My worst B&M experience ever.

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iDanieljviaiTaste

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Sep 15, 2014
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Florence, Sc. US
I kept hearing an advertisement on the radio about a new vape shop in town and how they had the best juice around so I decided to go check it out. They had a huge banner in front of the shop that said "Grand Opening Today!" But they opened a month ago. I think it might have been a sign to go the heck home. No pun intended.

Needless to say, I went inside anyway. There was nobody inside, the place was completely vacant of human life except for myself. The one thing that impressed me was the wall behind the counter. It was from one end to the other, covered entirely with e-juice selections. I found myself, quite literally, saying "Dear sweet baby Jesus". About the time the word Jesus came from my mouth, a woman who had no shoes on, appeared from the back of the shop. My second sign, I should have left. I did not, however, leave.

She stopped about halfway out of the door way and stared at me. Did not say a single word. Yet another sign... I didn't leave, instead I looked in the display cases they had lining the same wall. They had I believe, about, 3 different devices. There was an eGo, an evod, and an iTaste v2. The iTaste was priced at 110 bucks. This, out of all the signs, should have been the one that made me leave.

In fact, I was about to, but the woman finally said "What do you need." Startled, I said, "Oh, I just heard about you folks on the rad-e-o and thought I'd come over and check ya out" Apparently the phrase "Rad-e-o" means "You're tacky and I hate you" in shoelesswhitechickanees because after I said that, she instantly began to act like she did not want me there. She said nothing, so I asked what type of juice she had and she pointed at a binder on the counter. I said "Oh cool, so you guys make your own in sh-" I was cut off with "No." I followed with "Do you order em local-" "No" Ok then, I opened the binder and to my surprise there was only three pages. I looked up at the wall of juice bottles, then back at the binder and said "Is this the only binder?" She replied, sounding confused, "Yes" I replied "I just figured with amount on th-" she cut me off again and explain that the ones on the wall were for "Display only".

I didn't say the following but, What in the literal f(not cussing)k do you mean "Display only"??? What the heck is that crap??? Anyway, I tried a few juices a found an orange creme i liked. I asked for the price and she explained that usually they run at 15.99 a bottle (15mL) but they were on sale for 13.99 a bottle. My heart turned to a paste. I bought it anyway though, and left. The "I was born on" date on the bottle was 6/13/12. Even if the bottle is the darkened to extend shelf life type bottle, I did not just pay 14 bucks for a 3 year old e-juice.


Anyway, that was my horrible experience.
How about you guys? Have any you'd like to share? I'd love to hear em!
 
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DetraMental

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Mar 31, 2013
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Yikes, that was a bad experience. She musta been a scary lady for you to have bought juice from her in the end but I understand. I feel kinda obligated to buy once I've tried too. I know I shouldn't but I do. Fortunately for me I DIY and seldom if ever darken any B&M door. I just don't get out much except for Dr. appointments.
 

James Wilson

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Aug 19, 2014
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The lack of hardware alone would have had me heading towards the door. lol. Obviously the person running that shop doesn't know what they are doing. Poor customer service, not much good in the way of hardware and overpriced, then you have display juices to spruce the place up and then have only a limited selection highly priced. From the sound of the lady, I am guessing the shop is built into where she lives. After all she came in with no shoes on. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen a shop being built onto someone's home. lol. Those places though tend to be overpriced and just are in it for the money. Not the kinda place I would want to do business with.
 

danfinger

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Does this place have any sort of website or contact email? facebook etc?

I'd contact whoever is in charge. Let them know this ain't the way to do business. Don't be preachy or rant-y. Some people need help, giving good feedback might make a difference. Are there other shops in town that are doing it right? Let them know what their competition is doing. If there aren't any other stores in town that are 'viable' then I'd just start with the obvious "2+ year old juice at $1/ml just ain't gonna fly" then go from there.
 

James Wilson

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I would have walked out. I know the feeling about being the only one in the store. I feel guilty if I don't buy something. I know others would think it odd but that's me. I actually rarely go in and buy online. It's cheaper anyway. Plus I have found some really good juices that way.

He said itaste v2. lol. I got a VV myself at home. That pricing is rediculas though. I would never shop there.
 

Ed_C

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Oct 11, 2013
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The lack of hardware alone would have had me heading towards the door. lol. Obviously the person running that shop doesn't know what they are doing. Poor customer service, not much good in the way of hardware and overpriced, then you have display juices to spruce the place up and then have only a limited selection highly priced. From the sound of the lady, I am guessing the shop is built into where she lives. After all she came in with no shoes on. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen a shop being built onto someone's home. lol. Those places though tend to be overpriced and just are in it for the money. Not the kinda place I would want to do business with.

But, how can they be in it for the money, when they don't have any product and their prices are beyond what anyone would pay? Tax write-off maybe?
 

iDanieljviaiTaste

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Sep 15, 2014
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Florence, Sc. US
There is another shop in town, actually two of them. One of the shops is horrible and the other is my go to for quick here and now kind of stuff. The horrible one was the first shop I went to. The woman told me, when asked what her favorite juice was, that she hated vaping. The other shop, I would say the name but I'm not sure if that's allowed, is amazing. They make the juices in store, they have almost any type of device I can think of. They're tasting devices are sitting on tables in the middle of the store which makes it easy to taste. Unlike the shop I spoke of in my original post here, where I had to keep asking to taste something and waiting 2 minutes to get the tank. I can just match a flavor with a tank and slap it on the evod batteries they have on the table. I bought my iTaste there actually. Paid 30 bucks for it. Plus, they sell 30 mL bottles for 10 bucks there. Custom ratios as well. Any question I can think of, they can answer. My point here is, there is a great shop locally. So it isn't just the crap ones.
 

SpyderBite

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Just like any small business; there are some enthusiasts that believe they have enough knowledge of the product/service that they feel they could efficiently sell said product/service. The computer sales/service industry was riddled with little shops in the 90s. Somebody built their own PC or changed out a couple of hard drives or power supplies and bam.. they opened up their own store ready to entertain any computer problem they've never encountered themselves and charge the customer for labor and parts even if it wasn't repaired.

Anyways, I've been in to a number of B&M ecig stores where the owner/operator wasn't very knowledgeable or had hired somebody who didn't have anymore experience than their own ecig model and personal favorite juice. On the flipside there are also lots of B&Ms out there that are incredible. Good customer service, great products and good juice.

Its hit or miss as the industry evolves. And while we all want it to stay unregulated, this is just a necessary evil we will have to deal with. :)
 

AndriaD

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I'm going to be the grumpy curmudgeon here and say.

Paragraphs, please. :facepalm:

But sorry about your bad experience. Seems for every good vape shop out there who wants to help people and have reasonable pricing, there is always one that is there to make a quick buck.

Yeah the total lack of paragraphs meant I just lightly skimmed the OP. Huge block of text is damned near impossible to read.

But at least the OP has at least one good shop nearby -- I wish I lived in that town, sounds like a place I would love!

Andria
 

DaveP

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May 22, 2010
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My local B&M has over 60 juices. There are maybe three that I would vape while I was out and waiting for the post office to deliver. Lots of them are juices that people like here on ECF. They have Vapor Hut and Suicide bunny, among others.

I may be out of the mainstream, though. My favorite juice is Dekang Tobacco. $13.99 for 50ml. It's clear with a pale yellow tint and has a nice clean flavor.
 

danfinger

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There is another shop in town, actually two of them. One of the shops is horrible and the other is my go to for quick here and now kind of stuff. The horrible one was the first shop I went to. The woman told me, when asked what her favorite juice was, that she hated vaping. The other shop, I would say the name but I'm not sure if that's allowed, is amazing. They make the juices in store, they have almost any type of device I can think of. They're tasting devices are sitting on tables in the middle of the store which makes it easy to taste. Unlike the shop I spoke of in my original post here, where I had to keep asking to taste something and waiting 2 minutes to get the tank. I can just match a flavor with a tank and slap it on the evod batteries they have on the table. I bought my iTaste there actually. Paid 30 bucks for it. Plus, they sell 30 mL bottles for 10 bucks there. Custom ratios as well. Any question I can think of, they can answer. My point here is, there is a great shop locally. So it isn't just the crap ones.

I would certainly be pointing out that good shop to the owner/operator of this new shop as 'the way to do it'. "Have you gone over to 'The Awesome Vape Store' over on Main st.? That place is a really good example of how to run a store- that's your competition." or somesuch.

Opening ANY new business is a learning process. Getting helpful advice might push them in the right direction. Who knows, maybe this new place is just a front for some underground Faberge egg black market. If that's the case then you need not bother.

It would only take a few minutes to call or email- creating a net positive for the whole community.
 

iDanieljviaiTaste

Senior Member
Verified Member
Sep 15, 2014
115
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Florence, Sc. US
Yeah the total lack of paragraphs meant I just lightly skimmed the OP. Huge block of text is damned near impossible to read.

But at least the OP has at least one good shop nearby -- I wish I lived in that town, sounds like a place I would love!

Andria

I fixed it. Sheesh. lol
 
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