I had a really bad experience at this shop.
Shop at this store at your own risk; as they do not stand by any of their products. Where as most other smoke shops in the area do.
I want to try and be as accurate and fair as possible so I will bring both the reasoning I believe they were wrong, as well as the shop owners reasoning and let you all judge for yourself.
Here is what happened to me:
Last Wednesday (prev thought it was Thursday but checked my cc statement and it was in fact Wednesday), I purchased a Puff (Lechi Ice) disposable vape pen at this store. I put it in a drawer until I needed it this morning. I pulled it out, opened it up and found the taste to be very off. I am familiar with what it should taste like as I have been smoking this brand/flavor for some time now.
Given the amount of counterfeit vape pens in the market today, and the health issues surrounding vaping I thought it due diligence to report this back to the store for them to investigate and as a courtesy provide me with a different brand replacement. The response I got from the employee was that all sales are final and there are absolutely no refunds or exchanges ,as he pointed to the sign.
I was very upset and so was the employee it seems arguing over the meaning of no exchanges no refunds, etc. I tried to explain that I understood that to mean for reasons other that a product default. It got very heated and we both became very irate with each other . I'm not sure who threw the first barb but none the less although I feel I acted improperly and returned to the store later to apologize, I do not believe his behavior was very professional. IMHO he should have remained calm and offered to take my number for the owner call me. This was not his approach, until all the yelling was done. I would encourage the owner to watch the video and judge for himself.
When I did return to apologize the owner walked in and I presented my issue to him as I understood the employee was just following instructions, and the end of the day it's the owners decision.
The owner felt they were not responsible for faulty vape pens and because others in the past have played games to scam for a free pen, he really had no way of knowing when people where telling the truth and not. Also he said that if there is an issue I need to contact the manufacturer (in china) not the store it was bought at.
First he said all his boxes are marked, I said I could bring proof that I purchased it there in the form of a receipt and the marked box he sold it in. He replied that others have purchased one at his store and another somewhere else; then after finishing one, put it in the box and try to get a free one by saying it was not working... I responded with how he could tell mine was full by weighing it... and comparing...
So I understood his main three points as this:
1. He is not responsible for items in his shop; it is up to the customer to fully check before making the purchase and leaving;
2. He has been scammed before so he has no way of knowing if I'm trying to scam him or not;
3. He has sold many of that same flavor in that batch of boxes and no one else has brought this issue to his attention. But in other flavors he has had a couple of issues.
Here are my points;
1. I believe the shop owner does bear a measure of responsibility over what he sells in his shop. These are items that he has purchased either with cash or credit, and as such they are not the manufacturers anymore, they are his. As a business he bears a measure of responsibility to ensure his products do not affect the safety of those who purchase his products (as much as reasonably possible).
2. I felt the employee did not act professional in his handling of this and encourage the owner to watch the video feed.
3. I made it clear that although I was originally looking for a replacement at this point I could care less over the 10 bucks; I just want them to acknowledge accountability and recognize their responsibility to investigate, etc. We could be talking about a health issue. read more
