UK Vendors, lack of choice?

[Blossom]

I agreewith @VaperCaper the main cause is money and I agree with everything he said.

But Ialso think that the more exclusive manufacturers only use "preferred"sellers. There may also be 'exclusivity'rights involved, i.e. I will sell your products if I can have sole vendorstatus for “x” country (or maybe Europe wide). And remember this is selling worldwide. So if you make a limited edition of say 2000, that’s not many to be split around the world of sellers. If you can't get a mod for love nor money, not much chance of a vendor ‘not on the list’ getting a load to sell on.

Also, Ihave heard a rumour that Provape only let other vendors sell Provari if they guarantee not to sell them below an agreed price. Not that I would suggest price fixing to begoing on you understand, but 'gentlemens agreements' can be unspoken. If you don’t believe this, find me a Provari forsale in the UK (if in stock!) for under £160.00.

Sorry, abit cynical perhaps but I’ve worked in retail…..

 

[Purplefowler]

I agreewith @VaperCaper the main cause is money and I agree with everything he said.

But Ialso think that the more exclusive manufacturers only use "preferred"sellers. There may also be 'exclusivity'rights involved, i.e. I will sell your products if I can have sole vendorstatus for “x” country (or maybe Europe wide). And remember this is selling worldwide. So if you make a limited edition of say 2000, that’s not much to besplit around the world of sellers. Ifyou can't get a mod for love nor money, not much chance of a vendor ‘not on thelist’ getting a load to sell on.

Also, Ihave heard a rumour that Provape only let other vendors sell Provari if theyguarantee not to sell them below an agreed price. Not that I would suggest price fixing to begoing on you understand, but 'gentlemens agreements' can be unspoken. If you don’t believe this, find me a Provari forsale in the UK (if in stock!) for under £160.00.

Sorry, abit cynical perhaps but I’ve worked in retail…..

Provape aren't the only ones who do this either. Alot of the "brands" work on the same business model and not just the high end stuff. Vendors have been known to have been stopped from selling particular items because they've tried to undercut the rrp.

 

[Merino-Teflon]

There is a certain amount of sense to that. Imagine a scenario that may or may not occur, a big vendor supplies wholesale to resellers, then some of the resellers undercut the others, or even worse, the big vendor who supplies them, they have the promo funds, advertising, et al, and they undercut everyone they are supplying, well, imagine what fun that would be, there would be the devil to pay. Cats would lay with dogs, locusts would lay waste to crops, etc...

 

[zigackly]

I'm afraid it's too late, Merino-Teflon. The catocalypse has already taken place.

 

[MrKraken]

I don't think I could actually add any more than @VaperCaper has already covered really, a perfectly accurate post.

Although personally, as much as I do try and have "something different" it really does boil down to cash. i invested a huge chunk of personal cash in becoming a vendor, not a single penny of it borrowed. It's now time for the lines that I've got to pay for themselves as there will be no more capital injected from me for new shineys hell, I had a major argument with myself for giving a couple of thousand to vicious ant after I'd already said to myself "no more". It really fecking is no more now although if I won the lottery, I would gladly be a one-stop-shop hah.

 

[anthonyb]

This might be a rant, sorry in advance. Don't forget to look at the customer base in all this. Take me for instance. Been using ego & ce5 since the start, (about 3 months now). Have now got my first mod but can't afford a better top for it yet. Then you look at the potential customers. New starters that want something basic, just to try it out. Quite a few of them. Those of use that don't have a lot of cash to spend and are quite happy to plod on with the low end stuff. just as many if not more of them. Those that don't know what a mod is, or are unsure of what and where with so many mods to choose from, like a few new members on here, and probably quite a few more out there as well. (done that learning curve like many here). You also have those like myself now who strive for the perfect vape. Some can buy everything that comes out now, others have to save up for it and keep what they have going while saving. Only to find that something nicer/better has come out in the meantime and have to save abit more. So with all that in mind (plus anything else you can think of) the vendors have a lot to consider when starting up. Stock everything so as to cater for all. Cater for the lower end of the market, newbies, the skint ones, and the not yet informed about better stuff. Probably about 85-90% of the currant market. Or the top end with all the good stuff (that a lot of us can't afford) the other 10-15% of the market. And from what I've seen in the last couple of months, this is a fast moving market with all the new innovations, people constantly moving up the levels of knowledge. With all that plus the treat of a market collapse in 2016, you'd me mad to try and cater for all. DON'T TAKE THIS NEXT BIT AS A DIG OR PRAISE AT ANY THING OR ANY BODY. Despite what anyone may say, you start a business solely for one purpose, to make some cash. It's how you run that business that makes the difference. I've not been vaping for that long, but I've been to a few shops that sell vaping stuff and some one man bands on the market stalls and the online stuff. And in my limited experience so far I've found the shops unless run by vapers havn't got a clue and only want me money. The online stuff yes you have to look around to find what you want and then trust one not to do you over (for want of a better phrase). I have found that the little one man market stalls although only having limited stock, (mainly targeted at the beginner end of the market) are a lot better to deal with. Out of the one's I've visited all where run by experienced vapers and knew what I was on about, they let you try before you buy on the juice, (bought 40ml of coffee yesterday, very nice, wiped out the last of the present stock). And get a well informed choice from them all. I have had one that (will not mention names here) sent me to a different online vendor because the item was (although the same price) better than the one he was selling. So from all that in my eyes, and this is only my opinion, the vendors who take the time to put me on the right path, regardless of stock levels they hold themselves, get my vote.

 

[dansolo]

Personally I think the range of choice is pretty astounding tbh. You should have seen what it was like 4/5 yrs ago. We have to remember that its still a relatively new market.

 

[VaperCaper]

although if I won the lottery, I would gladly be a one-stop-shop hah.

I'm in the same boat - VaperCaper is all mine (well mine and my business partners) we haven't invested 1 penny of borrowed money and plan on being around a while.

If I won the lottery tho. I'm taking a holiday first

 

[Clonfuddled]

I suppose I feel spoiled for choice when it comes to shops. Loads around where I am and depending on what I want/need I go to where I can get it. I do try and stick to one place as I found one outshines the rest by miles when it comes to service advice and the list goes on.

 

[ScottChensoda]

This might be a rant, sorry in advance. Don't forget to look at the customer base in all this. Take me for instance. Been using ego & ce5 since the start, (about 3 months now). Have now got my first mod but can't afford a better top for it yet. Then you look at the potential customers. New starters that want something basic, just to try it out. Quite a few of them. Those of use that don't have a lot of cash to spend and are quite happy to plod on with the low end stuff. just as many if not more of them. Those that don't know what a mod is, or are unsure of what and where with so many mods to choose from, like a few new members on here, and probably quite a few more out there as well. (done that learning curve like many here). You also have those like myself now who strive for the perfect vape. Some can buy everything that comes out now, others have to save up for it and keep what they have going while saving. Only to find that something nicer/better has come out in the meantime and have to save abit more. So with all that in mind (plus anything else you can think of) the vendors have a lot to consider when starting up. Stock everything so as to cater for all. Cater for the lower end of the market, newbies, the skint ones, and the not yet informed about better stuff. Probably about 85-90% of the currant market. Or the top end with all the good stuff (that a lot of us can't afford) the other 10-15% of the market. And from what I've seen in the last couple of months, this is a fast moving market with all the new innovations, people constantly moving up the levels of knowledge. With all that plus the treat of a market collapse in 2016, you'd me mad to try and cater for all. DON'T TAKE THIS NEXT BIT AS A DIG OR PRAISE AT ANY THING OR ANY BODY. Despite what anyone may say, you start a business solely for one purpose, to make some cash. It's how you run that business that makes the difference. I've not been vaping for that long, but I've been to a few shops that sell vaping stuff and some one man bands on the market stalls and the online stuff. And in my limited experience so far I've found the shops unless run by vapers havn't got a clue and only want me money. The online stuff yes you have to look around to find what you want and then trust one not to do you over (for want of a better phrase). I have found that the little one man market stalls although only having limited stock, (mainly targeted at the beginner end of the market) are a lot better to deal with. Out of the one's I've visited all where run by experienced vapers and knew what I was on about, they let you try before you buy on the juice, (bought 40ml of coffee yesterday, very nice, wiped out the last of the present stock). And get a well informed choice from them all. I have had one that (will not mention names here) sent me to a different online vendor because the item was (although the same price) better than the one he was selling. So from all that in my eyes, and this is only my opinion, the vendors who take the time to put me on the right path, regardless of stock levels they hold themselves, get my vote.

Anthony, could I respectfully suggest you break up long posts with the use of paragraphs as that is one hell of a block of text to try and munch through. Many folk will simply pass it by otherwise.