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jwill

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You mentioned customizing everything in inventory. Are you speaking of tube mech's?
Will the inventory and it's categories be the same?, except for the phased out e-liquid and the brands you'll no longer carry?

Things that to me, seem important to try to convey in Co name or tagline

What do you want to convey in a new name?

There will be some restructuring of the site that takes place as a result of the changes and at some point, I may stand up another site entirely. Essentially the custom section will go away in short order due to redundancy and the pictures/description will change as items are loaded back into the store, this will be a continual process of change since there is no rush and I would prefer to sell as much as I can as is.

Initially, I will not be changing the name but as it morphs it may make more sense. I have a couple of names lined up that I am on the fence about presently to better convey the custom nature of the store itself as that becomes a necessity.
 

Vape Fan

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5. I am considering a name change. I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this.
I have a couple of names lined up that I am on the fence about
Like what?
 

Wb80

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Your custom work always has me doing a double take. Just makes sense so long as it is a lucrative businesses move.
 

jwill

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Your custom work always has me doing a double take. Just makes sense so long as it is a lucrative businesses move.

It definitely is a vertical move. The custom that I sell through the store is only a small fraction of what is being done and sold. That will change some and some of these background relationships will become much more public. The custom stuff moves quickly and I sell more of that than anything else, so it makes sense to free up resources to produce more custom work and tailor the business towards that.

I suspect it will become a mildly lower volume venture but it will give me a market edge in that I will be providing finishes no one else can and already have established a reputation for that work which will hopefully help it grow.
 

Vape Fan

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Not ready to say yet until I secure the domains. That will be early next week.
OK. That's what I thought the reason would be for not saying.
Makes it hard to suggest any names at this point since your not 100% on how your going to configure part of the business.
 

Wb80

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It definitely is a vertical move. The custom that I sell through the store is only a small fraction of what is being done and sold. That will change some and some of these background relationships will become much more public. The custom stuff moves quickly and I sell more of that than anything else, so it makes sense to free up resources to produce more custom work and tailor the business towards that.

I suspect it will become a mildly lower volume venture but it will give me a market edge in that I will be providing finishes no one else can and already have established a reputation for that work which will hopefully help it grow.
Agreed. Better to sell bentleys rather than hondas anyways. Be known strictly 4 higher end product.
 

Bluenatic

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I really appreciate your vision jwill. I was thinking to myself the other day, as I was browsing your custom pics, that you're really on to something. I really want my mech to be different than most. Some places I know you can send in your gear to be customized, but to be able to grab a new product and have it finished your way is something I believe A LOT of people are looking for! Do you think you will have a service to send in a mod/atty and have it made a jwill custom and sent back or would that be too much a liability? Just wondering if that's a service you have pondered as I think that would be a very popular option. Anyways I love this, I can't wait to grab some of your BADASS work! Good luck brother!
 

Bluenatic

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CloudistCustoms,CloudistCustom / CustomClouds / CloudyCustoms / Custom Cloudist,TheCustomCloudist?? Shit I dunno just throwing out some that kind of integrate. Are you thinking something fresh or something somewhat like above to keep with the current name which I really like personally
 

jwill

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I really appreciate your vision jwill. I was thinking to myself the other day, as I was browsing your custom pics, that you're really on to something. I really want my mech to be different than most. Some places I know you can send in your gear to be customized, but to be able to grab a new product and have it finished your way is something I believe A LOT of people are looking for! Do you think you will have a service to send in a mod/atty and have it made a jwill custom and sent back or would that be too much a liability? Just wondering if that's a service you have pondered as I think that would be a very popular option. Anyways I love this, I can't wait to grab some of your BADASS work! Good luck brother!


I'm not sure about that. I may do engravings on other people's stuff but there is no money in customizing sent in items and the liability is high. If I drop it, break it or lose it then I am on the hook, but if I own the inventory and do that no one has to know and I can just kick myself in the butt.

I did try this for a minute and it didn't work out well and sometimes I will finish something that is known to be doable for a friend or as a gift while doing other runs. When I was toying with the idea I had received some items that just couldn't be finished due to how they were constructed and received some items that were not worth finishing or if they were finished would have looked bad due to deep scratches and such. No one really wins in that situation.

Some of the finishes that I do cost me upwards of $20-30 in materials and I have to mark that up for taxes and profit. Add in two hours of labor and the mod finishing just got expensive. On owned inventory, I can bury some of that cost in volume and the cost of the item. I think at least for now I will stick with doing limited runs and stuff I can make a little money off of. I plan to work more closely with certain manufacturers and am currently working to have some "blank" mods made so they can be fully customized and offered at a decent price. I like the high-end stuff personally and the vast majority of my customers are collectors, vape shops and manufacturers. I am going to tailor to them and offer a more personalized service. This will allow me to worry less about volume and focus more on the customization.
 

Bluenatic

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I'm not sure about that. I may do engravings on other people's stuff but there is no money in customizing sent in items and the liability is high. If I drop it, break it or lose it then I am on the hook, but if I own the inventory and do that no one has to know and I can just kick myself in the butt.

I did try this for a minute and it didn't work out well and sometimes I will finish something that is known to be doable for a friend or as a gift while doing other runs. When I was toying with the idea I had received some items that just couldn't be finished due to how they were constructed and received some items that were not worth finishing or if they were finished would have looked bad due to deep scratches and such. No one really wins in that situation.

Some of the finishes that I do cost me upwards of $20-30 in materials and I have to mark that up for taxes and profit. Add in two hours of labor and the mod finishing just got expensive. On owned inventory, I can bury some of that cost in volume and the cost of the item. I think at least for now I will stick with doing limited runs and stuff I can make a little money off of. I plan to work more closely with certain manufacturers and am currently working to have some "blank" mods made so they can be fully customized and offered at a decent price. I like the high-end stuff personally and the vast majority of my customers are collectors, vape shops and manufacturers. I am going to tailor to them and offer a more personalized service. This will allow me to worry less about volume and focus more on the customization.
That makes perfect sense. Looking forward to the transition and I wish you nothing but the best jwill. I already know what I want next from your shop (between 2 things) and will be in touch when the "vape fund" replenishes
 

jwill

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That makes perfect sense. Looking forward to the transition and I wish you nothing but the best jwill. I already know what I want next from your shop (between 2 things) and will be in touch when the "vape fund" replenishes

You know where to find me. We can make it whatever you want it to be.
 

jwill

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The El Thunders are up for sale. I am holding a few back for a different finishing technique to be announced and engraving but the remainder are up for sale. If anyone from VU wants one of these pretty bastards please let me know. I have a small discount for you all.
 

jwill

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Just a heads up. I am killing the retail side of Cloudist effective midnight on Halloween. I am going to take a long think, and then rebrand as a custom only shop.

I knew it was a risk going mid-high end and apparently people really do only want cheap and Chinese. No sense in watching the walls cave in around me.
 

jwill

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Can't like this but completely understand. Also wish I was more cash fluent.


This isn't a sad situation. There will be plenty of those soon enough with other shops who have been floating inventory on credit, we are getting out while we are still ahead and I will be back as a custom shop once I rebrand and sort some things out on my end.

I plan to hold back a couple hundred mods and atomizers for later.

Official Statement here for anyone who cares.

https://cloudist.store/Retail-is-Dead-_b_53.html
 

Theboss

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Just a heads up. I am killing the retail side of Cloudist effective midnight on Halloween. I am going to take a long think, and then rebrand as a custom only shop.

I knew it was a risk going mid-high end and apparently people really do only want cheap and Chinese. No sense in watching the walls cave in around me.
I agree that the majority of people like cheap Chinese bs, but there are those of us who only buy high end stuff.

I know Albert Lee who owns ecigarettes.ca and he is a true high end mech guy. He doesn't enjoy carrying and selling half of the pod and sub ohm systems that he sells but those keep his doors open. He always has high end stuff to offer people like me but understands what the masses want.
 

jwill

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I agree that the majority of people like cheap Chinese bs, but there are those of us who only buy high end stuff.

I know Albert Lee who owns ecigarettes.ca and he is a true high end mech guy. He doesn't enjoy carrying and selling half of the pod and sub ohm systems that he sells but those keep his doors open. He always has high end stuff to offer people like me but understands what the masses want.

I knew the risks. Had to try.
 

jwill

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That isnt going to happen. I will keep every piece of it before I give it away.

We took all of our initial profits and used that to expand the store. Everything I have now is what would be our profits should we decided to continue on.
 

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Sorry to see this JB, perhaps under different circumstances this would never have to come to pass, difficult times out there mate.

Customs is what set you apart from all the others and is where your passion lies, glad to hear this will continue.

keep at it mate, hope to see you succeed as you should under the new guise :cheers:
 

gopher_byrd

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Sorry to hear about this @jwill, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I wish I had the funds to have shopped your store more often, but I gotta do with what I got for now. I hope the custom stuff works out for you and I have some funds in the future to shop them.
 

Bluenatic

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Sucks jwill but your customs really are the shit and where it's at so I'm very much looking forward to see what is in the future cause I know it'll be badass
 

f1r3b1rd

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Sorry JB, I would love to have been able to purchase more unfortunately circumstances are what they are.
Best of luck on the custom side.
 

jwill

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Again, not a sad story but thanks. I rolled the dice on a risky thing and the landscape changed. Im exiting with positive cash flow and a huge patch of inventory, this was a decision to walk away on good terms.


It wasn't all for naught because it afforded me the opportunity to fully develop my finishing process and really dial that in.
 

ColdDayInHell

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Went onto your site only to read what happened.

Best of luck in whatever you choose to pursue.

You helped me out big time and I don't forget even the little things.

tenor.gif
 

jwill

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Went onto your site only to read what happened.

Best of luck in whatever you choose to pursue.

You helped me out big time and I don't forget even the little things.

tenor.gif

Im looking forward to getting away from retail. Custom is my passion. Going to spend some time with the family, finish getting the new shop rocking and then im going to do a lot of what I like.
 

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