How about carrying the genuine Vision Mini Vivi Novas as well as the DV Mini Vivi Nova knockoffs?
I think the DV Mini is good, but would like to try the Vision Mini as well. I'm not thrilled about the coil for the DV Mini being incompatible with anything else. That's a problem when you are sold out of the desired resistance replacements coils and it could be a big problem down the road if the DV Minis become an orphan product because you discontinue stocking the coils for any reason.
Note: because my writing style sucks and I have trouble conveying tone, please know nothing I say is negative or personal toward you
Let me just clarify your comment a bit, the Vision is
also incompatible with anything else. If you are going to say "anything else" which implies the DV is off on it's own, then that should also apply to Vision as well.
Further, it would be a big problem for an
individual who bought a lot of them thinking they would be around indefinitely. If you base your decision on what to order on availability life then that (in my opinion) is a mistake. I am talking long term not a reasonable expected life. There are countless products that have been popular and are no longer in stock or available. I am sure there are legions of disappointed people in this regard and I am one of them but there isn't anything we can do about it.
So you (and everyone else) knows where I am coming from on deciding what products to sell, here's my view:
I understand your concern for the DV coil not being compatible with the Vision, but it goes the other way also. At my last count there are 6 manufacturers making their own version of the Mini, many, if not all, are using different heads, (oddly enough just a few months ago they all seemed to be using the
same head....) This is the nature of Chinese manufacturing. There are no standards, there are no direct copies. They take what they have, or what they can get, and copy design. I struggle EVERY SINGLE DAY with the compatibility issue, every decision I make now seems to be fraught with potential incompatibility as they change between one piece or another constantly. Carrying Vision Minis does not guaranty any part consistency either.
I received a catalog of new standard Nova's and mini's from the manufacturer who I get the DV's from and the versions are up to 8 & 10 respectively, Vision is still at 2.5 (maybe 3.0) I believe and as mentioned, they are no stranger to changing their heads or overall design either.
In the case of the Mini, the Vision Nova mini is very nice, however, I have had numerous reports that the DV Mini tastes better out of the box and have had no consistent reports on poor quality, other than the standard issues (some do not fire, an oring is misaligned etc, like every product line) . It's similar with my off brand of standard Nova's, so I will continue to carry them, but I will not sit stagnant with one product, these are evolving. The new Mini's (I have not ordered yet) have coil heads that extend past the tank top making it easier to remove the coil as you do not have to take the tank apart. This is a great improvement.
I will carry the heads for the current DV Mini Nova as long as there is demand and as long as the manufacturer makes them. But I will also start carrying the new version as well, once the demand for the current coil head wanes, it will be discontinued and we all move on. I am not unique in this respect, all vendors must do this.
At some point you
have to move on as a vendor, I cannot stock the same thing indefinitely as the industry moves forward, this means some products will be left behind eventually, I can't promise you I will have DV heads next month anymore than I could promise you I'd have Vision heads next month
I guess what I am saying is that all products become orphans at some point and Vision is no exception either, if you worry about something disappearing on the landscape you'd be better off building your own because you'll always run into this.
Every product will become an orphan, some just a bit sooner than others. The CE4+ just months ago was the best selling item for all vendors, now it is fading and has been replaced with rebuildable coils and other innovations, next month the mini could be replaced or 3 months from now, or next year, there is no way to know.
Also, it has always been my mission to offer lower prices and I think I have succeeded for the most part and carrying other manufacturers items allows me to significantly lower the price. Carrying DV brand mini's has lopped at least 5 dollars off the original price.
My current plans for the foreseeable future
(subject to change obviously)
DV Mini & Heads
New DV Mini with top change coil head
DV Vivi Nova (with metal covers and integrated drip tip) & Heads
Vision Vivi Nova & Heads
Off Brand Vivi Nova
(the one in the DV section, but not truly DV)
If you want to try the Vision Vivi Nova I suggest you get it at another vendor, I have no immediate plans to carry that particular item. That can change of course, but right now, this moment, I have no plans to purchase it. That might change tomorrow depending on circumstances but I don't
see it happening. I have to balance investment in product and right now I do not have room for another mini with different heads.
If you get some of these I'll gladly order some more
