What could we do better?

[Rickster]

Topless birds vaping your juice on 'insta' I think is the way these days.

Aye the bearded snapback tatts are long gone....thankfully

 

[Digbys]

I`m a hobbyist mixer so I`m not familiar with Digby's operation or juices but what might tempt me to start buying juice is if I could buy the flavour profiles that I know that I like. I dont like the word clone, I prefer tastealike, not copies, but if I could buy tastealikes of say Kanzi, Gnarly Sauce or Nana Cream, I would certainly give them a try. I could understand the reluctance of a top UK juice manufacturer to encroach upon the success of another company but most of the top selling juices are not available in the UK or would have to be imported at great expense so most vapers over here will not get to try these brilliant juices.
A bugbear of mine is when looking through juice listings and i see an exotic sounding juice but there is no description of the flavour profile. I would not spend the 4 quid or so plus postage to try a juice that I may not like. This last point is a generalisation and not aimed at Digby`s.
I applaud the fact that Digby`s have opened this conversation, to my knowledge it is the first time that a juice manfacturer has taken the time and effort to ask actual vapers what they want. Nice one.

I love the idea, I'm not sure I love the ethics, it is a good one to mull over.

Perhaps we should offer concentrates to our customers too. This is something we have been asked for a few times over the years and it would be daft not to give it a go. Thank you for taking the time to reply x

 

[Digbys]

I think you should be incentivising shop/product reviews from your customers. If a potential customer comes to your website and products only have 1 or 2 reviews they are not as confident to give that product a go compared to if it had 20 reviews. Offer a 10% discount or something to customers who leave feedback on their purchases.

Brilliant, will get onto this asap

 

[Digbys]

That's a tough question and I really don't have an answer with the larger vaping industry the way it is.

You were one of the first brands I ever bought and Oriental Plunder was one of the flavours that helped me quit smoking ... um coming up for 7 years ago, wow.

I'm pretty much 100% DIY now, not because I can make nicer flavours than my favourites from yourself and Manabush etc, it's simply about the money, times are tough for everyone.

You need to be attracting those new converts who are still excited about quitting smoking, still excited to try new flavours and still happy to spend the money they were on smoking on vaping.... do those people even exist now?

I hate to say it but around me it just feels like vaping is dying (or killing itself) or at least had the wind knocked out of it's sails. For many reasons... so many scandals over the years, some justified, some not.

....but it's been fucked ever since the cheap as chips fruity short-fill invasion, post TPD... and disposables felt like the last nail in the coffin to me, especially for independent liquid manufacturers.

You don't need to do anything better, you are one of the best at what you do. I wish I knew the answer but i'm not a business person. When I first started vaping, UK made e-liquid by companies like yourself were very highly regarded both in terms of taste, safety, manufacturing cleanliness and trustworthiness. I'm fucking full of admiration just by the fact you are still here and independent as so many have been forced to close up shop or sell on.

Like I said I'm not a business person and this may be super idealistic, but I always felt that all the small UK independents should get together and have a shared website, where people can order from all those brands at the same time in one place and just work together in a more co-operative way. Done 4 or 5 years ago, we might not have lost so many and I don't know how else you can take on the might of the larger industry that has just been focused on making as much money as possible on something while it's hot then getting out while they are laughing.

sorry this is just a bunch of random thoughts.

I'm both cynical and depressed about the state of vaping at the moment.

....but it's been fucked ever since the cheap as chips fruity short-fill invasion, post TPD... and disposables felt like the last nail in the coffin to me, especially for independent liquid manufacturers. <--- This


And yes I think one site where all the indies are would be a good idea, I am pretty sure manabush would be up for it, perhaps we could start a poll somewhere to see what brands belong there

 

[Digbys]

@oORobOo's suggestion is a good one.

I'd like to see your Donut range expanded, maybe a combo with Strawberries & Cream.

Otherwise your flavours, prices and free postage threshold are pretty hard to beat.



Thankfully Digby's have a description for all their liquids but I absolutely hate that too. I'm not going to buy a liquid with a stupid name like Clown Shoe or something if a company isn't going to at least attempt to describe what it's supposed to taste like.

You make great eliquids, you sell them at a reasonable price....so it not either of those...brand awareness and marketing? Don't know how you do that in an inexpensive way.
It's a crowded market, good luck I for one will always use Digby's.

Thank you John, yeah its a hard one to understand, pricing and product seem to be where they need to be we just don't get the new people anymore..

oh and Clown Shoe... noted for name of next juice, joking ofc

 

[Digbys]

You make great eliquids, you sell them at a reasonable price....so it not either of those...brand awareness and marketing? Don't know how you do that in an inexpensive way.
It's a crowded market, good luck I for one will always use Digby's.

Rickster thank you for those words!

 

[Rickster]

I love the idea, I'm not sure I love the ethics, it is a good one to mull over.

Perhaps we should offer concentrates to our customers too. This is something we have been asked for a few times over the years and it would be daft not to give it a go. Thank you for taking the time to reply x

Liking the concentrates idea, you would certainly pick up more custom, also if you get them on say ELFC that means more brand awareness.
A lot of the time I will buy shortfills in the first instance, to see how it's meant to taste, if it passes the 60ml test, I will go for a concentrate and adjust if necessary.

 

[oORobOo]

Brilliant, will get onto this asap

Nice one as the other guys have said you've already got great products, good prices and good customer service, so you just want to be spoken about and get those recommendations out there.
A follow up e-mail a couple of weeks after a order goes how, 'hi how'd we get on we hope you're enjoying your order, we'd appreciate your feedback on your purchases and would like to offer you a 10% off coupon for your time on doing so' blah blah blah, have that feedback coming in passively in no time.

 

[Digbys]

"Like I said I'm not a business person and this may be super idealistic, but I always felt that all the small UK independents should get together and have a shared website, where people can order from all those brands at the same time in one place and just work together in a more co-operative way."

This is a very insightful comment. The whole point of vaping is getting people of cigs, the easier way business owners can do this the better. It seems that today owners have lost this perspective and, maybe rightly so been more concerned about money, which obviously they need to keep the business going. keep it simple get the new generation of smokers of the cigs and your business will grow Offer new users to your site a selection of 10lm juices so they can find what they need to kick the habit, and be available for those new users to ask questions etc.

It is a great idea.

 

[MajorVape]

It is a great idea.

Credit were credit is due. It was a brave thread you started. Not many owners would do this, AND, be open to suggestions rather than just be excepting everything is good from your current customers etc. I have never used your juices, but, after this thread will try them, see engage with community and they engage back.