Local vape shops very unwelcoming? Online shopping from now on...

[mcol]

I've only been in one vape shop and that was in New Orleans.
I had my vv ego type device with me, and a friend who lived there
and wanted an ego type passthrough. We walked in and I asked
what he had for passthroughs. He said he didn't know what I meant
by passthrough. I told him what passthrough meant and then he said
nope he didn't have anything like that. Okay. So I asked what he had
in ego sized devices. He asked what I meant by egos. I showed him
my device (Might have been a Spinner, don't know now) and he said he
had nothing like that either. I asked what he had for clearos and he pulled
out a ce4 type with a price tag of $17. I said 'thanks have a great day' and
we left. After I got home I sent her links on what she wanted to buy so
she could order online.
This was last June and my only visit to a vape shop.

 

[AlwaysBubblin]

This reminds me of a tobacco store in my town, all around smoking shop, tobacco, hookahs, pipes, e liquid etc etc. The place is just an open warehouse and the owner follows right behind you while you're there makes it extremely uncomfortable. Prices are reasonably cheap for hookah stuff but the experience makes it not worth going.

 

[rgerber]

"And now you know.....the rest of the story."

 

[Serielle Vapist]

I've only been in one vape shop and that was in New Orleans.
I had my vv ego type device with me, and a friend who lived there
and wanted an ego type passthrough. We walked in and I asked
what he had for passthroughs. He said he didn't know what I meant
by passthrough. I told him what passthrough meant and then he said
nope he didn't have anything like that. Okay. So I asked what he had
in ego sized devices. He asked what I meant by egos. I showed him
my device (Might have been a Spinner, don't know now) and he said he
had nothing like that either. I asked what he had for clearos and he pulled
out a ce4 type with a price tag of $17. I said 'thanks have a great day' and
we left. After I got home I sent her links on what she wanted to buy so
she could order online.
This was last June and my only visit to a vape shop.

That's funny, have the same experience here, the shops have no product knowledge. I had a gal at a shop ask me how to take apart and put back together a RDA piece she had there. Of course I politely did but it like hey you work here and I am showing you how to use your devices, lol

 

[Andrea Mills]

There's a vape shop almost around the corner from me. Went there to buy my ego type kit and the sales woman didn't even speak English. I basically walked around and looked until I found what I thought I had seen a co-worker use. Haven't been back since then because I don't speak Spanish. I order online instead.

 

[iTiger]

Wow after reading more of others experiences I'm even more grateful for my couple good shops. And I can't believe how much some places want for house juices.
One of the 2 I frequently visit is only $4.27 with tax for 10ml (flavor of the week $3.20) on a regular day. One day a week is buy 2 got 1 free (any size) and another day they have 120ml for $32.10 with tax.

The other shop is a bit higher priced ($5.35 with tax 10ml) and lesser selection (only 50/50 or 80/20) but once a week have 50% off house juice so only $2.68 with tax for 10ml.

Wish everybody had more good shops where they live.

 

[mcclintock]

I've been to 5 and I like them, to various degrees. While the haze sometimes looks like Cheech and Chong, actually listening, some customers are actually cops, there's usually a knot of rescue squad workers at one place, and some (most?) advertise military discounts. Sounds like the OP somehow got things into an argumentative tone and then the customer had great timing with their remark. Sometimes people do remark about my gear, sometimes I ignore it, sometimes I patiently explain that it works very well for me, sometimes I comment I'd like someone to explain why what works for me, does, but first I'd have to find someone that agrees it's good in the first place. Anyway, thanks to them I've found a couple great juices; spent more money on juices I like but less on bottles that gather dust.

There are shops that seem to cater mostly to the experienced vaper crowd. They spend the big bucks (or don't because they're done). I mentioned in another thread there seems to be a "divide" in vaping but didn't explain it. I presume the majority of vapers use cigalike and other convenience store type devices (maybe not if you only include those completely not smoking). Yet some vape shops don't carry much low-end, starter, budget, or one-step up type of gear. That may not be short-sighted on their part. I think a few walk in the store and are turned off, but most can't be drawn into the store in the first place. Either they're not interested in better stuff, probably because they don't like thinking about vaping, or they have a sense they'd spend more money (probably correct).

I did have the owner at one shop tell me to feel free to come back and just hang out, I don't know if he says that to everyone. Of course I'd eventually end up spending something, but he knows it won't be huge. I think it may be because I'm a non-typical vape enthusiast.

BTW, someone in a vape shop may not know some of the trivia that comes from spending a lot of time on the internet. Unless proven otherwise, I don't exclude that they have practical experience you can't get here.

 

[Fuzzy Bruce]

I have not had much luck with the shops around me. If you count "head" shops, adult toy shops, tobacco shops and even the local mom & pop stores that sell vape gear, there are probably well over two hundred places to visit within a twenty minute drive. Been to a few dedicated vape shops with not much luck being comfortable. Only been vaping for just under a year but decided to learn as much as possible to be safe.

With vaping having such an online presence, it is hard to imagine these shops not striving to go one step better to maintain a customer base.

 

[Wissel Joe]

I have one shop here he knows i shop online when i go to his shop i buy juice and coils from him, if im looking to buy hardware i tell him i can get it for this price online
and i say match this price and i will buy from you if not you know im gonna order it online and most of the time he will match the price. hes still getting it wholesale cheaper than i can get it online for. I was looking at a Aspire CF sub ohm battery he wants $69.99 i told him i can get from sweet-vapes for 29.95 I said i will give you $30 for it, he wouldnt do it though. so i ordered it from sweet-vapes

 

[benzbuggie]

its quite the opposite where i live. There are two vape shops in my city and the people are really helpful. Matter of fact, one of the stores is like a hang out for a younger crowd (about 18-23 year olds). These kids sit in there and vape all day, the store is actually full of vapor when you walk in lol. They are pretty much the hipster/hippy type but are super helpful. If the people that work at the store are busy helping people these hipsters are more than happy to educate you on vaping. I have had nothing but good experiences with these guys. While they sit there blowing gigantic smoke clouds with their mods they always welcome my presence and never think they are better than me or anything just because i only vape out of a ipow2. sorry you had such bad experiences, i would find a new store.

 

[AndriaD]

The best thing I've found about going to shops is that I can actually see some of the mods that have caught my eye, see their actual size, because they always seem larger to me in pics than they truly are. I've long thought the Valkyrie hybrid is one of the sharpest mods I've ever seen (too bad it has no well at all, geez), and I recently got a chance to actually see one, at the shop around here I actually like. It's amazingly small, and if that hybrid RDA had any sort of well at all, I'd probably get one. But dripping, with no well? Nah, not for me.

When I was in that shop last weekend buying some juice to get me by until my vapemail flavors got here, I mentioned to the owner that I was awaiting a Chi You kick ring, from FT, because someone had told me I could use that ring on a Vamo, to enable it to use 18490/18500 batteries; the guy turns to my husband and says "she knows more about this crap than I do!" My husband says, that's because you have a shop to run, and she spends every waking minute on ECF. (actually not EVERY waking minute... but close. )

Andria

 

[madcarlotta]

The lack of listed prices is what puts me off the most. I went to a store near where I just moved. I wanted juice and replacement attys for my aerotank. I understand that I will pay more at b&ms, and I am okay with that because I like to support local small businesses where possible. However, I paid about twice what I would have online, maybe even more. Plus I burned through 3 in 2 days and I suspect they were counterfeit.

 

[yoitstj]

Consider writing a letter to the OWNER of the business describing your experience in his/her shop. That might be a real EYE OPENER for them to read. We could even help you write a GREAT letter.

Knowledge is POWER!

better yet write a review on Yelp.

 

[rodeo302]

There are 2 I go to one is close(less than 5 miles) they are all about the money and have no idea what they are doing but it's fun talking with them because they are funny the other is about 15 miles away and they carry basically everything from starter kits to high end mods clones and authentics the staff is very knowledgeable and is willing to help anybody and I happen to be bbc.co one of those peacocks as you guys have so lovingly named us lol but when the store is busy I have no problem stepping in and helping people find something that will work for them I buy almost everything there besides wire because I like to see and feel the item before I buy it and j t makes exchanges easier if I have a problem.