online vs local

[msash09c]

I go to my local store and see prices high and I completely understand they have to have higher prices for the simple fact that they have an over head price but while at my local shop they are not just over priced but one man that works there is a lier! They are selling a new liquid which is pretty good but selling it for 8 for 10 ml bottle a man came in said he wanted to try the new ones and began trying some after a few seconds he said that he had looked online and saw they where a little high priced online and wanted to know the price the guy told him it was 8 he said for what size the man told him 10 ml but it's 16 for ml online! This is not true at all I looked online it is 4.50 for 10 ml and for 30 ml it's 10! Not including shipping I just don't understand the point in lying! I am supposed to go buy my mvp today from them and it's 65 a good bit higher then online but I am willing to pay for it to support them but now I'm uncomfortable doing business with a man who lied to a customers face! It's frustrating to me hum anyone else have these types of problems?

[bcartervol98]

Not only do I not buy from any B&M I do not even go there. There are 5 in my city, well now 6, and all are "decent" if one is not educated as to the offerings online or are too "old school" to feel comfortable ordering online they are not too bad I guess but for me it would be like going to the highest priced store to buy things when you can get the same thing cheaper with better service elsewhere.

I do not mean to bash B&Ms but as a whole it is a flawed business model in that anyone can order items at the same cost and from the same places the B&Ms order from. For me, it boils down to convenience. I have very little time running the businesses I do. Also I am a "find what works and stick with it" guy. I do not and will not order from China, just a personal preference. I will pay a little more to support a US business but will never pay B&M prices or listen to their uneducated (for the most part) rhetoric unless forced by the government banning online sales.

I get all my hardware from sweet-vapes.com and all my liquids from Fuzion and ECBlends. All American companies with storefronts but with great online presence and pricing.

[Bushwick]

I agree with bcarter on the B&M thing for the most part. I go to my local shop on occasion because they recently released their own juice. It's good stuff! So as a treat I will go in and pick up a 30ml. I also bought a Patriot and mech mod there just this week. The mod was purchased there because the manufacturer is a local one and they aren't available for purchase online. (At least from what I have found.) They are only available through B&Ms. I bought the Patriot there because I was there and was happy and impatient. I wanted it right then! The guys at my shop are cool and do not lie to the customers. I have a buddy that works behind the juice bar and I go in, sample, and chat with him every so often. We share juice and he introduces me to the shop's "soon to be released" flavors.

But it all comes down to convenience, like B said. You pay extra for not having to wait.

[bcartervol98]

I agree with bcarter on the B&M thing for the most part. I go to my local shop on occasion because they recently released their own juice. It's good stuff! So as a treat I will go in and pick up a 30ml. I also bought a Patriot and mech mod there just this week. The mod was purchased there because the manufacturer is a local one and they aren't available for purchase online. (At least from what I have found.) They are only available through B&Ms. I bought the Patriot there because I was there and was happy and impatient. I wanted it right then! The guys at my shop are cool and do not lie to the customers. I have a buddy that works behind the juice bar and I go in, sample, and chat with him every so often. We share juice and he introduces me to the shop's "soon to be released" flavors.

But it all comes down to convenience, like B said. You pay extra for not having to wait.

I have learned over the years that anything I cannot wait 2-3 days at the most is something I do not need lol.

[Bushwick]

I have learned over the years that anything I cannot wait 2-3 days at the most is something I do not need lol.

Lol Not everyone is that patient. I know I am not. I freak out when I have to wait.

[bcartervol98]

Lol Not everyone is that patient. I know I am not. I freak out when I have to wait.

I prepare ahead lol. My wife calls me "The King of Excess". I order coils when I get down to 5 boxes. When I pop the top on a 125ml of my liquid I order another immediately. If I do not have 7 or 8 fully charged batteries I feel unprepared.

Reading it out loud, I may be OCD lol.

[Bushwick]

Whatever works for ya!

[Aquatroy]

B & M s are a great place to get started, ask stupid questions, learn the basics. Then a place to go when you haven't learned how to fix It when it stops working, or leakers..

And yep BCarter..you've got it bad.....

[Compenstine]

I think there is a need for both. Being someone that has run both a B&M and now an online store I see both having up sides and down sides. It boils down to personal preference. I miss the one on one face to face aspect of doing the B&M, but do not miss the overhead that comes with it. I like the online store because I can offer better deals and work at my pace with less interruption. The customer in me wants to look for the best deal over convenience. I would be someone that would like to have a good B&M close by for emergency buys though.

[Bebop]

B&Ms can be pretty cool. The key is to develop a little relationship with the Knowledgable Ones, (my designation for the guys who know their **** at the store). Some of those guys started their vape shop because they love the hobby and they want to help people. While generally the prices are higher, they don't seem to be as outrageous as they were a year ago. Plus, the way the juice market has boomed in the last year it's fun to try out some juices. I buy most of my stuff on line but I do go out once or twice a month and visit a B&M or vape bar just for fun.

[Earthling789]

Unfortunately, it is a common issue, not just for a vape-shop, for employees or owners to mis-quote (or lie) to a customer about "online prices" or even prices from competing businesses. For the mis-informed, low-info sheeple... this is a common tactic to make you think you're getting a deal from them. As I've always heard... stupidity has a premium price... so does impatience.

My local B&M has very little selection and is WAY overpriced on everything... equipment is usually 300-600% over online prices - for example, CE4 tanks online are roughly $1.20-1.50 each in bulk purchase, and they sell them for $8 each all day long - , so I don't buy from them when it comes to equipment. I have tried their juices, not bad, prices are a little steep over online+shipping (generally 50% over), but the worst part is they know NOTHING about the specs for equipment or juices they sell.

I buy online for nearly everything I want/need, and when I want e-juices or equipment TODAY, I'll drive 20-miles to a much better shop, which has greater selection of everything, and every employee knows their stuff, or has sense enough to ask someone else if they're not sure. Sure, their prices are higher than online (by 25% - 100%), but they do have overhead, and paying their mark-ups is not horrible for the convenience factor.

[JuiceJunkie]

I think the B&M Vapor stores are just like all other B&M's. Some are good and some are bad for many reasons. Like the diner down the street with the high prices and the bad waitress'

I like to sample new juices and put my hands on new products before I buy, I also like to save money online when I buy coils and such. I think both have there place.

And for me, I do like to get out from behind this computer and interact with people face to face ......................

[bcartervol98]

I agree both have their place it's up to the consumer. Personally my life is so busy that I barely have time to go to the bathroom. Between my sons swim team, being a scout leader, avid boater and all the while managing 80+ employees over multiple departments i just don't want to take time to go when I know what I like and get it brought to me at a fraction of the cost.

I think the thing that makes me as "Anti B&M" as I am is I used to be in a vapers group in Facebook with thousands of members and the B&M owners adamantly supported banning online sales very vocally. Just thought I should explain myself since I am sure I come off extremely anti B&M.

[fishguy1123]

1st- lifestyles vary as you know well B! 2nd- I don't blame you based on your experience. The only B&M's that bother me are the smoke shops that bring in vape product because it's new and have no idea what to do with it. As consumers we buy what we choose to buy. If we want to explore other options we will. To fault anyone for sticking with what works and paying more just because it's cheaper elsewhere is not our job. 1 more person vapeing is whats best for our cause. If we get a chance to show them a cheaper way to do it, and maybe fine tune things for them then that's the iceing on the cake!

[3Rutez]

If my local B&M would take my juice suggestions seriously and start carrying them, then I would start handing my money over. They are really great guys and gals, and every time I stop by I teach them something new.

[3Rutez]

I have noticed though that the majority of the vape bars around here have clerks/tenders that are utterly clueless and think they know more than you. It's hilarious when you spit your knowledge and experience back at them and prove them wrong, they get very angry. Lol.

[Compenstine]

LMAO^^^^^

[3Rutez]

Wait, I forgot to add..... oh never mind, it's not that important..... 500 posts!!!

[iheartvape]

Wait, I forgot to add..... oh never mind, it's not that important..... 500 posts!!!

HAHA... nice....

[JuiceJunkie]

I believe that those B&M's were being greedy and I also think they need to do a little more research. I think if you shut down internet sales the B&M will make good money for a short period of time then there supply would never keep up with the demand. More stores would have to open and customer service, if you can find it now,lol, would be a thing of the past. It would be a mess for everyone. And without the internet sales this would not have caught on as quick and those B&M tha tare so loud about shutting down the internet sales wouldn't be open for business in the first place.

Again...........just my opinion.

[bcartervol98]

I believe that those B&M's were being greedy and I also think they need to do a little more research. I think if you shut down internet sales the B&M will make good money for a short period of time then there supply would never keep up with the demand. More stores would have to open and customer service, if you can find it now,lol, would be a thing of the past. It would be a mess for everyone. And without the internet sales this would not have caught on as quick and those B&M tha tare so loud about shutting down the internet sales wouldn't be open for business in the first place.

Again...........just my opinion.

And if you shut down internet sales it will not necessarily mean people will flock to B&Ms it would set vaping back years to the period when mixing with ketchup bottles in a bathtub were a regular very unsanitary practice.

I think it comes down to the personality type of each individual. I rarely go to any store outside the grocery and mostly shop online for everything just for the convenience and savings. Some people want to touch, feel, try where others (like me) prefer to research then make the purchase in the most convenient and inexpensive way possible.

On the flip side, who knows what my attitude would be had I started at a B&M. I had been vaping months when the first one opened. Now there are 5.

[Richstag]

That's a shame. I always try to support small local business when I don't feel completely ripped off in doing so. The local store by me usually beats online prices. So I guess I'm lucky.