Tobacco shop goes E

[TropicalBob]

I've written before that I've cautioned my local tobacco shop owner AGAINST selling e-cigs. He has no desire to confront angry customers returning DOA e-cigs. I told him to wait for disposables. His time has come.

Yesterday, as I bought my Stonewall and snus, he took me aside and said customers are beginning to ask for e-cigs. YES! So he wanted recommendations on what to sell. He wanted printed out Web pages and he began placing orders immediately. Here's what I recommended:

1. Ruyan Vegas from Janty. Best price on the Net at $24.95. Great for a high-end shop like his, with walk-in humidor for cigars, etc.

2. Ruyan Jazz. $23.95 and equal to four to five packs. This is the starter unit for those wanting to quit cigarettes. They spend the same as a carton of cigarettes and find out if e-smoking is for them. Fully disposable e-cig. No fuss. No mess. No returns.

3. Anything from Steve at Puresmoker.com. This will be the source for the e-cigs of old, the refillable, rechargeable variety. First-rate seller.

4. The Janty Kissbox. Simply the Rolls Royce of penstyle e-cigs and the most expensive he will carry.

And that's it. I turned him off Smoke51, although they have a superb small business model. Off LoongTotem. Off cheap Chinese knockoffs. Offer the best and please customers. Offer the cheap and lose customers for future e-smoking sales.

Buy only from American soil. Do not order anything from China. And start small. Expand as demand dictates.

 

[Alain_JANTY]

Buy only from American soil. Do not order anything from China. And start small. Expand as demand dictates.

I hope the expansion will be rapid and may be one day that he will sell only ecig​

 

[TropicalBob]

He fears, and I fear, an intrusion by the FDA into our practice. That intrusion likely will not be a ban of use or even sales, but on importation. And THAT can be enforced. So let Janty and Ruyan and others worry about bringing these things into a country. Order from suppliers/wholesalers in your own country -- and hope e-smoking remains under regulatory radar awhile longer.

 

[Alain_JANTY]

Yes Tbob
As I read on french board, more and more packages are opened by customs. Some times with taxes to paid.
French members are buying outside country their liquid and cartridges and we have already heard from customs
"have you permission of import of nicotine ?"

 

[ritalee76]

Good job, TB!

I wish there was a place locally to try out all the different flavors and pick up an extra battery or atomizer

Rita

 

[TropicalBob]

I'm sure any supplier could confirm that it's expensive to stock 26 flavors of e-liquid and carts, plus atomizers, batteries, etc., for a variety of devices. That said ... a local tobacco shop would serve as an introduction to e-smoking, referring buyers to Web sites for purchases of accessories and liquids. Then the shop could move slowly into supplying the needs of customers who purchased units from that shop.

 

[strayling]

I'm sure any supplier could confirm that it's expensive to stock 26 flavors of e-liquid and carts, plus atomizers, batteries, etc., for a variety of devices.

My local smoke shop is stocking some e-cigs at $99 for a set. They look like the same types you see in the mall, and the carts are $10 for 5 which is waaay too much.

I suggested that they look into getting the liquid and finally find a use for that nearly empty snus refrigerator sitting on the counter.

 

[TropicalBob]

I saw my tobacco shop guy tonight and he has e-cigs on the way. He wanted me to give him phone numbers, not Web addresses, so I'm getting back to him with more info.

First in will be the Ruyan Jazz in tobacco and menthol flavors. Then regular e-cigs will follow. I doubt he'll stock liquids at first, but I'll work on him in a few weeks if sales kick off well.

 

[Karl]

i think all smoke shops will be carrying the e-cigs soon! hopefully the fda does not regulate the e-cig.

 

[smokingclam]

Bob would this be the Sarasota shop you were telling me about? Haven't had the chance to stop in there yet.

 

[TropicalBob]

No, this would be Port Smokes. I believe it will extend to his other stores, including Harbor Smokes. (Sorry, guys and gals, to be so local).

 

[Faethe]

Hey - be local! Anything up by Orlando?

 

[nicosnack]

2. Ruyan Jazz. $23.95 and equal to four to five packs. This is the starter unit for those wanting to quit cigarettes.

Ouch! A local store recently got these, sell for $20... seems way too high for me.

Are you just repeating some sellers' astounding claims here? i.e. "four to five packs".

A video review of this said it lasted a day.

 

[TropicalBob]

I have yet to try a Jazz -- and they're way too expensive for me. Yes on echoing Ruyan claim; no on believing a video review either. There are too many variables to make any statement about how long these will last. I'd rather read a "puff" total. The Ruyan Vegas is 1,800 puffs, for instance. And that's accurate. I've smoked one to its death. Each e-smoker can then figure how long a disposable will last. Puff it away in two days or make it a week or more. Your choice. But the total puffs remain the same.

As they say: "Results may vary."

 

[Sifanulla]

TBob - You wrote that you warned your local tobacco shop off of the cheap chinese knock offs. I thought that all of these units from all the different suppliers were from China. I know that most of these models can interchange parts, whether you bought it originally from NJoy or e-puffer, etc. I was under the impression that each of these resellers order the same hardware from China and then print their name on it for resale. Are you saying that some of these are made in the USA?

 

[TropicalBob]

None are made in the USA. But different standards for quality can be, and are, demanded by different manufacturers. I want to reward companies that make the greatest effort for quality products.

Venerable ole Trog once wrote some serious truth about Chinese production. You want a ripoff Rolex? No problem. You want it to work just like a Rolex? We can do. It will cost plenty. Rolex is first-rate watch! You want it to look like a Rolex but without the quality so you can sell it cheap? No problem. We can do that too.

It's a case of you get what a supplier demands. Without libeling all suppliers, I wish to reward those I know push for better products.

 

[RatInDaHat]

pretty slick there TB.

i did a review on the Jazz, and for me it would probably only last 2 days tops, but results vary on a great variety of things.

I think your recommendations are good. I hope all goes well over there.

 

[TropicalBob]

I think I saw your review, Dusty. Good vapor, but a bigger cigarette than anyone expected. I view these as "trial" things. If a person buys one, uses it and likes it, they should buy a refillable device. If e-smoking is not for them, they're out the cost of one e-cig. It hurts to lay down $60 to $150 for a "starter" kit when you might not like it at all. I'll gamble $20. I won't gamble $60. That's where I'm coming from with the Jazz recommendation.

 

[RatInDaHat]

I totally agree. They are great for that if for no other purpose.

 

[TropicalBob]

Little update on the tobacco shop selling e-cigs. I joined the crowd yesterday on The Day Before the Big Tax Increase, and asked the owner how e-cig sales were going. Initially, he had been happy with sales.

He wobbled one hand in a so-so motion. I asked what the problem was. He said some buyers complained that these didn't draw like a cigarette at all, and they wouldn't use them. He'd seen his share of unhappy buyers. Ooops.

I didn't take that as a good omen that he'll be stocking up. Cartons of cigarettes flew by his cash register. The big sign advertising e-cigs seemed to be ignored by those snapping up their Marlboros and Newports on the Day Before.

Wall Street estimated once that no more than 1% of cigarette smokers would ever permanently switch to e-cigs. That might be low. Maybe 10% if there's no ban and advertising is allowed. That's still 4.5-million units in the U.S. for the first seller to the FDA finish line. Just never be blinded to the fact that these won't appeal to everyone, smoker or non-smoker.