As an ardent smoker, it is convenient to have all the smoking equipment and accessories at your disposal, as you may require them at any time. You might want to enjoy a bong session one day and try out a chillum for an entirely different experience on the other. What if you’ve run out of an ash catcher, rolling paper, or other accessories? To buy smoking items in such circumstances, you will have to visit a head shop.

A head shop refers to a retail store specializing in smoking equipment and accessories. However, an online head shop has plenty of advantages over a traditional one, including convenience, range of items available, and the user experience in general. Unsurprisingly, online head shops have gained rapid popularity among smokers ever since they made their appearance. But before you place your order after having found a shop, here are some things you might consider taking into account.

What kind of items do they have?

A successful online head shop will usually have many smoking items and accessories in stock. That is one of their significant advantages over brick-and-mortar shops. You could visit their website to check the kind of items they have. It should at least have bongs, glass pipes, and bubblers in store, along with a wide range of varieties of other smoking items. For example, bongs are one of the most common smoking devices and come in various types such as scientific, colorful, large, and mini, with each offering a unique experience. Similarly, glass pipes are also of multiple types such as spoon, Sherlock, or Gandalf, color changing and themed, and even though their functioning and body parts might be the same, they vary by their shape and size and other factors.

Do they have the accessories you require?

After you have thoroughly browsed their website and checked the kind of items they have in store, you must check what accessories they have. Accessories complete and even enhance your smoking experience. Ash catchers, bowls, down-stems, storage, cases, cleaner screens, rolling paper, rolling trays, and grinders are some of the accessories that an online shop should have in its collection. For instance, a rolling tray will help you avoid scattering your tobacco or herb on your table, desk, or bedsheet. Rolling paper is indispensable while smoking a cigarette. The ash and debris would enter the bong’s bowl without ash catchers, rendering the entire experience unpleasant.

Do they have any items on sale?

Online shops enjoy several advantages over offline stores, one of which is their customers’ discounts and lower prices. Before placing an order, you might want to consider checking if the store offers any items on sale or has a separate section on its website dedicated to on-sale items. Simultaneously, it would be a good idea to check the quality of the product on sale and whether that impacts its quality in any way. You could also check the prices of the items and compare them to check the difference.

Do they offer the highest quality products?

Even if an online head shop has the product you are looking for and is offering it at a sale or low prices, you will not find that very useful if the products are not of the highest quality. Having high-quality smoking equipment is necessary because you will inhale the smoke inside your body, and a defective or slightly damaged product could interfere with your experience. Experts agree that glass-made devices are better than plastic, silicone, or wooden ones. This is because they don’t influence the product’s flavor, and are available in various shapes, sizes, and designs, while also being easy to clean. Pipes made from glass are considered far better than wooden pipes as they can withstand high temperatures without affecting the smoke’s flavor.

What is their return policy?

Even after thoroughly researching a product, you might not find it to your liking or satisfaction at times. In those situations, it would help if you could return the product without any hassle in exchange for a refund or a similar item. You must ask the company about its return policy or read the terms and conditions to understand its policy on returned items. It would be highly convenient if the online head store allowed you to return your item within a month, as 30 days is sufficient for assessing the quality and performance of a smoking item. You should also ask them about the extra charges on returned orders, if any. If the store has a refund policy, ask them how much they usually take to refund your money or replace an item.

Do they have elaborate product descriptions?

You might have all the information you need before buying a glass pipe, bubbler, chillum, bong, or any other item. Even then, the shop should have a product description that clearly describes the item in detail and includes details such as its specifications. You will find the buying process convenient if you have an idea of the item before adding it to your cart. Reliable head stores provide the product’s image with a zoom-in feature to enable you to have a close look while paying attention to every detail.

What do other customers say about them?

Reading the customer testimonials is a time-tested way of knowing the reliability of a head shop. Smokers, just like you, will not buy products from a company if they aren’t convinced about its quality, performance, and customer satisfaction. You should visit the customer testimonials section on the shop’s website and check the number of reviews of a product along with the stars customers assign to each of them. If the customers have given the highest rating to any product, it is possible that the product has been able to deliver what it promises.

How do they pack your products?

It is vital to receive your pipe, bong, bubbler, or any other item intact, without damaging its body, and packing plays a significant role in that. You could ask the company or browse their website to learn about their packaging method. Bubble wraps are one of the safest ways of packing and protecting an item, especially a fragile one since its air-filled hemispheres provide maximum cushioning. Another question you might consider asking the company is the period within which you must return the item.

You can use questions and information such as these to form an idea about an online head shop and decide if you should buy any smoking item from them. If it is your first time, you must pay attention to every detail to ensure you get the best experience online.