My wife and I have been in Offbeat & Unique many times, and know TJ and Bethany fairly well. You're absolutely right.....it is a great shop, with great employees, and their prices (especially for a B&M) are usually very reasonable.
Weird experience with local B&M stores
- Thread starter SteakAndEggs
- Start date
- th_trl_thread_readers 0
- Status
and dont forget the shipping of products to the B&M.... that gets thrown into the price too ....
They're rapidly becoming my favorite vendor. I've been hooked on their Blueberry Muffin for 4-5 months, but lately I've gotten some AW batteries for excellent prices, and just last week, an EHPro KFL+ for $24.95!
But I'm sure their on-location prices are supported by their online volume. Too bad they're 900 miles north of me!
Andria
My recent first visit to the local B&M did not seem over the top priced. Granted we got a huge discount because my son has a friend who works there.
But even still the customer service etc made up for the slightly higher price than ordering online.
But even still the customer service etc made up for the slightly higher price than ordering online.
I have found some vape shops who mark up ridiculously high bc there just not bringing in the customers whether its due to poor quality juices, bad management, or poor customer service. I bought a duel coil in such a shop tried the jucie bc this shop is 40min closer then my normal shop & everything was just terrible.
I looked up some juices & my vape shop is $1.00 more on the juices and maybe $10.00 for mech mods & box mods which to get what I want now is pretty awesome so no complaints on the mark up.
Don't get me wrong if I find what I like and get lets say 120ml of something online cheaper great bc vape shop doesn't offer in this size bottle will order online. I found wire, cotton, etc is way cheaper online then in the shops so I guess it's more about quality, convenience, personal experience.
I looked up some juices & my vape shop is $1.00 more on the juices and maybe $10.00 for mech mods & box mods which to get what I want now is pretty awesome so no complaints on the mark up.
Don't get me wrong if I find what I like and get lets say 120ml of something online cheaper great bc vape shop doesn't offer in this size bottle will order online. I found wire, cotton, etc is way cheaper online then in the shops so I guess it's more about quality, convenience, personal experience.
I wanted to add that there is also a level of convenience of being able to walk in and ask questions. Not to mention that even though I may pay more for an atty than I would online they will coil it for me for no extra charge upon purchase.
When I consider those factors plus the overhead they have and not having to wait for something in the mail it seems more than worth it to me.
When I consider those factors plus the overhead they have and not having to wait for something in the mail it seems more than worth it to me.
Been frequenting a nearby vape shop .... they're brewing some excellent juices & one of the few that are worth the $16-$20 for a 30ml imho, & you can specify exact nic & PG/VG ratios ..... important to me as wife has reactions to PG.
But all their hardware is 2x, sometimes 3x the going net price. Yet every time I'm in there they have a steady flow of mostly new vapors purchasing these way overpriced mods. I keep my mouth shut, I want to see this shop survive as I enjoy their juice.
Their counter help leaves much to be desired though. They're responding to questions .... but only in the best interest of making a sale. While I was waiting for my juice to be brewed, one of the employees was trying her best to convince me how a protank with store bought heads will give me a totally superior vape in all ways compared to my gennies & kayfuns. I really don't think she knew what a genesis or kayfun was. Store owner finished brewing my juice, rolled his eyes & shook his head quietly once he heard what she was saying.
But all their hardware is 2x, sometimes 3x the going net price. Yet every time I'm in there they have a steady flow of mostly new vapors purchasing these way overpriced mods. I keep my mouth shut, I want to see this shop survive as I enjoy their juice.
Their counter help leaves much to be desired though. They're responding to questions .... but only in the best interest of making a sale. While I was waiting for my juice to be brewed, one of the employees was trying her best to convince me how a protank with store bought heads will give me a totally superior vape in all ways compared to my gennies & kayfuns. I really don't think she knew what a genesis or kayfun was. Store owner finished brewing my juice, rolled his eyes & shook his head quietly once he heard what she was saying.
Been frequenting a nearby vape shop .... they're brewing some excellent juices & one of the few that are worth the $16-$20 for a 30ml imho, & you can specify exact nic & PG/VG ratios ..... important to me as wife has reactions to PG.
But all their hardware is 2x, sometimes 3x the going net price. Yet every time I'm in there they have a steady flow of mostly new vapors purchasing these way overpriced mods. I keep my mouth shut, I want to see this shop survive as I enjoy their juice.
Their counter help leaves much to be desired though. They're responding to questions .... but only in the best interest of making a sale. While I was waiting for my juice to be brewed, one of the employees was trying her best to convince me how a protank with store bought heads will give me a totally superior vape in all ways compared to my gennies & kayfuns. I really don't think she knew what a genesis or kayfun was. Store owner finished brewing my juice, rolled his eyes & shook his head quietly once he heard what she was saying.
The thing about exact PG/VG and nic levels is why I no longer buy any juice from a B&M; none of the shops near me do any of their own juice, just resell name-brands, so no customization whatever, and I need at least 80% PG, and vape around 10mg. Given that I also add WTA to everything I vape, it's all combined in my reasoning for starting to DIY -- I still buy Blueberry Muffin from sweet-vapes.com, because they allow the PG/VG customization, and given that I add so much to the mix, I just get their 12mg; I use this calculator, which lets me add that bought juice as if it's a flavor, and takes account of its nic level and PG/VG to arrive at the levels I specify.
Everyone in the stores around here recognizes a Kayfun when they see it, so they don't bother giving me any BS about clearos.
In fact, in my favorite and nearest shop, knowing that I do use Kayfuns, the guy was amazed when I showed up one day with a cartotank. I still go there sometimes, even though his hardware is extremely marked-up and I don't buy their juice -- they have driptips for a fairly decent price, which sometimes I need right away -- and I like to say hello even if I'm not buying anything, because I've been going there since before I switched completely from cigarettes, and spent time there this summer tasting new juices when I was trying to get BACK on the vaping train after my relapse, so he knows what struggles I've surmounted to get and stay smoke-free. And I just love to see how his business has picked up in the year I've been going there. Andria
Yup, I diy too.. But ran out of nic and some flavors last month so been hitting the local shops until I reorder. Most, as you say, just resell juices like Halo or MBV, I was pleasently suprised to find this custom shop ... And the kicker is he's right down the street from my home!
Wife like bacca flavors, fell in love with his 555 and blueberry-tobacco brews. It's going to be a challenge cloning it with diy, particularly his 555. He's defiantly got some Graham cracker and nut flavor mixed in, will be fun experimenting to reproduce!
Wife like bacca flavors, fell in love with his 555 and blueberry-tobacco brews. It's going to be a challenge cloning it with diy, particularly his 555. He's defiantly got some Graham cracker and nut flavor mixed in, will be fun experimenting to reproduce!
Was in SV today for a couple things. Guy that came in before me was there asking about the Kanger Subtank: he had an Atlantis, and wasn't happy with the flavor.
Clerk told him that their entire staff uses the Sub. Then proceeded to tell him that the the new eleaf coils fit the Atlantis, and bring it up to a similar level as the Sub. He actually downsold!
That's a large part of why I send people there
Clerk told him that their entire staff uses the Sub. Then proceeded to tell him that the the new eleaf coils fit the Atlantis, and bring it up to a similar level as the Sub. He actually downsold!
That's a large part of why I send people there
I must have gotten lucky then. I was looking to move from Blu to something I could buy juice for, and just have a better overall vaping experience. I looked online for local vape shops. The closest one I found had some decent reviews on Yelp so I headed out to check it out. The staff was very helpful and answered my many questions. Being a new vaper, they started with an ego twist. I asked to see more and they showed me an istick 20watt. Being a techie I NEEDED this! They showed me a few options for a tank and I decided on the nautilus mini. I guess I'm most impressed that that didn't try to pressure me into anything or try to push me towards higher end items to make a bigger sale. Got the istick for $50 and the nautilus mini for $35. and their juice was only about $1 over online price for same brand. They then gave me a 10% discount on my entire order, some sort of starter/new customer special they were running.
I don't mind that I paid some markup on the mod and tank. They have samples for practically every juice they carry and were very patient with me as I sampled over a dozen juices. Once I picked out my juices, they showed me how everything comes apart and filled my tank for me. It was a great experience.
If you're in the Northern Cincinnati area, check them out.
Vapology
15 S. American Way, Monroe, OH
https://www.facebook.com/vapologyinc
I don't mind that I paid some markup on the mod and tank. They have samples for practically every juice they carry and were very patient with me as I sampled over a dozen juices. Once I picked out my juices, they showed me how everything comes apart and filled my tank for me. It was a great experience.
If you're in the Northern Cincinnati area, check them out.
Vapology
15 S. American Way, Monroe, OH
https://www.facebook.com/vapologyinc
I have bought most everything on line mostly because the local shops did not have what I wanted when I wanted it. Like a provari. One shop had it and it had a decent mark up so I got it. My next provari I wanted a specific one that I could not find at a shop so I ordered it. No shop carries the erlkonigin clone only the original. I can't afford 170 a pop since I now have 7 of the clones so Ya that was bought on line. At one time none of the shops carried the juice I wanted to try so all that was bought on line. Now more shops have what I want and since the juice is the same price no matter how you get it I buy it at the shops. I don't care for home brew mostly because I hate the steep time. I don't want to wait weeks to have a vape. I think they each have their place in my shopping. Just have to shop smart.
This is it in a nutshell. I have visited a few local B&Ms, and the business model is essential to rob from people who don't know any better.
As I said in another thread, I would have gladly paid a mark up to work with a local shop, but I can accept, say, a 20% markup, not a 50 or 100% markup.
I believe most B&M's operating this way will be out of business within the next 1 to 2 years.
I would double check anything they tell you here.
One thing I've noticed in vape shops is a surplus of ignorance mingled with arrogance.
For places around me,I know for sure on the juice at least, there is a state tax on vape stuff on top of markup. I can't in good conscience buy juice locally lol
Read about that... 5 cents per ml ... Thanks to Reynolds Tobacco [emoji35]
I hear what your saying but that has not been my experience with the shop I go to.
They are very friendly and not arrogant at all. I do however come here and check youtube but that is more so I remember everything!
I don't mind paying retail, BUT when a b&m doubles or TRIPLES the price I have an issue. Plus the fact if they DON'T have what I want I'm obviously going elsewhere.
- Status
Similar threads
