Has the interwebz saturated the vape market?

[AGBeer]

I ask this because I went to my local glass shop today and saw that amongst the numerous pieces of glass, they also had vinyl tubing (whips) as well as a few of the 'Ebay Special Chinese KO' vapes. I laughed at the fact that "The Fuji" was prominently displayed and the clerk reminded me that "Not everyone can afford their life savings for a decent vape" and "The internet has pretty much killed the vape business"

I know that there arent AS many vendors online who offer glass (it can be a PITA to ship) but was this guy just being an asshole or just plain ignorant?

He was familiar with the DBV but that seemed to be about it (aside from his Fuji and its overpriced original)

 

[Beezleb]

I think its true that it killed the vape market for them. They simply cant compete with an internet price.

 

[nickzzzx]

Yeah, it's quite sad that most people who don't want to spend time researching different vaporizers are mainly offered really crappy, badly designed, probably unsafe vapes. I suspect over time that vaporizers will become more efficiently(better) designed, which will lead to easier use and more incentive to purchase and use a vape.

 

[Frickr]

i dont think that the internet should be to blame for a shop having cheap vaporizers. i myself, and i know alot of others would agree with me on this, but i would much rather go to a shop and pick up a nice name brand vape. the only reason why i order off line is because i cant find what i want in a shop anywhere close to here. when it comes down to it too, i would feel better about paying a little extra, going home with it right away, and having a friendly face to talk to about it while i was purchasing it. i think that the headshops that are supplying those cheap knock off unsafe vapes, just hurt the whole reputation for the vape market.

 

[tdavie]

Nah, I don't think so. Just last Friday (January 29), I and my girlfriend went to our local head shop, and picked up an Extreme Vaporizer and 2 foot Vortex Gravity bong. In stock, you could pick them up, read the manuals, play with the parts and ask real people real questions. Price might be cheaper online, but no shipping costs and far easier to return. I intially had problems with my Iolite, went back to the store and one guy went outside with me on his coffeebreak and helped me out.

It's provided more information, but if you do not kow how to shift through the chaff it's not much of a help.

Besides, at least 2 of my local stores sponsors a 420 event live. Lets see the interwebz do that

my 2 cents

Tom

 

[stinkmeaner]

The shop guy should get over it considering that most goods can be purchased online for cheaper, he has nobody to blame but himself for offering cheap quality products. That's like going into a Best Buy for a computer and the sales person there saying that the internet killed the computer market.

It seems 99% of shops all have Chinese vapes and Chinese glass with morons that work there with no knoledge of any products so if you find a good shop with name brand products I say support them because they are doing a service to the comunity.

 

[Lo]

I have seen some cheap crappy vapes in local shops but recently started seeing SSV's, E's, Io's in a couple placesl local. One even had the magic flight launch box BUT.... The folks at the shops knew VERY little about the vapes. Actually asked me how I like the Io & MFLB, duh?? They couldn't tell me much about their products and some they knew NOTHING about other than the price. They never even tried them and I know they partake.

I don't think it's the web's fault, yes I can buy a lot of stuff online cheap but I like to support local businesses when I can also. I think a shop owner who learned his way around the vapes and could offer information would be much more likely to sell them. I expect there are some shop owners out there keen on vaping, doing there homework on the products as well. Hopefully more will too!

 

[stickstones]

Not the web's fault. I fault the head shops. No head shop in this town knows shit about vapes, but they sell them anyhow.

 

[hereatlast]

I bought my Extreme v3 in-store. I probably wouldn't have bought it (I was planning on the HerbalAire) if it wasn't for the extremely nice and knowledgeable staff. Paid a little extra but no wait time for shipping.

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

From my experience there is more than one type of head-shop. There is the guy that is a stoner and started a shop, there is the corporate guy that started a shop, there are a few foreigners that have started head shops and lastly tobacco shops that evolved into head shops out of necessity. The latter 3 are entirely bottom line oriented. They buy based on the margins they can make and do not focus on much over that. These shops usually have very little knowledge of the market or even the function of the products they carry.
The first guy, the stoner run shop, generally focuses on a few items that the owners knows a lot about and carries other items that he has heard people talk about or request. Usually the stoner run shop has better customer service if you can catch the shop open and the staff isn't too loaded.
I think it is up to the company selling to the shop to educate the sales staff on the products in order to better help the shop move those items. Back-end support by suppliers is what helps the vapes move and I don't think a lot of companies focus on it very much. The general population has very little understanding or knowledge of vaporizers or vaporization and it is up to the company to educate these shops. (and anyone else who will listen)

The net hasn't done anything other than perpetuate the free market system. Most reputable companies set minimum advertised pricing (MAP) for their products and try to police the web to ensure their customers stick to the MAP. The thing is a lot of head shops are used to marking their products up keystone at least and generally 3 times what they bought an item for. A shop buys a product for $1 and sells it for at least $2 but generally $4. Many places on the web either only keystone the product or stick to the MAP. This will cut into the profit of a head-shop that is gouging their customers but it will also make the market level out.

 

[stickstones]

^^^
That's funny shit, bruce...dealing with the stoner shop! Along the lines of the evolved smoke shop, here we have porn shops that carry vapes and smoking stuff.

"I think it is up to the company selling to the shop to educate the sales staff on the products in order to better help the shop move those items."

This is huge, especially in a new market, and I'll bet it is one of your company's specialties. At this point in time, the manufacturer that best arm's the front line sales force with information is going to win.

 

[DevoTheStrange]

Not the web's fault. I fault the head shops. No head shop in this town knows shit about vapes, but they sell them anyhow.

I agree, there are only two headshops in town that carry vapes. One is a big national chain, and the other is a local chain. The national one carries a lot of the major name brands. The local tries to beat their prices by stocking only the chinese made crap.
Thing that sucks though is the big time national head shop charges too much.
I remember going in and seeing the Iolite for $320, they also had extremes for $380.
Guy was trying to sell me one. I ended up telling him, why even bother when I can get it for an even 300 straight from the manufacturer. Same thing with their bongs. They had a RooR 100ml for $120.
They guy told me that the extra money covers shipping and you don't have to wait, which I laughed at. Told him I got my extreme with no shipping costs and less than a four day wait.
What is funny though is the Local shop is pushing vaporgenies at what you can get them off the web, and the big chain is pushing vaporbuddies for $90

I think head shops are more interested in making money. It is more worthwhile to just deal with the internet than buying from a head shop. Too many headaches and rip offs at headshops in regards to vapes.

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

Along the lines of the evolved smoke shop, here we have porn shops that carry vapes and smoking stuff

Actually that has been a crossover in the works for 10 years or so. A lot of porn stores are scared to carry "smoking" items because they figure the porn already has them in a fringe market. The crossover has been facilitated by the introduction of blown glass dildos ( what is the plural of dildo? Dildos? Dildi? )

 

[DevoTheStrange]

As Toki Wartooth would say "What a bunch of dildos. You a lady, Skwisgaar! "

 

[stickstones]

I like dildi!

 

[Beezleb]

Well I buy my produce at the local foreigner kind of market, its cheaper produce and they have all kinds of shops in an old super market building that is akin to a Mexican border town but other nationalities too.

The other day I go in and they had this little shop that sells cheap glass but my heart did good to see a Da Buddha and a Vapor Bros. Sadly they said they have not sold a one but its only been about a month they were carrying it. It was about 30 bucks more than online. I bought a piece of glass off of them.

I had looked at them before and they only had cheap glass bowls and some bongs but they have expanded their inventory. Also, I never saw so many hookas before, apparently those are still the big thing in certain foreigner circles. Ive never used one myself but im not into the tobacco or however that works.

Oh, I did pimp the site, even wrote it down for the lady.

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

When pricing things online vs in a brick and mortar shop,... does one take into account shipping charges and the wait?

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

I like dildi!

in general or as a plural for dildo?


*edit* sorry man, you left that wide open, I had to take it......

 

[DevoTheStrange]

Well I buy my produce at the local foreigner kind of market, its cheaper produce and they have all kinds of shops in an old super market building that is akin to a Mexican border town but other nationalities too.

The other day I go in and they had this little shop that sells cheap glass but my heart did good to see a Da Buddha and a Vapor Bros. Sadly they said they have not sold a one but its only been about a month they were carrying it. It was about 30 bucks more than online. I bought a piece of glass off of them.

I had looked at them before and they only had cheap glass bowls and some bongs but they have expanded their inventory. Also, I never saw so many hookas before, apparently those are still the big thing in certain foreigner circles. Ive never used one myself but im not into the tobacco or however that works.

Oh, I did pimp the site, even wrote it down for the lady.

I would say the Hookah thing is also an American Youth Trend. A good bunch of kids I know (18-early 20's) own hookahs. There are just as many hookah stores here as there are headshops, and we have several hookah bars. Which you will find nothing but 18-20 year olds, those who are legal to smoke nicotine and not legal to drink.

That made me remember, i had totally forgotten I own a Hookah! big three foot tall bastard, I don't use it anymore since I quit smoking cigs.


@ Bruce - When Pricing things online I never take into account shipping, most places I order from do free shipping on orders over $75 or just free in general. And as far as wait time... I've always had to wait on receiving my vapes. Whether it be a few days or a few months, I always expect to be some kind of wait.
And as far as brick and mortar goes, I don't see the extra costs at these places as a hit I am willing to take.

I like dildi!

in general or as a plural for dildo?.

 

[Beezleb]

I do, its why I bought I what I did, paid a bit more than I would have online but I hate having glass shipped. I would prefer to buy most things in a store, where I can go, look at it, handle it, see it versus hoping what I think it is, it is but some times the pricing divide is large so I take the risk.

I dont have any issues buying something from trusted vendors though.

 

[DevoTheStrange]

Another reason I don't buy vapes from headshops is only one in town would honor the warranty's on the vapes. With all the other shops your SOL if your vape breaks.
Now buying glass on the other hand, especially if it is imported, I am more than likely to buy it from a headshop. Unless it is ridiculously overpriced and it is cheaper to risk ordering it online.

 

[PerseusStoned]

I feel the internet has mostly destroyed a lot of local businesses. Its a sad fact, but thats capitalism. We're looking for profit and efficiency and the lowest-dollar speaks louder than anything else. Headshops just can't really compete against anything on the internet anymore; customer service is better, but is it worth that extra $50 or so? I only see them offering one worthwhile thing and that is PAID IN CASH.

 

[stickstones]

I like dildi!

in general or as a plural for dildo?


*edit* sorry man, you left that wide open, I had to take it......

Please do! That was funny until I had to think of my answer...

 

[jackstraw62]

whenever possible I try to buy locally even though it cost more, however I just recently bought some special screens for my vaporizer bowl for my bong and a magic launch box because the local shop would not stock the screens.