I am new to vaping and bought the SE Gold at a mall kiosk. I guess I have a slightly different take on whether I got "suckered." Sure I paid too much, but you have to consider the likely alternative. Like most people I had never heard of e-cigs until I saw them at the kiosk. In all likelihood I would have filed it away in my mind for months and continued analogs.
Best case, had I not bought there I would have gone home, researched e-smoking, spent a week or two deciding between the myriad models and flavors etc. and possibly (possibly) ordered one. Then maybe a week for delivery. I guess I would have paid $75 and so I would appear to have saved myself $75.
Or would I? During the first three weeks with my SE, I avoided approximately 3 ctns of smokes ($180). This would have been my additional cost by going the "smart" route. So, by getting "screwed" I saved $105 and I have the 1-year replacement warranty on my atty and batts (which they appear to honor). The attys for most appear to run about $10 and get consumed monthly ($10 x 12 months = $120 additional savings). The SE attys seem to last longer though.
All in all I can't say I'm dissatisfied. Now, if I want another one I won't go to the mall because I have already gotten all the mall benefit.
Lets face it, smoking is like getting a pet. The initial purchase price is in the noise. It really doesn't make any difference in the grand scheme. If the SE Kiosk gets people interested, gets them out there, and does business fairly (whatever they charge), then I say good for them.
SE and njoy are doing us a great service by putting their product in the mainstream. The more units out there the more we will attract vendors and manufacturers. It becomes harder to ban. It becomes more familiar and potentially accepted in non-smoking venues.
Anyway, I just wanted to give a different perspective than the usual. When you decide if you got screwed you need to consider the whole picture. Your situation may be very different, but it seems that many people share my situation. They probably didn't get screwed either.
Best case, had I not bought there I would have gone home, researched e-smoking, spent a week or two deciding between the myriad models and flavors etc. and possibly (possibly) ordered one. Then maybe a week for delivery. I guess I would have paid $75 and so I would appear to have saved myself $75.
Or would I? During the first three weeks with my SE, I avoided approximately 3 ctns of smokes ($180). This would have been my additional cost by going the "smart" route. So, by getting "screwed" I saved $105 and I have the 1-year replacement warranty on my atty and batts (which they appear to honor). The attys for most appear to run about $10 and get consumed monthly ($10 x 12 months = $120 additional savings). The SE attys seem to last longer though.
All in all I can't say I'm dissatisfied. Now, if I want another one I won't go to the mall because I have already gotten all the mall benefit.
Lets face it, smoking is like getting a pet. The initial purchase price is in the noise. It really doesn't make any difference in the grand scheme. If the SE Kiosk gets people interested, gets them out there, and does business fairly (whatever they charge), then I say good for them.
SE and njoy are doing us a great service by putting their product in the mainstream. The more units out there the more we will attract vendors and manufacturers. It becomes harder to ban. It becomes more familiar and potentially accepted in non-smoking venues.
Anyway, I just wanted to give a different perspective than the usual. When you decide if you got screwed you need to consider the whole picture. Your situation may be very different, but it seems that many people share my situation. They probably didn't get screwed either.
Thanks for that. I think I have paid the most out of all the posts I've read on ECF - Was on vacation in Vegas and paid $180. for 1 starter kit and 1 extra pack of carts. After getting home and researching e-cigs I was totally teed off at SE's over priced products. I hated this e cig as every time I tried it I got a mouthful of liquid. Then found ECF - learned about dripping and now its my fav sit at the computer and puff away cig. Bought a VX2 for work and the out and about e cig. Now I'm waiting for the new Janty sticks release. Then I'm gettin' me one of those! 
