B & M trade is dying

[anthonyb]

From what I've read of this post (all of it) the B&M's that seem to be doing just fine, are like the one where I live, that is owned and run by vapers who have taken years to build up a customer base, and cater for all levels of vapers. The one I do use, but not often, started out as a market stall 5 or 6 years ago. Then opened the very first vape shop here a couple of years ago. And are now involved with some sort of referral thing with the local stop smoking service.
In the 12 to 18 months, I have checked out several other vape shops here that suddenly opened, All of which sold mainly starter gear, so no good for me. They have all since closed again, and another has recently opened (couple of weeks ago) that I will try and have a look at before it closes again.

 

[Leni]

I went into a newsagents on my way in to work today, and the guy in there had a stand he's added with vape gear. Several weeks ago he saw a mod in my hand when I was paying for something and with great enthusiasm asked 'is that a Smok?'. When I told him it was a Pico, he said he was getting a load of vaping gear in (Smok!) very soon. He sneered when I pointed out that there are two vape shops on the other side of the road (one directly opposite) and that you need to know a bit about vaping to sell them. Smok! From memory, he had a couple of Minikins next to one of those weird laser-Meccano thingys, and some Smok tanks ... ?!

The two on the other side of the street are usually empty, one is only open part of the day. Both opened this year, and I don't expect either to be there next year. I have bought from both. If I have the time and money though - rarely, I will go to the shop that's further away and has been open for a few years. If I buy from a b&m, I'd rather go somewhere established. The ones that survive will be the ones that go the extra mile.

 

[Simon G]

I went into a newsagents on my way in to work today, and the guy in there had a stand he's added with vape gear. Several weeks ago he saw a mod in my hand when I was paying for something and with great enthusiasm asked 'is that a Smok?'. When I told him it was a Pico, he said he was getting a load of vaping gear in (Smok!) very soon. He sneered when I pointed out that there are two vape shops on the other side of the road (one directly opposite) and that you need to know a bit about vaping to sell them. Smok! From memory, he had a couple of Minikins next to one of those weird laser-Meccano thingys, and some Smok tanks ... ?!

The two on the other side of the street are usually empty, one is only open part of the day. Both opened this year, and I don't expect either to be there next year. I have bought from both. If I have the time and money though - rarely, I will go to the shop that's further away and has been open for a few years. If I buy from a b&m, I'd rather go somewhere established. The ones that survive will be the ones that go the extra mile.

I get the feeling that a couple of the shops near me aren't really serious about building a long term business, from the outside they look like those pop up shops around Christmas that just rent an empty shop for a couple of months. They have a load of Smok kits too that might well have fallen off the back of a lorry and it seems that they are just trying to make a quick buck while they can. I expect they will be closed by Christmas but I suspect that is probably in the plan. It seems that vape gear is what a lot of the chancers are buying into these days.

 

[mannikon]

Just a reminder we have this thread to recommend B&Ms with a related Google map:

https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/...at/threads/the-exceptional-b-m-thread.123957/

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1w-Ay6mBR4EP4DCsS5DeZc7rtaRY&usp=sharing

Updates welcomed.

 

[ewan]

I prefer using b&ms.
I make my own liquid but buy all my flavours from shops even though there more expensive. Coils tanks and mods are reasonably priced so dontmind paying the extra couple of quid.
Only grumble is wish they were open later.
They close at 6! Or i would be in there more often

 

[MrTeaTime]

To be honest I've never really frequented vape shops that often....A mate has set up a shop near to me, and he knows his stuff and is reasonably priced, and I use him fairly often, but never for kit.

Hermans In town is decent, and was my goto place for American juice, but again, kit was expensive, and to be honest it wasn't what I was ever looking for.

I'm afraid that I am more minded to listen to what my friends say on here rather then trust what a shop is going to say....

 

[JustDave]

One of the major issues with B&M's is that they don't cater to my wants.

I am pretty much sorted for hardware and what I want to try I will usually pick up used our but online.

When it comes to juice I have lost count of the number of times that it is either solely their "House" liquid in the chains, or massively high VG in the independents.

I know that I am probably in the minority, but there needs to be some middle ground between the starter juice, which is almost invariably white label/rebranded stuff or cloudy liquids that won't work in tighter tanks. Until that point arrives, I will continue to buy online.

 

[MrTeaTime]

One of the major issues with B&M's is that they don't cater to my wants.

I am pretty much sorted for hardware and what I want to try I will usually pick up used our but online.

When it comes to juice I have lost count of the number of times that it is either solely their "House" liquid in the chains, or massively high VG in the independents.

I know that I am probably in the minority, but there needs to be some middle ground between the starter juice, which is almost invariably white label/rebranded stuff or cloudy liquids that won't work in tighter tanks. Until that point arrives, I will continue to buy online.

You make a very good point there Dave

 

[tanglewood]

I popped into a local shop a few weeks ago, and again today and only me in there the both times. The two vaping shops accros the road were empty as well.

 

[tanglewood]

You make a very good point there Dave

That's true, the number of times I have asked for tobacco or 18mg in a shop and I get a vacant look.