Pricing Question

[MattB101]

Anybody have any input on what the difference between online prices and "brick & mortar" pricing should be? I have a friend that's new to vaping. I got him hooked up with a mid level setup via the vendors here and he was extremely happy with the pricing. He is using eGo batteries and has now hooked up a friend of his as well. His friend broke his battery and so they went to the new brick and mortar store here in town. They we flat out amazed at the prices! They wanted $40 for an eGo 650MaH battery. Not VV, Not Pass Through, just a plain battery. A started kit with 2 eGo 650, 2 Smoke Tanks (the $9 type) and 2 cartos as well as 5ml of juice was $200. Since it's the only physical store around I have nothing to compare it to. Are these prices reasonable for Brick and Mortar?

Sent while sitting on my .... in my living room vaping away!

 

[jimmyh]

I would check out the sponsors here. Way too much. The first place I looked up I can get that battery for 16.50, My local store is more than the sponsors here.

 

[Absintheur]

This is why I advise people who talk about opening a B&M not to do it unless they have 150K or so in hand. Sounds like the store you visited doesn't have the cash to buy wholesale so they are buying from retail online vender then trying to double their money. As you noted folks will shy away from those prices and shop online. From wholesalers cartos are well under a buck each, eGos are 6-7 buck, etc. Of course yo have to buy in minimum sized lots so cash up front is needed. Also a B&M really needs a hook, specialty items that can't be found online except through them and a line of custom juices.

 

[tidegirl]

We now have 2 B&M stores, and both are way overpriced. I think some of the trusted vendors here who have stores probably have comparable pricing, but others, not so much. I can't knock them, though. If it weren't for my local store's commercial I never would have considered vaping. And there is something to be said for being able to try before you buy, as most anyone here with piles of nasty juice will tell you. But now that I know the scoop, I stick mainly with online purchases and DIY juice.

My overpriced ego kit got me off the cigs (mostly), so I consider it worth the price. But luckily I found ecf just a few days later.

 

[tj99959]

From day one I have bought 99% of my vaping stuff from a local brick & mortar. Their products are the same price in store as they are on line, with the exception of other vendors exclusive products (like the Provari and Silver Bullet) that they carry as a convenience for locals only.
So I guess it depends on the b&m, and if they sell on line as well as in the store.

 

[Amish Ed]

My B&M is right in line with online vendors for the most part. Some parts might be a little more, some less. I only buy online what he doesn't carry.

 

[MattBott]

IMO, for a brick and mortar store to have a viable business, they need to buy in bulk and also sell online.

 

[grandmato5]

My local brick and mortar, RW Vapors, has very reasonable price. Some may be a bit more then what I can find searching online but I also see a lot of online prices from other vendors that are more then what he is charging in the store. He also does sell online.

There certainly is more overhead to having a storefront which only makes it reasonable IMO that prices may sometimes be a bit more then can be found online but the prices your friends encountered aren't in any way reasonable for a storefront.