Message to e-Liquid vendors: This is what we want from you!

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ByeByeCoffinNails

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Dear Vendors,

1) If I order three ten ml bottles of juice at $5 each- please explain why you expect me to pay anything between $5-$50 for shipping. You always say it is USPS, but you neglect the fact that there are multiple tiers of USPS shipping and only allow one tier (always the middle or the top tier) for this. Would you order an $8 sample pack and pay $20 for shipping (like one vendor I saw recently does)? No, I didn't either. Which is a shame- their juices looked good.

The difference between the $7.50 rate and $16.50 rate is the following: three days. Rushing the juice to me does not matter- I will steep it for 2-3 weeks anyway.

2) When shipping overseas, make sure the bottles are securely closed with tape if needbe. Those childproof caps leak... and leak! After a week and a half of travel, I get a half empty bottle... yum.

3) Make sure your shipping policy is easy to see and clearly stated. A nice big banner saying $4 shipping sounds good until you ask and get told "USA Only". A shipping policy that talks about shipping times but doesn't say precisely where you ship to is automatically discarded off my shopping radar.

4) Remember, overseas customers have money to spend too. Their money should be as good as anyone else's. My reason for purchasing from you is because there are no B&M stores here. I am not ordering from you to inconvenience you or ruin your day so when I email you with queries, I expect prompt and polite service.

5) When I email you, I expect an answer. One vendor has yet to reply to an email sent three months ago. Vendor discarded from my list!

6) Basics: keep your stock levels up. I spent a happy evening trying to chase down a particular juice in a 30ml bottle. A brand sold by many vendors. Not available in every store or if available, in 6mg. One vendor sells our fave juice- but only in 3ml bottles. The others here made the point that bigger bottles should be available (60ml+) I'd also ask, where are the sample sizes? Some vendors don't have 5ml bottles. Surely no-one buys 10ml just to sample?

7) I won't repeat what others have said, but just note that flavour consistency in larger bottles, good labelling, clear and easy site navigation really matter. Scrolling menus and arthritic hands do not mix.

8) Prices: some vendors have juices permanently 'on sale', some have no specials at all. Most have coupon codes. How about ditching the coupon codes and lowering your prices? Spending an hour while in checkout looking for valid coupon codes does not a good shopping experience make.

Lastly, thank you to all those great vendors that supply us in the Antipodes. These people do great things for us often beyond the call of duty. Kudos to them. Love you guys!

:)
 

nilavap

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Quote Originally Posted by Darthvong View Post
I've always been more apt to buy from vendors that toss in a free 5ml or 10ml bottle with every order. Being new I'm always up for trying new flavors, but since I'm not independently wealthy I can't just toss around my cash to try flavors on a whim.
I second this. Give me samples and I tend to come back. I like the choice of glass bottles, flip top bottles, drip bottles etc. I've held onto some bottles just because i like them and they work better than others. I also appreciate options for larger quantities. At least 120mls
.
I totally agree ! I'd also add that when I am shopping for eliquid and see multiple customers saying how wonderful their free samples were---and I never got any samples(even with a 80 dollar juice order) that it really makes me mad and resentful of the company.:mad: This just happened to me and I actually emptied my shopping cart and went on to a new company and ended up spending 160 $$ there :closedeyes:
 

scarf-ace

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Dear Vendors,

1) If I order three ten ml bottles of juice at $5 each- please explain why you expect me to pay anything between $5-$50 for shipping. You always say it is USPS, but you neglect the fact that there are multiple tiers of USPS shipping and only allow one tier (always the middle or the top tier) for this. Would you order an $8 sample pack and pay $20 for shipping (like one vendor I saw recently does)? No, I didn't either. Which is a shame- their juices looked good.

The difference between the $7.50 rate and $16.50 rate is the following: three days. Rushing the juice to me does not matter- I will steep it for 2-3 weeks anyway.

2) When shipping overseas, make sure the bottles are securely closed with tape if needbe. Those childproof caps leak... and leak! After a week and a half of travel, I get a half empty bottle... yum.

3) Make sure your shipping policy is easy to see and clearly stated. A nice big banner saying $4 shipping sounds good until you ask and get told "USA Only". A shipping policy that talks about shipping times but doesn't say precisely where you ship to is automatically discarded off my shopping radar.

4) Remember, overseas customers have money to spend too. Their money should be as good as anyone else's. My reason for purchasing from you is because there are no B&M stores here. I am not ordering from you to inconvenience you or ruin your day so when I email you with queries, I expect prompt and polite service.

5) When I email you, I expect an answer. One vendor has yet to reply to an email sent three months ago. Vendor discarded from my list!

6) Basics: keep your stock levels up. I spent a happy evening trying to chase down a particular juice in a 30ml bottle. A brand sold by many vendors. Not available in every store or if available, in 6mg. One vendor sells our fave juice- but only in 3ml bottles. The others here made the point that bigger bottles should be available (60ml+) I'd also ask, where are the sample sizes? Some vendors don't have 5ml bottles. Surely no-one buys 10ml just to sample?

7) I won't repeat what others have said, but just note that flavour consistency in larger bottles, good labelling, clear and easy site navigation really matter. Scrolling menus and arthritic hands do not mix.

8) Prices: some vendors have juices permanently 'on sale', some have no specials at all. Most have coupon codes. How about ditching the coupon codes and lowering your prices? Spending an hour while in checkout looking for valid coupon codes does not a good shopping experience make.

Lastly, thank you to all those great vendors that supply us in the Antipodes. These people do great things for us often beyond the call of duty. Kudos to them. Love you guys!

:)

Amen and AMEN!!
 

dragonbone

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Think we also need a system like amazon so we can place orders for different juices all in one place. So if I want some bobas, gandalf, and copper creek I can just go to one main site that links them all. Goes for the hardware too.

Wow, what an awesome idea! What a HUGE difference it would make to the vaping experience! So much precious time is wasted looking at hundreds of sites. It would also be great if customers can leave reviews on items they have bought.
 

nilavap

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I second this. Give me samples and I tend to come back. I like the choice of glass bottles, flip top bottles, drip bottles etc. I've held onto some bottles just because i like them and they work better than others. I also appreciate options for larger quantities. At least 120mls.

I want to know exactly what I'm vaping. I'm sure a few sites qualify there, here is one I found so far (I'm still a newbie):

Annette's site Virgin Vapors qualifies on this, and also ships in glass amber bottles to boot:

Frequently Asked Questions | Virgin Vapor | Electronic Cigarette Organic e-Liquid | Electronic Cigarettes

They tell the ingredients, the quality control, what their VG-only liquids have, the differences in their lines, etc.

Wow! I linked to them and bookmarked:D They look promising. Wish I had known about them sooner
 

nilavap

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I second this. Give me samples and I tend to come back. I like the choice of glass bottles, flip top bottles, drip bottles etc. I've held onto some bottles just because i like them and they work better than others. I also appreciate options for larger quantities. At least 120mls.

Good idea. Many new vapers don't know that a premium tobacco flavored juice could need significant steeping time before it reached its peak flavor. They might try and like a sample bottle of a particular juice that had been steeping, then find the taste lacking in the big fresh bottle they subsequently ordered.

Maybe something like this:

Born On: 8/5/12
Best After: 8/26/12
Expiration: 8/5/13

I would also like having the option of pre-steeped juices and could accept paying a bit higher price for them.

Speaking of information: too many vendors do not clearly display Quantity/Price info.
See Gourmet Vapor for a format that I think works well.

Excellent input! I also linked to Gourmet Vapor and ...WOW!!! I have never seen anything like it:p I really like!!!
 

Mr.Mann

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Everything I would suggest has already been mentioned. I don't particularly care whether my juice is lab mixed or home mixed as long as it's clean.

I agree, sort of. I generally buy NETs and "organic" or "natural" juices. I have a tougher time imagining someone processing tobacco extracts, and handling organic or natural ingredients in between a lazy-boy and a television. After all, what they're essentially selling us on is the quality/purity of said ingredients, so it seems reasonable that those ingredients will be treated with the same type of consideration as they are marketed as being. Granted, the amount of orders these vendors are taking in daily, would pretty much necessitate, at the very least, a "work" environment--there is no feasible way to tend to so much e.g shipping, packing, mixing, labeling, measuring etc. on a coffee table (I hope not). The point is, I still would like to know what type of environment it is.

I received a picture from an NET vendor and while it wasn't a "lab," the work-space was sufficient enough to satisfy my curiosity and concerns. Yes, it was clean.

p.s I do not mean to suggest that "normal" juices don't require the same consideration.
 
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Orobas

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I received a picture from an NET vendor and while it wasn't a "lab," the work-space was sufficient enough to satisfy my curiosity and concerns. Yes, it was clean.

This. I don't require a lab setting myself, but a dedicated, clean, pet and food free space is a must.

Commercial food industry standards seem to be a reasonable place to start in making juice. In fact I might trust the tastes of someone with experience in the food industry before I would trust the taste of the average chemist. :p

ETA 200TH POST GET
 

Mr.Mann

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To Vendors: If you are a "custom" mixer, why such gaps in the nicotine available? Many of us know that there is a huge difference in 12 mg and 18 mg, right? So, where is the middle ground? Too many vendors have 24, 18, then 12 and lower. I imagine some people have a hard time stepping down because the drop is too significant. If you truly are a custom mixer, then why not customize the nic amount as well? If I want to get to 12 mg, then it makes sense (and dollars for the vendor) that I could step it down much more incrementally than by 6 mg each step.

82691246_olbAkwNY_c.jpg
 

rondasherrill

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To Vendors: If you are a "custom" mixer, why such gaps in the nicotine available? Many of us know that there is a huge difference in 12 mg and 18 mg, right? So, where is the middle ground? Too many vendors have 24, 18, then 12 and lower. I imagine some people have a hard time stepping down because the drop is too significant. If you truly are a custom mixer, then why not customize the nic amount as well? If I want to get to 12 mg, then it makes sense (and dollars for the vendor) that I could step it down much more incrementally than by 6 mg each step.

82691246_olbAkwNY_c.jpg
This is a Great point! It's the reason that after a year and a half I'm still sitting at 18mg...
 

nilavap

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It would be a nice choice to be able to order nicotine levels in more desirable levels than those which are available at most eliquid stores. I would like to be able to gradually lessen my nicotine so if a vendor offered me the choice, I would take advantage of that...say, with my first order just get my regular 24 mg of nicotine, and then next time I could choose 22 mg or so.
 

Apptiger

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I agree, sort of. I generally buy NETs and "organic" or "natural" juices. I have a tougher time imagining someone processing tobacco extracts, and handling organic or natural ingredients in between a lazy-boy and a television. After all, what they're essentially selling us on is the quality/purity of said ingredients, so it seems reasonable that those ingredients will be treated with the same type of consideration as they are marketed as being. Granted, the amount of orders these vendors are taking in daily, would pretty much necessitate, at the very least, a "work" environment--there is no feasible way to tend to so much e.g shipping, packing, mixing, labeling, measuring etc. on a coffee table (I hope not). The point is, I still would like to know what type of environment it is.

I received a picture from an NET vendor and while it wasn't a "lab," the work-space was sufficient enough to satisfy my curiosity and concerns. Yes, it was clean.

p.s I do not mean to suggest that "normal" juices don't require the same consideration.

I'd be comfortable with them operating in a food processing / food service type environment. Imagine a lot of us have some history working in a commercial kitchen growing up. Pizza places, hamburger chains, etc. Anyone who has had to do clean up at a place like that would probably get a good idea about what I mean. Doesn't have to be computer chip clean room clean, but a reasonable food service clean.
 

TBinAZ

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Dood, that's kind of harsh. Toxic substances? LOL

Like your write-up on AEJ by the by.

I suppose it goes without saying, but I did experience first-hand recently that if only for the safety of the worker, the *manufacture* of toxic substances like nicotine/WTA is best handled in a laboratory setting.
 

DantesInferno

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Dunno if this has been mentioned and I see at least one vendor already doing this....pre steeped liquids.
Since when are first impressions not everything? I've had 3 different vendors give me the same recommendation in the last week. Maybe you should let it steep. How many customers do you lose because they never went back and tried it again? I could have easily done that with my now favorite juice. So if you know the juice is going to be better after a week or so then offer it that way right out of the vapemail. I would happily pay a bit more for a "ready to vape" liquid. I understand you don't want gallons left over at the end of the month but surely you can get a fairly good grasp of how much you can sell. The notion of mixing to order is great, but for a juice that needs to steep to realize its full potential would make a better first impression if it was at its best straight from the mailman. Or at least give me the option to get it that way.
 

Tezcatlipoca

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To Vendors: If you are a "custom" mixer, why such gaps in the nicotine available? Many of us know that there is a huge difference in 12 mg and 18 mg, right? So, where is the middle ground? Too many vendors have 24, 18, then 12 and lower. I imagine some people have a hard time stepping down because the drop is too significant. If you truly are a custom mixer, then why not customize the nic amount as well? If I want to get to 12 mg, then it makes sense (and dollars for the vendor) that I could step it down much more incrementally than by 6 mg each step.

Absolutely!!! I doubt many of us had thought of that, but it's a really solid point. When I stepped down from 18 to 12, I would have killed (not joking here, folks) for something like a 14mg. That jump was almost as bad as quitting smoking cold turkey -- nic fits, irritability, the whole bit. I've been afraid to step down to 6 for fear that I may kill again.
 

Tezcatlipoca

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Dunno if this has been mentioned and I see at least one vendor already doing this....pre steeped liquids.
Since when are first impressions not everything? I've had 3 different vendors give me the same recommendation in the last week. Maybe you should let it steep. How many customers do you lose because they never went back and tried it again? I could have easily done that with my now favorite juice. So if you know the juice is going to be better after a week or so then offer it that way right out of the vapemail. I would happily pay a bit more for a "ready to vape" liquid. I understand you don't want gallons left over at the end of the month but surely you can get a fairly good grasp of how much you can sell. The notion of mixing to order is great, but for a juice that needs to steep to realize its full potential would make a better first impression if it was at its best straight from the mailman. Or at least give me the option to get it that way.

Totally! Popular vendors especially who do batch sales on specific juices (or their entire line) should have a pretty good idea of how much is going to sell at this point. If you can, vendors, sit on it a little bit longer -- we customers won't know the difference (between when it's made and when it goes up for sale), but we will be grateful when we can pull it out of the mailer and start vaping immediately, rather than having to stare blankly at an untouched bottle for a week or two.
 
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