Local ecig shops--- what a RIPOFF!!

[CentiZen]

I've seen 10ml go for up to 25 dollars sometimes. It's the wild west out there in terms of pricing right now.

There's some really good local stores though, one around my area is has great prices and cares about their customers quite a bit. But they are pretty rare.

 

[MrStik]

Living in California, I expect prices to be higher. Higher rent leads to higher wages which leads to higher overhead. I am glad that the high level of competition has led to less gouging and very competitive pricing. With that said, $1 per ml is not too much. Considering that the pricing online for the juice my wife uses is just slightly lower online at on their site. She loves the Watermelon Waze from PinkSpot. I use Villain Vapor juices and they seem to only sell at B&M's.

But that being said, I buy everything at the local B&M for instant gratification. Some sites may be cheaper, but I don't have to worry shipping delays, lost or stolen packages or simply the time it takes to get that stuff to me. A 10 minute drive to my B&M for something that is a buck or 2 more expensive is usually offset by shipping. The only vaping items I have bought online is Kanthal Wire. 8 cents a foot is way better than 1 buck a foot at a B&M. I don't mind a 20-30 percent markup over online, but 1200% is a bit much. =)

 

[Corwynnde]

I did a bit of research online before I got anything, but I went to a local shop because I didn't want to wait (have an event this weekend where I will be around smokers a lot, wanted a vape with 0mg liquid to help keep me stinky-free) I was looking for an eGo or similar, ended up with a kamry x6 and am happy with it - got the starter kit with case/charger, and bought 2 bottles of juice. Totally worth it for me, I like helping local businesses, the staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and the best part is being able to try juices before buying.
Could I have gotten it cheaper online? Maybe, the starter kit wasn't super expensive, the liquid was overpriced but if you factor in shipping on a small order then maybe not too much. But I got to chat with people who knew what they were talking about - one of the customers was sitting in there rebuilding something while we chatted. I'll definitely be going back there, I'll likely order most stuff online but I'll pay a bit extra to have friendly staff and the ability to get things without hassle.

 

[madqatter]

Most retailers are making quite a bit of profit. The reason is to cover the major overhead of their shops (rent, stock, fixtures, inventory, employee wages) and during their first 6 months to a year are doing everything they can to return their initial investment.

Nothing you bring in is profit if the overhead isn't paid.

 

[Rabbit Chaser]

My locals vary from reasonable to way overpriced. When I first started, I wanted a local because I didn't know what I was looking for or wanted and after two locals, I found one that was super helpful and friendly and competitively priced. I now only visit them for coil rebuilds - to lazy to do my own and they are free there - and juice because I love their house blends. However, my next hardware purchase (either a REO or an MVP) will be online because the locals definitely make their money with those purchases.

I can't say that all locals are "ripoffs" as I have had some excellent experiences with many of mine - I just happen to have a lot to choose from where I live and I do like to support local shops. Plus, I fear ordering from somewhere online that either takes weeks for shipping or goes out of business without fulfilling my order. (ahem).

Thanks to this community and my super supportive local:

 

[MrStik]

I feel the B&M is always cheaper... Because of shipping costs... Can anyone give me a shipping quote on INSTANT. Not express, not overnight, but INSTANT?

 

[AlwaysSunny]

I felt obligated to purchase from my local shop after they were so helpful, and just as a bit of goodwill to help them profit. It was a new store and seemed to be struggling. I don't plan on making a habit of it, given the tremendous price discrepancy.

 

[Nikkita6]

There is a pretty wide variation in pricing among B&Ms in the Austin area, but keep in mind that there are knockoffs of EVERYTHING in the e-cig world. Genuine JoyeTech eGo batteries are more expensive, even on Fasttech direct from China, than the clones are. They are built to higher quality standards and tend to last longer, hence the higher price.

Not saying you didn't get genuine products. Just putting out there that there is a reason for prices to fluctuate. Some stores carry more expensive products that look exactly like the less expensive products that other stores carry.

Genuine Joyetech batts are not that expensive, and certainly do not justify the 300-500% mark up in these store fronts ... I would never buy from a store front anyway. The prices are guaranteed to be higher right off the bat because the overhead for the store owner is higher. I also feel like a lot of these places are run by bo-bo's who want in on a quickly growing trend to turn a quick buck, and don't know jack diddly about vape gear ... not that you don't find this online as well, because you will.

I came across a seller on Ebay that is selling V5 phoenix style RDA's for $68.99 (which typically cost 5.99-9.99) and there are several inexperienced vapers who bought them, and left positive feedback to boot ... poor souls don't even have a clue how their ignorance was exploited ... so sad.

 

[Nikkita6]

I feel the B&M is always cheaper... Because of shipping costs... Can anyone give me a shipping quote on INSTANT. Not express, not overnight, but INSTANT?

You do realize that there are a few US based online vendors that offer Free shipping, and not the kind that comes with super inflated prices on product?? I just ordered and received (within 48 hours from California, I am in New York) the Aigate Aspire ET-S pyrex BDC glassomizer, for which I paid $9.95 (cheapest price on the net) and free shipping ... In the world of online shopping 48 hours is "relatively" INSTANT ... did I mention that was free shipping? ;-)

And actually it was less than 48 hours being that I placed my order at around 5:30pm Tuesday, and received my package at 11:30am today.

 

[Narcocyde]

I bought my eGo from my local vape shop, bought a battery, an atomizer and two bottles of liquid. Found out I can get atomizers and liquids for half the price just by going online...

 

[Laksamiahum]

give and take. pay less but wait for shipping time, risk of lost/returned parcels.

pay more to get your order instantly without hassle.

 

[Crunktanium]

I started with products by a well known brand starting with a T. All rebadged clones and for what I got at this point in time I'd consider them a rip-off to some degree. I paid $8 for a 10ml and now I make my own in bulk for next to nothing. But at the time of first few purchases there were few other options locally. Then I found another vendor who operates a mid size mixing lab from his home who educated me from A-Z. I was lucky because he had real knowledge unlike many store owners only in it for profits.

Something we as consumers do have to consider however. Not every store has the same overhead and not every store can generate the needed profits to remain in biz by selling at a fair price. As someone who works for himself I can understand this but the average consumer has never and likely never will walk down this road. The rent in one shop can be twice that of a shop directly across the street. So the shop with higher rent has to sell for substantially less and hope to survive on volume or has no other option but to raise prices.

And then there are inventory costs which also plays a big part in how things are priced. In the small business world the more money you put out the more you need to recoup. One shop might primarily make it's money from juice while another from hardware. But the shop making it's money from juice might use China made stuff while the shop profiting the most from hardware is selling clones. There are so many variables and if we want these shops to remain then we need to support them. Like it or not regardless of what you save online it's like the camera industry. Everyone complained about B&M camera shops trying to make a nickel. So they all closed up and now many complain that honest and knowledgeable B&M stores are almost non existant anymore.

People see sites like FT and think that local stores are ripping them off. But sites like FT are actually killing us by selling mostly crap which hurts everyone in the end. Sure you can find a few gems on there and get some cheap hardware. But as with the current battery issues and potential of contaminated nicotine these cheap Chinese sites are costing us more than we think. And if anyone really believes they get free shipping from China I have a few bridges for sale.

We the consumers end up paying for companies like FT to be able to sell cheap in ways we don't even realize. For one we pay more and more every year for postage stamps to support all this free shipping from China. It's great for China to be able to send us all this crap at a whopping cost of $.03 and rob our nations of needed tax. However when the roads fall apart due to lack of tax funding and it takes a month to mail a letter everyone will see the light.

I can see it from both sides because we all want to get good deals on good products. But sometimes it's better to pay a little more even for crap to protect our own interests. At this point I rather have a local shop selling overpriced knockoffs because it's better then the alternative of nothing. In my neck of the woods right now in fact almost every Ecig store is a Tobacco shop or Pipe shop first and foremost.

 

[PNW Rider]

i agree i about broke out in laughter when i saw that a store near me was selling 650 mah something or other mods for 40 bucks!?!?!?!! haha well nothing to see here. it was disappointing that after doing all of my research online for my first setup, that i couldnt just go buy something without getting scalped. You get disgusted quickly when you have done your research and watch countless people come back to the b&m after a week with their ego/carto setup and say they want something that lasts longer and works better. 50-75 dollars down the drain. i felt like interjecting a few times but didnt, maybe i am jealous of the successful store, after-all they are helping people quit.

 

[JonnyB88]

I've been to every vape shop within an hour of me, and somehow, this didn't click until now:

The shops that have an online store (two of them being decently big for online shopping vapers), are the ones doing it right.

The others, the ones that are solely B&M, are the ones with the uneducated employees and ridiculously high prices.

Hmm. Correlation there?

 

[madqatter]

The shops that have an online store (two of them being decently big for online shopping vapers), are the ones doing it right.

There's a shop not terribly far from me that has a great online store but the B&M is a total mess. *shrug*

 

[VapieDan]

This discussion not only applies to E Cigs but retail in general. Online selling has much lower overhead and reaches more potential buyers with a negligible advertising expense. That being said what about service? Service being advise with the products (Knowledgeable?) and returns or exchanges. If a B&M store does not offer superior service they are doomed. I reside in a town with a population of about 4,000. A large retail tobacco chain store (Aka analogue) opened recently. I was surprised they put in a huge selection of E cig supplies. I would like to support them since they are close to home. Other than a dire emergency I can not. Here is why. Itaste SVD starter kit $99.00. On sale on Black Friday with $25% off. Yippie! JohnsonCreek e liquid 15ml for $15.95! When prices are this level I think you can see my point.

 

[wonner]

The local B&Ms I have visited have average retail prices -- not gouging but not cheap.

BUT, the fact is that these places are very busy. It doesn't matter if I go in on Tuesday AM or Saturday PM, they have folks talking and trying and walking out with bags of ecigs and juice.

There is a world of people out there who want to quit smoking and the B&Ms are right there to help. How much they take advantage of them is a matter of personal and business ethics -- always a crapshoot.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

I've been to every vape shop within an hour of me, and somehow, this didn't click until now:

The shops that have an online store (two of them being decently big for online shopping vapers), are the ones doing it right.

The others, the ones that are solely B&M, are the ones with the uneducated employees and ridiculously high prices.

Hmm. Correlation there?

Agree completely. We have a great Vendor up here with quality gear and reasonable prices. He also has 5 Flea Mkt stalls open on the weekends...although not a lounge type setting he's managed to come up with a low cost idea to serve customers better. He usually has about 10 employees working these stalls and I really doubt that he does much better than break even but this extra service that he provides us with is absolutely priceless and very much appreciated.