Dear CigarPass Members,
We've got a Wish List thread and we've got a PIF pass but I've recently learned of a concept that combines bits of the best of both ideas. Roll with me here and let me know what you think.
The Wish List has been a place where folks can let the community know what cigars they've always wanted to try. Of course, the other place one can do this is in one's personal profile. Problem is, you have to either look up a profile or search the Wish List thread, which is not an easy thing to do. Also, you never really know when someone is going to decide to fulfill a wish of yours. As a result, I haven't kept my wish list up to date and maybe some of you haven't either.
The PIF pass is cool in that it's a pure mooch-PIF concept. But you get what your benefactor decides to send and not necessarily something you've had a hankering for. Still, the element of surprise makes this a lot of fun.
So, take the elements of wishing and PIFing and toss in targeted, instant gratification and I think you've got a winner.
I've lifted and modified the following from our comrades at ICC with their permission. This concept has also been a hit at CS as well as other cigar forums.
THE RULES
1. You may make a wish for any cigar keeping in mind that the rarer it is, the less likely someone might be able to step up and fulfill your wish.
2. This PIF is a chain of wishes which happen one at a time based upon granting a wish first. You get in the PIF by granting the "current wish" of the one member who is at bat and has made a wish for a single cigar or one from a short list (no more than 3 or 4 options). If you are able to grant that wish, post in the thread that you are willing to do so and then you may make your wish. Wash, rinse, repeat.
3. When granting a wish, try to have a wish in mind to post at the same time and when someone has said that they can grant your wish it will be confirmed in short order. Keep your wishes specific so that you get what you want. This will save time so folks aren't chiming in for people to post wishes or bumping the thread all the time. Sometimes you get lost in who's wish it is and as a result, more than one PIF chain may pop up. This is a no-no.
4. If no one grants your wish, make an alternate wish or expand your cigar wish list in a timely fashion. This is especially true for those who are looking for harder to obtain cigars. A suggested guideline is that if you receive no response to your wish within 24 hours, you consider expanding or changing your list. Be attentive to the flow. If the wishes-grants are cycling quickly then stick to 24 hours. If the PIF is in a lull, feel free to leave the wish out for longer.
5. Generally speaking, it's in poor taste to ask for something ultra rare and expensive when you've granted a wish for something much more modest. Sometimes you might get lucky but you don't want to hold up the thread for challenging wishes although there is no limit to what you may wish for.
6. Once you have committed to granting a wish, put together your package and send it out promptly PMing the DCN# to the wisher after you have done so. Timeliness is appreciated and tardy MaWPIFers may find their wishes triggering naught but the sound of crickets in the future.
7. Once you acknowledge the granting of your wish, send the wish grant-er a PM with your mailing address.
8. Sometimes, you may be able to grant a wish but choose to decline making one of your own (yep, it happens). In that case, simply offer the right to wish any able-bodied prospective participant.
9. If the PIF seems to be moving along and participation is active, then please allow a little time to pass before you come back in to make another grant-wish cycle (i.e., try to avoid back-to-back cycles). Most would consider this good sportsmanlike conduct and sharing the PIF opportunities are in the spirit of this thread.
And so with that, who wants to make the first wish?
Wilkey
NOTE: As of July 2008, we're going to allow wishes for cigar or smoking accessories under the same conditions as cigars. There seemed to be some interest in this and the thought was that this might provide a little extra variety of flexibility in the PIF.
Note: For as long as I can do this, I'll keep a running tally of wishes granted. This will be unique insofar as MaW-PIF threads and will hopefully give folks an idea of just how how we're doing.
Wishes granted - Pages 1-25: x
Wishes granted - through page 50: x
Wishes granted - through page 75: x
Wishes granted - through page 100: x
We've got a Wish List thread and we've got a PIF pass but I've recently learned of a concept that combines bits of the best of both ideas. Roll with me here and let me know what you think.
The Wish List has been a place where folks can let the community know what cigars they've always wanted to try. Of course, the other place one can do this is in one's personal profile. Problem is, you have to either look up a profile or search the Wish List thread, which is not an easy thing to do. Also, you never really know when someone is going to decide to fulfill a wish of yours. As a result, I haven't kept my wish list up to date and maybe some of you haven't either.
The PIF pass is cool in that it's a pure mooch-PIF concept. But you get what your benefactor decides to send and not necessarily something you've had a hankering for. Still, the element of surprise makes this a lot of fun.
So, take the elements of wishing and PIFing and toss in targeted, instant gratification and I think you've got a winner.
I've lifted and modified the following from our comrades at ICC with their permission. This concept has also been a hit at CS as well as other cigar forums.
THE RULES
1. You may make a wish for any cigar keeping in mind that the rarer it is, the less likely someone might be able to step up and fulfill your wish.
2. This PIF is a chain of wishes which happen one at a time based upon granting a wish first. You get in the PIF by granting the "current wish" of the one member who is at bat and has made a wish for a single cigar or one from a short list (no more than 3 or 4 options). If you are able to grant that wish, post in the thread that you are willing to do so and then you may make your wish. Wash, rinse, repeat.
3. When granting a wish, try to have a wish in mind to post at the same time and when someone has said that they can grant your wish it will be confirmed in short order. Keep your wishes specific so that you get what you want. This will save time so folks aren't chiming in for people to post wishes or bumping the thread all the time. Sometimes you get lost in who's wish it is and as a result, more than one PIF chain may pop up. This is a no-no.
4. If no one grants your wish, make an alternate wish or expand your cigar wish list in a timely fashion. This is especially true for those who are looking for harder to obtain cigars. A suggested guideline is that if you receive no response to your wish within 24 hours, you consider expanding or changing your list. Be attentive to the flow. If the wishes-grants are cycling quickly then stick to 24 hours. If the PIF is in a lull, feel free to leave the wish out for longer.
5. Generally speaking, it's in poor taste to ask for something ultra rare and expensive when you've granted a wish for something much more modest. Sometimes you might get lucky but you don't want to hold up the thread for challenging wishes although there is no limit to what you may wish for.
6. Once you have committed to granting a wish, put together your package and send it out promptly PMing the DCN# to the wisher after you have done so. Timeliness is appreciated and tardy MaWPIFers may find their wishes triggering naught but the sound of crickets in the future.
7. Once you acknowledge the granting of your wish, send the wish grant-er a PM with your mailing address.
8. Sometimes, you may be able to grant a wish but choose to decline making one of your own (yep, it happens). In that case, simply offer the right to wish any able-bodied prospective participant.
9. If the PIF seems to be moving along and participation is active, then please allow a little time to pass before you come back in to make another grant-wish cycle (i.e., try to avoid back-to-back cycles). Most would consider this good sportsmanlike conduct and sharing the PIF opportunities are in the spirit of this thread.
And so with that, who wants to make the first wish?
Wilkey
NOTE: As of July 2008, we're going to allow wishes for cigar or smoking accessories under the same conditions as cigars. There seemed to be some interest in this and the thought was that this might provide a little extra variety of flexibility in the PIF.
Note: For as long as I can do this, I'll keep a running tally of wishes granted. This will be unique insofar as MaW-PIF threads and will hopefully give folks an idea of just how how we're doing.
Wishes granted - Pages 1-25: x
Wishes granted - through page 50: x
Wishes granted - through page 75: x
Wishes granted - through page 100: x
