For what it's worth, it didn't happen to me personally. I'm simply curious. Personally I think it's a bit of a dick move, in your cart while you're actively shopping at the site isn't exactly asking the company to 'hold it for you' like layaway. You obviously got there first or it wouldn't have been available to put in your cart. Some random Joe comes along, after you did - they snatch one and buy it and yank it from your cart?
The company already has a wish list so customers can save items they're interested in. It's also one of the few companies I've seen that hold items in your cart for weeks. I've seen sites (not solely vape related) that leave an item in your cart based on cache/cookies for maybe 30min to an hour, not weeks later. Typically you go back to a site and view your cart, it's empty again. Why? Because it's a shopping cart, not a wishlist.
I found it a bit ironic, the company claimed there's no simple fix around it. And yet 90%+ of other online etailers have done just that, found a simple fix for it.
Using the yard sale analogy, it's like you're walking around interested in multiple items. You pick up an antique clock, you walk over and start looking at a couple of end tables debating which one you want. Some asshole walks up, jerks the clock out of your hand and runs up to pay for it. Sorry but that person would be leaving with a boot in their ass and I'd be walking home with a clock. I've bought multiple items at yard sales numerous times and never bought each item individually, that's stupid. If it's a fair and you're moving booth to booth, sure, that's involving multiple sellers though.
With that sort of analogy, grocery shopping would suck. You run up and buy a pack of soda, buy it and take it your car. Run back in, grab a gallon of milk, rush to pay for it and take it to your car. Run back in.. You get the idea. That's literally where the concept of 'shopping cart' came from. You gather all the items you're planning to buy, then buy them.