*Long* Dizzi's Shopping Musings

[Gordy]

Jan 30, 2013 16:07:53 GMT djs said:

Jan 30, 2013 15:25:19 GMT VE Jason said:

Our price on the SS Vamo, after discount is around £45. The VAT man takes 20% and after our overheads and insurances are paid the profit is under £10 and for that we stand the warranty.

Not as much of a gold mine as some might think

Yes, and if every Tom, Dick and Harry gets in on the act, things will become even tighter. That's why I never mess around over a few quid here and there (and go to a random online store), the service is what counts.

Amen ...to be honest its not worth my time spending hours looking around to save myself a couple of quid here and there

support the decent vendors and protect your service and choice

[addict]

Interesting thread Dizzi. If ecigs do escape the ban, I can't see juice being available in bottles. Rather, it is more likely to be restricted to pre-filled cartridges, so I don't know what that will mean for the small vendors.

I buy first from Irish Vendors. If they don't have what I want, I buy from vendors in the EU. My reasons: My pension and the social services I avail of are funded by taxes and I see tax dodging on discretional spending as a false economy. It's mostly working class and people living on benefits who resort to buying cheap Chinese stuff but they're the people who suffer in the long term from lower wages, job losses and cuts in social services as Western economies come to terms with globalisation. My few Euros won't make much difference in the great scheme of things, but it's the best I can do.

[scaffman69]

Jan 30, 2013 16:36:29 GMT addict said:

Interesting thread Dizzi. If ecigs do escape the ban, I can't see juice being available in bottles. Rather, it is more likely to be restricted to pre-filled cartridges, so I don't know what that will mean for the small vendors.

I buy first from Irish Vendors. If they don't have what I want, I buy from vendors in the EU. My reasons: My pension and the social services I avail of are funded by taxes and I see tax dodging on discretional spending as a false economy. It's mostly working class and people living on benefits who resort to buying cheap Chinese stuff but they're the people who suffer in the long term from lower wages, job losses and cuts in social services as Western economies come to terms with globalisation. My few Euros won't make much difference in the great scheme of things, but it's the best I can do.

Ive never heard/read so much pish in my life, what a load of rubbish.

[addict]

Jan 30, 2013 16:39:07 GMT scaffman69 said:

Ive never heard/read so much pish in my life, what a load of rubbish.

You reckon? Would you care to elaborate?

[scaffman69]

Jan 30, 2013 16:36:29 GMT addict said:

It's mostly working class and people living on benefits who resort to buying cheap Chinese stuff but they're the people who suffer in the long term from lower wages, job losses and cuts in social services as Western economies come to terms with globalisation. .

Elaborated for you. Biggest load of rubbish ive heard in a long time, how do work that out, show me some figures ?

[robby]

I really dont think anyone`s job or business is under threat here. As I have said earlier, vaping support is a growing market and the worse things get in the economy by way of what`s in people`s pockets, the bigger that market will grow as people try and quit smoking and save money. Also people are getting the message about vaping. The number of venders selling ecig stuff will continue to rise year on year, a few will go to the wall due to their own ineptness as business men/women. The share of the market taken by people who like to be a bit more adventurous and do it their own way (like myself) for some of my purchases is tiny and no threat to anyone. Before anyone jumps in, I am not trying to avoid tax, I just want to buy stuff cheaper, simple as that.

[dizzi]

Jan 30, 2013 15:25:19 GMT VE Jason said:

Not as much of a gold mine as some might think

I never thought it was Jason. And I honestly know that you (and the other vendors recommended on here) aren't rip off merchants. There are some online/shopping mall vendors who are (£65 for one mini cig-a-like battery with just one atomiser and a bunch of carts - WHAT?) but they don't get recommended here. I'll still be buying some of my stuff from you til you retire, your prices are great and your customer service is possibly the best in the business (which is why, whenever I make a recommendation, it's usually YOU I'm recommending).

I know that there are lots of extra costs to vendors that the buyer often doesn't think about - customs, VAT, bricks & mortar, staff, accounting, returns, loads of things I haven't thought of. And I'd far rather get clearos, ego batts, chargers, big batts etc (not to mention juice) from you than order from China - delivery is faster and the back-up is better. It's worth the few pennies more. An extra £25 is going to make me pause though - and I know that isn't your fault. I know you're selling them for the lowest price you reasonably can.

Keep on keeping on Jason, you're an example to 'em all and we need that.

[dizzi]

Scaffman, I think you're being unfair. Addict has a good point there. Look at manufacturing. Our manufacturing base has all but completely disappeared abroad, for the sake of cheaper goods. We have very few factory jobs now, the kind of job my grandmother (solidly working class) used to do is now automated or done abroad. So goods are cheaper, but the only revenue this country gets from them is the VAT. In days past, the (British) people who made the goods got paid for making them, paid income tax on that wage, spent their wage in their local shops. The money went around and around. Now it mostly goes out - out of the country.

Did you know we have something like a 900% deficit? The UK owes nearly 9 times as much as it earns in a year. This debt has been increasing at an alarming rate for the last couple of decades. This is why benefits are being squeezed and taxes go up. Heaven help us when the interest rates go up - the rate we've been borrowing at has been very very low for a long time, but it won't last forever.

So I'm agreeing with Addict.

[scaffman69]

Theirs more people employed than theirs ever been since records began, it just dont hack it with me, yes most mass poduction manufactoring is all but over, but the figures speak for themselves and most workers in these jobs ae woking class, what was said is summink like the MP said the other day most people on benefits are fat, totally rubbish and cant be backed up.

[addict]

I don't need statistics to show me that it's mostly people on low incomes who buy clothes in Tesco or shop in pound shops where most of the stuff is produced in low cost economies. And they are the people who have suffered most from outsourcing of jobs. It started with outsourcing manufacturing jobs, then services were too costly so jobs were outsourced to companies paying lower wages, now there's a focus on benefits being too high. Where will it end? All very well putting it down to market forces and progress until it hits your job/income or your children's job prospects.

This paper, particularly the conculsion, written a few years ago by David Ashton from DeMontford University makes interesting reading: www.dmu.ac.uk/Images/3.%20Globalisation%20and%20the%20future%20of%20the%20youth%20labour%20market_tcm6-10999.pdf

[Banky]

Jan 30, 2013 19:03:20 GMT scaffman69 said:

Theirs more people employed than theirs ever been since records began, it just dont hack it with me, yes most mass production manufacturing is all but over, but the figures speak for themselves and most workers in these jobs ae working class, what was said is summink like the MP said the other day most people on benefits are fat, totally rubbish and cant be backed up.

I fail to see how there is more people employed since records began, we dont build ships, we dont mine much coal,
if any, we dont have much manufactures left anymore
The arm forces are getting cut, and yet we send troops to other countries to keep the peace, when it has nothing to do with us unless there is oil to be gained. The only ones I see getting fat here is the politicians, Joe soap as usual is the one who is in hardship, the biggest majority of people on benefits dont want to be. I will agree with you to a point there is ones who do milk the system

People will always buy of the ones who sell cheaper, I personally when, I can buy from UK vendors. The big supermarkets will take over e-cig's when the time is right for them. They forced the farmer to sell their produce at ridiculously low prices to keep the monopoly, in there own profiteering interest. Bullied the farmer into submission and the British consumer was getting silly deals buy 2 for 1 and most of it went in the bin.

P.S. Dizzi,
I enjoyed reading your post very well written and a good debate

[Karma]

There are certainly more people employed now in part time/temporary contract jobs

[Banky]

Jan 30, 2013 20:57:08 GMT Karma said:

There are certainly more people employed now in part time/temporary contract jobs

Yes I agree Karma, but never to the extent of employment to what it was years ago. And their has been a big population growth since time gone buy. More people living longer more pressure put on the NHS and less staff to run it.

[djs]

Jan 30, 2013 20:57:08 GMT Karma said:

There are certainly more people employed now in part time/temporary contract jobs

Yes, I believe that is true and is consequently skewing the figures.

29.9 million workers.

2.4 million unemployed.

8.1 million part-time, of which 1.4 million of those are wanting full time work.

[Karma]

Yes Rab, but my point is that these temporary/part time jobs don't help families have stability, get mortgages, plan for the future

Years ago, my parents, so long as they worked hard, could walk out of one full time job straight into another!