Sure but why. The boxer does everything I need it to do.
Well i thought you were looking at the furyan as a carry possibility but completely agree that the boxer will do the job nicely....bit pricey for an everyday carry though..YMMV
Lost Vape Drone Squonk
- Thread starter flavourchaser
- Start date
- th_trl_thread_readers 0
- Status
I agree. But when I find a retailer that is so much cheaper than the rest of the industry I tend to question as to why, which could lead to suspicion. Is everyone else over priced or is the cheaper retailer lacking in other services or even perhaps selling b-grade or refurbished products - which is not necessarily a negative as long as the consumer is aware of it.
On the flip side, there is no guarantee that states if you pay top dollar for something that you get top service.
I used to question why fasttech is so cheap too.
I don’t find fasttech to be that much cheaper. In comparison to other Chinese online retailers, who carry the same product, on average they are all pretty similar in terms of cost, and any differences are not that significant.
FT also has a massive inventory, call it the Wallmart of personal electronics if you wish. Which has its perks from not only discounted bulk purchases from the manufacture or local distributors, but also that much more inventory to offset their marked down prices.
However, in comparison to Vaporl, there are some quite significant differences. No discredit to Vaporl, I’ve never dealt with them, but I do question why the difference is so vast.
Have you dealt with Vaporl?
Not so much anymore. But the same could be said of Walmart. And it offen bothers me that Fasttech is the only ones I know that often removes the authentication.
Same with Walmart. But like Walmart, they lose customers because they are always running out of stock of what the customer wanted.
It seems easy to me. They are expanding big. Sell low and even below cost if you must, get the name out there. Once they are on the board, then adjust prices to be competitive with Fasttech. In the meantime, some of us takes advantage of the savings.
No, but many others I know have. I've would have if it didn't take so long to arrive. But now they have an US warehouse, that is going to change things for me.
Last edited:
There is no guarantee to this strategy, in fact it is a poor business plan. How does one expand, or even keep the lights on if they are not making a profit? The only time you sell at or below cost is if the product does not sell and that by keeping inventory ends up costing more money than what the product is worth. The vape market is also limited in size and extremely competitive – there are only so many products a retailer can sell even if aggressively discounted. And by looking at their inventory, a lot of is out of stock - so in terms of loosing customers due to stock, or lack of, the same applies.
I compared Fasttech to Walmart for the purpose of size and brand presence. As for inventory goes, both deal with multiple markets which strengthens their presence as a retailer. One stop shop. But if we are to draw a comparison, Walmart did become the juggernaut that it is due to higher volume through lower margins. However, it did so by sourcing cheaper products. It’s growth also took decades and at a time when operational costs were much cheaper.
Ah it works extremely well with huge profits in the end when done right. Done poorly, huge loss. But if you have a great plan and investors like it, they will throw you money at your feet.
Not only that, but they also do this too to get you into the door. Now they can sell you other things that they do make a profit on.
I dunno, Evolv shipped out like 100,000 boards just to Lost Vape in the last 6 months from what I heard. And some tobacco companies are getting out of the tobacco business and getting into HnB or vaping. I dunno, they must see vaping has tons of growth yet and they want in.
That isn't how Walmart works. They strong arm their suppliers just short of them not signing the contact. Of course, you don't follow the contact they will drag you into court. Of course they don't follow the contact nor had any intentions of doing so. It doesn't bother them since they have their lawyers on salary. It cost them the same whether they are in court or not. And if you take them to court, they will just drag it out until your broke. This is how Walmart works.
It took Amazon close to what, 20 years?, before they turned a profit. They knew if they kept at it and could raise the money to burn through it would happen. Same with Tesla, although they're still in a precarious position and not able to provide a product that competitors will find difficult up match over the next several years.
But, FT isn't Amazon nor is any other vape vendor. Sure a loss leader helps build market share, but you can only do that as long as you can raise the money to do so. If a vendor has a below average price on a few items to get folks to order and hopefully stick around for future purposes it can be a successful strategy. I'd be highly suspicious of a vendor who undercut on every product they sold.
My general perception these days is also that on authentic products FT and some of the others aren't super bargains compared to well priced US vendors. If a 10-15% savings is worth dealing with an overseas vendor for you then it's fine. And with small items I'm comfortable enough that if it falls through I'm not putting very much at risk. However, for a more expensive mod where if something goes wrong I really will want timely support, I'll spend the bit extra and go with a US vendor I can count on to make things right.
But, FT isn't Amazon nor is any other vape vendor. Sure a loss leader helps build market share, but you can only do that as long as you can raise the money to do so. If a vendor has a below average price on a few items to get folks to order and hopefully stick around for future purposes it can be a successful strategy. I'd be highly suspicious of a vendor who undercut on every product they sold.
My general perception these days is also that on authentic products FT and some of the others aren't super bargains compared to well priced US vendors. If a 10-15% savings is worth dealing with an overseas vendor for you then it's fine. And with small items I'm comfortable enough that if it falls through I'm not putting very much at risk. However, for a more expensive mod where if something goes wrong I really will want timely support, I'll spend the bit extra and go with a US vendor I can count on to make things right.
@Eskie - Well said. The conversation started with me questioning the aggressive discounting of specific vendor for I feel there has to be a reason as to how they are able to pull this off. Are they compensating their low margins through a reduced operating cost which could very well include customer relations? Or are they acquiring product at a much cheaper cost. Many grey markets that sell at aggressive discounts do not disclose that their product is of b-grade or refurbish, and in some incidents void of warranties. I personally do not think this is a bad thing as long as the consumer is aware. Now if they operate on a high volume low margin business plan, in order for this to be successful you require both a plentiful inventory and market presence. The inventory of the vendor in question is bleak to say the least and according to their web ranking, market presence is the lowest of the popular Chinese online vape retailers.
Fasttech was brought up as another discount online retailer and although they do have some products heavily discounted, on average they are within a small percentage of their competitors. This is vastly different in comparison to Vaporl. The correlation between Fasttech and Walmart was made simply because like Walmart, Fasttech does not deal with one specific market. They are both leaders within their own retail markets. This has nothing to do with authentic products or losing customers due to lack of stock, to which the later I fail to see as Walmart continues a revenue growth as one the world’s largest companies.
I identified Walmart’s original business plan from the mid 1940’s as a high volume low margin strategy to which they still follow to this very day. A certain member disagrees with this and seems to think they operate by bullying their suppliers. Wonder how the sweet old lady who greets you at the entrance plays into this bullying.
I have nothing against discounted retailers – everyone wants to save a penny or 2. But both product and service comes at a cost. And if their prices are aggressively discounted that could very well mean there is a compromise somewhere either with the product itself, or the service said retailer is providing. I feel it is important for the consumer to understand and or acknowledge this compromise so they can assess their purchasing risks.
Fasttech was brought up as another discount online retailer and although they do have some products heavily discounted, on average they are within a small percentage of their competitors. This is vastly different in comparison to Vaporl. The correlation between Fasttech and Walmart was made simply because like Walmart, Fasttech does not deal with one specific market. They are both leaders within their own retail markets. This has nothing to do with authentic products or losing customers due to lack of stock, to which the later I fail to see as Walmart continues a revenue growth as one the world’s largest companies.
I identified Walmart’s original business plan from the mid 1940’s as a high volume low margin strategy to which they still follow to this very day. A certain member disagrees with this and seems to think they operate by bullying their suppliers. Wonder how the sweet old lady who greets you at the entrance plays into this bullying.
I have nothing against discounted retailers – everyone wants to save a penny or 2. But both product and service comes at a cost. And if their prices are aggressively discounted that could very well mean there is a compromise somewhere either with the product itself, or the service said retailer is providing. I feel it is important for the consumer to understand and or acknowledge this compromise so they can assess their purchasing risks.
Ah what a wonderful image you have of Walmart. Walmart must be proud of their PR department. But lift off that facade and you see another Walmart. The true Walmart.
As I had handled transportation for some of the suppliers for Walmart. First, they tell you what they are going to pay per item, the supplier has no say so in the price they are going sell it to them for. If you fail to come up with the quantity they ordered, then Walmart penalizes you. Don't get the shipment there on time, again you are billed. But Walmart won't live up to their end of the contact of course.
Walmart has been accused of using monopoly power to force its suppliers into self-defeating practices. In 2006, Barry C. Lynn, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation (a think tank), said that Walmart's constant demand for lower prices caused Kraft Foods to "shut down thirty-nine plants, to let go [of] 13,500 workers, and to eliminate a quarter of its products." Kraft was unable to compete with other suppliers and said the cost of production had gone up due to higher energy and raw material costs. Lynn said that in a free market, Kraft could have passed those costs on to its distributors and ultimately consumers.
Criticism of Walmart - Wikipedia
Criticism of Walmart - Wikipedia
Oh that sweet old lady that greets you at the door? She gets paid so low that she probably gets government assistance. And who told her to file for government assistance? Walmart trains their employees in how to file for government help. So in a way, the government subsidizes Walmart. Sam Walton once said, "I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We're going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment."
I have no idea where you are trying to go with this. My or even your image of Walmart is irrelevant to this conversation, to which you are completely twisting out of context. I brought Walmart up as a retail comparison not business practices. In fact, it wasn’t even a true comparison. “Call it the Walmart of personal electronics if you wish”. You can understand the meaning behind this?
My comments have nothing to do with business practices, shady or not. Does not matter if Walmart clubs baby seals or serves soup to the homeless at the local shelter, they operate as a retailer on a high volume low margin business plan!
Eh, I doubt this vendor with low prices has the ability to strong arm anyone into supplying products at a loss. That hard edged practice is hardly limited to Walmart either. Try dealing with any of the "super" vendors, Amazon included, and the same practices are employed. And it's true in just about every field of consumer products including personal care items from the likes of a Drugstore.com to Bed Bath and Beyond. Never mind grocery chains that operate on very thin margins, pay poorly, and control access to entire market areas if you want those Doritos displayed on the front end of an aisle.
All of this comes down to one thing. A bargain is great. Prices that are too good to be true typically are not true. And the trite but true you get what you pay for. If someone gives you an amazing deal there's a reason. Sometimes it will be to your advantage, sometimes not. @Punk In Drublic I agree the customer might be ending up with b stock or problems with unfulfilled orders in an attempt at an up sell (granted more common in a face to face retail setting or direct marketing than a pure online transaction), or just plain fly by night operations that can disappear and pop up with the same operators under a different name.
That goes back to earlier in my post. If I see an amazing price I'll ask why. Usually IME it's from overstocking or a product discontinued, both pretty common in the vape world. Example, recently there was a Desire Cut on sale for $13 from 3avape. Why? Discontinued stock being dumped by Desire. Which is OK, it's still a good mod.
I like the Innokin EQ as a throw in the pocket pod. Usually the pods run about $4 each. At Eightvape I found them on sale 5 for $11.95. Why? Probably because Innokin is now going to be pushing their new DV pod and this is just clearance. Fine with me as I like them but I know the why (and I know and trust the vendor).
If someone thinks they're getting an amazing value on a single item from a known seller there's a reasonable chance they're right. If they think they're getting an amazing deal on anything a vendor is selling the they're just being greedy and not worrying about the why.
All of this comes down to one thing. A bargain is great. Prices that are too good to be true typically are not true. And the trite but true you get what you pay for. If someone gives you an amazing deal there's a reason. Sometimes it will be to your advantage, sometimes not. @Punk In Drublic I agree the customer might be ending up with b stock or problems with unfulfilled orders in an attempt at an up sell (granted more common in a face to face retail setting or direct marketing than a pure online transaction), or just plain fly by night operations that can disappear and pop up with the same operators under a different name.
That goes back to earlier in my post. If I see an amazing price I'll ask why. Usually IME it's from overstocking or a product discontinued, both pretty common in the vape world. Example, recently there was a Desire Cut on sale for $13 from 3avape. Why? Discontinued stock being dumped by Desire. Which is OK, it's still a good mod.
I like the Innokin EQ as a throw in the pocket pod. Usually the pods run about $4 each. At Eightvape I found them on sale 5 for $11.95. Why? Probably because Innokin is now going to be pushing their new DV pod and this is just clearance. Fine with me as I like them but I know the why (and I know and trust the vendor).
If someone thinks they're getting an amazing value on a single item from a known seller there's a reasonable chance they're right. If they think they're getting an amazing deal on anything a vendor is selling the they're just being greedy and not worrying about the why.
You don't remember? When you said:
No Walmart did it by strong-arming their suppliers and screwing their employees. Look, if Walmart can force a huge company like Kraft Foods to sell to them at below cost, just imagine what they can do with smaller companies?
But the model that Vaporl is using is by "higher volume through lower margins." You just have your companies mixed up.
You don't remember? When you said:
No Walmart did it by strong-arming their suppliers and screwing their employees. Look, if Walmart can force a huge company like Kraft Foods to sell to them at below cost, just imagine what they can do with smaller companies?
But the model that Vaporl is using is by "higher volume through lower margins." You just have your companies mixed up.
Your right Bill, I don’t remember. I also forgot how stubborn and closed minded you can be. I apologize for trying to engage in a conversation with you. I thought perhaps, just maybe, there might be an off chance you will not take my words out of context and twist them to serve an argument that is irrelevant to the topic at hand. How wrong was I. In closing, may I request you just ignore me, and I will do the same for you.
Naw... I am not stubborn nor closed minded. Very tolerant and opened minded really. Although you...
Naw... doing otherwise is very closed minded. If you don't under price and outsell the competition, then you will get nowhere.
That's a pretty closed mind view Punk In Drublic. Like Eskie explained, some companies like Amazon had taken years to turn a profit. It is just stubbornness on your part if you can't see it.
Naw... not so at all. When I was involve in chip manufacturing. Besides all of the expensive startup cost for the equipment, it cost back then about 1 million dollars to produce one single chip. Although to produce 2 chips, its half that. And the more chips you manufacture, it gets cheaper and cheaper per chip. Manufacture a million chips and they become unbelievably cheap. But are you going to sell your first 2 at cost for $500,000? Nope, but far less and at a huge loss. But people who are not closed minded and stubborn can easily see why.
Good advice if you want to remain stubborn and closed minded. But otherwise that would be a horrible idea.
Please stick to the topic. Its rubbish finding a thread for proper information and having to sort through this bs. Someone, please bring it back to the Drone. No one? Ok, I will.
I hate walmart. But not as much as I hate not having a Drone squonk. This would be a good desktop mod or tv stand mod. Anyone plan on carrying this around in a pocket?
I hate walmart. But not as much as I hate not having a Drone squonk. This would be a good desktop mod or tv stand mod. Anyone plan on carrying this around in a pocket?
Probably... I often carry a Triade in my pocket. As if you don't mind wearing cargo pants, you really don't feel all of the weight in those leg pockets. But sometimes I do prefer traveling light too.Anyone plan on carrying this around in a pocket?
If I bring up a comparison to the possible release (OK it is but the details aren't out) of the fancy Topside dual with a Yihi chip as a maybe alternative if the Drone keeps droning on without landing am I off topic?
Because at this point it's getting a little old to hear they're releasing it with the new plastic soon. How soon? Besides, the Topside isn't plastic. Granted it's going to be heavier, and the form factor still looks pretty weird to me despite all the "oh, surprise, feels very ergonomic" quotes I've seen and read about it. I do like the 21700 Topside I have now so I know what I'm getting into, and the single does share the same bottle and sled as the dual, rather than another bottle type to keep track of. If I knew for sure what chipset they were going to release it might be easier. Granted, I'd rather have Replay, but it's 1/25 and still no closer to retail that I know of.
Because at this point it's getting a little old to hear they're releasing it with the new plastic soon. How soon? Besides, the Topside isn't plastic. Granted it's going to be heavier, and the form factor still looks pretty weird to me despite all the "oh, surprise, feels very ergonomic" quotes I've seen and read about it. I do like the 21700 Topside I have now so I know what I'm getting into, and the single does share the same bottle and sled as the dual, rather than another bottle type to keep track of. If I knew for sure what chipset they were going to release it might be easier. Granted, I'd rather have Replay, but it's 1/25 and still no closer to retail that I know of.
- Status
Similar threads
