So grateful for B&M shops

[Deleted]

I remember the days when a B&M shop was like gold dust and yet now there are all over the place

this morning I my xstar vc4 died (it was never a wonder charger and I am a 100% xstar fan for years)

Now I chain vape so I need me batteries charged at least once a day

Fortunately my local B&M store is not far away. Popped in as soon as they opened -got an efest 2 bay charger - not as cheap as online but needs must as I couldn't find my backups (old xstars).

Got home - found a second hand VP4 (xstar) on ebay for £16 inc P+P (if I wasn't saving for a special birthday treat I'd have gotten this in the first place rather than the VC4)

B&M stores we salute you!!!

[pipeman01]

The cynic in me feels that this is all well and good, however if we want B&M's to be there we need to support them and buying cheap from China doesn't help them.

Sorry for being grumpy, we had a death in the family over the weekend...

[ghostrider1971]

pipeman01 - Sorry to hear your sad news :-(

I think B&M's have their place, but the prices are exorbitant for so many things. For example, I saw a Coolfire IV in 2 shops today - GBP 75 in both.

UK internet site GBP 28.....

I appreciate that a good B&M has it's place and one with helpful staff is a real gem and that they do have overheads (wages, rent etc) - due to the net, I now only use my B&M's for an emergency coil.....

[lobeydosser]

I am also in 2 minds about B&M Shops.

Our local one only stocks sub-ohm stuff, so if you are not into that type of vaping, then you are forced to go online.

How many new vapers are going to know the difference between sub-ohming and normal-ohming and so will be forced to spend a lot of money buying stuff that may put them off vaping for ever.

I started off with a cig-a-like kit that cost me the grand sum of £12. Because I was a heavy smoker, I wouldn't have spent a lot trying out "a new way of smoking" in case I was wasting my money.
As it happens, I liked some of the flavours in that kit and I was quickly hooked on vaping.
However if I had had to spend 60 or 70 quid on a set up, I think I would still be a smoker.

[gill2009]

Nov 29, 2016 14:37:07 GMT pipeman01 said:

The cynic in me feels that this is all well and good, however if we want B&M's to be there we need to support them and buying cheap from China doesn't help them.

Sorry for being grumpy, we had a death in the family over the weekend...

  So sorry at your sad news pipeman01

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2016 14:37:07 GMT pipeman01 said:

The cynic in me feels that this is all well and good, however if we want B&M's to be there we need to support them and buying cheap from China doesn't help them.

Sorry for being grumpy, we had a death in the family over the weekend...

So sorry pipeman01

Yeah the one I like locally has a newbie section and a more advanced section and a coffee machine

I like the ones that have sofas etc. and a wee mark up from UK online prices is fine - china is closed near enough now till March for all their holidays

It depends what you want?

[ghostrider1971]

@johanino - You are lucky - your shop sounds really nice :-)

B&M 1 near me - You walk in the door and the owner immediately walks up to you and says "What do you want to buy today?"

B&M 2 near me - You have to wait 10 minutes for the owner to stop talking to his mates who are "hanging out"....

[Chrissie]

Nov 29, 2016 14:37:07 GMT pipeman01 said:

Sorry for being grumpy, we had a death in the family over the weekend...

Deepest sympathy & condolences pipeman01

[taz96]

pipeman01 Sorry for your loss


I know there are no words, but just know we are all thinking of you

[OliverB]

The only B&M I've ever been in sold metal tubes for £200+, ridiculously packaged juice for preposterous prices, called anyone who didn't use a dripper 'tank-wankers', and seemed less a useful emporium than a foggy, noisy clubhouse for grunting meat-headed tosspots.

[ukwarrior]

First off, I am new here so don't yet know you, but I am very sorry to hear of your loss pipeman01. I wish you the best at this tough time.

Secondly, I am glad you have had a good experience with a brick and mortar, and it helped you out on this occasion in an emergency .

Unfortunately, where I live the B&M shops are pretty rubbish, and the staff are either clueless, or give terrible advice. One store in Basildon, I had the employee telling me how safe his 0.09 build was on his 'competition' mech.
He took it apart, and said see anything different? I said no vent holes? He said yes. I asked if he was going to drill any in, as I probably would myself. His reply was "No, it is lined with silver and vent holes would lower its performance".

I have no problem with people who like to push limits, but when they are announcing it as very safe, and there was a few new vapers with me, and also that vent holes will lower overall performance (remember how much surface area there would still be for conductivity), I don't feel it is too good.

I do understand not everywhere is like Canvey and surrounding areas though, and there are nice places in England lol.

[quincey43]

Bits and Pieces Vape in Rubery is great, the staff are friendly and really know their stuff and for a B & M the prices are good too. They do have a website and I have bought quite a few things from the store and online and the service has been brilliant so if they have what I want I will pay a bit over the odds and use them rather than China, I get it much quicker too!!

[Deleted]

Nov 30, 2016 15:27:44 GMT quincey43 said:

Bits and Pieces Vape in Rubery is great, the staff are friendly and really know their stuff and for a B & M the prices are good too. They do have a website and I have bought quite a few things from the store and online and the service has been brilliant so if they have what I want I will pay a bit over the odds and use them rather than China, I get it much quicker too!!

Sounds just like my vape shop. You don't mind paying a small wee mark up if you get good service and you get good advice

Surely some of those vape shops above /\/\/\/\/\ should be reported to either Health and safety or trading standards? Competition Mods? - he needs a new smoke alarm - preferably one from social housing!