Rockwise said:
You've never contacted us and you've got such strongly negative and crass things to say about my business.
Rockwise, to be clear I have nothing really to say about your business. My only opinion is that I find the charges involved to be prohibitively excessive (over 175% more in my one experience than your competitor), and so I just can't afford to do business with you. I don't have time to call or email every retailer looking for a deal- just window shopping to narrow my choices; it's up to the retailer to catch me and my business. It's there for the taking. With regards to your being the exclusive online retailer for most Arizer solo accessories for the 2 months since the products launch, then good for you. It must be good for your business, although it's poor for me. If you're not in cahoots with Arizer then I apologise for that suggestion, although I don't think that to be so would reflect badly on yourself. However you got there, it's an enviable position for a retailer and I couldn't blame you even if it was by arrangement. I have no expectations from your business having not invested in your brand as I have Arizer's. You apparently provide good service to those in the right locations, so good luck to you.
However, whilst I really do love the product (I've sold them 2 to friends so far, maybe 3 soon), I do stand by my displeasure at the strategy and ethos of Arizer here wrt marketing their power supplies, even if I don't know the full story.
Whilst I was away battery life became an issue for me- I only took the Solo and a couple of lighter based vapes, but I only wanted to hit the Solo. I was often late getting out of the house after my morning session due to waiting for my Solo to recharge as I always wanted it fully charged to go out. Lets face it, a dual mode power supply is what the Solo actually should be sold with. It's clearly the way the vape is meant to work, making it twice as useful as battery only mode. It was frustrating for me to have many power supplies available for purchase in the shops around me that would prevent this issue once and for all, but not knowing which to go with. But I'm back home now, surrounded by vapes. The Solo running out of battery is less of an issue for me. Nevertheless;
The 9v power supply is an 'off the shelf' product. So why shouldn't it be available with my purchase? It seems to me only a couple of obvious reasons; a) they rushed the launch to beat the Irish competition before they had the power supply's sorted, or b)they're up to 'something' else, or even c) complete incompetence ?
Despite the explanation provided by Rockwise I don't think c) is likely- they're well established in the vape world. This is not a new company seeking to develop new distribution network. They have an existing network that sees sales of Arizer products worldwide. The Solo itself is sold on at least 3 continents (are they in South Africa as well?). The merchanise COULD (and should) be out there. I'll take Rockwise at his word that it's not b). If it is a), which would seem most likely now, then why should the customer be the one to suffer? If the Solo did launch prematurely and they couldn't offer the full product then the manufacturer should take the small hit on the power supply and tell us what we need. Whatever the reasons, maybe a mix of many, they're ultimately irrelevant to me. Arizer's margin on an off the shelf power supply must be minimal. Is it worth denying and irritating their customers for? Legitimate big boy coroprate tactics, sure. But poor ethos IMO.
I don't agree as some have suggested that the manufacturer has the right to be the only ones to sell us the required power suply (I would have tolerated it without question though had it been available for purchase). I know lots of big manufacturers act like this, and mobile phone manufacturers especially, but it's a practise that I think stinks (and i think we actually have legislation coming into the EU to stop cellphone manufacturers doing this and make them universal- so many wasted old wall transformers in existence). I think it's a little bit like Magic Flight keeping their battery chemistry secret and forcing the purchase of mysterious peeled batteries just from them. They could've. But that wouldn't make for really happy customers. When it's an off the shelf standard product then I do believe such tactics to be exploiting the customer base.[/rant] Essential accessories should be available soon apparently.
Let's get back to the positives
Edit; Hooollly shit. Wrote that last sentence before reading on to CDS post. Panic does set in! No sign on mine yet, but my stems are very loose. Was this vape too good to be true?.... I'm sure it'll be fine..... in the end...... i hope.....