Why are vapes so exspensive?
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tdavie
Unconscious Objector
A number of reasons, but to be honest, I think that they will only get cheaper as the market expands and legal marijuana becomes the norm.
1) Supply and demand (Adam Smith invisible hand)
2) They are largely, but not exclusively used for illegal purposes
3) With regard to some vapes, they are pretty sophisticated instruments; and sophistication costs money
You could reallt expand point #1, but there's no need to. See the availability of the Purple Days as an example. I believe the inventor of this product could charge more (but God bless him that he doesn't).
Tom
1) Supply and demand (Adam Smith invisible hand)
2) They are largely, but not exclusively used for illegal purposes
3) With regard to some vapes, they are pretty sophisticated instruments; and sophistication costs money
You could reallt expand point #1, but there's no need to. See the availability of the Purple Days as an example. I believe the inventor of this product could charge more (but God bless him that he doesn't).
Tom
This is what I do not understandtdavie said:
I can see how a vape would use a heating element, a voltage regulator and maybe some variable resistors, I have seen that a few of these vaporizers use pumps as well to make the vapor come out in to a bag
I also know that this is technology that has been around for years and all this stuff is very simple to implement, you learn how this sort of stuff works in the first few weeks of an electronic course in high school
DevoTheStrange
Ia! Ia! Vapor Fthagn!
well it isn't just throwing a few pieces together... some of the vapes have too have computer code written up for them as well so they can properly maintain their heat. Some of them use pieces that you cannot commonly find and have too have those pieces specifically made, or make them themselves, for their vape.
some vapes cost little too make, and some cost alot too make.
Some are made by hand... others are made in mass production lines.
kind of think of it in terms of two wheeled vehicles. A bicycle would be your basic pipe or bong. You can get a basic cheap one or a really nice one for a good chunk of change. Then you have your two wheels with an engine, that would be your vape... would you want too ride something that costs as much as your cheap bicycle, probably most likely will break down after so much use. Or do you wanna spend a little extra change and get something you know works and is reliable?
some vapes cost little too make, and some cost alot too make.
Some are made by hand... others are made in mass production lines.
kind of think of it in terms of two wheeled vehicles. A bicycle would be your basic pipe or bong. You can get a basic cheap one or a really nice one for a good chunk of change. Then you have your two wheels with an engine, that would be your vape... would you want too ride something that costs as much as your cheap bicycle, probably most likely will break down after so much use. Or do you wanna spend a little extra change and get something you know works and is reliable?
tdavie
Unconscious Objector
No offense, but it is not so simple. You've got to choose a power supply; AC, DC, propane, external heat source, method of heat control, isolation of the vapor path from potentially hazardous chemicals/materials, insulation (potentially) of electronic components from heat, repeatability, warranty repairs (again, most of these are going to be used for illegal purposes). You want bag delivery? Forced air? Draw? Induction heating? Convection?stevecam said:
You might very well learn how this sort of stuff works in the first few weeks of an electronics course in high school, but go ahead and implement it. And then send it to fabrication only to have it come back and be told 'we can't make it for this price'. And then you've got to compromise or redesign. Or maybe your product makes it to market only to have an undiscovered flaw crop up (eg mouthpieces breaking on the Iolite).
Theory? Yes, the theory is simple. The implementation is not.
Tom
You are exactly correct, although i think a China-made vape could retail for $25 (in GreatWallMart, of course).stevecam said:
They sell microwave ovens for $30, and they're a lot more complicated.
You might want to look at my thread on the Bud Toaster to see a computer temperature controller that costs about $20 in parts - in single quantities. The batteries and charger and AC adapter (for the charger) add another $100.
It also requires 45 pages of code to make it do what i want, but now, that's done.
When i do finally sell the Bud Toaster the retail price will be $500 each, complete (except for bud). However it is open source hardware/software design, i.e. full details are posted, so you can build your own.
Frickr
Well-Known Member
personally i feel there just isnt enough market and competition with vape manufactures to produce a cheaper but better product. right now, the technologies are still pretty new. only a few companies are making vapes. most of them seem to be staying within the 150-250 dollar mark. that seems to be the top of peoples spending. yes some people do spend more, but im talking about the majority.
so even though the overhead profits of these companies is extremely high, they will still keep charging the same prices till either someone starts producing a better product for cheaper, or the marketplace floods with companies, and price will be what sets them apart.
another strike in the vape market is the cheap vapes are usually associated with cheap knockoffs, so people tend to shell out a little extra for the "better name".
the vapor movement is still pretty new. alot of peoples opinions are "my $6 pipe gets me as stoned as your $180 vape". to them thats a large step in price for something "they are just going to smoke weed out of" and the benifits dont outweight the costs for them. others just are stuck in their old ways, and love the ritual of smoking. to each his own. but while that happens it keeps the market for vaporizers relitively small compaired to say glass pipes, so you have limited production - alot of vapes arent assembled by a team of robotic equipement - a product that appeals to only a small portion of an already small portion of people in the market place. so till the market for vaporizers exploads and leads to alot more new companies competing for the top spot, i feel prices for vaporizers will remain high. most are of simple design and can be built with simple hand tools for a fraction of the cost. its just up to the individual to decside if their time spent building the product is cheaper then spending a few bills on a guarenteed product.
so even though the overhead profits of these companies is extremely high, they will still keep charging the same prices till either someone starts producing a better product for cheaper, or the marketplace floods with companies, and price will be what sets them apart.
another strike in the vape market is the cheap vapes are usually associated with cheap knockoffs, so people tend to shell out a little extra for the "better name".
the vapor movement is still pretty new. alot of peoples opinions are "my $6 pipe gets me as stoned as your $180 vape". to them thats a large step in price for something "they are just going to smoke weed out of" and the benifits dont outweight the costs for them. others just are stuck in their old ways, and love the ritual of smoking. to each his own. but while that happens it keeps the market for vaporizers relitively small compaired to say glass pipes, so you have limited production - alot of vapes arent assembled by a team of robotic equipement - a product that appeals to only a small portion of an already small portion of people in the market place. so till the market for vaporizers exploads and leads to alot more new companies competing for the top spot, i feel prices for vaporizers will remain high. most are of simple design and can be built with simple hand tools for a fraction of the cost. its just up to the individual to decside if their time spent building the product is cheaper then spending a few bills on a guarenteed product.
vape4health
Well-Known Member
Them china box's go for 50 bucks all day long on ebay , but what are you breathing into your lungs ? Who do you contact when it breaks . 
AGBeer
Lost in Thought
I dont think that vapes are 'expensive' considering what they provide for me. Personally I consider vaping 'elite' as far as ingestion goes. Its easy, conservative with your stash, less harmful, tastier, and a better high (IMO). Combusting is just that - burning it.
Its kind of like my homebrew in a sense. Its much cheaper to go out and buy a 6 pack of some PBR - both will get me drunk, but its more about the experience to me. That too is what I am paying for.
Its kind of like my homebrew in a sense. Its much cheaper to go out and buy a 6 pack of some PBR - both will get me drunk, but its more about the experience to me. That too is what I am paying for.
Well firstly after all the designing has been done, the vape is just a few things that are chucked togetherDevoTheStrange said:
Computer code to properly maintain heat is not very hard to right, in fact it is very simple
You talk about pieces that are not commonly made, what are you referring to? The shape of the pieces? That is what you have moulds for
I don't go to a supermarket for healthy food to buy a banana for $50 bucks a bunch, so why should I expect to pay hundreds for a decent vape?AGBeer said:I dont think that vapes are 'expensive' considering what they provide for me. Personally I consider vaping 'elite' as far as ingestion goes. Its easy, conservative with your stash, less harmful, tastier, and a better high (IMO). Combusting is just that - burning it.
Its kind of like my homebrew in a sense. Its much cheaper to go out and buy a 6 pack of some PBR - both will get me drunk, but its more about the experience to me. That too is what I am paying for.
It might cost me a few hundred bucks to experiment with ideas, buying things, breaking them and buying new things
This is ridicules, I guess if there enough suckers out there people will just take advantage of them
AGBeer
Lost in Thought
Okay, let me compare something like going to the supermarket and buying a 6 pack of beer. Sure I have the choice of buying the $1.99 6er. Sure its beer, and sure it will get me drunk. But I also have the option of getting the beer that is $12 (sometimes more) for a 6er.stevecam said:
Also remember THIS IS AMERICA and you have a choice. If you dont like the high prices then you have 1 of 3 options.
Dont do it. This will save you LOTS of $$$ in the end im sure. The cost of vapes (or herb) will no longer be a concern.
Make your own. There are plenty of videos on the internet on how to make a lightbulb vape. In fact we have a user here who is designing his own. (Guess he got pissed at the price too eh?)
Take it for what its worth. Sure the vape might seem expensive, but if you manage to get several years of uninterrupted, on demand, conservativewithyourblend usage Id say you have paid for your unit more than twice.
Who cares if the glass is half empty or half full, Im fuckin thirsty.
tdavie
Unconscious Objector
Again, respectfully, I think you made up your mind even before coming here to seek an answer. What do you mean about hoping for the best out of people? You asked why are vaporizers so expensive and you've been told why. And vaporizers do reflect the real world cost. Go ahead and take an economics course, an industrial design course, a marketing course, an insurance liability course, etc.stevecam said:
You want a cheap vaporizer? Buy Chinese.
Tom
AGBeer
Lost in Thought
ZING!stevecam said:
You get my point mister passive-aggressive. Maybe I should rephrase that - you are a conscious entity empowered with CHOICE. Like others have said, you have made up your mind beforehand and it looks like you are here to debate a moot point.
You have options buddy, noone is forcing you to pay these 'ridiculous' vape prices. If you dont like it, then do something to change it or kindly be angry about it in silence.
I was hoping the best out of people as in I was hoping that there would be more half-decent people making vapes and selling them for a more moderate price since they seem to care about our health so much
All I can see is people trying to cash up big time, I do not see why people who charge over $100 bucks for a glorified resistor would care for there customers health either
All I can see is people trying to cash up big time, I do not see why people who charge over $100 bucks for a glorified resistor would care for there customers health either
DevoTheStrange
Ia! Ia! Vapor Fthagn!
Not true.. just look at all the vapes based off of the Eterra design. Each one of those manufacturers all have Health based motives. Hell one of them even started up specifically too address the needs of Medical patients.stevecam said:
and alot of the price of those vapes is due too labor. Not just parts.
Now if they were mass producing and not being assembled by just one person, then you would see the price drop dramatically, but each one of these are pretty much One Person businesses.
If you were putting out a vape and you were the only person doing it, you would want too make some money off of it wouldn't you? So a cheap vape wouldn't turn much of a profit.
and like Tom from Purple Days says, at the price he has it at, not much money too be made off of it when compared too how much time he puts in putting his product into the market. It is not like they are making a huge profit and ripping people off.
lwien
Well-Known Member
"I guess if there enough suckers out there people will just take advantage of them"
------Stevecam
".....does being an american mean you should get ripped off too?
glad im not american then"
------Stevecam
"I was looking for someone to prove me wrong though, I guess I hope for the best out of people too much"
------Stevecam
So let's see. First, you managed to call us all suckers. Secondly, you slammed those of us who are Americans.........North, South and Central.....lol. And lastly, you are implying that we have disappointed you in that we have somehow fallen below your moral expectations.
And back in Feb., you asked the exact same question: http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?id=649.
After reading all of your previous posts, I am convinced that what we have here is a classic.....................troll,
not because of the question you asked, because it is a valid one, but more because of your history here and your responses.
------Stevecam
".....does being an american mean you should get ripped off too?
glad im not american then"
------Stevecam
"I was looking for someone to prove me wrong though, I guess I hope for the best out of people too much"
------Stevecam
So let's see. First, you managed to call us all suckers. Secondly, you slammed those of us who are Americans.........North, South and Central.....lol. And lastly, you are implying that we have disappointed you in that we have somehow fallen below your moral expectations.
And back in Feb., you asked the exact same question: http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?id=649.
After reading all of your previous posts, I am convinced that what we have here is a classic.....................troll,
not because of the question you asked, because it is a valid one, but more because of your history here and your responses.
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