Ripoff warning - Misleading smoke stik

[Vaporista]

Smoke stik was being flogged at N1 city mall on trestle tables on the run up to Xmas. They were selling one model smaller than the 4081 with plastic cartomizer for R900-00 and without any spare cartomisers. Just the starter kit...and they handed out flyers (which I have) claiming that they are not cheap chinese imports but they import from the US and the Cartomisers are made in the US. They had the US flag on their flyers.

As we all know, all components are made in China so for that company to make misleading claims and to overcharge the Public in the run up to Xmas
it's pretty odious. I will try and scan the flyer and post it here.

I don't know what model it was but when I measured it against the 4081 with cartomizer from Steven Rowley, it was tiny in comparison.

It really annoys me when some companies here are so intent on ripping of the public and making misleading and untrue claims to achieve their sales.
It's people like smoke stik South Africa that will give e-cigs a bad name and reputation.

 

[Aucorium]

The local e-cig market at the moment reminds me of those magic diet shakes a few years ago that were plastered up on street and traffic light poles, people drove past them because we knew the claims they made were unbelievable and gawd knows what ingredients they were made of, ultimately any "quality" products became invalid because of the mass of inferior products - ring any bells?

The local e-cig market is a mine field just the same, a majority of "main stream" e-cigs are rebranded cheap imports sold in chemists which dont work that well and people that buy them are back on normal cigs after their first expensive "pipe dream".

 

[stephenrowley]

This is sad, and bad for business, with regards to Diskom selling cheap e cigs, you do not want to know how many people have phoned us and complained, it really does give e cigs a bad name and rep, many of those that have bought have the belief that all e cigs are created equally, it is a shame.

 

[Doug_Dread]

Get hold of Carte Blanche Medical, a factual report on e-cigs and these rip-off artists, would make for a good programme.

Ok, nevermind, I did. Here's my programme suggestion post to Carte Blanche:

I was a smoking addict for 40 years, smoking about 25 cigarettes a day, developed emphysema and was desperate to quit, or die. I heard about electronic cigarettes, researched them on the internet and finally made my purchase in October 2009. After about 10 days of dual smoking/vaping, I stopped smoking and my deadly habit was entirely replaced by massively safer "vaping", a term for puffing on an electronic cigarette.

Personal Vapourisers (PV's), a more correct term for the devices, calling them "elecronic cigarettes" is more a marketing ploy I believe, have the potential to save lives on a huge scale and seriously impact on the numbers of people dying of smoking related illnesses, but............

As with any product, there are good ones and bad ones and there are people selling ineffective (as cheap as they can get), PV's for ludicrous prices and blatently ripping off the smoking public to make a fast buck. More seriously, the smokers who buy these ineffective PV's then believe all PV's are ineffective, give up on them and continue smoking, with the inevitable consequences.

These rip-off artists range from flea markets and trestle-table vendors in shopping centres, through internet marketing, to pharmacies, including a MAJOR pharmaceutical chain store.

Almost all of them blatantly lie about the origins, quality and effectiveness of their cheapie product in the name of a quick and exhorbitant profit from a desperate, smoking addicted public.

I believe a Carte Blanche Medical programme giving the truth about PV's and exposing the rip-off artists, could greatly enhance the health of a great many South Africans currently killing themselves by smoking, as I was.

Obviously the subject is extensive and will require much research, as a starting area, I refer you to an international electronic cigarette forum where almost everything can be learned about it and what information isn't on there, is linked there e.g. scientific research and testing (although still quite limited). The URL is: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

There is also an SA section here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/south-african-vapers/

A Carte Blanche researcher could register on the forum and get a wealth of information just by asking for it.

I hope you will consider this programme suggestion.

 

[stephenrowley]

Keep us posted on thier reply,should be interresting. They could also do one on wine sellers, when it only takes about 4 bucks to make a bottle

 

[Vaporista]

Hi Guys and Dolls.

The supplier contacted me via PM and while I can't disclose the contents of the discussion, per forum rules regarding PM's let it suffice to say If anyone is interested they can PM me.
I invite that supplier to post on this thread so we can address the issue in the open.

 

[Vaporista]

Keep us posted on thier reply,should be interresting. They could also do one on wine sellers, when it only takes about 4 bucks to make a bottle

R1,50 for Crackling

 

[Vaporista]

Should I scan and Post the Smoke Stik South Africa Flyer?

 

[stephenrowley]

If not why not...

 

[stephenrowley]

Nike shoes about R80, denim jeans you do not even want to go there

 

[Vaporista]

Smoke Stik Head Office North America (Official supplier on these forums- NOT the South African smoke stik suppliers have advised that they are taking the matter seriously and will be looking into it.
Meanwhile I urge that if you purchase a Smoke Stik branded product in South Africa that you check that you are supplied with CARTOMIZERS not CARTRIDGES and that Batteries and cartomizers are the same size as the 4081. Check on the Forums for photos of the 4081 showing size comparisons. If your Smoke stik is not the 4081 size, but smaller you've got something else. Check on the International Smoke Stik site for product information if you are unsure about the local .co.za site.
Given the general way and nature that people tend do business in South Africa especially now with regards to e-cigs and the frenzied fleecing of the consumer by quite a few rogue suppliers and distributors, one must remain open to the possibility that the Head Office Overseas doesn't necessarily endorse the sales tactics of their SA suppliers nor do they have any control over third parties selling their products. I'll keep you posted. Do your homework before buying anything. Do cost comparisons on different models and read the forums and you'll save yourself a lot of hair and maybe money down the line. But... chances are by the time you are reading this you've already made your first impulse purchases