am I giving the right advice

[Viciousvestments]

So if this is in the wrong area I am sorry. I just wonder if I am giving people the right advice,
So I have a b&m that sells both Tobacco products and vape gear. I have been put in charge of the vape area, when people ask questions I answer the best I can. One question people ask is"whats the cheapest /best way to start"?
I always point them to the ego style set ups, I explain that they are cheap and the best way I know of to try it to see if you like it without spending a lot of money.
Is this the best advice I can give? Should I push the mvp or one of the higher end units for a noob?

 

[GargoyleK1]

No you shouldn't "PUSH" them… You "SHOULD" however explain the pros and cons of each and let the customer decide what they would like to purchase. If they ask for cheap then you show them "LEAST EXPENSIVE"… Never market anything your selling as "cheap". Just say this is the least expensive product we carry. yadda yadda yadda…

Otherwise I think your doing the right thing to be honest..

 

[Viciousvestments]

So like I have been doing, I gave the short and ugly version of the transaction. I show them all I have to offer and explain each unit. Most dont want to spend the 40 bucks on a mvp, and the main question after I show them everything is alway"what are you useing" follow by "whats the cheapest unit"

 

[Viciousvestments]

Mind you I use other a 134 mini (like what we sell) or my evic supreme(that we dont sell) needless to say, I have to explain there are cheaper units

 

[Ace]

Sounds like you're making the effort to be an honest salesman. My only thought is try to make sure the equipment you sell is a quality product. I only say that because most of the tobacco shops that sell vape gear around here sell total crap. Turns a lot of people off from vapor. It's a good move if you want people to keep buying cigarettes from you

 

[jae]

Good god no. Stick to the Ego/Evod setup and vapers will take it from there. A store is only going to get a bad reputation if people are bringing home high-dollar stuff they aren't experienced enough to use properly and which they may end up breaking the day after the warranty runs out. Nobody will be happy. And then they tell two friends, and then they each tell two friends, and then each of those friends tells two more friends...

Remember for noobs: keep it simple. It stands a better chance of "taking" and then they'll come back to upgrade on their own within a few months.

 

[Viciousvestments]

Sounds like you're making the effort to be an honest salesman. My only thought is try to make sure the equipment you sell is a quality product. I only say that because most of the tobacco shops that sell vape gear around here sell total crap. Turns a lot of people off from vapor. It's a good move if you want people to keep buying cigarettes from you

I like to think we sell good products. Hcigar clones on the mechs, evod ego set ups, kangertech, innokin and more. The juice does suck. But as the vapers grow I have better footing to get in better juice.

 

[Viciousvestments]

Good god no. Stick to the Ego/Evod setup and vapers will take it from there. A store is only going to get a bad reputation if people are bringing home high-dollar stuff they aren't experienced enough to use properly and which they may end up breaking the day after the warranty runs out. Nobody will be happy. And then they tell two friends, and then they each tell two friends, and then each of those friends tells two more friends...

Remember for noobs: keep it simple. It stands a better chance of "taking" and then they'll come back to upgrade on their own within a few months.

Good to know. I know it took all of a week from me to move from a ego to a mvp and a few more weeks to trade on up, now I run my Hcigar Nemesis for dripping and mostly the evic supreme for my rba, I take the 134 mini in just because we do sell them where as we dont sell the evic supreme. (Joyetech sent me one for review, only reason I have one)
I do my best but feel kinda bad because I hate the egos. Even though it is a real good way to start, and I am not going to lie, I miss mine sometimes just because of the ease of use

 

[jae]

Good to know. I know it took all of a week from me to move from a ego to a mvp and a few more weeks to trade on up, now I run my Hcigar Nemesis for dripping and mostly the evic supreme for my rba, I take the 134 mini in just because we do sell them where as we dont sell the evic supreme. (Joyetech sent me one for review, only reason I have one)
I do my best but feel kinda bad because I hate the egos. Even though it is a real good way to start, and I am not going to lie, I miss mine sometimes just because of the ease of use

It's all relative. Egos are so much better than crappy convenience store cigalikes, and so much better for newbie vapers... and so much worse than the stuff ALL of us eventually graduate to! I actually was using mine recently too, when i got in a harrowingly bad i-aint-gonna-rebuild-no-atties-no-more funk and my Nemmy's threads had gone bald so i had to take a few weeks off the fancypants stuff and just rock an Ego with an Evod for a little while.

 

[Smoky Blue]

honestly.. I wished I had known about mechs and drippers when I started..
for someone to explain..

eventually I found ecf, then the diy group, and since moved on..
my bestest sent me a dripper when i bought my first mech, and I haven't ever looked back once..

however, there are some that do not want to cloud chase and just want their nic fix..
I think to give options and explain it to them what they are getting into is a good thing..
and if you have to ask.. then you are all right.. it's good to wonder..

keep up the good work!

 

[jack]

We opened a pack of smokes , took one out , put a lighter on the end , pretty simple . When I first started, if I had been told about rda's , rba's, ohms and
coils I would have left . Your on the right track , keep it simple and be a good source of information. When we first stopped we did not need any added
aggravation . I picked less expensive because I did not want to waste 150$ on something I did not like . Now 20 months latter I have to laugh . But back then all I could think of was .....is this gonna work ?

 

[kelli]

So like I have been doing, I gave the short and ugly version of the transaction. I show them all I have to offer and explain each unit. Most dont want to spend the 40 bucks on a mvp, and the main question after I show them everything is alway"what are you useing" follow by "whats the cheapest unit"

i find it odd that you sell the mvp for $40. most shops get more than that for ego's. someone i know paid $80 for a spinner, a mini protank, and 15 ml of juice. i didn't tell them i could have gotten the same stuff for less than half that.

 

[Viciousvestments]

i find it odd that you sell the mvp for $40. most shops get more than that for ego's. someone i know paid $80 for a spinner, a mini protank, and 15 ml of juice. i didn't tell them i could have gotten the same stuff for less than half that.

We would rather sell a lot and make a little than sell a little and make a lot.
Sure we could charge a lot of the mvp. But when you go online. Your see it for 40 or less and it will piss you off. (Least it dose me)
Evod kits are 25 bucks with juice. Blister packs are less than 15. The bigger the kit the more the cost. But not no 80 bucks more. Hell you can buy a 26650 Hades clone, with a battery and charger for 75.
Its stores like that that give B&ms a bad name.

 

[kelli]

We would rather sell a lot and make a little than sell a little and make a lot.
Sure we could charge a lot of the mvp. But when you go online. Your see it for 40 or less and it will piss you off. (Least it dose me)
Evod kits are 25 bucks with juice. Blister packs are less than 15. The bigger the kit the more the cost. But not no 80 bucks more. Hell you can buy a 26650 Hades clone, with a battery and charger for 75.
Its stores like that that give B&ms a bad name.

yeah i wish there was a store like yours close to me.

 

[Spike64]

yeah i wish there was a store like yours close to me.

Me too....even the 2 real deal vape shops in my area sell gear at the high end of the pricing spectrum...don't even get me started on the tobacco shops here that sell overpriced, crappy vape stuff...

 

[Viciousvestments]

Me too....even the 2 real deal vape shops in my area sell gear at the high end of the pricing spectrum...don't even get me started on the tobacco shops here that sell overpriced, crappy vape stuff...

My shop is a tobacco shop as well. Lol. We are just trying to change the game when it comes down to it

 

[Spike64]

My shop is a tobacco shop as well. Lol. We are just trying to change the game when it comes down to it

Good to hear...

 

[Hobby Kid]

I used to accommodate the "cheap" question at one time. This is a shop so I guess they have to. But I'm not so I don't. Noobs want cheap cheap cheap and we're quick to point to it on the grounds that they might not like it. Do you point to the cheapest wines when asked, do you point to the cheapest car for a new driver, do noobs buy the cheapest shoes, buy the cheapest new smart phone, stay in the cheapest hotels when visiting a new place? It's not them who's doing you a favour by taking up vaping. But we chase after them like they are. If people are prepared to spend a tremendous amount of money on products, some of which pile up in the cupboard never to be seen again and spend half their wages buying rounds of drinks for strangers in bars then why do we still go out of our way to find the cheapest gear for them and stuff that really doesn't cut it in your or my vape world

 

[vapopat]

I started with a b/m ego twist kit which was near 100$ plus I took 3 flavors and extra ce4 so I spend 160$ the first days if anyone would a told me of vamo or MVP I'd saved a lot I kept buying cheap atty 's until I found ft and got into YouTube reviews I know it a learning curve but still 9 month later I'm dripping on a 13$ 4 nine igo-w3(16$) and my adv is a 80$ dna30 and aerotank(+/-20$)

 

[vapopat]

My high end stuff cost me the same as my starters kit buy way more satisfied no b/m will see my face anymore unless they get unicorn juice. And they better get good price cause I ain't paying 25$ for 30ml anymore

 

[Viciousvestments]

I used to accommodate the "cheap" question at one time. This is a shop so I guess they have to. But I'm not so I don't. Noobs want cheap cheap cheap and we're quick to point to it on the grounds that they might not like it. Do you point to the cheapest wines when asked, do you point to the cheapest car for a new driver, do noobs buy the cheapest shoes, buy the cheapest new smart phone, stay in the cheapest hotels when visiting a new place? It's not them who's doing you a favour by taking up vaping. But we chase after them like they are. If people are prepared to spend a tremendous amount of money on products, some of which pile up in the cupboard never to be seen again and spend half their wages buying rounds of drinks for strangers in bars then why do we still go out of our way to find the cheapest gear for them and stuff that really doesn't cut it in your or my vape world

I feel what your saying. And it bugs the hell out of me to see people pull up in a 50k car, with 300 shoes and more gold than Mr T. Then pitch a fit when I tell them my mod (evic supreme) cost 159 dollars, they then ask for the cheapest mod. And I point them to the evods,

 

[Cessnapix]

I like the Vamo as a recommended device for new vapers. I bought my 1st whole set up for just about $35. That was Vamo, 2 batteries, charger, and CE4. but prices have changed. I did just buy a vamo v5 for $19 shipped Thanks to Vapor Joes's. Past it on to another vaper.

blu cigalike cost me almost $80 and then a 5 pack of cartidges would not last a day. $$$$$$$$

 

[Spike64]

I spent 100 bucks on a cigalike kit at a mall kiosk when I started....it was a rip off, sure, but since it did get me off the analogs, I dont bitch too much when I look back on it...3 weeks later picked up a bit better than what I had ego kit with some ce4's...a month or so later I grabbed a Vamo and some cartos...and on and on and on to different and better gear ever since...

 

[jae]

I used to accommodate the "cheap" question at one time. This is a shop so I guess they have to. But I'm not so I don't. Noobs want cheap cheap cheap and we're quick to point to it on the grounds that they might not like it. Do you point to the cheapest wines when asked, do you point to the cheapest car for a new driver, do noobs buy the cheapest shoes, buy the cheapest new smart phone, stay in the cheapest hotels when visiting a new place? It's not them who's doing you a favour by taking up vaping. But we chase after them like they are. If people are prepared to spend a tremendous amount of money on products, some of which pile up in the cupboard never to be seen again and spend half their wages buying rounds of drinks for strangers in bars then why do we still go out of our way to find the cheapest gear for them and stuff that really doesn't cut it in your or my vape world

I think the thing is to cut the line between CRAPPY-cheap and DECENT-cheap and let them pick from that line on up and steer them clear of the awful stuff. To my mind there's nothing bad at all about a decent Ego/Evod kit. Most beginners can get that for maybe $35-45* and then pick up a bottle for another $15 and still feel okay enough about having spent somewhere around the price of a carton of coffin-nails*. Once they see how long that lasts them, they might keep it up. Then they can indulge in the finer things the REST of us enjoy, to their heart's desire.


*actually, sorry about using USD mate, not sure what kind of relative pricing you've got there for the same goods (and bads)

 

[Hobby Kid]

It's about the same GBP Jeremy

 

[Hobby Kid]

I feel what your saying. And it bugs the hell out of me to see people pull up in a 50k car, with 300 shoes and more gold than Mr T. Then pitch a fit when I tell them my mod (evic supreme) cost 159 dollars, they then ask for the cheapest mod. And I point them to the evods,

Silly lol

 

[moecat]

Vicious, it's interesting that you also sell Tobacco products. The best Yelp reviewed store near me is primarily a tobacco store that tries to treat its customers the same way you do with yours. Best of luck to you!

 

[Superjeep]

I do not sell vape gear but when I am trying to convince a person on vaping I simply remind them that in most areas a name brand carton of smokes is $30 to $40 bucks that lasts you a week so a $50 upfront investment in a ego type kit or MVP type setup is peanuts in the long run for something you will be able to use for 6-12 months.

I also try to explain to them that while you can get those cheap disposable sticks to try vaping out the vape experience is really sub par and not a true representation of the vape you can get just by spending in most cases a little bit more.

Frankly I would talk to your bosses if needed and have some shop demo setups in the different price ranges ready to go with some vape condoms and let them try it for themselves. If you do that you probably wouldnt have to up sell because they would sell themselves once they see the difference in the vape..

 

[jae]

I tell people that they'll probably wind up spending about $30-40 a month, versus maybe around $200 in cigs, after that first ~$80 investment.

I don't tell them that after four months they'll be MINDLESSLY ADDICTED TO FUCKING FASTTECH.

 

[Hobby Kid]

I tell people that they'll probably wind up spending about $30-40 a month, versus maybe around $200 in cigs, after that first ~$80 investment.

I don't tell them that after four months they'll be MINDLESSLY ADDICTED TO FUCKING FASTTECH.

You'd think we'd save money using fasttech hey hahaha

 

[jae]

You'd think we'd save money using fasttech hey hahaha

mm-hmm

 

[UncleRJ]

So if this is in the wrong area I am sorry. I just wonder if I am giving people the right advice,
So I have a b&m that sells both Tobacco products and vape gear. I have been put in charge of the vape area, when people ask questions I answer the best I can. One question people ask is"whats the cheapest /best way to start"?
I always point them to the ego style set ups, I explain that they are cheap and the best way I know of to try it to see if you like it without spending a lot of money.
Is this the best advice I can give? Should I push the mvp or one of the higher end units for a noob?

You are already a couple of steps up from many of your competitors IMHO as you are really trying to look out for the newest members of the vaping community.

I would suggest, LOOSING the term "cheap". Go with the most "Cost Effective" or the least expensive way to get started which for them will be the eGo gear with a nice clearomizer (and please nothing that starts with CE). Try to make sure they leave the store with two batteries so one of them will always be available with the other charging or in line to use when the charge on the one they are using dies.

And while you do own and appreciate better gear like the MVP perhaps you could consider having an eGo on a lanyard around your own neck while you are at the shop? Just for show and to instill some customer confidence that you are offering them something you use yourself.

And of course, like it has been suggested, make E-Liquid samples available for them to try before they buy.

 

[Damwow]

So if this is in the wrong area I am sorry. I just wonder if I am giving people the right advice,
So I have a b&m that sells both Tobacco products and vape gear. I have been put in charge of the vape area, when people ask questions I answer the best I can. One question people ask is"whats the cheapest /best way to start"?
I always point them to the ego style set ups, I explain that they are cheap and the best way I know of to try it to see if you like it without spending a lot of money.
Is this the best advice I can give? Should I push the mvp or one of the higher end units for a noob?

Well I can tell you from experience I started with an ego, met a lady at a well known B&M in our states capital, and maybe she was trying to sell me an over price itaste vv3 but she told me if I wanted to use this to quit smoking being able to change my voltage or wattage would help! She told me it would help with getting stronger hits.

I bought on this hook line and sinker, not sure what it was but maybe it was better taste more than throat hits until my taste buds recovered, but whatever it was I went from trying to ween myself off to saying this is it, I had been keeping what I considered my most important or favorite cigarettes of the day and vaping the other time to saying on March 21st at midnight I am done! This is crazy I prefer the taste of the vape, even reach for a hit on it when I have a lit smoke!

Since then a couple different times I tried a smoke, and couldn't take more than a puff or two, was like licking an ashtray! Don't want anything to do with it, but drop my MVP2 in a toilet, and I am online frantically ordering a replacement, touch it and I will break your fingers!

 

[ajaymes2001]

IMO, the cigalikes are the "cheap" beginners tool. And they really don't work for moderate to heavy long term smokers. The eGo is a good step up from them and what I would consider a very good entry level opportunity. I would explain that to all who are interested in vaping, as well as the fact that fairly soon, after they get comfortable with vaping, they will be wanting to upgrade to better equipment. If they seem interested in going beyond the eGo after that, then push a Vamo or MVP or even a Sigelei . I knew upfront when I bought my eGo kit, that if I continued vaping for a good amount of time I would want to upgrade. But the idea was to test it out with the most cost effective method, just in case it didn't work...like the Blu.

If they do go for the eGo though, one upgrade that I would encourage is to get some sort of mini glass tank right at the start. The clearos that come with the eGo are so-so. A Kanger Mini or EVOD II would be a good entry level upgrade...IMO

 

[Savage_46]

I agree with recommending egos. They're a lot easier to work with than the sticks. Trying different attys, variable, looks, sizes...

Vaping is new & can be overwhelming to the uninformed. Don't throw everything you know about it at your customers. You don't want to confuse them & scare them off. Inform them of their options based on their wants / needs. The best you can do is arm yourself with knowledge so you can answer any question you get.

 

[soulshine]

I tend to agree with Hobby Kid's earlier point. Those of us that have been vaping for 2+ years ALL got "taken" on our first (and some 2nd and 3rd..LOL) setups. The the danger with offering something "too cheap" is that they don't give it a REAL try..and throw it away because it only cost them $20. Psychologically, it makes sense to have them make a decent "investment" to make sure that they take it seriously and make the best effort possible. Actually I think the industry has it a little backwards. Instead of making the equipment so cheap, how about bringing those prices up and not charging $1 a mil for good juice. If you look into DIY, you understand that many of these companies are getting a 6x to 7x markup. I don't own a shop but I get asked a lot about newbie setups and it goes 1 of 2 ways. It's not hard to assess how serious someone is about making the switch. If they are strictly "just curious", I tell them to go with the ego setup. If they've tried something before, then I recommend the staples...vamo..mvp2..nautilus..etc. Hate to disagree with Smoky, but newbies have absolutely NO BUSINESS with mechs and rbas. Most people using mechs (hell most people that work at SHOPS don't fully understand ohms law and if they were to try to explain it to a newbie..you KNOW that info is totally wrong. Just because one of your buddies saw some youtube cloud comps and watched a couple of Rip Tripper videos doesn't make them qualified to advise you on how to play with a potential pipe bomb..LOL Vaping should be like anything else. Walk before running and learn as you go.
::::stepping down from soapbox:::: That is all...LOL

 

[Saddletramp1200]

I think your right on it. I still get burned on occasion, but not near like I did learning. Vendors have one thing on their mind. Make money. This wonderful forum did not exist when I started vaping. Most Vendors will tell us the truth. Some will not. Very few. I have been burned on EBay more than anywhere else. Google what you buy, before you buy. Or ask forum members. I will never lie to you, not my job.

 

[1truk]

I used to accommodate the "cheap" question at one time. This is a shop so I guess they have to. But I'm not so I don't. Noobs want cheap cheap cheap and we're quick to point to it on the grounds that they might not like it. Do you point to the cheapest wines when asked, do you point to the cheapest car for a new driver, do noobs buy the cheapest shoes, buy the cheapest new smart phone, stay in the cheapest hotels when visiting a new place? It's not them who's doing you a favour by taking up vaping. But we chase after them like they are. If people are prepared to spend a tremendous amount of money on products, some of which pile up in the cupboard never to be seen again and spend half their wages buying rounds of drinks for strangers in bars then why do we still go out of our way to find the cheapest gear for them and stuff that really doesn't cut it in your or my vape world

I totally agree and acknowledge that you hit it right on the head when you said that Noobs want cheap cheap cheap, and the reason is because they may not like it. This is human nature. Someone who has never worn shoes before would probably not want to buy the most expensive pair until they have at least experienced what it is like to wear them. I would NOT buy my Son a Mercedes as his First Car. I would not talk someone who has never had any sort of Wine into buying Dom as their first bottle ever. However there is nothing wrong with showing them it is available to them and may be of interest down the road. Sure there are some that would take that advise and jump in with both feet, but, I think the key here is to do things the right way and explain that there are so many options available there is nothing wrong with starting with the Low End category. When I first started vaping if a relatively inexpensive EGO kit was not available for me to purchase I probably would NOT have started Vaping. That being said it did not take me long at all before I was upgrading and was not bothered with the road I took to get there because the people I dealt with out of the chute were open and honest and advised to start slow before making a more substantial investment. Just MHO.

 

[Saddletramp1200]

China vendors, (people with company's in China) have caught on, in my humble opinion, the market for Vape gear is open to what the market will bear. Let me clarify this. If a US Vendor is selling an item for $10.00 A China Vendor will make the sale if they lower their price to $7.00. I Myself would rather sell 1000 (one thousand) items for $7.00 than 50 (fifty) items for $10.00.

 

[cigarbabe]

All shops should be mentoring new vapers as much as possible helping them to step up to a better device when the ego is not enough.
I believe there is a "natural progression" in vaping going from eGo's to MVP's and up from there.
I hate hate hate to see shops advising new vapers to use mech mods, drippers and giving them a sub ohm build when the employees
{not all of them} barely know anything about the process or can't speak knowledgeably on why the customer should or should not be doing something.
I support a local shop called "Wicked Vaped" in my area.
The prices on a lot of gear are very reasonable considering it's a B & M. lol
They do carry high end devices but no clones.
What I like is that they have taken to confiscating unsafe sub ohm/regular builds with inappropriate batteries and the like.
They will redo the builds and show them how to to build safely and give them a good battery.
In the case where the person just doesn't get it or like what they were talked into?
They will recommend an ego or something more suitable to a new vaper.
For the people who walk in out of curiosity, shops can be the first line when it comes to mentoring new vapers.
If they walk in do your best to get them to switch and started on the "right track".
I have found that many people don't even know there is a whole online community of vapers and shops in some cases!
Kudos to you Viciousvestments for trying to make a difference!
C.B.

 

[vapin Grampa]

Good to know. I know it took all of a week from me to move from a ego to a mvp and a few more weeks to trade on up, now I run my Hcigar Nemesis for dripping and mostly the evic supreme for my rba, I take the 134 mini in just because we do sell them where as we dont sell the evic supreme. (Joyetech sent me one for review, only reason I have one)
I do my best but feel kinda bad because I hate the egos. Even though it is a real good way to start, and I am not going to lie, I miss mine sometimes just because of the ease of use

I only got down to this post so if somebody else already said this tfb... I have only been vaping for 3 months,but I have liked the ego series batteries the whole time. They where the first ones I bought for my wife and I and we still
Use them. I would definitely recommend them.

 

[vapin Grampa]

I used to accommodate the "cheap" question at one time. This is a shop so I guess they have to. But I'm not so I don't. Noobs want cheap cheap cheap and we're quick to point to it on the grounds that they might not like it. Do you point to the cheapest wines when asked, do you point to the cheapest car for a new driver, do noobs buy the cheapest shoes, buy the cheapest new smart phone, stay in the cheapest hotels when visiting a new place? It's not them who's doing you a favour by taking up vaping. But we chase after them like they are. If people are prepared to spend a tremendous amount of money on products, some of which pile up in the cupboard never to be seen again and spend half their wages buying rounds of drinks for strangers in bars then why do we still go out of our way to find the cheapest gear for them and stuff that really doesn't cut it in your or my vape world

Because folks can always just buy another pack of smokes. If you get'em with good enough. "Cheap stuff" they gunna be back for more, and More, and MORE

 

[MacTechVpr]

I think the question just seriously needs to be asked — Are they going to have anything that remotely resembles a smoking experience with an ego?

Now, put yourself in their shoes.

Good luck.

 

[dmska]

I think it's safe to say most if not all of us started on a cig-a-like or ego set up. If the buyer is serious about quitting, they may be back for an upgrade, that's what a lot of us do. We see the potential in that starter kit, but realize we need longer battery life or more power to successfully quit. I don't think there's anything wrong with presenting a starter kit to a prospective buyer. Fact of the matter is, in some ways vaping is harder than smoking. All we used to have to do is run to a gas station when we got low on smokes and pick up another pack or carton. With vaping, it's not that easy and I wouldn't want to discourage a quitter with too much info all @ once.

 

[Saddletramp1200]

I have several Hundred dollars into a habit that will prolong my life. I have about every Mod, & Atty that has ever been made. The cost of tobacco would have been more. & I can take a full lung hit from my favorite juice, or run three hundred feet and not wheeze or cough out my lungs. I can play My concert Tuba again. I was good enough to make a world class orchestra. Got stupid & smoked, got fired. If you don't play, You don't get paid.
Now I am too old. I remember an old commercial by a fine actor, that said "Just don't smoke". Mr. Brenner RIP

 

[Amir_Wazir]

I'd say you're doing the right thing, the cost of a better setup might turn a prospective buyer off. That said, however, I do kind of wish someone had just been upfront with me when I went to get a starter kit and said " You can get x for not too much more, and honestly a lot of people end up coming back to get that in a couple of weeks anyway " (which I did). I know the people at that B&M pretty well by now and I know why they didn't do that, they were worried I would think they were just trying to up-sell me. It would be hard to tell how a customer would react to that sort of thing, I expect.

 

[MD_Boater]

I'd break my vape customer base into 2 categories: quitters, and hobbyists.

For the quitters, I would have a smallish inventory of the best quality ego hardware, the best quality tanks, and the best eliquid that I could satisfy the customer's taste with and still make money selling. I would stock some plain, non regulated ego batteries, some twists, some of the new EMOW batteries, and something like the MVP2. Stick with name brand gear. For tanks, I would stick with the ones that get good reviews only. Beginners need to have a good tank in order for vaping to satisfy them sufficiently enough to help them quit smoking. Cheap tanks can taste bad or no flavor. They sometimes have vapor production issues. If you want to sell them something, sell them something that works. Aerotanks (Mini and regular) go for $23 - $33. If a customer balks at that, hold up a pack of smokes, and say "this costs what X packs of these cost". My guess is that a $30 tank is about what 1 week's worth of cigarettes costs most smokers. Assure them that they last much longer than X packs of smokes would. The Nautilus and it's mini version seem popular, too. Keep it quality, keep it simple, don't sell junk, price it cheaper or equal to any local competition, and try split the difference between internet and local pricing if it makes enough revenue per square foot. Only sell them stuff that is KNOWN to work. If you sell a customer something that works, they will be back, and they will be bringing friends.

For the hobbyist, I'd avoid them for the most part. You won't have enough volume to get good pricing on mods and gear, hobbyists do lots of research, usually online, and they will already know the rock bottom price that they can get, so they probably won't buy it from you unless you are at or near rock bottom price. I'd stock a handful of good battery chargers, batteries, wire, SS mesh and cotton wick material. Just the consumable type products that they might need from day to day, run out of, and possibly want to buy locally.

 

[Amir_Wazir]

I'd break my vape customer base into 2 categories: quitters, and hobbyists.

For the quitters, I would have a smallish inventory of the best quality ego hardware, the best quality tanks, and the best eliquid that I could satisfy the customer's taste with and still make money selling. I would stock some plain, non regulated ego batteries, some twists, some of the new EMOW batteries, and something like the MVP2. Stick with name brand gear. For tanks, I would stick with the ones that get good reviews only. Beginners need to have a good tank in order for vaping to satisfy them sufficiently enough to help them quit smoking. Cheap tanks can taste bad or no flavor. They sometimes have vapor production issues. If you want to sell them something, sell them something that works. Aerotanks (Mini and regular) go for $23 - $33. If a customer balks at that, hold up a pack of smokes, and say "this costs what X packs of these cost". My guess is that a $30 tank is about what 1 week's worth of cigarettes costs most smokers. Assure them that they last much longer than X packs of smokes would. The Nautilus and it's mini version seem popular, too. Keep it quality, keep it simple, don't sell junk, price it cheaper or equal to any local competition, and try split the difference between internet and local pricing if it makes enough revenue per square foot. Only sell them stuff that is KNOWN to work. If you sell a customer something that works, they will be back, and they will be bringing friends.

For the hobbyist, I'd avoid them for the most part. You won't have enough volume to get good pricing on mods and gear, hobbyists do lots of research, usually online, and they will already know the rock bottom price that they can get, so they probably won't buy it from you unless you are at or near rock bottom price. I'd stock a handful of good battery chargers, batteries, wire, SS mesh and cotton wick material. Just the consumable type products that they might need from day to day, run out of, and possibly want to buy locally.

What do you make the most money off of as a B&M owner? E-liquid?

 

[MD_Boater]

I dunno. I was talking generic retail there with a little vaping knowledge tossed in. I suspect that the best margin would be in the shop made eliquid, since it can be made for pennies on the dollar in bulk. Retailing someone else's eliquid would mean buying in sufficient quantities to make decent profit per unit sold. The big $ in eliquid goes to the folks that turn the raw materials into juice. Everyone else just gets a small markup along the way.

 

[Kenneth98]

When i start ,he let me try the ego kit . It's very classic . Now i like mech mod with huge vapor .If i have shop and people ask me same question ,I will answer:choose the one you like , I'll tell you the price ."