Suckers

[nicowolf]

Amen, Nothing is stopping anyone from coming up with a better product and selling it for cheaper though.

True that. My brain is always working on the ecig problem in the background. It has become my puzzle to keep my mind occupied. Maybe an idea will present itself to one of us that solves the inherent problems with these things. Maybe some manufacturer will listen to our pleas for a device that works, perhaps even one that doesn't look like the cigarette - that is probably what it will require - and make a really good device at a reasonable price and make it readily available.

 

[nicowolf]

I still hold out hope since some of them have been working on a few of the issues. The addict in me wants it all and wants it NOW and wants it for free. The realist in me says it will take a few years.

 

[equazcion]

I am willing to pay the price for the lack of annoyance.

That's fine that you're willing. I'm willing too. We're all willing, because we have no real choice. Unless you want to import the products yourself or forgo the hobby entirely, you have no choice but to deal with resellers. The only resellers available are the ones who charge the insane markup.

Back around the turn of the century in America people also had a choice. They could pay exorbitant amounts of money for something like butter, because certain companies had cornered the market on butter and driven the price up -- or they could make their own butter. But it sucks to make your own butter, and you shouldn't be forced to just because the people selling it have you trapped.

I'm not saying e-cig resellers are trusts. There are a few of them that can compete for our business, so they don't fit the definition. But they are doing something similar. They are taking advantage.

I'm not trying to get everyone to stop buying. I'm just saying something out loud that may have been on the tips of many people's tongues. The pure happiness I've seen with regard to e-cigs is just a little -- just a LITTLE -- undeserved. This is a sucky situation is certain regards. That is all.

 

[SuperStack]

There is a lot of room available in the marketplace for semi-bulk resellers I think.

It would be a business that caters to long-term users (not new ones) who already know exactly what they want, and it would provide better pricing on products sold in reasonable sized lots.

No minimum order, basically a bridge between something like CentraTrade and a run-of-the-mill e-cig biz with high markups.

Juice would be sold in 250ml - 500ml - 1.2kg sizes or whatnot.

Customer support would be prompt, basic, no-frills for billing/shipping issues only.

That's what's badly needed here in North America.

 

[flocktexture]

That's fine that you're willing. I'm willing too. We're all willing, because we have no real choice. Unless you want to import the products yourself or forgo the hobby entirely, you have no choice but to deal with resellers. The only resellers available are the ones who charge the insane markup.

Back around the turn of the century in America people also had a choice. They could pay exorbitant amounts of money for something like butter, because certain companies had cornered the market on butter and driven the price up -- or they could make their own butter. But it sucks to make your own butter, and you shouldn't be forced to just because the people selling it have you trapped.

I'm not saying e-cig resellers are trusts. There are a few of them that can compete for our business, so they don't fit the definition. But they are doing something similar. They are taking advantage.

I'm not trying to get everyone to stop buying. I'm just saying something out loud that may have been on the tips of many people's tongues. The pure happiness I've seen with regard to e-cigs is just a little -- just a LITTLE -- undeserved. This is a sucky situation is certain regards. That is all.

So what are you saying that because it sucks to make your own "butter" that a lower price should be forced upon them ...I have to say thats bull**** the price will drop when competition drives the price down. I say stop whining and do something...

 

[equazcion]

So what are you saying that because it sucks to make your own "butter" that a lower price should be forced upon them...

I don't believe I said anything like that...

 

[nicowolf]

I feel much the same way - trapped. My addiction to nicotine has had me trapped for 25 years now. I can get out of the trap if I would just let go of the nicotine, but something in me just won't. My addiction has been taken advantage of all along. The big tobacco companies made lots of money from us. Big pharmaceutical companies made big bucks on my many attempts to quit smoking. The government has made a small fortune on all the taxes they put on my cigs so they could build stadiums and arenas I will not frequent because I cannot smoke in them. In the end, the healthcare industry will make a mint on my healthcare costs from emphysema. It seems the only one not making money on my addiction is me. I still have the option of going cold turkey if I don't want to pay all these people. I just can't bring myself to do it, so I remain trapped, but in a slightly less harmful trap.

 

[spyderuk]

I can't belive it's not butter!

Seriously though, I take you are talking about the smokingeverywhere type of outfits right? The ones that charge around $160 for a rebranded super mini and 20 carts and say that a cart is like 20-30 cigs? If so you have a valid point.

As others have posted, if your talking about most suppliers in general I would suggest you look into it a bit more and decide for yourself if you could offer all the users what you would like for yourself.

Good luck with your business venture. I do hope your shipping cost's to the UK are nice and cheap too.

 

[flocktexture]

I'm just saying drop some money and do something about it go through the hassle of running products from china..Some of this markup is what someones time is worth to do all that. Whatever it may be. when i do custom artwork for decals i tac on 30$ a hour for my time...Seems like you .....ing just because you know the markup..

 

[equazcion]

I can't belive it's not butter!

Seriously though, I take you are talking about the smokingeverywhere type of outfits right? The ones that charge around $160 for a rebranded super mini and 20 carts and say that a cart is like 20-30 cigs? If so you have a valid point.

...Good luck with your business venture.

Nah, if I were talking about Smoking Everywhere, I would've said 750% markup.

Who says I'm starting a business? I'm just stating that the situation sucks, not that I'm planning to do something about it. But that is a thought.

 

[nicowolf]

Doh, I had forgotten about those monsters with the kiosks at the mall. They get away with it because no one else is out there introducing this stuff to the general public. They are selling to the completely uneducated people who are out looking for a way to spend their money. People don't find out until they get home and google electronic cigarettes that they got ripped off. Once the word gets out, these guys will either disappear or get their act together.

 

[flocktexture]

Doh, I had forgotten about those monsters with the kiosks at the mall. They get away with it because no one else is out there introducing this stuff to the general public. They are selling to the completely uneducated people who are out looking for a way to spend their money. People don't find out until they get home and google electronic cigarettes that they got ripped off. Once the word gets out, these guys will either disappear or get their act together.

Why are they monsters because they sell to the average consumer who didn't educate themselves on a product. With that logic best buy is a monster because i can find it cheaper at newegg... come on people it's a free market.

 

[equazcion]

...come on people it's a free market.

Oh boy, here we go with the "free market" crap...

 

[nicowolf]

Honestly, they are monsters because they are doing something I wouldn't do for ethical reasons. I wouldn't want that on my conscience. I don't take action against them because it is a free market and they have every right to do what they are doing. I, on the other hand, have the right to speak against them, to educate people around me, and to spend my money elsewhere.

 

[equazcion]

Swanee is from the "the fact that you can take advantage of someone means there's no reason not to" school. I'll have to leave that as a difference of opinion.

 

[flocktexture]

No i have no problem with educating people about suppliers faults, but to say because someone is charging more than others that makes them worthy of name calling is terrible

 

[jarvis]

Hehe, I'll call names.. People who mark up the same generics tripple what they are worth are dogs.

 

[flocktexture]

It's all personal opinions we could also say consumers who impulse buy with no research are idiots and deserve what they get. I don't like these suppliers either but in the us they have every right to conduct business..

This all really started with a consumer who was unhappy complaining about the markup on a product that does not seem to be extremely gouged by most of the sellers

 

[nicowolf]

It's all personal opinions we could also say consumers who impulse buy with no research are idiots and deserve what they get. I don't like these suppliers either but in the us they have every right to conduct business...

And, in this wonderful free country of ours we have every right to call them the spades that they are.

 

[nicowolf]

I could have called them MUCH harsher names, but I reserve those for the politicians.