spreading the word

[fray]

I started vaping about a week and a half ago. I have had 3 anologs in that time (and they taste gross to me now so I put them all out about 1/2 way through). A lot of people in my life smoke so I have been telling them all about vaping. I even bought 510 starter kits and passed them out to my family members and close friends who smoke.

I found some local retailers that sell pvs and accessories. I am disturbed on the mark up on price and the misinformation they are telling people. I was almost out of e-liquid so I stopped by a tobacco store that had some. They had 5ml bottles for $14. The women at the store told me that it would not work with my eGo and that I should buy one of their cheapo starter kits for $69.99. When i confronted her about it she said that her boss told her to say that and she has no idea how it works.

I am trying to figure out a way I can educate people locally on these scams and help them, but I am at a loss.

Anyone noticed this in your area and have any ideas?

 

[RicksBeach]

It will probably take a little while for the e-cig business to shake out...until then people will sell nasty juice and poorly designed products and they will big profits from doing so. Soon you will see places that specialize in these vaporizers and they will only sell quality stuff at a fair price but this could take a few years.

 

[toddos]

You could try talking to the smoke shop owner(s) and see if they would be open to you demonstrating your PV to them. Most smoke shops are still primarily tobacco-based, and if they have an e-cig stuff at all it's usually a very small selection and mostly for show. Show the owner how it works, let them try different flavors, hand out supplier business cards, etc.

As far as prices go, I don't think you're going to have much luck there. Smoke shop customers are used to very high prices thanks to the abundance of sin taxes on analog tobacco products. As such, $14 for 5mL of juice probably seems reasonable to them. Obviously you should buy most of your supplies online, and only use the smoke shop for dire circumstances (out of juice, next shipment won't arrive for another day or two).

Of course if you can find a receptive smoke shop owner who's willing to listen, can hook them up with a good bulk supplier, help them sort out realistic prices, and show them that there's a sufficient number of local vapers that they can actually make money selling this stuff, that would be awesome. I'd kill for a vape-friendly smoke shop with knowledgeable employees, a large selection, and reasonable prices.

 

[JudgeVape]

It will be a tough sell for your typical tobacconist to embrace vaping with any real enthusiasm. In some ways, they are contradictory markets. PVs represent yet another nail in the coffin of his/her business and many would probably be very happy for them to become outlawed.

Now, a tobacconist who had some foresight might be tempted to jump into the market with both feet, recognizing a way to transition his business into sustained profitability, most especially since it is likely that he/she has no real local competition in this arena at all, other than the 7-11s selling the overpriced Joyes. The problem there is that there is still some uncertainty about the future legality of these devices, both at state and Federal levels. Recent court decisions have been favorable, yes, but the battle is not won yet.

 

[Numevexo]

Good advice from toddos.
I've been buying tobacco for my "make em yourself" cig machine for the last 2 years. Now that I'm switching over to vaping, I've asked the smoke shop owner if he would stock some e-juice. I was surprised that he said yes, and more surprised when I saw that he actually did it. After talking to him, he said that I was the 4th or 5th person to ask about it(small town), but he's also concerned that if it catches on, it might take away from his tobacco sales. He now has six flavors of Dekang(no e-cigs), so now I know if I'm in a pinch, I've got a source of e-juice to fall back on.

 

[toddos]

he's also concerned that if it catches on, it might take away from his tobacco sales.

This is the part that I don't quite get. Someone buying juice isn't going to be buying tobacco products. If he doesn't carry the product, he will have lost the customer anyway. Having the stuff might convince some analog smokers to try it, but that person is still a customer and will probably be a more profitable one. The amount of money tobacconists make on analogs is not really all that much. 50% or more of the price of a pack of analogs goes to taxes, so the shop is probably only seeing $2 profit per $10 pack sale. If they buy juice in bulk for $2-3 per 5mL and sell it at a reasonable markup like $5-6, they'll actually make more money per sale.

 

[texasgranny]

It will be a tough sell for your typical tobacconist to embrace vaping with any real enthusiasm. In some ways, they are contradictory markets. PVs represent yet another nail in the coffin of his/her business and many would probably be very happy for them to become outlawed.

Now, a tobacconist who had some foresight might be tempted to jump into the market with both feet, recognizing a way to transition his business into sustained profitability, most especially since it is likely that he/she has no real local competition in this arena at all, other than the 7-11s selling the overpriced Joyes. The problem there is that there is still some uncertainty about the future legality of these devices, both at state and Federal levels. Recent court decisions have been favorable, yes, but the battle is not won yet.

I totally agree!!

 

[zombienerd]

My local Cigarette shop carries Njoy products, but charges more than the 7-11 does for the same thing. It is a good emergency backup though.

I have recently started evangelizing Vaping. I'm trying to convert all the analog smokers I know... I find most of them quite skeptical, but them seeing me doing it everywhere helps.

 

[IOU]

I think we will see more and more supplies readily available as the industry grows and hopefully less scams out there. This is if the FDA and BT stay out of it.

 

[Allyn]

I think we will see more and more supplies readily available as the industry grows and hopefully less scams out there. This is if the FDA and BT stay out of it.

There is one sure way to get the FDA to back off. Tax the juice. If the federal gov. and the state govs. were making a buck off the sale of every bottle of juice the FDA wouldn't dare put a crimp in the cash flow. Has anyone thought of mentioning taxing juice to their congressman? The taxes could be based on the total amount of niccotine in the package. I.E. 10ml of 24mg juice would cost more than 10ml of 18mg juice.

Allyn

 

[Zeroi]

You are right. But is not 50% tax in singapore. Singapore is selling $11.40 for a pack of 20 sticks and the pack already include 7% GST. I think is more than your 50%. I believe that maybe let the government tax the 500% on my 2dollar liquid 10ml and I think that will be great. Win win situation.
Maye if I selling, I just earn 2 dollars and so people still get it cheap and legally? Anyway don't understand why government if they want to tax nicotine?
Will they tax tomoto?

This is the part that I don't quite get. Someone buying juice isn't going to be buying tobacco products. If he doesn't carry the product, he will have lost the customer anyway. Having the stuff might convince some analog smokers to try it, but that person is still a customer and will probably be a more profitable one. The amount of money tobacconists make on analogs is not really all that much. 50% or more of the price of a pack of analogs goes to taxes, so the shop is probably only seeing $2 profit per $10 pack sale. If they buy juice in bulk for $2-3 per 5mL and sell it at a reasonable markup like $5-6, they'll actually make more money per sale.

 

[Bmays]

I'm personally a little worried about all this "ban" stuff. I've only been vaping for 2 weeks ( lurking for auite some time ) and I've since converted a friend of mine and working on others. However, I do not want to convert people, only for them to find out they have something thats "banned". Whats the deal folks/ Should I be worried, or is this all going to fade away???

 

[IOU]

Bmays
I'm personally a little worried about all this "ban" stuff. I've only been vaping for 2 weeks ( lurking for auite some time ) and I've since converted a friend of mine and working on others. However, I do not want to convert people, only for them to find out they have something thats "banned". Whats the deal folks/ Should I be worried, or is this all going to fade away???

I think we all are, and we all wish we knew the answer to that question....

 

[Zeroi]

I think the world is changing and you and I know that e-cig have help you quit tobacco. Why do you want to hide the truth like the government? You don't want to be self-fish right? I regretted that I never find this Janty eGo earlier and maybe I could have let him quit rather than letting him smoke to get lung cancer. I meant my uncle.
Yes you can be worried but think about this that this is not like asking them to take another brand of tobacco. Everyday in Singapore, I saw different brands of cheap tobacco from 6.7 to marlboro 11.8 SGD. government just have to keep selling them. So what is it with the Pg liquid with nicotine they are going to banned? They can't control our device, as there is no tobacco leaves neither does it look like one.

I think we all are, and we all wish we knew the answer to that question....

 

[throatkick]

I think we all are, and we all wish we knew the answer to that question....

a prediction here.....I repeat a prediction.........
E-cigs allowed and encouraged like mad. Hardware prices will remain similar and even drop. E-liquid will be banned/taxed/heavily regulated. They will forced people to buy some new type of carto that will be sealed and deliver a predetermined amount of nic and it will cost $$$. This juice buying stuff as we know it today will be dead. Prediction....I repeat prediction......