RS250-Squid
Postman
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2014
- Messages
- 489
Okay, so a friend is moving up in the world, and is now opening his own vape shop (which shall of course remain nameless). He's a decent lad and a nice guy, so as a mate, I wish him the best of luck. But this is a thread that might draw accusations of being "elitist" or "anti new-vaper". Why? because to me as a somewhat experienced (2 years now) vaper, his product knowledge is setting off warning flares left and right.
The problem/s is/are:
I could go on but I'm already feeling guilty for being a little scathing. His stock is made up entirely of rebranded generic EGO style batteries and Ce4/Ce5 clones, with a couple of clones of the older protank designs thrown in, plus an Evod and a couple of mechs which he can show to customers in a "these are complicated, you don't need one of these" way.
When asked what the difference between one of his clones and another was, he effectively answered "the drip tip is a different shape".
Don't misunderstand me. I think and hope that he does a good job of "converting" lots of smokers to a healthy (healthier at least) new lifestyle, and that on that basis alone, he has lots of custom. As a friend, I wish him well and hope his shop prospers.
But as a 2 year vaper, I'm seething. This lad represents our industry and our hobby, and his knowledge is about at the level where I'd sell him a Ce4, briefly explain about lower and higher ohm coils, and leave him to his own devices until he vapes for a bit, does some research, and - maybe - outgrows them into something more advanced. I wouldn't tell him the rest of the stuff because I wouldn't want to overwhelm or confuse him or even drive him away from vaping ("because it's too complicated") entirely.
But as a shop owner, he has to know this stuff. This stuff should be the bare minimum of what he should know. If he doesn't know this stuff, what the hell is he doing even stocking mechs where the customers can see them?!
Fair enough, he might do a good job of helping people quit smoking, and for a lot of people that's all they want. It's a victory for vaping in general, a victory for the family of that ex smoker, and a personal victory for the individual every time someone puts down the cigarettes for the last time, and I don't besmirch or begrudge that in any way, shape or form.
But a lot more people - existing vapers - are going to walk in, look around, and walk out without buying anything. Or worse for him, walk in, talk to him, and walk out without buying anything before telling their mates to avoid the place.
Meanwhile, vaping gets bad press because some idiot tries to charge his (max charge 0.5amp) ego battery from a 2 amp ipad charger and blows it up, and I think shops like the one my mate now operates wouldn't have been able to advise that person against that course of action, because they themselves wouldn't have understood the dangers.
In his defence, he's admitted he needs to work on "learning the product", but you don't open a shop and then learn what you're selling.
It seems to me that retailers these days are going into vaping for the money, not for the enjoyment of vaping. These are two completely seperate types of business.
And I know which type of business I'd rather spend money in.
Sorry if I sound a bit harsh in places, I'm stressed from the effort it's required not to tell my mate to sort his stuff out before even thinking about opening the place, and with every "I dunno?" answer he gives to one of my very basic questions, that stress climbed just a little bit higher.
Am I in the wrong? Am I being an elitist nobhead? I'm not trying to preach about individual items of kit, as Uncle Phil says, the best device is the one that stops you smoking. I understand that.
But I think this lad's going to find himself caught in a small - and getting smaller all the time (more advanced devices now outselling starter kits and all in ones I read the other day - no I can't cite the article) portion of the market, and he's going to have to get his head down to have a chance of breaking out of it.
Aaaand breathe...
The problem/s is/are:
- He doesn't know what Propylene Glycol is
- He doesn't know what Vegetable Glycerine is
- He didn't know the effects of varying the ratio of the two.
- He doesn't know what diethylene glycol is, or why it's bad.
- He doesn't know what diacetyl is, or why it's bad.
- He doesn't know what mechs are.
- He doesn't know the difference between silica, cotton and mesh wicks.
- He's never heard of kanthal.
- He doesn't, frankly, know the difference between a Ce4 and a Tykomi Dreadnaut. Between a top coil clearomiser or a bottom coil clearomiser.
- He doesn't know what resistance is, or its effects on the vape experience.
- He doesn't understand the relationship between watts, ohms, amps and volts, how they impact the vape experience, and more more importantly, how they impact safety.
- He insists that his liquid is fully tested, and is the only liquid in the country that is, but can't tell me who it was tested by, what it was tested for, or where the certificates are available to view.
I could go on but I'm already feeling guilty for being a little scathing. His stock is made up entirely of rebranded generic EGO style batteries and Ce4/Ce5 clones, with a couple of clones of the older protank designs thrown in, plus an Evod and a couple of mechs which he can show to customers in a "these are complicated, you don't need one of these" way.
When asked what the difference between one of his clones and another was, he effectively answered "the drip tip is a different shape".
Don't misunderstand me. I think and hope that he does a good job of "converting" lots of smokers to a healthy (healthier at least) new lifestyle, and that on that basis alone, he has lots of custom. As a friend, I wish him well and hope his shop prospers.
But as a 2 year vaper, I'm seething. This lad represents our industry and our hobby, and his knowledge is about at the level where I'd sell him a Ce4, briefly explain about lower and higher ohm coils, and leave him to his own devices until he vapes for a bit, does some research, and - maybe - outgrows them into something more advanced. I wouldn't tell him the rest of the stuff because I wouldn't want to overwhelm or confuse him or even drive him away from vaping ("because it's too complicated") entirely.
But as a shop owner, he has to know this stuff. This stuff should be the bare minimum of what he should know. If he doesn't know this stuff, what the hell is he doing even stocking mechs where the customers can see them?!
Fair enough, he might do a good job of helping people quit smoking, and for a lot of people that's all they want. It's a victory for vaping in general, a victory for the family of that ex smoker, and a personal victory for the individual every time someone puts down the cigarettes for the last time, and I don't besmirch or begrudge that in any way, shape or form.
But a lot more people - existing vapers - are going to walk in, look around, and walk out without buying anything. Or worse for him, walk in, talk to him, and walk out without buying anything before telling their mates to avoid the place.
Meanwhile, vaping gets bad press because some idiot tries to charge his (max charge 0.5amp) ego battery from a 2 amp ipad charger and blows it up, and I think shops like the one my mate now operates wouldn't have been able to advise that person against that course of action, because they themselves wouldn't have understood the dangers.
In his defence, he's admitted he needs to work on "learning the product", but you don't open a shop and then learn what you're selling.
It seems to me that retailers these days are going into vaping for the money, not for the enjoyment of vaping. These are two completely seperate types of business.
And I know which type of business I'd rather spend money in.
Sorry if I sound a bit harsh in places, I'm stressed from the effort it's required not to tell my mate to sort his stuff out before even thinking about opening the place, and with every "I dunno?" answer he gives to one of my very basic questions, that stress climbed just a little bit higher.
Am I in the wrong? Am I being an elitist nobhead? I'm not trying to preach about individual items of kit, as Uncle Phil says, the best device is the one that stops you smoking. I understand that.
But I think this lad's going to find himself caught in a small - and getting smaller all the time (more advanced devices now outselling starter kits and all in ones I read the other day - no I can't cite the article) portion of the market, and he's going to have to get his head down to have a chance of breaking out of it.
Aaaand breathe...
