oh B&M shops...

[Thespis]

Went to the closest b&m to get a Samsung 25r. I was told that they had been discontinued by the manufacturer, but they had the new 35 amp LG HE4. I smiled and left.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk

 

[petrotech]

I had to convince a guy one time that his batteries were not actually 60 amps...I don't think he ever believed me. hopefully he didn't blown himself up.

 

[noel18]

Went to my local B&M and met some really great fellow vapors. The staff there is very friendly and knowledgeable.

 

[DoctorJ]

went to the local B&M to get some kanthal and juice...as I was walking out, someone asked me about the MicroStick. I showed it to him, let him see my coil, etc. he then asked about the clouds...and he seemed to get very offended when I told him there was more to vaping then clouds

LOL, sounds like the 2 B&M shops we have in town. All the employees have mech mods and are constantly blowing huge clouds. It gets really funny when the "younger crowd" comes in, who all have mods as well. It seems to be a contest to see who can blow the biggest clouds. After about 15 minutes you can't see 2 feet in front of your face. I just laugh as I grab my iStick 30W with Nautilus Mini and take a hit and blow out my little cloud. They all look at me like I'm an alien in their midst

The staff of both places are constantly trying to get me to buy a mech mod. "Sorry not interested" seems to be a phrase they don't understand. I don't want the hassle of charging batteries, changing wire, wicking coils, constantly dripping juice, etc... and all that stuff that comes with them. I like filling my tank, putting my iStick on the charger and that's it!

I went to these places to meet some like-minded people and fellow vapers. Problem is, not many folks my age that vape come in and hang around and most of the crowd that does is 20-30 years younger than me. Ok, I have no problem with that, but I teach at a university and am around that age group all day. I try to get a conversation going and then they see my iStick and that's that. I'm not in the "cool crowd" blowing huge clouds and dripping my juice...seems like high school all over again

Now I just hang at home and talk to my friends that I game with online and who also vape. It was entertaining to see the clientele that hang at the local shops, just not my scene man!

 

[hashtag]

Went to my local B&M and met some really great fellow vapors. The staff there is very friendly and knowledgeable.

lol, you suck.

My local shops all leave a lot to be desired. My best experience so far locally was at a shop that sits in the back of a pawn shop, the vape shop guy wasn't in so the pawn shop guy was covering. He sold me a couple 2puffs drip tips and a bottle of juice for 15 bucks because nothing had price tags so he just guessed. It was a good 60 bucks or more worth of stuff. That doesn't make it a good shop just a one time score for me.

 

[Tmg666]

Stopped by my local vape shop for the first time in months last weekend. Noticed the owner was vaping an IPV4 with a Herakles tank. The conversation that followed went like this.

Me: Hey, how do you like that IPV4?
Him: It's awesome. Best mod I've ever had. Battery lasts forever, great hitting, I just love these things.
Me: How much are they?
Him: Oh, we don't sell them. I bought this for myself.
Me: OK then, how do you like the Herakles?
Him: LOVE it. Awesome flavor. Blows huge clouds. Coils last a long time. I've been using this same coil for 3 weeks and it's still hitting like it was brand new.
Me: How much for those?
Him: I paid $30 for it online. Not a bad deal.
Me: So you don't sell those either?
Him: No.
Me: So what you're telling me is you don't stock or sell anything that you would use yourself, and all of the good gear that you do like you don't actually stock?
Him:

Needless to say, I didn't buy anything.

Could be no ones requested that before and doesn't want to spend money on items that could sit unbought for few months, not sure on his entire store so could just be a bad owner as well.

 

[Completely Average]

Could be no ones requested that before and doesn't want to spend money on items that could sit unbought for few months, not sure on his entire store so could just be a bad owner as well.

I would describe it as an owner who had a dream but no real understanding of the business.

When the shop first opened they had a large selection of very nice gear and reasonable prices. Just what every new shop owner thinks is going to bring them success. The problem is he didn't have any established clientele, and the majority of walk-ins were people looking for starter setups which he didn't carry. After a few months he changed tactics and went to a large number of starter kits, almost no higher end gear, and the prices shot through the roof. That ran off the few regulars he did have, and most of the walk-ins were shocked by the prices. He's now in his 3rd revision having a relatively small selection of mostly mid-range gear at average prices, and trying to focus heavily on juice sales instead. He's got 4-5 mechs in stock, some regulated mods like the iSticks, Vamo, and MVPs, and coils for almost every major clearo made, but everything he sells now fits in 3 small glass cases up front that in total are no more than 5 feet wide and 2 shelves tall, and the entire rest of the shop is filled with what looked to be around 200 different bottles of juice.

There's another vape shop across the street. They've got a far better selection, but their prices are probably the highest I've ever seen anywhere. $60 for a Subtank Mini for example.

I'm not sure which will go out of business first, but I have no doubts that both will.

 

[LovesButtercups]

I have two local B&M's that I used to enjoy going to, but they've really gone down hill lately. One is full of hipster kids blowing enormous clouds, and the staff are jerks. I quit going because I was tired of paying a different price for the same size bottle of juice depending on who was ringing me up (they never had prices on anything so I guess they made it up as they went along). They also quit carrying pretty much everything except high end mods and juice. No coils, no tanks...almost bare displays except for the $$ stuff.

The other shop carries coils, tanks, good variety of batteries, etc but the last time I went in there for coils the guy at the counter laughed at me, and told me "Oh, you don't want that. You need a new setup!" OH REALLY? I said "No, thanks" and hightailed it outta there. I can understand he's trying make a living, maybe trying to do a little up-selling. However, LAUGHING at me, and TELLING me what I do or do not want is NOT the way to get my money!

 

[Tmg666]

I would describe it as an owner who had a dream but no real understanding of the business.

When the shop first opened they had a large selection of very nice gear and reasonable prices. Just what every new shop owner thinks is going to bring them success. The problem is he didn't have any established clientele, and the majority of walk-ins were people looking for starter setups which he didn't carry. After a few months he changed tactics and went to a large number of starter kits, almost no higher end gear, and the prices shot through the roof. That ran off the few regulars he did have, and most of the walk-ins were shocked by the prices. He's now in his 3rd revision having a relatively small selection of mostly mid-range gear at average prices, and trying to focus heavily on juice sales instead. He's got 4-5 mechs in stock, some regulated mods like the iSticks, Vamo, and MVPs, and coils for almost every major clearo made, but everything he sells now fits in 3 small glass cases up front that in total are no more than 5 feet wide and 2 shelves tall, and the entire rest of the shop is filled with what looked to be around 200 different bottles of juice.

There's another vape shop across the street. They've got a far better selection, but their prices are probably the highest I've ever seen anywhere. $60 for a Subtank Mini for example.

I'm not sure which will go out of business first, but I have no doubts that both will.

Start a pool to see which closes first and when and place bets at 5$ a person, winner could buy a really nice setup lol

 

[Bad Ninja]

someone had gotten me a bottle of some e juice (propaganda illuminati...which is awesome by the way) at 3 nic. I wanted to up the juice a little, normally do 6, but this juice is pretty smooth and I wanted a little more throat hit. so I asked for a bottle of 18. She asked me if I was using a "dropper". I said yes, but I was going to mix it with 3. her eyes got huge and she said, "you're gonna drop with 21 nic?!?!" I didn't even bother trying to explain...

as I was walking out, someone asked me about the MicroStick. I showed it to him, let him see my coil, etc. he then asked about the clouds...and he seemed to get very offended when I told him there was more to vaping then clouds and proceeded to tell mechs were "made for sub-ohming" and I had no business putting a 1.5 ohm coil on a mech, it just wouldn't work. I just left.

Common core math!

 

[Cullin Kin]

All of the B&M's out here charge $15+ for every 18650 they have in stock. This includes 25R's and HE2's... They charge $21 for Efest's, and $25 for Sony VTCX's. These are the prices for a single battery. Come to think of it, the mark up on every device is 100%+. The only thing that seems to sell at the same prices as online, without tax, is ejuice...

Honestly, I believe that B&M's niche is beginners. The second that any of us join a forum and see the awesome prices online, it's difficult to get us back. Unless we're desperate for some new gear or juice and cannot wait for shipping.

 

[Alien Traveler]

I've never been in B@M. My first cigalike I have bought at grocery store, everything after that - online. Have to say I hate shopping. Whatever I can to buy online I buy online.

 

[GinnyTx]

Went to my local B&M and met some really great fellow vapors. The staff there is very friendly and knowledgeable.

yeah shout out to Forever Vapes in Pearland, same here it's always a pleasure.

I've been to some others in and around town..and lets just say with minimum wage ..you get what you pay for

but for the most part..we've been lucky..I guess because of our area..but most of 'em know their stuff and are really fun places.

 

[Baditude]

One vape shop was like that here. He ran like 0.08 ohms which is stupid on a mech. He was like "you can try it" and curiosity got the best of me. NEVER again will I vape that low. I hated it haha. Anyways, they're all about sales, not about informing people.

A shop i go to often, I always hear him ask new customers about what battery or mod they'd be using a tank or atty one. He cares about safety. He's one of the best employees I've ever seen at a shop. I've seen him sit down with someone on the couch for an hour explaining ohms law and battery safety. Every question a beginner could ask, was asked that day to the employee by one person. The employee even let the new guy try out his own personal mods with a different drip tip. From sub ohm tanks, a nautilus mini, to regulated to devices and RDAs. Everything he had in the backpack of his he offered to let the guy try to see what he liked.

That last employee sounded like myself. I worked for a vape shop in 2014. I usually carried my entire vape collection in my vape bag, and would often pull out something from the bag to demonstrate how it looked and vaped. I'd often allow them to try it out with their own drip tip or use a disposeable mouthpiece.

I was a big believer in educating customers, especially concerning battery safety, and mechanical vs regulated mods for beginners. One new customer was sitting at the sample bar and I struck up a conversation. He said he just got his new mech mod and RBA. Always curious, I asked what ohm coil he was using. He didn't know. I measured it with my own ohm reader and it read 0.2 ohms. I then asked what battery he was using, again he didn't know. I took it out and it was the pink Samsung, an ICR battery with less than 4 amps continuous. I told him that was the WRONG BATTERY to use, he needed an IMR battery or he would blow up his battery with that low of ohm coil. I convinced him to purchase a Sony but he didn't have the money to buy an ohm reader.

My preferred vaping device was/is a Provari, but since the shop didn't sell those I had to use something the shop sold. They sold Silver Bullet mechanicals so I used the one I owned while in the shop.

 

[AndriaD]

You're gonna run into idiots where ever you go. And the shop owner really shouldn't have an employee that can't do simple math no matte what spot she's in. If she's his representation for his business, he will end up in a tight spot with her.

Hmm... I'm not sure it really is simple math -- just a failure to comprehend the concept that mixing things results in averaging, not adding. My husband thought the same thing, but fortunately I was already familiar with it from mixing my own fertilizers for different types of plants. He's actually somewhat better at math than I am, but concepts... not so much.

But I agree with you that someone who doesn't get that, is not the best person to be working where ejuice is sold -- they need to understand the product completely, if they're to advise and sell appropriately. If their job is simply to ring up sales, then they shouldn't be opening their mouths about anything to do with the product.

Andria

 

[juggler86]

He ran like 0.08 ohms which is stupid .

If you know what youre doing it isnt stupid. Some 650 have pulses of 60a and the pulse is ALOT longer then you will hit. Ya its better to build higher on a reg. device, but that wasnt always an option. It was never the norm, but i remember the how low could you go time and dont remember many accidents especially from people who understood what they were doing.

I havent looked into a mod in a bit(month), so are there regulated firjng this low? I know TC mods will go low, but the lowest i seen kanthal go was .1(i dont get that, with power)

 

[VictorViper]

Small victories. Long one, indulge me a moment.

In early May, my mech's locking mechanism fused (in locked position) due to 2 years of abuse. I was at a friend's place at the time and had only just finally managed to get back on the vape wagon full-time, so this was a problem.

Happily, he lives across the street from a (well known, unknown to me) vape shop. Score! This shop had a range of starter kits for way too much, so I grabbed their last Tobecco Manhattan clone hiding behind everything - it was the cheapest option that would fire my RDA. I noticed inconsistent firing right away, but had walked in 5 minutes before closing. No biggie, will call tomorrow. It was just a bent positive pin.

Now, I won't carry on about the entire exchange since I had to write extensively about it already, but the treatment I got from the store manager when told about the defect was so infuriating that it lead to my first ever complaint with the BBB. Yes, over a part that would cost them a few cents. I would have waited for a replacement part happily. No dice. No nothing. On our third unsuccessful exchange I advised the manager to *ahem* up a rope and to expect a BBB agent to be in touch.

I was not balking. Three days later the defective pin fell out and got lost during a battery change while out and about. File was updated accordingly. 27 days after that, no response, second attempt from BBB for resolution.

When I lodged my complaint, the company was BBB accredited. I checked the status this afternoon and now they are NOT. I'm certain that's not solely due to my actions (my case is still open), but I do feel vindicated knowing that while this was not the first time they screwed over a customer, some action has been taken to hopefully make me the last.

 

[SleeZy]

Reading all of this, it almost makes me happy that we don't have any B&M shops around here...

Internet is my friend.

 

[lovemytank]

I visit new shops every week since I travel too much. Most shops are pleasant with only a few being epic. Lets not let the cancer grow too much, we are still in the wild west here folks.

 

[genelbc]

That's pretty cool of them. The vape shops near me are just good at selling 3 year old mvps at twice the retail price.

The first shop i tried here does the same thing. Mvps are like 85 bucks there. And the people suck as well. The kind that think they are better than everyone