We all have favorite things that we like to order from each store. The problem I run into most often is only half of the stuff I want is in stock at one particular time. There are many reasons for this and I don't place blame on no one. You've got the slow boat from China, customs, quality control issues, exploding demand and small businesses trying to grow with it. What I usually do is I end up making multiple orders, requiring multiple shipping charges... or I shop around to other stores. I would like to be able to pay for in stock items and be able place them on hold without having to pay shipping multiple times. It could just be a check box at checkout that removes shipping charges and but still removes the stock prom the store "available" inventory. As someone who's had an online business I know a majority of the time spent running it is boxing and shipping orders. Of coarse this would take a few steps to setup but very possible. It would also be nice if e-stores all tracked demand by letting customers use a something sort of like a wish list for items they are going to purchase when stock is available. If X amount of items were placed on the list in a month then your supplier order should be at least that each month. Also I would like to see a subscription service for expendables, e.g.- automatically charge and send out X amount of cartos' every month. Something like amazon uses. I feel these things would be very beneficial all parties involved. Any tracking and/or steps saved can save a lot of money and free up labor hours. Just my two cents.
- Status
I can't really see the 'send it to me later, when it's in stock, for no additional shipping' idea working for the business. They will have to pay to ship the original package, and then again for the later package, so it's not likely that they would offer that for one shipping charge. If you just wanted them to hold them until your next order, then that raises the problem of people leaving said stock in limbo for undetermined amounts of time, which can be problematic.
Several of the sites that I have used do make it easy to just log in and reorder a previous order that you have made. I don't like the idea of automatic monetary charges, so I prefer that idea. I guess that some might like your proposal, though.
If the business thinks that enough people want such a features, they'd probably consider them. I'm not sure how one would manage to demonstrate that to them, though.
Several of the sites that I have used do make it easy to just log in and reorder a previous order that you have made. I don't like the idea of automatic monetary charges, so I prefer that idea. I guess that some might like your proposal, though.
If the business thinks that enough people want such a features, they'd probably consider them. I'm not sure how one would manage to demonstrate that to them, though.
Your didn't really get that. They would not ship with each order. I had customers do this all the time but my checkout wasn't set up to do this so I had to send them an invoice link and billed shipping with the final link. As for the stock, your software tracks that, you just have to add a "buffer" to shipping inventory for limbo items. I myself preferred to handle one package to a customer than ship multiple a week but I didn't charge extra for shipping and it save more of my time which was valuable to me. It's really not that hard but I've had some experience with this. As for the subscriptions, I never tried that. I sold construction related supplies. Yes, including the kitchen sink. Most people don't go through those monthly.
Amazon uses subscriptions for expendable items and it works very well. If you typically use X amount if something a month, and it's cheaper than going to the store to buy it, it is a great way to save money and not have to worry about reordering. A reoccurring bill for things you typically purchase isn't a new concept by any means. It's no different than having to remember to write in Netflix, a gym membership, or a monthly loan payment. If you experiment a lot and don't order the same things every month, then no, it would not be beneficial to you but many others would find it convenient.
I just want a Wally World of vaping. Right now I have to go to three different vendors to get the things I want/need, and that's before buying any juice.
There are some great points made here. If I was a vender, I would be scared of having to much stock. The way things change so fast in the vape world, whats hot today is a brick tomaro. Just a few days ago Joytech anounced the eVic, and people are already asking whats gonna become of the Provari. I myself am not saying any oppinions on either device, but it makes me gladd I not in the business of selling vaper goods.
I think I get what you mean, now. I know that the software can track the reserved items, but if it were my system, I guess that I'd have to set a deadline for how long that I'd hold them. Perhaps I'm too much of a cynic, but I assume that it would not be uncommon for people to use that feature, and just leave them there indefinitely, for whatever reason. Assuming the terms are clear, and the bugs worked out, it seems like a useful idea.
I have suffered the same predicaments many times so far. My last round of orders was from 3 different e-stores to get 4 different items, due to stock differences. I could have made it two orders, had one of the items not been out of stock at one place.
I've actually tried waiting until all of the items that I wanted were in stock, but then the another went out of stock...
A Wally World of vaping... now there's a nice fantasy.
I've got most of my kit from one primary vendor, but then it's all eGo stick batt stuff and clearomizers. I think every vape shop has that stuff.
When I get into advanced PV and rebuildable atomizers and so on then things will really change I'm sure.
Try being into 808's.
I have a hard enough time getting 510 stuff. 808 would be a complete nightmare.
Actually, just about everything is in stock. It's just a matter of finding vendors.
Very true, what store would order a ton of devices unless they are doing a preorder? They are constantly changing. Although I think a person could order 500 eVic's right now and sell them all in a month no problem. Any new device will most likely fly out the door with little effort. The expendable items really are not changing much and could be purchased in mega quantity's. Considering then time table from China I would order when I had no less than a months worth left. If demand on mainstays kept selling out I would figure it out. If I got 150 and that qty sold in 22 days then take 22/150x30 and order that next month. If that sold earlier than 30 days, what % did demand go up and add that % to next months order. And again until growth tapered off. You have to follow the trend but keep a buffer. Taper the buffer off with demand. This is all simple business. If your supply lasts longer a few month in a row, figure out your excess inventory in days and order what you need. At most your inventory will be out of stock a few times a year, not every few days. Taper off what's not selling and feel your way through new products. There are some months in business that even though you had record sales you don't get to see the profit because it all gets reinvested in inventory. It all pays out in the end though. Maybe I should change my game up and start my own e-cig store...lol!
Last edited:
I think the problem is that there is way way too much diversity in vaping hardware, and much of the sales for these hardware are fad-driven. You can't risk buying hundreds of every eGo type, every atomizer type, every cartomizer type, every tank type, every clearomizer type, every kind of wick, etc. when you don't know which 70% of these products are going to turn into bricks within a few months. It's like the computer/mobile device industry, which is already crazy, but vaping supplies seem to be far worse. Computer parts go obsolete every what, 2 years? How many vaping products have gone obsolete in that same timeframe?
E-juice is more like a commodity: if people like a particular flavor you carry, they'll keep coming back for the same thing. Hardware is different: everyone wants to try the newest and greatest, which changes every other month. The only commodity-level hardware I can think of are cartos and clearos, and for batteries, disposables and 510s.
E-juice is more like a commodity: if people like a particular flavor you carry, they'll keep coming back for the same thing. Hardware is different: everyone wants to try the newest and greatest, which changes every other month. The only commodity-level hardware I can think of are cartos and clearos, and for batteries, disposables and 510s.
Very true, There is a ton of diversity. A small business owner does not have Wal-Mart's budget and shouldn't try to emulate them. Too many places carry a little of everything. To run a small business well, you have to find a particular audience and cater to that crowd. If I go to a local b&m they have a business plan down. Most of these companies online are new to retail business with little to no experience and are learning the hard knox way. And speaking of commodity-level hardware, I have yet to find an online store that has all of those items in stock when I order. If you ran a b&m the same way, people would stop wasting the gas to drive to your store.
I do agree with the OP, I like the idea of having a "ship it all when it's in stock" rather than splitting it up in to multiple shipments.
- Status
Similar threads
