Talking to Smoke Shop store owner

[oplholik]

Actually, not to much talking due to customers standing around waiting, but told him I had quit smoking with ecigs and talked for a brief moment about what he had there. He sells Green something or other. I plain told him that there was better out there and cheaper. I told him if he can, to do some research online about ecigs and all the accessories, and maybe expand his ecig stock so the people that came in that were interested would see more and better products. What I was trying to get across to him was that there needs to be store fronts out there, and since he already has a store, expand a little. My hope is that I've planted a seed that will start to grow. I'll see if more comes of it. Next week when I go for the wife's cigs, if he says anything about it, I'll know I got him to thinking.

 

[NicLiq]

The one closest to me sells some junk and juice that is really old, but they said it's because it was given to them from different vendors. If he sells Green Smart Living, those are catching on. They are disposable kits which aren't as junky as others.

The main problem is failure rate on equipment, they don't want to deal with returns and they don't want people mad (and telling others) because something didn't work. I would think that most smoke shops would want to become authorized Joye dealers.

I thought I would like to be able to buy juice from a smoke shop, but now I don't - I'd rather get mine from a reputable ECF supplier who makes it fresh, and I am attempting some DIY.

 

[oplholik]

I see your point NicLiq, I wouldn't give up the great vendors I deal with, but it would be nice to see more storefronts with good equipment in case of an emergency.

 

[NicLiq]

I would really like that too. Just using Halo as an example, but I would gladly buy their juice in a shop because it's fully labeled/dated. In the beginning, which wasn't that long ago, I was feeling very panicky about having to plan so far ahead. Now I've spent a small fortune and that worry is gone LOL

We're all used to shopping for the best prices online now, it's going to take a big emergency to get us to buy from a shop and pay double.

 

[daleaik]

We're all used to shopping for the best prices online now, it's going to take a big emergency to get us to buy from a shop and pay double.

The problem that many don't see is this:

NOBODY can stay in business by being your "emergency supplier." The fact is, it costs money to run a retail store. There is overhead, employees, electricity, insurance, etc. It takes a steady flow of customers to keep a storefront open. As long as everyone has the mentality you mentioned, no e-cig retail store is going to survive for long.

I am not suggesting that there are no costs to running a website. I have explored that avenue myself. In reality though, you can check your website a couple times a day for orders and pack them up and ship them. Store your inventory in the basement, closet, or whatever and have no monthly rent and expenses. It is still possible to keep a full time job and make a living.

Now, contrast that to running a brick and mortar store. You may sit for hours waiting for someone to stop in and buy $30 worth of liquid, attys, or whatever. I know there have been at least a few that have not made it in the "real" world, and have closed up shop but still kept their website.

I have been in retail (in another field) for 20 years and watched the internet cut into my sales for a good portion of that time. A LOT of "mom and pop" type stores in MANY segments of retail no longer exist because of Walmart, Target, and the internet. It is a fact of life nowadays. People will drive 20 minutes to the department store to save $3.00 (and spend $7 in gas to do it.) They will wait in line for 15 minutes and have their questions answered with a blank stare.

Sorry, but this is the main reason you will not see a lot of e-cig stores.

 

[NicLiq]

It could be a way for smoke shop stores to pick up lost business from smokers who switch to vaping though. If they became Joye (or insert PV brand) authorized, I think they'd do well and they could offer decent warranties. They could easily make money on one $250 (free shipping) Joye order to healthcabin.net and the inventory would take very little space.

 

[daleaik]

I will agree that it could be an additional revenue stream for a smoke shop, but you still have to consider the facts. A retail location has fixed overhead costs that they have to cover via profit margin. They can not have a "normal" retail mark-up on this item AND compete with online retailers. No one that I know is in business to break even...

These smoke shops cannot make a living selling a $6.00 bottle of e-liquid to someone once a week.

Sorry if I seem so passionate about this subject. I cannot tell you how many times in a week someone will come into my place of business and say "oh, I can get that cheaper online." And then three sentences later they will say something like "how come there aren't very many independent stores like yours around anymore...?"

 

[Ande]

I've done retail as well.

And as a semi-serious amateur musician, people ask why I NEVER buy guitar things online. Simply put, I NEED to be able to see, try, and touch them before buying them, and I'm happy as hell to pay slightly higher prices to be able to do so.

Nobody can stay in business by being your emergency vendor, but smoke shops that are already in business could add a small but potentially worthwhile revenue stream to their already viable businesses.

The mall vendors charge WAY more than they should- a smoke shop shouldn't have much trouble undercutting them.

If it were my business, I'd probably start small. Research a GOOD starter kit (I'm thinking riva510) and put a dozen under the counter, one on display somewhere. Research a dozen or so very popular juice flavors, and buy them in popular strengths. (0?, 6, 12, 18, 24? ) Buy a hundred or so bottles. Make up a counter top display, or if space is limited, even a poster. Most shops have this much space to spare already, so you aren't losing any valuable retail space.

Most of us would be loathe to pay mall vendor prices for anything, ever. But it wouldn't be too hard, as a smoke shop owner, to offer the riva kit for $50 to $60, bottle of juice (30ml) for $25 to $30. There wouldn't be much time investment (place orders online at need, await delivery to place of business.) Markup is moderate- even KNOWING I could buy cheaper online, I'd sometimes buy at that rate, especially in a hurry. And I'd have been delighted to find those prices in a smokeshop for my FIRST e-cig.

Another option would be to try to establish an arrangement with liberty flights, FSUSA, cignot, or some online vendor to put their products and publicity in the shop.

THere's not a LOT of money in this- but there's not a lot of money in most retail setups anyway. There is a potential for a reasonable return on time/space spent in there somewhere though.

Remember- many of us still buy cigarettes, cigars, matches, ashtrays, snus, and other smoke related products, at least sometimes. (Either because we use them, or because someone else around us does.) I wouldn't go to a mall vendor just to buy juice- but if I had to buy cigs for my wife (just rhetorical, she quit), I'd go to a place that had e-cig things for me too!


Best
Ande

 

[Ande]

PS- as I look at it, I also think: Not everybody shops online, for whatever reason. A lot of people (especially a certain kind of old smokers) won't want to. And those folks won't be comparing shop prices to online prices, they'll be comparing shop prices to cig prices.

A pack a day smoker probably spends $180 a month. Wouldn't be hard for a tobacco shop to sell that same person a Riva kit and three 30 ml bottles of Juice for $125 or so. That's a significant savings, even assuming that the Riva kit wears out every month, and that they vape all three bottles in a month.

It's a significant savings. Shop owner could see it as-

A) a significant improvement, when compared to losing that customer to online ecig sellers.

or

B) a significant loss, when compared to keeping that customer buying analogs.


This may be the root of some of the resistance...

 

[daleaik]

You have some valid points Ande, and I appreciate that. I just hear on these boards so frequently that "prices are so much better online" and it ruffles my feathers a little bit because of my 20+ years in retail dealing with that comment more and more frequently...

Then I hear the same person say "why aren't there any local vendors with online prices?" and it irritates the hell out of me!

I think one of the reasons you only see e-cigs in malls and flea markets is because there is a constant stream of new customers every week. It would not be easy for an e-cig ONLY brick and mortar store to make it on e-liquid and parts alone. You would have to sell some starter kits as well. A smoke shop, though, could probably enhance the bottom line if they added some e-cig related items...

 

[phonedude]

I have a local supplier that sales his pv's and cartomizers in the local smokeshops as well as online. This seems really clever to me as he doesn't have to maintain the store himself but just sale his wares there. I bought my first pv in that smokeshop and I still use it as a backup.

The prices are a little higher but its so handy to have supplies a few blocks away. I am not a huge fan of shipping costs or stalking the mailman. And I like to keep at least some of my money in my neighborhood. I am never reluctant to spend a little more for convenience.

I still shop online and that wont change. But if I'm getting an item that the local shop has I will certainly go there before I will order it. I feel really fortunate to have them. I only wish they had a little bigger selection but maybe in time they will.

 

[oplholik]

Thanks all for your comments on this. Good to read all your different thoughts on this.

 

[ricks]

Actually, not to much talking due to customers standing around waiting, but told him I had quit smoking with ecigs and talked for a brief moment about what he had there. He sells Green something or other. I plain told him that there was better out there and cheaper. I told him if he can, to do some research online about ecigs and all the accessories, and maybe expand his ecig stock so the people that came in that were interested would see more and better products. What I was trying to get across to him was that there needs to be store fronts out there, and since he already has a store, expand a little. My hope is that I've planted a seed that will start to grow. I'll see if more comes of it. Next week when I go for the wife's cigs, if he says anything about it, I'll know I got him to thinking.

Your wife still smokes????

 

[wdave]

The one closest to me sells some junk and juice that is really old, but they said it's because it was given to them from different vendors. If he sells Green Smart Living, those are catching on. They are disposable kits which aren't as junky as others.

The main problem is failure rate on equipment, they don't want to deal with returns and they don't want people mad (and telling others) because something didn't work. I would think that most smoke shops would want to become authorized Joye dealers.

I thought I would like to be able to buy juice from a smoke shop, but now I don't - I'd rather get mine from a reputable ECF supplier who makes it fresh, and I am attempting some DIY.

Well I'm sorry but laughter is always at someone elses expense...

As soon as you find a totally reliable ecig dealer, tell me about it. And also tell me where to find a new auto mechanic. And seeing as I will probably get married and divorced again, I will definitely need a new attorney

Dave

 

[NicLiq]

Well I'm sorry but laughter is always at someone elses expense...

As soon as you find a totally reliable ecig dealer, tell me about it. And also tell me where to find a new auto mechanic. And seeing as I will probably get married and divorced again, I will definitely need a new attorney

Dave

I don't know what I wrote that got to you, but I have found two good dealers.. Liberty-Flights and Robert O'Neil (REO).

I was just replying to the OP talking about smoke shop owners and relaying my own experience with talking to them.

If I had been able to get decent equipment in an actual store when I first started, I would have gladly paid more. Now that I had to learn how to find what I need by ordering online, I'll stick with that. At the same time, it would be nice to send other new vapers to a local business to support.