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As a measure, # sold vs # with issues = % failure rate. Best we can do is consensus.
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SMOK: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
- Thread starter gsmit1
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As a measure, # sold vs # with issues = % failure rate. Best we can do is consensus.
In any area of product interest, millions sold or product popularity doesn't necessarily equate to quality. In fact: In this day-and-age, where people seem content to trade quality for quantity, it often means just the opposite.
E.g.: I'm in the market for a drill press. One I was considering was less than half the price of another I'm considering. The less expensive one gets good ratings, by both reviewers and customers, everywhere. Then I started reading between the lines in the customer reviews and seeing things like "Yeah, this and that and the other thing, but for the price..." kind of a thing.
People pay good money for stuff, it disappoints, and now the mere sight of the thing is a reminder of that disappointment. A de-cluttering guru recommends "Hold it in your hand. If it doesn't spark joy, lose it." Something one expected to bring joy, but instead brought bitter disappointment perhaps should be tossed.I love people that post reviews or comments and if the slightest thing is wrong, they go “so, I threw that (whatever) in the trash”. I didn’t realize people had so much money nowadays that they can afford to just chuck things in the trash like that!!
The TFV16 tank that came with my Mag P3 is a case in point. It's not in the trash, but it may as well be. It's cleaned, back in the box, and I'm unlikely ever to use it again.
That's one thing I personally try to be aware of. If people ask my opinion, I'll give it to them. Or if they're looking for a new mod, like hey just so you're aware this or that is a common problem. Like the top of the sig kaos popping loose. Try to give them better options that seem to have a higher success rate. But when it's someone who's new, or someone who may just be on a tight income (I can relate).. or maybe they're just not into the technical crap and got a mod because they liked the color. I try hard to be supportive.
Like here's a person who isn't just looking at devices, they already have one in hand. They already spent their hard earned money on it. Maybe they're just coming off cigs, their first venture into vaping, their first larger mod. They may be new to the community, see everyone else sharing and they want in on that so they post a pic and they're all happy about it. Why shit on them?
There were a lot of experienced people here who helped me, thankfully I didn't start out on fb groups or reddit or ecf. They didn't make me feel like a loser or tell me my hardware was pure shit, make me feel like an idiot. People are just trying to make better choices, even if it's a mod that I think is junk or a colorscheme I think is pure puke. I like it. I give them a thumbs up. Even more so when I notice their post has been around for a bit and like 1-2 people liked it, no one's commented on it. Not even so much as a 'hey, cool'. Maybe because I've been there on forums (related to other things) and it's like you have your regulars who shoot comments back and forth. You're new, you share and because you're not buddies with everyone it's like your post gets no views, no comments. Like alrighty then, I'll just see myself out. All that does is alienate people.
well said.
Well, it's been well over 48 hours since I emailed Smok customer service about the problems I experienced with my brand new TFV16 tank. So it's apparent emailing their customer service department is a waste of time. I'll try giving them a call later today.
Dear Sellers Of Things: If you're not going to actually, you know, answer your CS email, then don't post an email address for it. All you'll accomplish is to annoy your customers.
Dear Sellers Of Things: If you're not going to actually, you know, answer your CS email, then don't post an email address for it. All you'll accomplish is to annoy your customers.
To be fair, I've sent emails to several manufacturers and not one has taken less than 2 weeks to answer. Some never did, and I just got an answer from Ijoy a little while back, over a year later for something I had forgotten all about.
That is not acceptable turn-around time to answer CS inquiries, IMO, regardless of the product.
I'll give 'em until about this time tomorrow. Then it'll be phone call time.
Acceptable or not, that's how it is my friend.
If you actually do get anybody on the phone, it's a near certainty they're going to tell you to send it back to where you got it from. Again, this is not Smok specific. This is SOP for Chinese companies. There are some exceptions. With companies and individual experiences with the same company, but manufacturer CS is largely nonexistent.
From what I've seen, generally speaking, vendors are much better to work with than manufacturers.
See: Smok TFV16? (post #3)
That ain't gonna happen. If that's what they come up with I'll just leave the tank in the box and, eventually, toss 'em both. And I'll remember that the next time I consider a Smok product.
It would be trivial for them to toss a pair of gaskets in the mail. Or even a whole new tank. I remember back when OBS had Big Problems with the original Crius RTA. They actually sent replacement decks out to every customer that asked for them. Or sent 'em to vendors, who sent them along to the customers. OBS won a lot a brownie points with that move.
If there's a widespread problem that is clearly their fault, companies will usually address that. As far as a specimen defect or user error, which user error is VERY common, most companies don't have as much to gain or lose by providing good customer service. At least in their own view.
Catch em on a good day and you MAY get good customer service. Just don't count on it.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're trying really hard to not like the tank. Wrecked the fill port gasket and doesn't like the way the top hinge is designed. I've had zero problems with this style. I doubt there'd be big differences between our tanks, but it's possible. Dry silicone sliding across stainless steel isn't ideal. Once it gets a little lube on it, it will go better the next time.
I've never stopped using something because I hated the way the top fill was. There are some really shitty top fill designs out there. Everybody is different though and has the right to do whatever they want with their gear.
Why would one try really hard not to like something for which they paid good money, @Just Frank? That wouldn't make sense.
I ran into a couple issues and was simply annoyed. Found I wasn't alone in my experience with the thing leaking (see: Smok tanks leak a little). Maybe misery does love company, because I think that thread motivated me to give my TFV16 another chance.
The fill port gasket hasn't given me any further trouble. Then again: Now knowing its idiosyncrasies, I'm more careful with it.
I still doubt I'll buy any more of them. I'm not certain I'll even buy additional coils for the one I have.
It's what most of us do when we don't like something. Sorry, I didn't know you were having leaking trouble too. I never get leaks anymore but I know it's a real problem for people. I though these tanks were just getting better at solving leaking issues because none have leaked on me in a long time. I've tried dozens of new tanks in the past few years. It makes me question if I'm doing something right others may not think of. I dunno...
Sorry if my post sounded like a shot at you. From what Ive read, it seemed like you were making a big deal out of something I thought was user error. Again, my apologies. We're all allowed to be fussy. But I can't abide a leaky tank. If mine was acting as you've described, I wouldn't be happy.
I'm not a really big fan of this big tank either. I like to try things that aren't my usual vaping style. In my opinion it does what it's supposed to do really well. That's provide a large liquid reservoir, big airflow, and (most of its coils) handle 100+W well. Mine hasn't leaked a drop and the coils seem well constructed.
Actually, I initially liked it. If you check my Smok TFV16? thread, you'll see the progression of my thoughts on the tank.
I don't know, either. I occasionally get "leaks" in my Falcon and Falcon King tanks, too, but not as much and only rarely.
Personally, I think, at least in my case, it's rarely leaks, but most often seeps. You see: I don't use the same tank for longer than a half day or so. Flavour begins to fade and I switch to something else. That means any one tank can be sitting idle, perhaps nearly full, over night, at least. I think the wicks just keep on wickin' and eventually you end up with a bit of juice under the deck.
The TFV16 just seems worse at it than my others.
Maybe my gasket problem was "user error," but, if it was I'd still argue the design of manufacturing is still sub-optimal. It's not as if I'm a n00b, after all
No worries. We're good.
Eh. It is what it is. I'm over it. I'll either use the tank until the coil that's in it dies, then store it, or I'll decide I can live with its foibles and keep using it. Either way: No big deal, because I got such a good deal on the kit the tank was almost a throw-away, anyway.
I don't mind the size of the tank. The mod with which it came is big, anyway, so it's at home atop the mod. But it's actually got more airflow than I need and its coils want lots of power. I usually vape down around ±60W, and the lowest-power coil for this tank wants at least 65W.
So, really, I'm kind of on the cusp with this tank. I'll probably retire it when the coil dies, and replace it with another pair of Falcon Kings. I'm really pleased with those. I hate waste, which is why I'm giving it another chance, but I also hate throwing good money after bad.
See also my updated comments at Smok tanks leak a little
Honestly? A friend had an original Mag. That's the one Smok device that gave me legitimate fits. I fixed that thing like 6 times. From the catch on the battery sled to the 510. I knew putting a stiffer spring in the button/catch wasn't going to last forever and sure enough, it didn't. Electronically it still works (after having it apart abuncha times), but the stiff spring wore the hole in the sled out again so that it doesn't stay in.
KingPin!
In my defence, I was left unsupervised ^^
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Smok is sold everywhere because wholesale is rock bottom and it makes good mark up
my first mod and tank was smok so I do owe my giving up the stinkies to it, still works to this day albeit not as well as it once did (and only because I modified it)...they sell a lot of them so it stands to reason you will hear about a larger volume of problems than other brands, even so they crap out far more than I’d like to read
Do I think my original purchase was a good mod?.... not really looking back, poor execution leading to early fogging screen, and fire button crapped out just out of warranty so soldered a new one onto the board, would never trust it to charge that’s for sure...but it was sturdy and took untold biblical leaks all over it so that’s something to be said as a counter argument ...Also noobs make more mistakes going back to my second paragraph, wrong settings, bad maintenance etc etc and being sold as a starter kit more than others out there
the beast tank I do think were good for their time, ultimately now though users have more choice and with it companies who do have better rep with QC or more accurate chipsets, better customer care...this isn’t to say smok haven't progressed but we all know they release far too much to really advance, re-tool properly so really you’re buying a different dress for the same unit underneath which may or may not have addressed previous issues.
So indifferent towards smok really, works for some people, others not...just like anything worth doing research and be comfortable with what your getting into...if it’s getting shit feedback well for good reason because it most likely is
my first mod and tank was smok so I do owe my giving up the stinkies to it, still works to this day albeit not as well as it once did (and only because I modified it)...they sell a lot of them so it stands to reason you will hear about a larger volume of problems than other brands, even so they crap out far more than I’d like to read
Do I think my original purchase was a good mod?.... not really looking back, poor execution leading to early fogging screen, and fire button crapped out just out of warranty so soldered a new one onto the board, would never trust it to charge that’s for sure...but it was sturdy and took untold biblical leaks all over it so that’s something to be said as a counter argument ...Also noobs make more mistakes going back to my second paragraph, wrong settings, bad maintenance etc etc and being sold as a starter kit more than others out there
the beast tank I do think were good for their time, ultimately now though users have more choice and with it companies who do have better rep with QC or more accurate chipsets, better customer care...this isn’t to say smok haven't progressed but we all know they release far too much to really advance, re-tool properly so really you’re buying a different dress for the same unit underneath which may or may not have addressed previous issues.
So indifferent towards smok really, works for some people, others not...just like anything worth doing research and be comfortable with what your getting into...if it’s getting shit feedback well for good reason because it most likely is
This is also another huge point. Whatever else anybody wants to say about them, it's a safe bet that Smok has helped get more people off tobacco than the next few companies combined. Exactly because they are everywhere. Also because they are everywhere and are so many people's first device, yes, the noob syndrome is the other edge of that sword.
You can't get people off tobacco unless you're their first device (usually) and that means your devices spend a LOT of time in the hands of people who don't know what they're doing.
That doesn't explain everything, but it has to be a major factor.
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Have to agree with that, and admit that Smok was around and I was using some of their gear for many of the first years I was vaping.
This they definitely needed to address and I think they are. The Morph was the first mod with the all new circuit and it IS pretty good. Even in TC. The touchscreen is almost as good as my Galaxy S10. The Mag P3 also has this new chip.
The Mag P3 also has a much sturdier 510 assembly. They really need to continue that trend. The old press fitted 510 didn't fall apart in your hands, but it wasn't super great either.
Yes, they definitely did help loads of people to quit- me included, this time around. The AIOs I bought died a quick death, but by that time I was using better gear. I knew what to do since I’d vaped six years ago, but it was plus ohm tanks and VV mods, Evods etc. But those didn’t get me to quit smoking permanently.
And that’s why it’s really great that they made a big donation to help the industry here now that things are going loopy.
That makes me think better of them! Even if it’s greed motivated or something.