and decided to forego the juice.

A good B&M should know all about the products they carry and how compatible they are with everything else. I don't expect them to know how stuff I didn't buy from them will perform with stuff I did buy from them, but if I get it all in the same place, they should be knowledgable enough to give me a heads up if there's a problem.

I'm betting that joint doesn't stay in business very long. Word gets out.

 

[Signal30]

When all else fails, you can go to a B&M store handle things you are interested in and then buy online.

 

[Heavyrocker]

https://www.fasttech.com/category/1/new-products

 

[crawler65]

https://www.fasttech.com/category/1/new-products

HAHAHAHA!! I KNOW RIGHT!
I paid $40 for 1/2 of one of those kits, and didn't even get the carrying case
I agree that a 5-10% price premium is in order over Internet pricing in a B&M for the convenience of on the spot availability. But 50-150% mark up seems a little steep to me. And that's for me, not a bulk buyer. Identical items that would cost me $5.95 at FastTech cost me $18.99 at the B&M.

This exact item: http://www.fasttech.com/products/1411/10005044/1396004-pyrex-glass-dct-tank-atomizer-30ml cost me $19.99 at the B&M. The carto it came with was DOA, and they charged me $2.95 for a replacement.

 

[Heavyrocker]

And fasstech has better service too boot and no tax....WIN-WIN...I LOVE FASTTECH.

 

[BigLebowski]

I only go to my B&M when I need something that can't wait a few days for shipping, I would rather be able to read descriptions and browse without employees hovering around me.

 

[Arnie H]

I agree with the OP, I think it is generally a good idea to support local dedicated vape shops if you are fortunate enough to have one in your town or city. Vapers in Greensboro, NC will soon be getting one with the opening of Alter Vapes in August. https://www.facebook.com/AlterVapes

The owner seems really nice and is asking local vapers in advance for their preferences in liquids and equipment. Though I DIY my E-liquid I like to try out premixed ones as well.

 

[vjc0628]

I agree

I thought it would be the best way to go

was 2 ego's in starter kit $60

bad juice at $12 per 15 ml tubes with needle to fill clearo's $1.each

Crappy CE' $6 each which by the way a few days later

I asked how to change Flav I was told by more Clero's

I asked is there a better way they said why I said $6 each is a lot

just looked at me like a deer in headlights

so I bought 6 more 80% of them were dead in a week

I was in such despair then

I found this forum and my experience on being informed on what to buy

changed everything And love vaping now

 

[AlexB]

One of the B&M stores near me sold me a stolen atomizer...

 

[jaynole]

I swung by my local B&M this morning. Small store, not well decorated, very nice people. They had some, I'm sure knock off Protanks, for 12.99. I was in need. The tank looked solid but the atomizer was definitely not a Kanger, lol. Took it home cleaned it, dropped a legit atomizer in it and tossed the garbage one. Vapes like a champ. Bought a small bottle of their light tobacco, smelled like a fresh pack of Marlboro lights. Vapes pretty good. I'll go back for a quick fix now and again but the majority of my shopping will be online. Overall experience was not to bad, though they did not hover over me since I walked in the door clouding up the place with my Zmax v3

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[crawler65]

OK, sounding like the prices are average for a B&M, what about service after the sale?

 

[Mike Sheda]

They are a store just like any others. Some good, some bad, some great! There are a ton of them popping up all over now, so that should help. And also, if you don't like the way they treat you, and they are the only one, open one up yourself!
You can buy in bulk from fasttech (where do you think they get their stuff?) offer a little better price, and much better service, and you win.
BUT... I think this is a rapidly expanding market, if they don't get outlawed you will see this stuff at Sam's club soon. But I think there will always be room for boutique outlets.

 

[gando_salo]

The greater problem is that these B&M's are the fist point of contact for many first timers and newbies.
I have one in my area and after finding out that he used my creditcard details to run his shopping arands on walmart.com, I have disputed over $600 in charges with the bank and over $1000 I had spent at his store over the last year... Ba$tart messed with the wrong person..

Buy getting back to OP's point, B&M's are known for this.. But its the high price of overhead that forces them to do this..
If they stuck to genuine products and REASONABLE (not cheap) prices, and friendly customer service, they will have customers for life..
There are millions of people who will never resort to online shopping for so many reasons and will always need B&M's and theses are the ones they begin loosing before even having them!!!

Relax, vape on...

 

[Abe_Katz]

I can't speak for the OP's B&M. But the one I have is great, and occasionally gets a vaping celebraty that shows up every now and then. PBusardo turned up this past month when they opened up their second store. Never been steared the wrong way, and never gotten bad info or product from them. (I have gotten the occasional juice that I didn't like though--but thats to be expected.)

I would say that as B&Ms pop up those that will be successful will be those with good service and reasonable prices. That being said, people should expect a 5-15% price increase for B&M over online. The reason for that is simple--overhead. A B&M has to pay for clerks to run the register (and hopefully those clerks also know poo from applebutter), rent, utilities and probably other expenses that online outfits simply don't have.

Its really simple, the good ones will stick around and grow, the crappy ones will die. Customers vote with their feet and their dollars.

 

[Heavyrocker]

Fasstech will weed out the ripp off vendors.

 

[Amish Ed]

Seems to me like their service is not very helpful, based on what you've said. Sounds like a place for emergencies (at least as far as devices are concerned. B&Ms seem to vary wildly.

I'm lucky in that I have 4 B&Ms (maybe more) local to me. But, only one of them is great. Their prices for the most items are very close to online, and it's not knockoff crap. Close enough to make it worth it to support them. There are 2 that are really close to me, one the staff is clueless and they are way overpriced on everything. The other is priced ok for juice, but way over on hardware. The last one, I haven't hit yet.

 

[Worzel]

Y'all took the words out of my mouth! If you are going to get the Fast Tech products, you might as well bite the bullet, go online and order Fast Tech and pay their prices! With free, yet somewhat long, shipping! I like my K100's!

 

[Glen Snyder]

OK, let me say up front here, I'm not bashing. I'm honestly curious about my own perception.

I only have one B&M in my area that I'm aware of, and I'm not going to name them here, but they are a well know on line vendor.
I was compleat newby the 1st time I went in there. I asked a lot of questions before I bought, and told them I was new, and not sure what I SHOULD be asking that I wasn't. They were nice, explained next to nothing, told me that I wanted an eGo passthrough (no name knock off "1100 mAh") and a CE style clearomizer (also a VERY cheap no name knock off). The battery, charging cord, clearo, and a 10ml bottle of juice cost me $40. Not bad, not good, middle of the road best I can tell.
Next day the clearo fell apart, the tank separated from the base, I took it back, was told it was my fault, and sold 2 more of the same crappy clearos. (Side note, I am NOT to hard on any thing but my tools! I carry an iPhone, with NO CASE in my front pocket all the time, have for years, and never damaged one) I ask them what might be a better choice for me, and am told "That is the only thing we recommend for beginners", not the cartos, or carto tanks they have, or the Vivi novas they have, or the Evods, just low grade clearomizers...............
Long story short here, their prices are on the high side, IF it was all name brand (or even branded) stuff, but way to high for FastTech grade at best. They are nice, until there is any problem with there products, I have seen this my self, a good friend that I sent in there got a bad battery and the same treatment as I did, and the last time I went in there (poss. last time ever) they had 2 customers with bum equipment that they were pulling the same thing with.
I would like to support local biz. but not if they are this bad at custome service.

Am I being a jerk about this? Am I expecting to much from a B&M? Is this how most of them are? If this is just how it's done in this industry (over priced, no returns excepted, no knowledge passed on to new customers) I will not take by patronage away from them. But I have no basis for comparison.
What do you all think?

Seems to me that's what this forum is for Reviews of Suppliers - Negative . I don't think you're being a jerk in the least. If a vendor is doing a crappy job it should be made known.

I went through a similar experience of paying a premium price for my starter kit that I later discovered was all generic eGo/CE's/repackaged juice. The B & M isn't known on this forum, but I had no problem telling my story to others on several online directories in the e-cig heading where they were listed. Even used my real name like i do here on ECF. Sugar coating doesn't make *%^& any more palatable

OK, sounding like the prices are average for a B&M, what about service after the sale?

That's the thing that ALL B & M's SHOULD be excelling at. They SHOULD know that their prices are above average of the big online stores and resellers like Fast Tech and concentrate on their customer service.

Since my initial experience with the B & M that sold me my starter kit I did my homework and began visiting the other stores in my town. The second one was good, much better in price and selection and well as friendly, KNOWLEDGEABLE advice. I thought, 'hmmm....this place is great'. The third shoppe turned out to be "the one" after visiting all six.

Yes, I can still buy 75% of the items they sell for a little less including shipping online. But they aren't gouging folks and they have a great handle on the tech end as well as great service. Their written return policy is standard, no returns/refund on juice or opened/used delivery devices unless doa. Even though I've not had the occasion to test the return waters, my best guess is they'd bite the bullet to keep a customer if there was a legit complaint.

OH, their juice is outstanding and mixed to order on the spot in full view of the customers as opposed to all the others locally who are reselling select flavors from other juice makers.