More local vape store dissapointment

[Paul Mohr]

Well while I was out driving my mom around Toledo today I decided to take a look at another local B&M. The place was called "vape Super Center" What do you see in your mind when you see the words "super center"? I think of a large store dedicated to vapers with a large selection of E juice, devices and accessories, don't you?

None of the above unfortunately. Turned out to be a fairly small store with little selection or stock. And most of what they did have was aimed at cloud chasing. Which is fine, not really any different than any of the other local shops. But when you call yourself a Super Center I expect to see a bit wider of a selection in your products. Am I wrong to think this?

The two guys working were not overly polite either, but then we didn't get off to great start lol. The first thing I saw when I walked into the place was a wall of {Edited}. I said out loud "Really, a wall of {Edited} in a vape shop?". Which they quickly pointed out that they were "water pipes". I said "Ok dude, call them whatever you want for legal reasons but I used to be a {Other Stuff} head, I know a .... when I see one lol.". And things sort of went down hill from there.

I asked if they had any rebuildable tanks and he said not really, only two right now. I looked around a bit and like all the other stores in my area, no love for the mouth to lung vapers. He was like "Ya, no one buys that stuff so why bother stocking it?". And no, that wasn't the end of our conversation. Lets just say by the time I left they would probably be happy if I never came back lol. Which I won't, so I guess it worked out ok.

And to be clear, I really don't care if someone wants to sell "water pipes", it doesn't offend me at all. Heck 30 years ago I probably would have bought one from them. It just isn't something I expect to see in a shop that represents itself as a vaping shop. Then when you tell me you don't stock something because no one will buy it I get a little irritated. How do you know if no one will buy it if you don't bother carrying it? Had they had something I wanted I probably would have bought two.

Seriously, they have about 2 grand worth of water pipes in a fancy display case covering most of a wall. You are telling me they will go broke if they stock a couple decent 30 dollar mouth to lung RTA's? I am guessing the reason no one asks for them is because most newer vapers don't know they exist because no one has them. Your choices are starter kits with tiny mods and so so (at best) tanks or a 200 watt device with an atty that has a half inch or larger drip tip on it. Seems to me that you are missing a pretty large chunk of the market. Are they telling me no one comes in with a small starter kit set up and says I would like something a little better? It just makes no sense to me.

Ok, rants over lol. Sorry I wasted your time.

 

[stols001]

Oh, you need to come to my town if you want to see vape shops selling water pipes. Honestly, though, if that was some of their market they are probably getting cloud chasers coming in to the store, they may actually be correct about their clientele.

So, I understand the disappointment but the fact of the matter is these days apart from vape pens you aren't going to see a lot of low vape equipment in most stores, really. I'd say a lot of those vapers are buying that stuff online...

I don't bother with vape stores anymore unless it's supremely urgent, which it does not seem to be....

Anna

 

[Vapemesilly]

There are a fair number of vape shops where I live. The green leafy stuff is legal here so we also see a mix of hardware in some of the shops. Most of the shops cater to the cloud chasers and only a few have a good variety that makes me want to go in from time to time.

It is what it is. Me giving someone a hard time about what they carry and don't carry serves no good purpose. I buy most of my stuff online anyway and though I try to throw a couple of bones to the locals when I can, I understand that most places, especially small shops, just can't afford to carry everything so they are going to carry what sells.

 

[Baditude]

The abundance of water pipes was pretty much a tell all of what their primary focus is and what their biggest seller is. The shop is probably just a headshop masqurading (sp?) as a vape shop. Hey, somethings got to pay the rent.

E-liquids are almost ALWAYS what turns a profit in a vape shop. The fact that this one had a small/poor selection speaks volumes.

 

[Paul Mohr]

I want to support my local shops, trust me. I went over 5 years without having to ever resort to mail order vape supplies. I don't like doing mail order at all. I would pay twice the price for something if I could just run up town and get it. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be an option anymore.

 

[Nick N]

I went to a local shop last night here in Columbus (Westerville?) to get some SSOCC coils for one of my old Subtank Minis so my Mom could try it out. She recently got out her old vape pen with Protank 3 and had no clue the last time she changed the coil. No one was inside when I went in, not even the guy working there. He finally came out from the back and he had what I wanted. A five pack of 1.5 ohm coils for $21.XX after taxes. [emoji79]

I needed them sooner than later (Fasttech has them for $8.XX) and it seemed like a one off shop so I supported my local economy. At least that is what I had to tell myself. [emoji106]

 

[Jim_ MDP]

I expect the majority of the "entrepreneur" start-ups to go bust within two years, maybe three.

Honestly, though, if that was some of their market they are probably getting cloud chasers coming in to the store, they may actually be correct about their clientele.

At a guess...

I can see if you're a cloud bro, you might hang with your buds at the local, and buy product there. Especially if you're friends of/with the owner(s) and get a discount.
I did that years ago as a skateboarding teen... surf shops are the same.

For these guys... the glassware may be their salvation.

Then you have the newb... spots a shop, walks out with whatever (hopefully appropriate) set-up they happen to carry.


That leaves the rest of us... the massive middle.
Unless we need an emergency item or hang at the store and know what's available... we're more likely to just comparison shop and then take the better online price.

Of course a tiny shop can tailor a range and keep the majority happy.
And a large chain franchise can be forced by contracts to not carry what's hot and popular. Retail's a fickle mistress.


I'm just speculating though... my area has a single shop (tiny) and I shudder to describe it. Cramped, poor lighting, no prices in the displays, no order to the layout, etc, etc.

Uninviting would be accurate (IMO)... patchouli and neon might give a better visual.
(I lasted ~four minutes in there once... once. )

 

[HauntedMyst]

We have a good local vape shop but all in all I find buying on the internet to be much more efficient and economical.

 

[HauntedMyst]

We have a good local vape shop but all in all I find buying on the internet to be much more efficient and economical.

 

[coolerat]

We have a crap ton of shops here. One is a small chain that carters mostly to tootle puffers with low watt stuff and 50/50 high nic juice. I was actually there a couple weeks ago. They ain't gonna be there much longer thats for sure.

My favorite is a regional chain that carries all sorta stuff. Nice place. Only sell there own juice but Idon't buy much juice anyway. I like to keep some of my money local and this place sees its share.

But the biggest place, they have tw store, sell glass and rolls cigarettes as well. They have tons of juice and I do buy some here and again. Pretty high on mods and tanks so................................

Glass and tobacco doesn't bother me. I go to stores that sell women's cloths and what I do is not buy them. Same with the glass.

 

[Paul Mohr]

This place didn't sell tobacco, they just had a fair amount fancy glass on display. It kind of threw me for a loop when I walked in. Which is why I made the comment. I said it jokingly, not like I was all offended or anything. And the .... vs water pipe statement is the same one I make whenever I walk into a head shop or tobacco store. No one has ever been offended yet. They just laugh and say "ya, we have to call them water pipes". We have a fair amount of Vape Bars and shops around here too. I have never been in a dedicated vape shop that had water pipes for sale. It kind of goes against the whole quitting smoking thing. Sure, we have plenty of tobacco/vape stores that sell vape equipment, water pipes, cigars and other stuff. But that is what they call themselves, tobacco stores with a vape bar or something along those lines.

And really none of that is what bothered me at all. My favorite vape store here in Adrian MI sells all that stuff, plus a decent selection of vape gear. What bothered me was that these guys in this store didn't seem to care if they had a customer or not. Or what my vaping needs might have been. I wouldn't say they were flat out rude, but they were pretty indifferent. I am pretty sure if you were a new vaper and went in there they wouldn't have been much help. Even though they did have some stuff geared towards beginners. It was more like if you didn't know what you wanted when you walked in they really didn't care what you walked out with. And if you did know what you wanted and they didn't have it was "Whatever dude, order it online.". Never seen this kind of attitude in a vape store before. I was kind of stunned to be honest.

 

[VHRB2014]

Yap, the minute I see paraphernalia, I leave.

Cant serve two masters and all that.

 

[BackDoc]

Yap, the minute I see paraphernalia, I leave.

Cant serve two masters and all that.

My Sentiments Exactly

 

[Asbestos4004]

Expectations going into a brick and mortar vape store..... That's pretty funny.

 

[mcclintock]

I think the cloud chasers buy more stuff, especially at local prices, compulsively, and when they already own enough. Plus more juice. Also shops' normal markups seem worse when applied to smaller, lower cost devices.

One of the local vape shops used to be vape only, but have had to move to a smaller location and are now supplementing themselves with selling other things. They probably see a local tobacco shop chain which is maximally horizontally integrated, not just smoking but Kava bar and anything else they can cram in. Also, if regulation requires them to jump through all the hoops (or more) to be able to sell tobacco, they probably will.

 

[Rule62]

Yap, the minute I see paraphernalia, I leave.

Cant serve two masters and all that.

I have a friend who owns a very successful ejuice company. He won’t even wholesale to a shop that carries glassware or paraphernalia.
I respect him for that.

 

[QcVaper]

Here in my region you'll never those 2 things combined in a single store which i'm very glad, imho those 2 things aren't made to mix (yes i know you can vaporize that green stuff too but still).
Most vape shops in my city sell at least 3-4 mtl tanks (not counting older clearos for pen type starter kits) I personally can't stand when i see a beginner vaper with a sub 0hm setup since most times these are overkill for em, specially if the store sells mtl setups. This "super center" was complete bs imo and only there for money, i mean if they're aiming at cloud chasers how in the world aren't they selling more rta,rdta and rdas...... makes no sense to me.....

 

[Gahh]

I purchased from a local B&M once. AND ONLY ONCE. That was when I first started many years ago.
Then I stumbled on Fast Tech and realized I paid 200 dollars for what I could have bought for 50 bucks.
As for you looking for a good RTA. Well here's a GREAT RTA.
$11.23 Authentic Wotofo Sapor RTA Rebuildable Tank Atomizer - 2ml / stainless steel + glass / 22mm dia. at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping
I'd say its the last tank you'll ever need, but we all know that can't be true.
Top air flow that ranges from wide to slight.
Great flavor and cloud production.
Plenty of build space on the deck.
You'll have to be vaping upside down to get a leak.
The price is unbelievable.
A MUST OWN TO YOUR COLLECTION......
Everyone I know who vapes will be getting one for Christmas.

 

[MrStik]

That store sounds kind of wack. I have and always supported B&Ms, but there are some that I have walked in, and right out...

 

[ENAUD]

Well while I was out driving my mom around Toledo today I decided to take a look at another local B&M. The place was called "Vape Super Center" What do you see in your mind when you see the words "super center"? I think of a large store dedicated to vapers with a large selection of E juice, devices and accessories, don't you?

None of the above unfortunately. Turned out to be a fairly small store with little selection or stock. And most of what they did have was aimed at cloud chasing. Which is fine, not really any different than any of the other local shops. But when you call yourself a Super Center I expect to see a bit wider of a selection in your products. Am I wrong to think this?

The two guys working were not overly polite either, but then we didn't get off to great start lol. The first thing I saw when I walked into the place was a wall of {Edited}. I said out loud "Really, a wall of {Edited} in a vape shop?". Which they quickly pointed out that they were "water pipes". I said "Ok dude, call them whatever you want for legal reasons but I used to be a {Other Stuff} head, I know a .... when I see one lol.". And things sort of went down hill from there.

I asked if they had any rebuildable tanks and he said not really, only two right now. I looked around a bit and like all the other stores in my area, no love for the mouth to lung vapers. He was like "Ya, no one buys that stuff so why bother stocking it?". And no, that wasn't the end of our conversation. Lets just say by the time I left they would probably be happy if I never came back lol. Which I won't, so I guess it worked out ok.

And to be clear, I really don't care if someone wants to sell "water pipes", it doesn't offend me at all. Heck 30 years ago I probably would have bought one from them. It just isn't something I expect to see in a shop that represents itself as a vaping shop. Then when you tell me you don't stock something because no one will buy it I get a little irritated. How do you know if no one will buy it if you don't bother carrying it? Had they had something I wanted I probably would have bought two.

Seriously, they have about 2 grand worth of water pipes in a fancy display case covering most of a wall. You are telling me they will go broke if they stock a couple decent 30 dollar mouth to lung RTA's? I am guessing the reason no one asks for them is because most newer vapers don't know they exist because no one has them. Your choices are starter kits with tiny mods and so so (at best) tanks or a 200 watt device with an atty that has a half inch or larger drip tip on it. Seems to me that you are missing a pretty large chunk of the market. Are they telling me no one comes in with a small starter kit set up and says I would like something a little better? It just makes no sense to me.

Ok, rants over lol. Sorry I wasted your time.

Personally, I can't understand why someone would criticize a shop for how they choose to run their business and what products they carry. They are the ones who have to sell whatever to pay the bills and keep their light on.

I've seen more and more tobacco stores now selling vape supplies, them stores understand the tobacco laws and taxes to have stayed in business. Heck, I've seen stores that had Vape, glassware, tobacco RYO stuff, and adult toys all under one roof I've also noticed a few shops that had tons of choices in gear trim down their inventories and now have lots of space under the glass catching dust...used to be I had to drive for about 45 minutes to get to a shop, now they are all over the place in different sizes and catering to different audiences. My feeling is that the tobacco stores have a better chance of making it in the end, because they already have the smokers coming in for the cheap cartons, and that is where they may get future vape product customers from, and after all, vaping is now tobacco...

 

[EIHYPI]

I feel bad for one vape shop in my vicinity. When you used to walk in a couple years ago the place had about 20 people every night and the place was hot boxed. They used to sell all the latest mods, regulated and mechs too, batteries chargers, tanks, rda's and all. Now I walked in last week and the store was empty besides the owner. The only vaping stuff they had was juice. Aside from that they made an addition for all different types of papers for rolling "cigarettes" along with other similar stuff. Amazing how this store changed.