online vs brick and mortar shop

[Abec82]

I've tried a few electric cigarettes, the disposables (square82, krave, blu) as well as rechargeable (GSL, Volcano [Volcano, Magma, Inferno], Joyetech) and tried different ways of vaping (carto, tank, dripping). I have done some research online in forums that are helping me to get to the system ideal for me and before i made any online purchases. something must be said about a brick and mortar shop though.
Checked out the spot here in the LA that deals with vaping and as informative as the forums are, part of me wishes i checked the place out before i proceeded to make any purchase because they gave me the option to try a variety of products that they carry, both the juices as well as e-cig system.
Granted, the prices are higher than from an online store for an entire kit, but I can't say for sure that I totally wouldn't get the full eGo kit if i didn't have any of the batteries and other part yet because the personal interaction, hands (and mouth) on demo was what justified the higher selling price due to overhead costs.

what's your experience? less expensive online purchase or significantly more expensive with included sampling and trial of gear

which one would you go with?

thanks
Abe (4 weeks tobacco smoke free, nothing but vape

 

[Muramasa]

Well we don't have a shop over here in my location (due to bans from good ol' higher ups) BUT IF theres a store, i will go with stores if i'm a first time buyer but seeing that u have tried those different models mentioned and stuff, i will go online with reputable vendors. Theres a lot more mods on the clouds and u can get different things from different places all infront of ur pc. So why not? One thing to note though is the lag time for shipping. You do not want to run low on supplies when ur next shipment is 1 week down the road. Its a tough wait lol. (Check out the online vendors in ECF. Most of them are pretty good. Be sure to also read the negative comments on some suppliers. You might wanna avoid those.)
End note: First timers = shop (not referring to kiosk. Rather shop online by doing some research than kiosk). Experienced user = online. My
Vape on!~

 

[CCC]

That sounds ineresting. Nic juice is not available in Australia for sale, so we have to buy online, a juice bar/shop would be awsome, so you could try them first and save some money that way.

 

[bigtiime]

I use online shops as well as a B&M that is local to my home. As was said above, sometimes having a knowledgeable person to talk to and being able to see the hardware and test juices (bring a drip tip) is very helpful. Our local shop is a "lounge" type atmosphere where you can go, plug in your passthrough (if you use them), talk with other vapers, watch TV or play a video game. Very social and enjoyable.

 

[tj99959]

I have a brick & mortar store 5 minutes from my house, and I make it a point to go in and "annoy" them about once a week.
I just feel that it is very much to my advantage that their business grows and prospers, so I will gladly pay a buck or two more for the convenience factor if nothing else.

 

[wfx]

I have a brick & mortar store 5 minutes from my house, and I make it a point to go in and "annoy" them about once a week.
I just feel that it is very much to my advantage that their business grows and prospers, so I will gladly pay a buck or two more for the convenience factor if nothing else.

so jealous. i'd kill for a local supplier. thanks for supporting them. i've even 'harrassed' some shops around here to see if they are willing to diversify. why the tobacco shops are reticent in particular mystifies me.

prices and options are excellent online, but aesthetics are everything. to fairly evaluate the myriad options you really need to see them in action.

 

[TUC]

There is a B&M shop a little over an hour away from me that I make a point to visit when I can. You are absolutely right about the "hands on", and the fact you are able to try different juices before purchasing. The issue with the shop near me is...they only carry certain items. I purchase what I can through them, and even order over the phone at times.

Other items, I am relegated to ordering online.

 

[NWDragonfly]

I would prefer a local shop, support your local biz. Don't have to wait for a mail order, possibly not knowing what you're really getting. I went to an E-cig shop while visiting family(2 1/2 hrs away) and it was nice to talk to someone who knew alot about the products and actually used them himself.

 

[panachronic]

I love my local vape shop, and the owner is a friend of a friend so I have that much more reason to support them. Trouble is, they make just a little bit more money from me than I would like. I vape pretty heavily, so I spend maybe $80/month on juice (at their prices). I need to knock that down a little, so I'm about to start mixing my own juice.

But it is great to be able to run down and grab something rather than wait for mail order.

 

[Off Topic]

Besides the crappy convenience store special, the nearest B&M store is a 3 hour drive(one way) for me.

 

[Batsu]

i just recently got access to the B&N vape shop experience. and honestly, ill buy local if i can. there is a place about an hour from me where i can get custom mixed juice and sample it before i commit to a whole bottle... that in it's self makes the small markup worth not having a bottle of juice i hate. also being able to sample hardware before spending a bunch of money, not waiting for shipping, and having a cool place you can hang out with other vapers and relax is also nice.

 

[hairball]

There is a vendor about an hour or so drive from me that I visited one time. Sorry won't go back. He mixed juice in his basement and the conditions weren't so clean. I left without buying anything. It was interesting to see someone's "lab". He isn't a registered supplier on here but has a website.

If there was a decent vendor close, I would pay a little more just because of the advantages. Being able to try something before you buy is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[yzer]

I couldn't find any local shops that sold mods like the E-Power 14650 I purchased from Hoosier. I called the tobacco shops and head shops. That was a no-go.no go, all that they stocked were the little cig-sized units I didn't want, the same stuff they sell at the quicky marts and gas stations.

 

[katann23]

I'm lucky to have a Volcano lounge/supplier about ten minutes from my house, it was great in a pinch when I was running low on juice, and the juice I got is divine.

That being said, I really think I can find a larger selection of flavors online, so while I'll support my local business as much as I can, I'll still probably use some online vendors for more diversity.

 

[simplyme82]

I would love a local shop that allowed me to try a few juices before I committed. Would also be great to check out some new hardware. I believe there is one near L.A. which is about 1:30 from me, but probably takes close to 4 hours with all the traffic.

 

[zellps2]

very nice!!!!! its good to hear good things

 

[Trucapri]

I made the two hour round-trip to a local B&M shop today. I won't go back. This was a nice shop. The vendor IS registered on this site. That's how I found out about it. I'd like to think it was just the particular employee that was working alone, but even then, one visit was enough. I may be up in years in this young man's eyes, and I may be new at vaping (3 weeks) although I did not say so, but I'm not stupid, nor do I appreciate a business that is more interested in interrogating me on where I've been purchasing my hardware than they are in showing me more options and giving me information. . . in other words, customer service. Upon seeing my 510 in hand he stated they had a lot better than that. I proceeded to tell him I was happy with my system but was interested in learning more about it and accessories for it. He wanted to know where I got it . . . I wouldn't tell him. He wanted to know how much I paid for my batteries. I did tell him and he asked if they were stolen! I took out my USB cord to ask for charging station / PCC options and he instantly said "That's not for a 510, that's for an Ego". It went downhill even further from there. I spent a little money for some cartos, etc. and left very unsatisfied. He locked up and was out the door before I could get in the car (3.5 hours before closing time). BTW, I had to stand outside on the sidewalk when I got there waiting for him to come out from the back to unlock the door.

I've learned a great deal on this site and from my regular distributor, local but not with a store front to visit at will, and with all other things, on-line or B&M will vary according to what you're looking for and your success in finding it!

This has been my experience . . . Happy shopping and happy vaping!!!!!

 

[tigerlily]

I am very fortunate to have a local store nearby. It's nice to be able to actually go in and talk to the folks that work there and see customers there that are new to vaping and share my experience with them. The employees there are very friendly and helpful. They aren't anything like the experience described by the previous poster. Their prices are pretty much the same as any of the online shops I frequent. I will always buy the supplies I need there if they carry them in the shop because I like the idea of supporting a local business.

That being said, there are certain things that I prefer to buy elsewhere, juices in particular. The local store carries pg juices and I personally prefer a pg/vg mixture.

 

[alanselo]

I use online shops as well as a B&M that is local to my home. As was said above, sometimes having a knowledgeable person to talk to and being able to see the hardware and test juices (bring a drip tip) is very helpful. Our local shop is a "lounge" type atmosphere where you can go, plug in your passthrough (if you use them), talk with other vapers, watch TV or play a video game. Very social and enjoyable.

Wow! Best of 3 worlds. Lucky you. You can't beat the hands on experience, though for the most part I think they are few and far between for most of us. I have never been to a b&m shop, yet. I have gone to the mall kiosk for an emergency visit and had my first exposure there. Generally speaking they are a rip off and I base that on numerous mall kiosks I have visited throughout the country. I would guess the b&m shops are not anything like mall kiosks.

 

[theleftsucks]

I hate not being able to sample any of the juices before buying them. Also trying to figure out which combination, of all the cartimizers, atomizers, tanks, all that stuff. and which way to go from the start would have saved me tons of money also!