Aggrivated

I am really Aggrivated on public perception on vaping! I am in the process of starting an online store on Shopify and find out that in the US, Shopify Pay (a payment gateway to accept credit cards and other forms of payment) will not process any transactions that involve vaping products. I've also been told that in the US, PayPal has the same policy. I was selling on ebay, but They shut me down. After talking to a customer service supervisor, I was told that e-cigarette sales on eBay was allowed "By invitation only". So basically if your not a multi-million dollar company your not allowed.

Well I've found another company, Adept, to use for my payment gateway. All credit cards are accepted for the standard 2.9% + $.10 per transaction with no penalty for selling vaping products, EXCEPT FOR ONE! MasterCard charges a $500 / year extra to be used for any transaction involving the sale of vaping/e-cig related products. WOW!!! What is wrong with people???

In my opinion, I think the US is losing a lot of tax generated revenue from declining cigarette sales and they are trying to make up for it by slamming the Vaping industry. Or at the very least, put them in a position to control, regulate, and tax vaping products the way they do cigarettes.

What is everyone's opinion on this? I'm not giving up on my online vape shop, even if I have to switch to another platform! I'm just really tired of all this propaganda when it comes to an industry that is saving lives by offering a safe alternative to smoking. I have been smoke free since the day I picked up my first vape...a CE4 EGO-T kit. I now use and maintain numerous devices, and I still have the CE4 that started me on a road to a healthier life!

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Of course the gov is losing money.... Crime syndicates aren't in the business of losing money.

It furiates me to the point I can't even talk about it anymore.

It's very frustrating. Vaping has become another social construct. The media has made and continues to make a lot of money with headlines such as "vape pen blows up, epidemic!, FDA seizes documents, popcorn lung!, wet lung!" and on and on. The guberment continues to pander to big business e.g. pharma, and tobacco. Valid scientific studies are ignored.

It's very frustrating because it hits home for us. It is however nothing new. Same old shit we live with day to day regardless of the subject matter. Feel like a pawn in a big game? Feel you are being lied to? Wonder just how much we "know" is bull shit? You're on the right track.

Credit card companys are not the government and do not need to replace lost cig tax revenue since they never got any in the first place.
They are just greedy.

MC seems to be a bit more greedy than most and why some places do not accept MC.

Every large industry is driven by greed, and, a crime is hidden behind every treasure. During WWII Lucky Luciano fought the nazis where the government were incapable to.

Just had a thought here, have you looked into Square?