14 replies to this topic

[jepe]

I came across this site which allows to verify the source of your box.
The only thing is that you need the Bar-code.
I have plenty of boxes all from reputable and retail Habanos.S.A vendors and none of them have any bar-code
except from the 6 digit code in red colour located on the seal that looks like a dollar bill.like this one:


Am I missing something?
Where are my box-codes?

http://www.habanos.com/Sellos/Info/VerificaSelloCajon

Edited by jepe, 03 April 2010 - 03:42 PM.

[pembroke3355]

I came across this site which allows to verify the source of your box.
The only thing is that you need the Bar-code.
I have plenty of boxes all from reputable and retail Habanos.S.A vendors and none of them have any bar-code
except from the 6 digit code in red colour located on the seal that looks like a dollar bill.like this one:


Am I missing something?
Where are my box-codes?

http://www.habanos.com/Sellos/Info/VerificaSelloCajon

Are they 09 boxes? They should have them if they are 09 stock. A lot of vendors cut them off.

New seal

Edited by pembroke3355, 03 April 2010 - 03:48 PM.

[jepe]

Only one is 09.
All the other are earlier stock 07-08.

Thanks for the link I searched on my box from 09 and the barcode is not where it suppose to be according to that site.
If they are legit vendors why do they cut them?

[juddster]

I have never received my boxes with the bar codes still on either. I asked the vendor why they remove them and I was not given a straight answer, something to do with not wanting them to be traced back to them?? Not too sure but I will tell you the bar codes are always cut off, I have used a few vendors.

[ulster]

I have never received my boxes with the bar codes still on either. I asked the vendor why they remove them and I was not given a straight answer, something to do with not wanting them to be traced back to them?? Not too sure but I will tell you the bar codes are always cut off, I have used a few vendors.

If the bar codes are cut off you are most likely purchasing though a gray market vendor and not a vendor who purchases direct through authorized steams such as PCC or Havana House. The gray market vendors remove the bar codes so that they boxes cannot be traced to their suppliers.

[jepe]

I have never received my boxes with the bar codes still on either. I asked the vendor why they remove them and I was not given a straight answer, something to do with not wanting them to be traced back to them?? Not too sure but I will tell you the bar codes are always cut off, I have used a few vendors.

If the bar codes are cut off you are most likely purchasing though a gray market vendor and not a vendor who purchases direct through authorized steams such as PCC or Havana House. The gray market vendors remove the bar codes so that they boxes cannot be traced to their suppliers.

Actually, they are authorized and they do purchase their cigar from PCC.
I contact Habanos.S.A before handling with them and the answer was that they are legit.
I use this 2 vendors for years now and was just curious to what they got to hide if the are a legit business.

[Smok'em]

My experience is that not all 09's will have the barcode. Also, the cutting off is as mentioned, otherwise why would the vendor do it?

[pembroke3355]

My experience is that not all 09's will have the barcode. Also, the cutting off is as mentioned, otherwise why would the vendor do it?

I believe the barcodes started in 09 sometime but not all of the 09,s will have them.

[grateful1]

I have never received my boxes with the bar codes still on either. I asked the vendor why they remove them and I was not given a straight answer, something to do with not wanting them to be traced back to them?? Not too sure but I will tell you the bar codes are always cut off, I have used a few vendors.

If the bar codes are cut off you are most likely purchasing though a gray market vendor and not a vendor who purchases direct through authorized steams such as PCC or Havana House. The gray market vendors remove the bar codes so that they boxes cannot be traced to their suppliers.

Actually, they are authorized and they do purchase their cigar from PCC.
I contact Habanos.S.A before handling with them and the answer was that they are legit.
I use this 2 vendors for years now and was just curious to what they got to hide if the are a legit business.

Ask the vendor why the cut off the bar-code.

BTW- big brother is watchin!

Edited by grateful1, 04 April 2010 - 06:32 PM.

[Spanishcedar]

I have never received my boxes with the bar codes still on either. I asked the vendor why they remove them and I was not given a straight answer, something to do with not wanting them to be traced back to them?? Not too sure but I will tell you the bar codes are always cut off, I have used a few vendors.

If the bar codes are cut off you are most likely purchasing though a gray market vendor and not a vendor who purchases direct through authorized steams such as PCC or Havana House. The gray market vendors remove the bar codes so that they boxes cannot be traced to their suppliers.

Actually, they are authorized and they do purchase their cigar from PCC.
I contact Habanos.S.A before handling with them and the answer was that they are legit.
I use this 2 vendors for years now and was just curious to what they got to hide if the are a legit business.

Ask the vendor why the cut off the bar-code.

BTW- big brother is watchin!

Yes he is, this has been discussed other places as well.

[Christoph]

Good topic, I was wondering about his myself, I never actually looked before until I saw the bar code verification link on another thread, at first I thought I would be able to enter UPC's from 3 packs, they kept coming pack as all fake and then I saw the example for the bar code on the box, I have a couple of boxes of Monte 4's from aug and sep 08, the left numbers are visible but the right side is torn off, seemed suspect but makes sense since these guys are shipping illegal product in to the states,

[jepe]

BTW- big brother is watchin!

That would be a good reason.
I forgot about that because here CC is legal.

[Jimmy Jammer]

the bar-code is attached to one end of the warranty stamp. On the other side of the warranty stamp will be the hologram. Often there will be two warranty stamps. One will have the micro-printing (republica de cuba) and one will have the hologram and bar-code attached.

Gray-market vendors use a razor blade to cut the bar-code (and sometimes the serial number) off. They say (and I think I believe) they remove it to "protect their sources". The real problem is that I cannot buy a legitamate (I'm in the US) box to test.

Habanos is trying to make the statement that the only authentic Cuban cigars are those bought from authorized dealers with verifiable bar-codes. I don't really agree but what happens in five years when my box of limitadas should fetch a crazy price but since I bought them from the "gray-market" they are worth nearly nothing?

In this circumstance it sucks to me an (edited)...

!Con mucho amor! --Jimmy

[vortex]

"On the right hand, a hologram as a security item will be added and on the left hand, next to the Cote d´ Arms, a bar code will personalize every package."

The hologram is the security element in the equation. But I don't know if or why the lack of a bar code would affect resale value.

[Jimmy Jammer]

Both the hologram and bar-code can be faked. Let's face it everything will eventually be faked. Currently the bar-code is the most convincing verification device (other than smoking) when verified through www.habanos.com .

Why would the lack of the bar-code affect resale value? Well if you have a verifiable bar-code then that is one step closer to a legit product and the absence of the bar-code would be one step farther. If in five or ten years, I had two boxes of supposedly genuine product. One box you are able to verify with my original sales receipt (email receipt) and the bar-code verified by www.habanos.com and one box with only my original sales receipt (email receipt or paper or other). Which box would you pay more for? Especially when Habanos is promoting that the bar-code is THE authentic marking.

Am I wrong?

Thanks, --Jimmy



BTW, If not apparent, I disagree "The hologram is the security element in the equation."

Holograms are often faked. Maybe not in the correct intensity or "triple-plane" but are easily faked. Faking the bar-code though the habanos database requires real numbers and there are a limited number of real numbers.

Beating the dead horse to death... --Jimmy