Voting with Your Dollar
What is voting with your dollar?
One of the most straightforward ways for people to make their opinion count is by voting with their dollar. The term dollar voting is used to describe the process of allocating economic resources toward goods and services as a way of voting. For example, you might use your dollar to vote by purchasing Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola, effectively putting your money where your mouth is.
More than that, we vote with our wallets as a way to support causes and organizations that align with our values. We might do this by donating to our favorite political candidate, or by choosing an eco-friendly product over a mass-produced generic brand. In our daily shopping habits, it means monetarily supporting businesses that we believe in.
Why is it important?
When it comes to the vaping industry, voting with your dollar is a symbolic gesture of advocating for smoke-free alternatives. By purchasing products that we believe in, such as e-juice flavors we prefer, we support the people and companies that we want to see succeed. That can be as simple as visiting your local vape shop and buying a product from them to support their business. Today, we’d like to propose some ways that you can most effectively vote with your dollar.
Brick-and-Mortars
One of the best ways to make an impact with your dollar is to support local brick-and-mortar retailers. Of course, before casting your voting dollar, be sure to determine if the retailer is managed according to your basic values. Look for shops that treat their customers well and hires knowledgeable team members that are glad to assist with customer questions.
Good shops vs. Great shops
A good vaporizer shop trains its employees in all aspects of vaping including hardware (mods, tanks, batteries, devices, coils) and software (e-liquids, also known as e-juice). Great vaporizer shops put an emphasis on educating their customers, not simply selling to them. It’s the kind of vape shop that you can hang out in, test some new e-juice flavors, and not necessarily buy something in order to feel welcome.
When you leave a great vape shop, you’ll be well-advised on everything from how your device parts operate to when and how to re-fill your e-juice tanks. You’ll know how to clean your vape and how to know when it needs replacing. Most importantly, the shop team will have briefed you on battery safety. These are the kinds of shops that are active in their community. They are managed by shop owners who have a heart for the vaping culture. These are the kind of shops that deserve your hard-earned dollar.
Bad shops
On the other hand, there are shops that do not deserve your voting dollar. The fly-by-night companies looking to earn a profit on a fast-growing niche, with no ties or interest in evolving the community. These are the kind of companies that don’t check for age-verification of young consumers, which is a dangerous and irresponsible practice in the vaping industry. Other shops might disrespect their customers by stereotyping or avoiding important questions about vape products like ejuice and vaporizer batteries. Those shops sometimes price gouge customers by adding unnecessary upsells or service fees. Those are the kinds of shops you don’t want to support with your dollar. If a vape shop — or any shop, for that matter — makes you feel uncomfortable or undervalued, you can cast your vote by not making a purchase at their shop. These shops won’t last long, anyway, because they’re not in it for the right reasons. This is why it’s so important to vote with your dollar.
Brick-and-Mortars
One of the best ways to make an impact with your dollar is to support local brick-and-mortar retailers. Of course, before casting your voting dollar, be sure to determine if the retailer is managed according to your basic values. Look for shops that treat their customers well and hires knowledgeable team members that are glad to assist with customer questions.
Good shops vs. Great shops
A good vaporizer shop trains its employees in all aspects of vaping including hardware (mods, tanks, batteries, devices, coils) and software (e-liquids, also known as e-juice). Great vaporizer shops put an emphasis on educating their customers, not simply selling to them. It’s the kind of vape shop that you can hang out in, test some new e-juice flavors, and not necessarily buy something in order to feel welcome.
When you leave a great vape shop, you’ll be well-advised on everything from how your device parts operate to when and how to re-fill your e-juice tanks. You’ll know how to clean your vape and how to know when it needs replacing. Most importantly, the shop team will have briefed you on battery safety. These are the kinds of shops that are active in their community. They are managed by shop owners who have a heart for the vaping culture. These are the kind of shops that deserve your hard-earned dollar.
Bad shops
On the other hand, there are shops that do not deserve your voting dollar. The fly-by-night companies looking to earn a profit on a fast-growing niche, with no ties or interest in evolving the community. These are the kind of companies that don’t check for age-verification of young consumers, which is a dangerous and irresponsible practice in the vaping industry. Other shops might disrespect their customers by stereotyping or avoiding important questions about vape products like ejuice and vaporizer batteries. Those shops sometimes price gouge customers by adding unnecessary upsells or service fees. Those are the kinds of shops you don’t want to support with your dollar. If a vape shop — or any shop, for that matter — makes you feel uncomfortable or undervalued, you can cast your vote by not making a purchase at their shop. These shops won’t last long, anyway, because they’re not in it for the right reasons. This is why it’s so important to vote with your dollar.
E-Liquid
As e-liquid has become more popular, there has been controversy surrounding some companies and business practices. Some hot topics include standardized product labeling, clean manufacturing environments, and fair pricing. The current ejuice market is ripe with competition. New e-liquid brands seem to pop up overnight. The industry’s highly-recognized ejuice brands are under pressure to stay competitive with better pricing, new and improved packaging, and unique flavors. Although it was once an easy market to enter, federal restrictions are promising to threaten the ease of creating new business in this space in order to standardize industry safety practices for consumers’ benefit.
Product labeling
Labeling is often discussed by vaping consumers and activists on both sides of the spectrum. Many politicians have spoken out about labeling practices, taking aim at the colorful labels that they believe are attractive to kids. Some companies have branded their products similarly to well-recognized national brands, which some activists say is misleading to consumers. E-juice flavors often go by names that play on well-loved candies and food products such as Butterfinger, Raspberry Soda, or Ice Cream Float. The concerns come down to two major issues: (1) Are the labels making tobacco-related products appealing to children? (2) Are the labels infringing on established trademarks?
This is another area where your dollar counts. Where do you stand on these values? How will you choose to cast your vote?
Clean Manufacturing
Cleanliness in ejuice production should be top of mind when purchasing any product, but it is especially important to consider when you use a product commonly. Such is the case for vape enthusiasts, many of whom vape throughout the day. As a consumer, you have a right to know how and where your e-liquid is made. It’s important that products made for consumption are manufactured in sterile environments with clean equipment. The Food and Drug Administration is invested in ensuring these standards are met across the board. Good e-liquid companies already meet the standards that will be set by the FDA. These companies consistently test their products for quality. However, the phrase “made in an ISO-6 lab” occurring on some labels may be misleading marketing because, without federal regulations in place, the product could technically be made in a home basement. Some big companies have been named as examples of poor practices in ejuice making. Fortunately, this is another way we can vote against these companies by not supporting them with our dollar.
Pricing
Pricing of e-liquids is another top issue for consumers. The market has seen massive price drops due to rising demand. Shoppers want the best prices, especially on a product they use everyday.
Clean Manufacturing
Cleanliness in ejuice production should be top of mind when purchasing any product, but it is especially important to consider when you use a product commonly. Such is the case for vape enthusiasts, many of whom vape throughout the day. As a consumer, you have a right to know how and where your e-liquid is made. It’s important that products made for consumption are manufactured in sterile environments with clean equipment. The Food and Drug Administration is invested in ensuring these standards are met across the board. Good e-liquid companies already meet the standards that will be set by the FDA. These companies consistently test their products for quality. However, the phrase “made in an ISO-6 lab” occurring on some labels may be misleading marketing because, without federal regulations in place, the product could technically be made in a home basement. Some big companies have been named as examples of poor practices in ejuice making. Fortunately, this is another way we can vote against these companies by not supporting them with our dollar.
Pricing
Pricing of e-liquids is another top issue for consumers. The market has seen massive price drops due to rising demand. Shoppers want the best prices, especially on a product they use everyday.
Mods and Tanks
As with any electronic device, safety is a top priority. It is especially important for vape users because battery requirements can differ between devices. Product reviews can be found all over YouTube, vape blogs, and internet forums. Still, it’s important for a consumer to be able to get reliable information in-person from a shop as needed. Many consumers prefer to hold the device in-hand before making a purchase, and they might value having product immediately instead of waiting for order delivery via mail. Other customers may simply prefer the face-to-face interaction that a local shop provides. However, it is also the consumer’s responsibility to become as educated as possible to make an informed purchasing decision.
Buy for comfort
One of the simplest rules for purchasing vape gear is to buy equipment they feel comfortable with. Experienced vapers might opt for customized mechanical mods. New users would do best to stick with simplified starter kits. Whichever choice you make, have the owner or employee teach you the ins and outs. Before you leave, learn about battery safety, Ohm’s law, refilling your tank, proper cleaning, and other vaping basics. A good company will be happy to answer all your questions.
Pricing
New vape users should be aware that the average mod sells for around $40 to $100. A higher price does not always mean a better product. The average cost of a tank should ring up between $15 and $40. Most importantly, be comfortable with the basics before moving to a more experienced vape set-up.
Ready, set, vape!
Now you’re ready to vote with your dollar! Where will you cast your vote? Who will earn your dollar? Do you have a favorite company that deserves your cash? Are you a frequent visitor of your local vape shops? Make sure to support the retailers you like best. If you haven’t decided yet, do your research to make sure your vote goes to the best contender. Your voting dollar is what allows the best (or worst) companies to stay in business.
We’d love to hear your questions and help you make any purchasing decisions. Whether you’re experienced or completely new to vaping, contact us and let us help!
Now you’re ready to vote with your dollar! Where will you cast your vote? Who will earn your dollar? Do you have a favorite company that deserves your cash? Are you a frequent visitor of your local vape shops? Make sure to support the retailers you like best. If you haven’t decided yet, do your research to make sure your vote goes to the best contender. Your voting dollar is what allows the best (or worst) companies to stay in business.
We’d love to hear your questions and help you make any purchasing decisions. Whether you’re experienced or completely new to vaping, contact us and let us help!