Fake Purple Days on Ebay - "Better Days"

[indigal]

Thank you all for the input. With everything you guys said, I decided to pass on the Better Days and instead I ordered a Myrtlezap just now. Can't wait!

Cool! I have a MZ & love it.. someday will post a pic, works wonderfully.. now, let's lead you over into the--> MZ thread .. Lot's of good reading & take pics if you get a fancy one , seriously, we like our wood pics around here.

 

[arf777]

I'm new here, and have just a couple of quick comments to make.

I am waiting on my PD, Vapenow says it'll be here soon. However, like some folks, I'm a medical vaper - I vape for chronic pain, nausea and other side effects of my other medications, and to allow me to eat without feeling sick and actually get some sleep. Those of us who use medically don't have the luxury of waiting as long as recreational users, though. So while waiting, I bought from the BD guy on ebay.

It was either that, or buy one of the ones I KNOW has lead while waiting, or continue to cough from my nonpvape devices, or use the vapes I have that frankly don't do the job for me (Vapolution, digital vapezilla, herbalaire) (they don't do it for me - I don't mean to imply that they aren't good vapes for other people).

So just for us medical folks, it's convenient to be able to get something to use until my PD comes.

However, I do work in the law. As such, I don't like it when folks violate other people's Intellectual Property. I just had trouble telling if that was actually happening. If Tom owns the TM on "Purple Days", then he can take action against anyone using his trademark to market their own stuff.

The other option is an "improvement" patent, which allows you to patent an improvement to an already-patented invention. I haven't ever worked on one of those, though, so I don't know if the PD could get one.

I do understand the rage when someone takes something created by someone else and uses it as their own. My work has been plagiarized by colleagues, and it is enraging. But I have to thank the BD guy for providing me with a better way to use my vaped meds until my real Purple Days comes. Once it does, I'll compare their functions.

 

[lwien]

A comment and a few questions.

Comment----the issue that many of us have here goes way beyond the intellectual property issue, but more of how he misrepresented himself here, for that is really a bigger issue and brings into question if anything can be trusted from this maker of the BD. It's all been explained in the previous posts in this thread.

Now to the questions. One.........how do you KNOW that there is lead in the competing product? The maker of that product has redesigned his product just to address this issue.
Secondly, what will this vape provide you, on a medical basis, that the Vapolution, Vapezilla or Hebalaire could not provide?

 

[arf777]

Frankly, those other vapes just didn;t do it for me. Like some other folks who grew up smoking, the other vapes I've used just didn't make me feel like I;d been getting the same effect as when smoking, specifically in pain control and sleep. Some of the others DID work for nausea control - specifically the vapezilla and the vapolution. But with the PD imitator (and I assume the PD as well, will know when it gets here) I do get pain control comparable to smoking, but without the coughing. The vapolution was closest of my previous.

All of the aromazaps I've seen, including one purchased by a friend relatively recently, had brass in them. If they've changed, cool.

I don't disagree that the marketing on ebay was potentially misleading - the Better Days came up when I searched for Purple Days. However, it's a kind of misleading that is common on ebay. If you search for vapezilla on ebay, you get their products as results and their imitators as well.

This type of search result has been made into a business model by sites like Google - if you search for a major brand name of almost any product on Google, you will get the one you're looking for PLUS competitors. Google uses brand names as key-words for competing brands. Like if you search for Ford cars, you get hits for GM and Chrysler as well. Since this gets extra search hits for all the companies involved (searching for GM or Chrysler brings up Ford) nobody big has tried to stop the practice. Again, not necessarily honest, but a very widespread marketing practice, both with vapes and in other industries.

As far as trusting the maker of the BD - I don't generally 'trust' anything I buy from anyone, online or otherwise (I work at a major litigation firm, and have seen too many cases where people were screwed by the most "trusted" people and/or businesses they knew). That's one of the reasons I'm still getting a PD - I feel I CAN trust that, as the PD website goes so in-depth about how its made and all its parts.

Once I got the BD, I took it partially apart to see if it had any potentially dangerous bits before I used it, and didn't see any. And it has worked great. On top of that, the guy who made it answered every question I asked him about it. The main point I wanted to make was that, due to the (understandably) long wait to get a real Purple Days, this was helpful to me as a chronic pain patient.

I'm not willing to say it's comparable to a PD, though, since I haven't gotten a PD yet. It isn't quite as pretty as the PD's I've seen And it doesn't come with everything a PD comes with - just the unit, two tubes and the power supply.

 

[Progress]

I bought a Better Days, and it burned down my house and killed my cat. They said that they would replace my unit and the cat, but not the house. WTF?

OK, Seriously...will there ever be approved Purple Days Pandora assembly people who could offer separate warranties, as the pandora has none?

 

[arf777]

I just got an email that my real PD shipped! Soon I'll be able to compare them.

Word is, the PD's will be available for regular ordering - no wait list - by the end of the month. That's according to the guy I spoke to at vapenow.

 

[Better Days]

I just got an email that my real PD shipped! Soon I'll be able to compare them.
Word is, the PD's will be available for regular ordering - no wait list - by the end of the month. That's according to the guy I spoke to at vapenow.

Cant wait for the comparison.

I cant wrap my head around the wait list. The things are stupid easy to make and if Tom was spending any time in the shop there would be no wait list. I think he is spending a little to much time on the R & D if you know what I mean.

 

[fidget]

I just got an email that my real PD shipped! Soon I'll be able to compare them.
Word is, the PD's will be available for regular ordering - no wait list - by the end of the month. That's according to the guy I spoke to at vapenow.

Cant wait for the comparison.

I cant wrap my head around the wait list. The things are stupid easy to make and if Tom was spending any time in the shop there would be no wait list. I think he is spending a little to much time on the R & D if you know what I mean.

lol in before curmudgeonly old men

 

[AGBeer]

I just got an email that my real PD shipped! Soon I'll be able to compare them.
Word is, the PD's will be available for regular ordering - no wait list - by the end of the month. That's according to the guy I spoke to at vapenow.

Cant wait for the comparison.

I cant wrap my head around the wait list. The things are stupid easy to make and if Tom was spending any time in the shop there would be no wait list. I think he is spending a little to much time on the R & D if you know what I mean.

LOL I was waiting for your return. Isnt this your 3rd account already?

Sheesh, please get a registered vendors section so stuff like this happens less often Vtac. (Please)

 

[arf777]

So, I now have both an original PD from and the Better Days.

So far, they operate almost identically, though there are one or two differences.
The BD (like I'm told some others like Woodeez) has an additional screen the PD does not have (at least visible) - the BD has a screen directly under the bar where you insert the tube. The PD doesn't have one right there, at least that I can see. However, I've had no problem with the PD from the lack of a screen there.

The PD's internal hardware is more tightly fitted into the unit - doesn't feel like anything moves around in there. The Better Days seems a bit looser - when you shake the unit a little, you can feel some motion inside. Not a lot, but some. Hasn't affected any use yet.

Final functional difference, though this may be just the two units I have - my Better Days seems to get a little hotter than my Purple Days. Again, this may just be slight variance from unit to unit, or may be due to an actual difference in settings.

Overall, they both work awesome. I love both of them, and use them both. As I'm trying to quit smoking tobacco (trying to vape) I now use one of them for the tobacco, the other one for my other herbs.

Aesthetics - The Purple Days has a nicer looking piece of leather for the bottom, the wood is a little prettier, and came with more accessories - 3 tubes, the aroma cup, cleaning bottle, etc. The Better Days comes with two tubes, the power supply and the vape itself.

I'd gladly recommend either unit. I have not had a chance to compare either to a Woodeez or the now (officially?) RoHS compliant Aromazap. I did have a vape session using my BD with a friend who owns a PD, and though he was surprised, he didn't notice any difference either.

For me, the advantage to the BD was that I ordered it and it came almost immediately. However, my PD took only a week longer to come. I was lucky re the PD list - Vapenow told me I was one of the last people they allowed to get added to the list, instead of having to wait for more to come in before ordering.

If you do get stuck waiting on a PD (though rumor has it that will not be a problem in the near future) and you need an excellent vape for medical reasons, making waiting much harder, the BD is a fine substitute. I assume Aromazap/Myrtlezap would also be a substitute, though I haven't used one. At the time I ordered the BD, I hadn't heard about some of the changes AZ/MZ made.

That being said, I'd advise the Better Days to set up a website for his product (I think he is planning to), on which he should fully disclose all of the materials he uses and any other info, like what improvements he feels he has made. And as someone who works in the law, I would advise a DIFFERENT NAME. You don't need a potentially trademark-infringing name to make your product appear when a person searches for one like it. Google searches do that by default for most types of things - search for a vapezilla, you'll get hits for that and for almost every vape of a similar design, from knock-offs to improvements.

ANyway, both my BD and PD are so good, they are now the only vapes I'm using. No longer using my Herbalaire, vapezilla original, natural goods digital, Vapor Brothers or Vapolution.

I do wish the wonderful Vapolution AIW bowl would fit my PD or BD- its just a little bit too wide to use with them. Maybe one of these guys will make a similar stem for a log-style vape? Espec. if it stays hard to get the RevolVere PD stems.

 

[jeffp]

Regarding the BP having a screen directly under the bar - the reason why the PD decidedly does not have that is because it's harder to get material out of the unit with the screen.
I hate to compare the two units because comparison gives the BP undeserved credibility - the design is unabashed thievery to capitalize on a wait list, plain and simple.

 

[lwien]

The PD's internal hardware is more tightly fitted into the unit - doesn't feel like anything moves around in there. The Better Days seems a bit looser - when you shake the unit a little, you can feel some motion inside. Not a lot, but some. Hasn't affected any use yet.

If you feel motion inside, you need to re-seat the C-clip. If you don't, and it remains loose, after awhile, it will make the vape totally inoperable. Take a flat head screwdriver, put it against the edge of the clamp, and bang it with a hammer. Do this a few times around the circumference of the clamp.

I've had to do this with my PD after over a years worth of use. It's a bit surprising that it's happening with a brand new vape, however.

But suggesting that this dufuss puts up a site so that he can communicate what is actually inside of his vape and how it's put together, in my opinion, would be totally useless, for I wouldn't trust a thing he says. How can you being that he created a phony account here and impersonated someone else to expose his vape here, and then lied about it when he was confronted about it? Combine that with pawning his vape as a Purple Days on Ebay and didn't change it until various complaints were lodged on Ebay and they forced him to change it. I wouldn't trust this guy as far as I could throw him, let alone have any faith in the product that he makes.

Cookies anyone?

 

[jeffp]

For the conceptually impaired, like me, it would be useful if someone would put up a video on exactly how to do this - re-seating the C-clip.

 

[arf777]

Actually, all of these designs are derivative of the original patent's design, not owned by PD, Aromazap, or any of these companies or people.

I agree the name IS misleading. Trademark law isn't my specialty, so I don't know if they waited too long, but if it is still possible, I'd recommend Purple Days get their name trademarked. These days you don't even need an attorney to do it - a number of websites will walk you through filling out and filing the paperwork. Then if people use either his product name or an obvious derivative of it, he could actually make them stop.

Remember, though, we live in a capitalist economy, and a standard practice in all of capitalism is for competitors to take advantage of other manufacturer's inability to supply to match the level of demand. People who like capitalist markets tout this very thing as a strength of this economic system. Where do you think all the car companies that used to exist in this country came from? The first couple - Ford, Olds - couldn't keep up with demand, so other companies came into existence to fill that gap, though very few introduced new tech. And like with the original car companies, for now there seems to be plenty of demand around for all of these folks to make and sell their vaporizers. I'd be interested in seeing if the BD continues to sell once the PD is more easily available. Not saying I'm a fan of capitalism and its practices, but i is the economy in which we live, and this is a standard capitalist practice. Look at all the ebook readers that appeared since the Kindle1 came out, most of the competitors launching while Kindles were on back-order. And just like in the log-style vape world, none of these companies own the original patents or the patents on the major components.


I don't see BD taking any meaningful amount of business away from Purple Days. Neither of these guys run factories that crank out hundreds of units a month, there should be plenty of customers for both of them and Aromazap. Look at the world of glass pipes - ROOR, Biohazard, Illadelph all make some nearly identical pipes, yet all still sell plenty of units and make lots of $$$. But again, I agree that a different name should be used.

Of course, Purple Days has the amazing warranty, best I've seen on any vape of any kind. Which is a real consideration, if you put aside the naming controversy.

 

[fidget]

I originally got into vaping because I bought a purple days thinking it was used by Jimi Hendrix.
At least with the Better Days people won't make the same mistake I did.

 

[max]

Of course, Purple Days has the amazing warranty, best I've seen on any vape of any kind.

3 yrs. isn't amazing. Some others are covered for 5. For amazing you'd have to give the prize to Magic Flight- a replacement vape sent even if the user admits screwing it up.

I originally got into vaping because I bought a purple days thinking it was used by Jimi Hendrix.

Purple Daze maybe, which is what I would have named the PD.

 

[spentskeeper]

this guy is a thief. 3 units cracked in half and he still won't give me my money back.

 

[Mckdenton]

report him to ebay. the description says 3 year warranty.

 

[max]

he still won't give me my money back.

Warranty doesn't mean getting your money back, but it does mean fixing or replacing a defective unit. As long as he's replacing the bad ones, he's complying with the warranty terms. If he won't replace anymore, then you need to notify eBay.

Three consecutive units cracked probably means he's using wood that's not properly dried.

 

[SSS]

Three consecutive units cracked probably means he's using wood that's not properly dried.

just one of the differences between dealing with guys who know their shit and do it right vs. a guy trying to make a quick buck.

 

[jeffp]

did you purchase 3 consecutive units? either way as messed up as this is, i'm sort of glad this happened as it should dissuade others from purchasing a "better" log vape from this shyster.
sorry you have to deal with this crap.

 

[Lo]

The irony of the name "Better Days".....

Hope he replaces the unit...warranty is advertised!

 

[stinkmeaner]

Sounds like he is using wood that hasn't been dried properly.

 

[DevoTheStrange]

I don't see why he wont give you your money back, he clearly states if your not satisfied he would. Since he stated that on his better days listing, I would definitely think about reporting it to ebay. He is not following through with his listing. Instead of shipping you unit after unit he should just give you the money back like he stated, but apparently he does not want to.
I would report it to ebay, and also point out how he clearly says he will refund if unsatisfied.

 

[hereatlast]

Yup report this guy!