Ashton ESG's

[Rob_k]

You know after careful consideration I hate to burst some bubbles, but I think I am going to reserve these for the CP members whom currently support me. I just got off the phome with my Ashton rep. and he said he has allocated 4 boxes for my store!

Interesting.

very interesting.

Very, very interesting...

Hey at least Gabriel's being honest. He should reward his loyal customers with a crack at the hard-to-get stuff. Just all the more reason why I stick with and am loyal to the guy that I buy from.

there WAS an opportunity to expand his customer base with this, thus gaining more loyal customers, and increase in sales, sadly, not any more.

edit to add to statement

 

[peterwang]

Not to defend gabriel, but I have noticed that he has posted specials on cigars that for you guys before offering them to his instore customers. Just my $.02

 

[BrownDevil]

Not to defend gabriel, but I have noticed that he has posted specials on cigars that for you guys before offering them to his instore customers. Just my $.02

Vouching for people on your 4th post, and you've been a member less than 10 minutes :whistling:

 

[peterwang]

if its any consolation I can also vouch for Mitch at Cigar King in your neck of the woods.

 

[BrownDevil]

You know after careful consideration I hate to burst some bubbles, but I think I am going to reserve these for the CP members whom currently support me. I just got off the phome with my Ashton rep. and he said he has allocated 4 boxes for my store!

Interesting.

very interesting.

Very, very interesting...

Hey at least Gabriel's being honest. He should reward his loyal customers with a crack at the hard-to-get stuff. Just all the more reason why I stick with and am loyal to the guy that I buy from.

there WAS an opportunity to expand his customer base with this, thus gaining more loyal customers, and increase in sales, sadly, not any more.

edit to add to statement

I agree 100% Rob. I'm sure not everyone's budget allows them to pick up smokes whenever they want to.

Never met Gabriel, but his deals looks great, and everyone so far has had good things to say about him and his service. But due to the one comment...am I going to buy something now just so I can MAYBE be considered down the line even if I'm the first guy to post when he offers them up...don't think so.
To be honest, it kind of put me off about purchasing from him.

Just my .02

if its any consolation I can also vouch for Mitch at Cigar King in your neck of the woods.

Don't know Mitch, but I personally know Joe who does all their internet sales, and I'd recommend him to anyone.

Don't take any offense to my comment, it's just a little odd considering you just joined today and...well ya know

 

[gmiranda33]

Ok guys I see I have created an unnecesarry rucuss with my commet.
So how about if I offer the ESG's first to anyone who has not purchased from me?? I didn't mean to come across like a hard ass but I also don't want to feel like I am getting cherry picked. I offer the best of the best and all I ask in return is that when I need to move a slow item, you guys help me out. That way I can keep on getting the best of the best and offering it to you.

So I apologize if, and I know I have, offeneded some of you guys.

Just give me a chance, you wont regret it!

 

[ThankYouForNotSmoking]

I see how this might raise flags, but consider this: Gabriel runs a store. Stores exist in part to make money. Money is made by selling product. Internet clearance houses are going to almost always be able to undercut Gabriel's shop. So, Gabriel needs to create some extra incentive to purchase from him. The card currently in his hand is access to rare stuff, which alone would not keep the entire store afloat, so he choses to narrow down the body of consumers who would be able to get the very rare stuff to those who do buy other stuff from him (even though they both know Cigar Int'l would save the consumer $10, $20 easy). Gabriel's store stays happy, the people who get the rarer stuff are happy, and the people that don't realize that they also have a choice: 1) Cigar Int'l and the cheapest or 2) Gabriel and access to the rarest.

Besides, I don't see how this is any different than stores who call certain people when Opus or something else comes in, or stores that put things on hold with certain customers in mind.

I realize that some of you are offended by what you view as Gabriel's bias, but also try to keep conscious that store owners need to leverage every advantage they have to make more, and hopefully, run a better store.

 

[NullSmurf]

Ok guys I see I have created an unnecesarry rucuss with my commet.
So how about if I offer the ESG's first to anyone who has not purchased from me?? I didn't mean to come across like a hard ass but I also don't want to feel like I am getting cherry picked. I offer the best of the best and all I ask in return is that when I need to move a slow item, you guys help me out. That way I can keep on getting the best of the best and offering it to you.

So I apologize if, and I know I have, offeneded some of you guys.

Just give me a chance, you wont regret it!

I don't have a problem with that Gabriel. Most of the guys don't want to invest in a box, so I think its a good idea to open it up to 4's.

 

[hojadepuro]

I don't see anything wrong with him reserving them for the people he has dealt with in the past. He obviously won't have enough for everyone on the board so he must narrow it down somehow. There really isn't a good way to do it, and I feel apprecaited that he would reserve them for the customers who have dealt with him in the past. He is showing loyalty to the people who have supported him on the pass, not just the ones who want a hard to find cigar.
Do what you got to do, sell them first come-first serve or whatever. I am sure there will be enough of them to go around if they are split up into 4 packs. Surely most people on the board knows a shop that will get them besides Gabriel anyway. Thanks for the gesture anyhow.

Brandon

p.s. Gabriel is a stand-up BOTL, great to work with, yada yada yada

 

[Infinity]

I don't see anything wrong with him reserving them for the people he has dealt with in the past. He obviously won't have enough for everyone on the board so he must narrow it down somehow. There really isn't a good way to do it, and I feel apprecaited that he would reserve them for the customers who have dealt with him in the past. He is showing loyalty to the people who have supported him on the pass, not just the ones who want a hard to find cigar.
Do what you got to do, sell them first come-first serve or whatever. I am sure there will be enough of them to go around if they are split up into 4 packs. Surely most people on the board knows a shop that will get them besides Gabriel anyway. Thanks for the gesture anyhow.

Brandon

p.s. Gabriel is a stand-up BOTL, great to work with, yada yada yada

Well said Brandon!

I don't see it as supporting Gabriel for the sake of helping him out or wanting something in return for that matter. Rather, I have got amazing deals from him. For example, I have purchased Padron's from a vendor for over a year who by now you would think would look after me. He has proven to me that I am just a number. Gabriel on the other hand has provided good pricing, better than my previous purchases and his service is excellent.

Is it fair to say that Gabriel is not a good BOTL just because he wants to supply his customers first. Come on guys, give him break! Better still, check around for pricing and then ask Gabriel to source for you, he will go out of his way and if it can be found, he will find it and provide you a competitive price. Isn't this the kind of vendor we all want?

Just my 0.2

Brian

 

[BrownDevil]

Brian, from what I've read, I don't think anyone has called Gabriel a bad BOTL.
At least I certainly haven't. I think it was a matter of some people disliked/disagreed/whatever with a certain statement and that was it. Obviously with a big group of people opinions will vary, and IMHO I don't think anyone was attacking him personally.
:sign:

 

[Rob_k]

Ok guys I see I have created an unnecesarry rucuss with my commet.
So how about if I offer the ESG's first to anyone who has not purchased from me?? I didn't mean to come across like a hard ass but I also don't want to feel like I am getting cherry picked. I offer the best of the best and all I ask in return is that when I need to move a slow item, you guys help me out. That way I can keep on getting the best of the best and offering it to you.

So I apologize if, and I know I have, offeneded some of you guys.

Just give me a chance, you wont regret it!

no offense taken, but being on the outside looking in on this, let's face two facts, you are a business owner,and as you well know, businesses need to make money, period. by shutting people out, you have cast some resentment from members here who were willing to spend their hard earned dollars with you. so far,you have been the only vendor to offer the ESG's, i am sure other vendors will get them as soon as Ashton ups production, but you get first grabs from us. i applaud you for rewarding your frequent customers, to me, that is the mark of a good business person, and thus, you show your loyalty.
CP is a great place to market yourself to the community and become an asset to the community, we could say the same about you...you're only here to make the almighty buck, and not contribute to the community, no loyalty. These are some of the values here at CP, community and loyalty is held in the highest.
if you offer 4pks. on a first come, first serve basis, then that is a great opportunity for all of us here at CP. To limit this to your loyal customers, is, as you realize, not fair, and very elitist.

 

[Infinity]

Brian, from what I've read, I don't think anyone has called Gabriel a bad BOTL.
At least I certainly haven't. I think it was a matter of some people disliked/disagreed/whatever with a certain statement and that was it. Obviously with a big group of people opinions will vary, and IMHO I don't think anyone was attacking him personally.
:sign:

You are right! I am not suggesting that anyone said he was a bad BOTL. What has been said is that there may be a reluctance to purchase from him because he offered his customers first crack at the cherry. Which by the way, he has apologized for that statement and knowing him will offer the board as a whole.

Brian

Edited for spelling :0

 

[hojadepuro]

lmao elitist and not fair! That is what america is all about right? :laugh:

I dont think he was limiting them to his loyal customers as he was making sure they were taken care of first, then allowing everyone else to get them. He was just taking care of his own which I applaud. But as everyone has said, at 4 per person surely many of us can get ahold of a couple. :thumbs:

Brandon

 

[Cigar Penguin]

I am sure he could have sold all his stock quite fast to just his shop and not on the internet at all.
This isnt the only place he posts specials either.
He did indeed change up to mention 4pks afterwards and didnt have to.
Shop owners who charge monthly fees for members always give them first selections at new and rare items.Not to mention there regular customers.
The only fault I see he did was mention it here in public,other than that he did nothing wrong but upset some who didnt buy anything from him yet.

 

[fetterjohn]

I don't think he's a bad BOTL or anything...but I would like a 4-pack!

-Fetter

 

[bfreebern]

I saw it as bad form to post a thread about ESGs, then when people started chiming in about wanting some, he posted that he'd give first dibs to his loyal customers. Loyal customers? He's been here less then a month, how many of you were his customers before he joined?

Next time just send PMs to those loyal customers, instead of creating a feeding frenzy.

 

[fetterjohn]

BUMP!

Due to the last thread about ESG's...I would like to know if this is still open for purchase or debate? gmiranda33, any word?

 

[BrownDevil]

BUMP!

Due to the last thread about ESG's...I would like to know if this is still open for purchase or debate? gmiranda33, any word?

yeah what he said :sign:

 

[gregor22]

I saw it as bad form to post a thread about ESGs, then when people started chiming in about wanting some, he posted that he'd give first dibs to his loyal customers. Loyal customers? He's been here less then a month, how many of you were his customers before he joined?

Next time just send PMs to those loyal customers, instead of creating a feeding frenzy.

I was fortunate to herf in the Doral store a year ago with Jorge(Cigahsmokah) and Scott(Gator), and I might have met Gabriel that night(just can't remember). They kept the shop open an hour or so longer just to accomodate this guy from Vegas and my wife, meeting up with some CP BOTLs. His shop pricing is very good, with a tremendous assortment and yes, I have purchased from his shop and online. My experiences with Sabor Havana have been excellent, give them a try if you haven't already done so.

Greg