Should "Big Box" Retailers Sell eCig Supplies?

[SpinDr480]

Heck yes.

Of course the selection will be minimal. And specialty stuff non-existent. And all the juice will be old/stale. But at least it will give people without a B&M near them a place to go to for emergency supplies. And the general public (who...believe it or not does not frequent ECF ) will have exposure to e-cigs.

However, I'm afraid that it will be only pre-filled cartos and super-mini only. That's not the best. Still something, but...the pre-filled cartos are just nasty IMHO.

I'd settle for having protected 14500's and IMR 18650's available somewhere common.

Actually, I didn't think of that but some 18650's would be nice, as well as a 18350 for me...A charger as well.

 

[SouthernBliss]

Walmart will carry what ever they think will make them the most money in the shortest amount of time. Since they continue to expand the number and types of e-cigs they carry at murphy I expect they are seeing a fair return already. I know my local muphys is giving over almost as much wall space to ecigs as the regular cigs at this point. If they will move to blister packed egos and liquids depends on people writing the company and asking for them and if they can find a good manufacturing company that will make them money. I doubt that company will be dekang. But would not be surprised to see one some brand to go with the playboy ego's and what ever "name" brand branches out into them next.

Be interesting if down the road we see designer name ecigs as places like target along with limited edition flavors.

 

[patkin]

The Eroll kit would be the perfect big box product. Everyone slams Walmart already for carrying China-made products so why not the Joye Eroll and Dekang? I agree, they're going to carry what sells.

 

[Penn]

Walmart will carry what ever they think will make them the most money in the shortest amount of time. Since they continue to expand the number and types of e-cigs they carry at murphy I expect they are seeing a fair return already. I know my local muphys is giving over almost as much wall space to ecigs as the regular cigs at this point. If they will move to blister packed egos and liquids depends on people writing the company and asking for them and if they can find a good manufacturing company that will make them money. I doubt that company will be dekang. But would not be surprised to see one some brand to go with the playboy ego's and what ever "name" brand branches out into them next.

Be interesting if down the road we see designer name ecigs as places like target along with limited edition flavors.

Really? Athens has that many vapers? Do they have any good shops with more advanced gear? I live closer to there as I do to the Vapelooza site so I wouldn't mind going there to check out some gear in a B&M. (In intend to hit vapelooza tomorrow regardless of the drive) It would be better than a drive to Alpharetta, which I think that is the furthest east in the Atlanta metro for and actual vape shop.

Back to the question - If vaping continue in popularity box stores will eventually carry eGo (or whatever will be equivalent at that time) and liquid but not high end stuff, I believe. I don't see there ever being enough turnover of product for MVP or Provari.

 

[patkin]

I agree... don't know how long but I have not doubt all the stores currently carrying tobacco products will also carry ecigs other than disposables and will have more small kits/setups. Like anything else, including clothing, big boxes will carry the less expensive, high volume, items. If you want something outside that you'll have to find a boutique.

 

[SouthernBliss]

Vaping is just now catching on here to be honest. One of the smoke shops sells the blister packed ego with a clearo and murphy's has about a half dozen brands of the disposables and 501's with carts. I did see a large blister pack on their wall but the place was slammed so I didn't get a chance to ask what was in it. No vape shop as such yet. The boys think I should change that though.

 

[Vapor Vinny]

The return rate on those items would be insane. From DOA materials to just plain ignorance. It would be a nightmare.

 

[Barbara21]

<snip>
Be interesting if down the road we see designer name ecigs as places like target along with limited edition flavors.

Hmm, this would be interesting.

People also have to remember that many of us live in places with no MomAndPop vapor stores available. The nearest one to me is about 25 minutes away and just opened recently. (10 mL unvapable 'basic' juice for $7.99). The next nearest is close to an hour away. I go into a WalMart maybe once a year but I'd like it if they had basic supplies (cig-a-likes, ego batteries, and basic clearos/cartos) available at reasonable prices.

And if a MomAndPop store opened up that had decent juices (that I could sample first), I'd be more than happy to patronize them. Just being able to sample stuff is a huge advantage, along with being able to talk to someone who knows what they're talking about. I have no source of information other than this forum (and that can be confusing at times).

 

[Mountain_Rain96]

The return rate on those items would be insane. From DOA materials to just plain ignorance. It would be a nightmare.

That is so true, and I have an appropriate anecdote to go along with that. Long story short, I was talking to an aunt of mine a few weeks ago, after a family member's funeral. There were four of us standing outside, in the funeral home parking lot. My aunt had smoked for as long as I can remember (and I'm turning 50 tomorrow), and I was shocked when she reached into her purse, pulled out a cigalike, and started vaping it. Just a couple of minutes later, it crapped out on her, and she started complaining about it. I asked her if I could look at it, she said "sure", and I saw that it was a 21stCentury brand that you can buy at Rite-Aid. I've even tried those myself, early on in my vaping journey. They're complete junk, by the way, probably even worse than Blu, if you can wrap your head around that. My batteries didn't even last three weeks. That wasn't a typo...not even 3 weeks. On their official website they sell batteries in packages of 10 (or at least they did), so that itself speaks volumes about the quality of their products.

Anyway, I handed it back to her, then pulled my 650 Spinner with an iClear16 out of my shirt pocket, did my thing, and a couple of seconds later everyone there was "ooohhhhing" and "aaahhhhing" at the clouds of vapor they saw. My aunt, and two other smokers present asked to try it, and I showed them how to use it. They coughed...but said that that was impressive, considering it wasn't a real cigarette. When they asked where I got mine, I told them, and they seemed to lose interest when I told them that you have to order them online most of the time, since vape shops are kind of rare. And then, every smoker present started saying that they would still rather have one that that "looks like a real cigarette." My aunt then started complaining about the quality of the cigalike she had, by saying, and I quote, "I don't know what's wrong with this thing, I have to charge it 4 or 5 times a DAY!"

I didn't even bother to reply. They had all seemed to lose interest anyway, since mine didn't 'look like a cigarette'.

In an amusing side note, another one of my aunts, that same day, 'accused me' me of still smoking. Even after I tried to explain it to her. Some people are just beyond help.

 

[patkin]

Eroll. Ask em if chewing nic gum would still be smoking.

 

[crawler65]

I don't have time to read through the entire thread right now (at work) so forgive me if this has been covered.
I think it would be great, if for no other reason than this: it would increase awareness and legitimacy of vaping in the eyes of the general public and law makers. Shepole tend to fear, then criticize, then BAN/OUTLAW what they don't know or understand. The more mainstream and common vaping becomes, the better it will be for all of us IMHO.