What’s Really Going On in China? COPIED from v4p3r.com

[SMOKIE]

Phil Busardo may lose face if his status as an unbiased reviewer is called into question after rubbing all these elbows. And it would be a valid concern.


Secrets behind closed doors
What’s really going on in China? Is this really as advertised: a meeting of industry players with a focus on safety? Or are there ulterior motives behind the scenes? Here are a couple of theories:


Never one to shy away from controversy, Vapor Joe touched on both of these theories and more on last night’s episode of Mod Envy:

What is your opinion? Share your views in the comments below!

READ MORE HERE: http://www.v4p3r.com/whats-really-going-on-in-china/

 

[Thedesbois]

The only facts are that the trip happened and that the people mentioned where there. The rest is just pure speculation, with a very creative way of coming up with conspiracy theories and a negative overtone.

Allow me to speculate for one moment: "Those that cannot create or contribute anything positive or useful must resort to stirring up drama and feeding like vultures on the success of others". Again, this is just pure speculation on my part.

 

[jack]

Some things crossed my mind . Don't get me wrong, hope they had a great time and lets see what they say first . But it was a large tab (this cost some real cash ) who picked up the check and why ?

 

[Electronic Spliff]

if you had the same oppertunity as phil did would you turn it down? i wouldn't.

the vape community is turing into what the gaming community has become. full of trolls and fanboys.

 

[BigNasty]

What did they ply those two with endless waves of thai ladyboys?

 

[Joshua Iles]

I've watched a lot of Phil's reviews and some of Dimitri. Saw a lot of opinions & personal preferences (always stated as such), never saw any real bias & I'm sorry scope numbers cant really lie. I bought the istick based on Phil's review, partly, & it was a thumbs down. It works for me. Why do people just assume that taking a vacation and looking at vape gear a conspiracy theory I have no clue. I'd take a free trip to China & look at new mods and tanks etc.

 

[BigNasty]

I've watched a lot of Phil's reviews and some of Dimitri. Saw a lot of opinions & personal preferences (always stated as such), never saw any real bias & I'm sorry scope numbers cant really lie. I bought the istick based on Phil's review, partly, & it was a thumbs down. It works for me. Why do people just assume that taking a vacation and looking at vape gear a conspiracy theory I have no clue. I'd take a free trip to China & look at new mods and tanks etc.

Based on some of the other bullshit that has been seen that we as a whole are not privy to. I sense a greasy sell out ass fucking.

 

[Celtic Fog]

Phil is an asshat, he is VERY BIAS. He pushes the products of those who pay the most or give the most product to him. I can't stand his videos anymore.

 

[DarthVaper419]

Anyone who makes their living doing reviews, or pushing deals and discounts, will never be able to fully provide a completely unbiased opinion. It just won't happen. I noticed one popular deal pusher not only quit pushing sales on a particular well known tank recently, but also published a report questioning its safety, and then immediately began aggressively advertising their top competitors products. These things are not coincidence.

Don't buy the hype, buy what best suits your needs based on specs and honest reviews from other users you meet in stores and in forums, not based on what someone who makes a living pushing this stuff says and you'll be fine. The rest is just unimportant bullshit.

 

[Browncoat]

Anyone who makes their living doing reviews, or pushing deals and discounts, will never be able to fully provide a completely unbiased opinion. It just won't happen.

I disagree.

Being a reviewer is a balancing act. You have to be honest, otherwise your viewers will simply switch you off. People are smart, and will instantly sniff out BS. But you can't really trash a product or you'll risk pissing off vendors, and they tend to spread the word also.

I bet you'd be surprised at the amount of stuff that reviewers receive that never even gets a public review, simply because it sucks. If you're sent something for free, you have nothing invested in it. Why attach your name to a negative review?

 

[DarthVaper419]

I disagree.

Being a reviewer is a balancing act. You have to be honest, otherwise your viewers will simply switch you off. People are smart, and will instantly sniff out BS. But you can't really trash a product or you'll risk pissing off vendors, and they tend to spread the word also.

I bet you'd be surprised at the amount of stuff that reviewers receive that never even gets a public review, simply because it sucks. If you're sent something for free, you have nothing invested in it. Why attach your name to a negative review?

I have no doubt that the guys who do this on a large scale, and have huge viewerships, receive kickbacks. Not just in vaping, or even just reviewers, but in all professions in all fields. Honesty and tje good in humanity are a thing of the past for the most part. Also, I think you give people too much credit as far as their intelligence, ability and or willingness to think for themselves and spot bullshit.

Just a cynics honest opinion.

 

[Browncoat]

I have no doubt that the guys who do this on a large scale, and have huge viewerships, receive kickbacks. Not just in vaping, or even just reviewers, but in all professions in all fields.

So by large scale, who specifically do you mean? Rip Trippers? GrimmGreen? Drop some names.

 

[DarthVaper419]

All the above, busardo, our gracious host...anyone who has a large viewer base and makes money from what they do (primarily from advertisers) I'm not saying every single one of these guys are being jet setted across the world in private cessnas being fed wine and caviar obviously, but the fact of the matter is this stuff is a lot of those guys livelihood, they depend on money from advertisers and so forth, and where there's money there's greed and corruption.

 

[Browncoat]

You're either unintentionally misusing the word "kickback", or you have a gross misunderstanding of how these things work.

A kickback suggests that reviewers are getting a sales commission on items they're talking about. Kickback also usually means an illegal or unethical transaction. For example, if you were to refer a new client to your insurance agent, it's illegal for him to share any commission with you unless you're a licensed agent.

Familiarize yourself with affiliate marketing and CPM, as this is how these people make money. No one in the vaping community is even close to making decent money with their YouTube videos. You need to be in the half-million views , million+ subscribers range consistently to make bank on YouTube. Video game reviewers and kids toy reviewers are typically among YouTube's richest. I read somewhere that dumb ass PewDiePie made around $5 million last year. Anyway...

Are Rip, Grim, and Busardo making money from their vids? Yup, but A) it's not in the six-figure range...and I doubt it's deep into five-figures, and B) they're making money on views and/or clicks, not the products they're talking about. Sure, they get free vaping gear. While that has monetary value, they're either using it themselves or giving it away. The system isn't as corrupt as you may think.

 

[Joshua Iles]

In all honesty aren't we as consumers just as guilty of this if we only support certain products & give these reviewers word as the holy grail? I've read a lot of folks opinions on many devices, & some with high praise I still don't feel it will suit my needs. So what if someone is making a living peddling people's stuff. For lack of a better term it's called retail, been going on since the days of the first cavemen who for all we know sold fire for meat to the guy who couldn't make his own fire. I'm not gonna go buy something based solely on 1 persons viewpoint, nor will I discredit something in the same manner. I do believe that a lot of these overpowered mods are hype & an accident waiting to happen in the hands of the wrong person with no knowledge of proper battery use or the proven fact that u can catch an atty on fire at some ridiculous power setting. However, everyone has their own opinions & some people's opinions are valued enough that it helps pay their bills. Do I endorse competitor bashing? No, but politicians have been doing it in America since before we succeeded from British rule I'm sure. It's human nature, and if you're getting paid it's more incentive to do so. Base your own opinions on many reviews and personal preference. If everyone vaped solely based on Phil we'd all have whatever product he reviewed and liked for that week, and would buy everything we could that he recommended. I for one like entering contests cuz I'm broke, and if someone is giving away sponsor products so be it, if it's crap or u don't like it u didn't pay for it, & I'm sure u can find it a home with someone who will gladly use it.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I love people who DONT do reviews (or do, but suck at it) bashing those that do.. Its always a conspiracy with them (read: jealous) 'cause they didnt push their personal favorite POS.

 

[BigNasty]

I love people who DONT do reviews (or do, but suck at it) bashing those that do.. Its always a conspiracy with them (read: jealous) 'cause they didnt push their personal favorite POS.

No it is more like after than bit at bash with the exploded mod fat bastardo came out against the cloud chasers and clone users... I can see him punting for evol being safe and the limitations be set higher like .8 and above.
I can promise you that whole gaggle of sell outs is trying to get china to raise the prices so fuckmos like Hana can get away with charging 200 bucks for a clouper clone since it has his name on it.

 

[tombaker]

Move this dribble to U MAD BRO, (the Mod Envy, being Envious Segment)
Its hard to be believe Joe thinks half the stuff he is saying in the Vid is true, certainly the itchy nose is a pretty good tell. (Don't play poker with that one)

Under Joe's theory, since his every blog post has a review of the items being hawked, and he get a kick on a large portion of them, for every one that Joe get affiliate numbers, Joe is saying he has a bias. Again under Joe's theory, he needs to be up front and say that his review could be biased because of the kick over, he gets. Will Joe get all serious and look in the mirror and say to himself, "Just be honest about what is going on here". Bridges for sale, if you wonder.

The shock and horror Joe, agonizes and fawns perplexed anxiety of what is going on. OHHHHH THE HOOORRRROORRRRRRRR. Joe is whinning and whinnning, that people ate dinner together. What utter crap. The nose tell again.

Under VaporJoe's theory, he and every other reviewer should never go to a Vape meet, take free juice, interact with any local vendors, or any of the vendors that come up to the show.....because it taints its all. That's the ticket, after the first night of the vape meet, NOBODY CAN GO OUT TO DINNER ANYMORE......because if you eat with someone, that's it.....you shall forever be questioned if you can EVER do an unbiased review again.

And here is where even Joe has too know much better....than the Drama-rama-BS-poopage spewathon offered.

DOES ANYONE THINK THAT BOTH BUSARDO and DIMITRI are not going to put out extensive Videos on Youtube explaining what was going on? Duh! Come on, if you are going to do the Ancient Aliens routine, of WHAT IF.....IF SO, THAT MEANS and see off that utter crap, as "OHHHH Just Asking Questions" pitch being sold off.....AT LEAST.

AT LEAST wait to put out the DRAMA THEORIES OF CONSPIRACY......... AFTER they say what went down. Joe you know they are going to do explanation videos.

BUTTTTTT NOOOOOOOO. Guess at what the industry is doing, to claim to know what the industry is doing, before waiting for the players to say what the did.

This thread should be moved over to the U MAD BRO, because that's how I read it, Joe is whinning he did not go.....and is putting on his brave face saying "I wouldn't go if asked" and he gonna keep his toys and stay home too. MOD ENVY, becomes CHINA TRIP ENVY, but they should have asked Joe permission first.

Joe, U MAD BRO?? Por Que?

 

[Vaping ShiFu]

Why stir the pot VU....to boost your ratings?
I personally was here to see the action, and this trip for them was to help educate "us" Vapers on our industry.
It also helps to give them a point of authority to talk about what goes on here in China, and how things are done.
I listen to all of the reviewers, and most of the time are clueless on how and why things are done and made.
Just as an FYI: an email was sent out to VU, Rip, and Phil--Phil was the only one that answered back...just saying.
OK, flame on...

 

[Vaping ShiFu]

Sorry, don't know why the box mod got attached to my post...my bad
Has nothing to do with my post.

 

[VapedCrusader]

Wow.. like this meeting was setup by the Bilderberg group or something..

LMAO @ this thread

 

[Browncoat]

DOES ANYONE THINK THAT BOTH BUSARDO and DIMITRI are not going to put out extensive Videos on Youtube explaining what was going on? Duh!

I won't bother responding to anything else you wrote, because you're so far off the reservation, it's not even worth it. But I will respond to this.

Busardo made four posts to his blog yesterday, since returning from China. They are all equal to: "Hey, I'm back from China. I have a bunch of free shit to review, which do you want me to do first?"

There was no hint of: "Hey, I'm back from China. Had a great time, thanks to so-and-so. Learned a lot. Talked about safety, presentations went well, was surprised to see Evolv and Hana there, yadda yadda yadda."

Doesn't anyone else find that odd? Anyone who does videos and blogs for a living should be chomping at the bit to get home and tell everyone about their experience. The food, the laughs, thanking the people they met. But...Busardo has so much to say that he makes four posts in a single day and doesn't say anything about the trip? Alrighty then.

 

[UncleRJ]

People are always gonna talk.

And that is what is going on here.

Does it look funny that Phil and his Feta Cheese smelling pal Demetri are in China on the manufacturers dime?

To some, no doubt.

Personally, I like to look at it in this light.


When they aren't being wined and dined, they have the opportunity to represent the vaping community here in the US. Tell the manufuactures what we like and what we don't like. And what we are wishing for in the next generation of APVs.

I would have loved to be invited myself (but I wasn't) and I would have arrived with my own list of likes, dislikes and wishes. But they are there standing in for us. And can anyone here imagine Phil or Demetri just sitting there without voicing their opinions? I know I can't.

So tongues will wag as they always have and always will.

Me, I will sit back and wait to see how the next generation of hardware looks and hopefully changes as a result of events like this will be to our liking.

Just Saying.................................

 

[VapedCrusader]

Why stir the pot VU....to boost your ratings?
I personally was here to see the action, and this trip for them was to help educate "us" Vapers on our industry.
It also helps to give them a point of authority to talk about what goes on here in China, and how things are done.
I listen to all of the reviewers, and most of the time are clueless on how and why things are done and made.
Just as an FYI: an email was sent out to VU, Rip, and Phil--Phil was the only one that answered back...just saying.
OK, flame on...

if an email was sent to Joe inviting him.. then I'd like to hear the reason why he didn't go..

 

[Celtic Fog]

Furthermore....nobody asked any of them to represent me as a vapor. @tombaker you started off with the word "dribble" , why? You mad bro? Do you even sub ohm bro? lol. All reviews are YMMV, all review hosts are YMMV, along with everything in the world. Just the way it is. I think what most people are going to take offence to, is the fact Phil always has the same shirt on.....right? I mean really, that just creeps me out. Change your shirt.

 

[VapedCrusader]

Furthermore....nobody asked any of them to represent me as a vapor. @tombaker you started off with the word "dribble" , why? You mad bro? Do you even sub ohm bro? lol. All reviews are YMMV, all review hosts are YMMV, along with everything in the world. Just the way it is. I think what most people are going to take offence to, is the fact Phil always has the same shirt on.....right? I mean really, that just creeps me out. Change your shirt.

Just gave me a good laugh with that last line

 

[wally]

IM sure china was trying to sway Phil and Dimitri IM also sure ether one of them will be swayed. If any of you are saying they are then I would hate for people like you to become a Judge. I would of gone on that trip ate like a king enjoyed everything offered to me and it would not change a thing. Although coming home to this childish crap is just that. I Thank them for the hard work in the vaping community and have learned what to and what not to buy. And like said above we are not stupid no way would they ruin what they have achieved with all that hard work. Ask Joe he works hard for the Chinese and according to him receives nothing and if he did receive something so what. Same thing people pointing fingers and accusing and for nothing.

 

[freemind]

The issue shouldn't be IF they received some palm greasing. The trip was a freebie. So that ship already sailed.

The question should be, what were they doing or play a part of? Because while we assume people would not do something to hurt vaping or the people in it, money changes things.

I honestly think there was an agenda at play. This wasn't just a meet and greet meeting. we should be privy to this agenda. Why? Because it will in all likelihood, affect us.

 

[Crothersc]

Jesus. Nothing but drama. High School mess.

 

[Celtic Fog]

Jesus. Nothing but drama. High School mess.

Jesus has nothing to do with this....drama is reserved for Hollywood and high school dropouts resent this comment. Also, I like turtles. Keep it Foggy.

 

[Joshua Iles]

Jesus has nothing to do with this....drama is reserved for Hollywood and high school dropouts resent this comment. Also, I like turtles. Keep it Foggy.

I like sex & candy.

 

[Crothersc]

I like turtles too.

 

[vaperature]

I like turtles.

 

[BoomStick]

I like Phil's reviews. While I might not always agree with his opinions, I always feel like I'm more knowledgeable of the product being reviewed after watching the video than I was before watching it. If there's a Phil or Rip review of a product I'm considering, you bet your ass I'm gonna watch it before buying. The decision to purchase will be made by me, but seeing hd videos and hearing opinions of people that have access to and have used a ridiculous number of products certainly can't hurt my decision making process. I understand criticism, I just can't understand the hostility.

 

[Celtic Fog]

there is no hostility here, just peoples opinions.

 

[tombaker]

I won't bother responding to anything else you wrote, because you're so far off the reservation, it's not even worth it. But I will respond to this.

Busardo made four posts to his blog yesterday, since returning from China. They are all equal to: "Hey, I'm back from China. I have a bunch of free shit to review, which do you want me to do first?"

There was no hint of: "Hey, I'm back from China. Had a great time, thanks to so-and-so. Learned a lot. Talked about safety, presentations went well, was surprised to see Evolv and Hana there, yadda yadda yadda."

Doesn't anyone else find that odd? Anyone who does videos and blogs for a living should be chomping at the bit to get home and tell everyone about their experience. The food, the laughs, thanking the people they met. But...Busardo has so much to say that he makes four posts in a single day and doesn't say anything about the trip? Alrighty then.

V4P3R, I can not believe you are that naive. Have you ever flown a 20 hour flight? You expect that either are going to go out there post pictures, and as reviewers who make a video every other day or so, that they are not going to talk about just WTF they did, what was going on?

There was no hint of: "Hey, I'm back from China. Had a great time, thanks to so-and-so. Learned a lot. Talked about safety, presentations went well, was surprised to see Evolv and Hana there, yadda yadda yadda."

<----- That is your theory of conspiracy and ire? Do you even know how reviews are done, that when people get free samples they often give them away. Dude its like you don't even watch vape reviewers. If you did, you would be able to understand about 80% of them say, I got this for free, but I am not biased, if you want to think I am go pound sand.

V4P3R, its simply clueless to think that. Also my post was mostly a response to the VaporJoe "rant and expose" commentary in the attach video in the OP. But you both seem to think that once a person has a working lunch, that they are forever corrupted. Every personal review on VaporJoe's deals blog, has commentary that is compensated for, perhaps you have issues with that next?

So when the information starts to flow, are you gonna write a big update? @VaporJoes, in the mean time is pushing fake SubTank coils being sold as real on Fasttech http://www.fasttech.com/products/2071003 No need to do a biased review because they are being pushed as real. The big question Joe asks in his Video, is "how does he remain unbaised". Look at the coils, on Fasttech, the only way most people being hurded over to Fasttech know they are counterfeits made with silica or whatever they put in them is...... no wait....there is no way buyers can know. They don't say Style, and Style is a word just used to confuse newbies being herded over.

 

[BoomStick]

there is no hostility here, just peoples opinions.

I wasn't necessarily referring to this thread or even this forum. Plenty of Phil/Rip hatefulness being expressed elsewhere on the webz. Whatever though. I think they do a pretty good job and I'll keep watching.

 

[tombaker]

Ohhhhhh Nooooo, look at that picture of the guys in back in a Vape filled room.....the information is SHOCKING http://dimisphere.com/sevia-shenzhen-electronic-vaporizer-industry-association-conference/ @VaporJoes is shocked, just shocked, that the conspiracy is unraveling so quickly.....but he is keeping mum.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Ohhhhhh Nooooo, look at that picture of the guys in back in a Vape filled room.....the information is SHOCKING http://dimisphere.com/sevia-shenzhen-electronic-vaporizer-industry-association-conference/ @VaporJoes is shocked, just shocked, that the conspiracy is unraveling so quickly.....but he is keeping mum.

Oh wow.. lookie there, a report on what it was about..

 

[Celtic Fog]

Im shocked....

 

[Browncoat]

LOL @tombaker

@VaporJoes is shocked, just shocked, that the conspiracy is unraveling so quickly.....but he is keeping mum.

No, like the rest of us, he's probably trying to make heads or tails of what you've been posting in this thread.

 

[MD_Boater]

I think this is a bunch of hooey.

 

[BoomStick]

I'm just waiting for Phil to e-mail me and tell me I won his latest contest. Get me some of that free stuff people keep sending him.

 

[tombaker]

LOL @tombaker
No, like the rest of us, he's probably trying to make heads or tails of what you've been posting in this thread.

V4P3R did listen to the MOD ENVY show in the OP? I have been talking about the Joe rant that starts about 1 hour in. The one where he is shocked that after they got off the plane from a 17 hour flight, that they did not immediately start a Podcast and tell everyone what happened.

Joe goes on.....but yah I am talkin about Joe claiming that having dinner in China with Kanger, means all your future reviews are questionable. Its not like he is going to be able to back it up, beyond a one way broadcast....he ain't doing it here.

(BTW good article on Harm Reduction.....first time I had seen your site....I left a comment on that one.)

 

[Warhawk-AVG]

It's the WVF (World Vaping Federation)...they get in the ring, toss each other around, call names, threaten, badmouth and backtalk, beat each other bloody sometimes...but at the end of the day they all end up going out and eating out of the same trough.

 

[Zamazam]

Oy.

 

[Joshua Iles]

I'm just waiting for Phil to e-mail me and tell me I won his latest contest. Get me some of that free stuff people keep sending him.

As am I.

 

[KKen]

I think most would care less if they went there to become shills for China, to educate safety or start up a new company. If they get paid thousands of dollars to post biased reviews, people will immediately catch on and that's really all there is to it. Lots of good reviewers out there, so take your picks and enjoy the show.

If you buy a product based on a single youtube review and it turns out to be shit, well, that's all on you

 

[BigNasty]

I think most would care less if they went there to become shills for China, to educate safety or start up a new company. If they get paid thousands of dollars to post biased reviews, people will immediately catch on and that's really all there is to it. Lots of good reviewers out there, so take your picks and enjoy the show.

If you buy a product based on a single youtube review and it turns out to be shit, well, that's all on you

I think most here loath some self elected spokesman representing themselves for vapers as a whole.

 

[KKen]

Sure, that's true, but if the majority loathes a self elected spokesmouth, they won't last very long to begin with