Have you ever asked a gouger for a discount?

[hoshnasi]

I visit a local shop a few times a month. Often I am paying well over MSRP for what I smoke there. I always just factor the extra amount going to being able to sit down with lots of cool people watch some cable HD TV (or a fight if they PPV it) and relax. Last week though I asked if they got any Sharks. The owner said sure and headed to the back (deep storage) to grab one. Turned out it was $20.00 and since I had never had one I paid for it. I'd like to buy some more however including other sizes and I while I want to buy from my local shop the prices can be steep. Has anyone dealt with something like this before? I am usually of the mindset it never hurts to ask for a discount but I don't want to put these guys off since its a very enjoyable time when I am there.

Thanks,

 

[jlada]

If you're a good customer, you smoke/shop there for awhile, and you establish a good relationship with your B&M, often times they will reward you without you even asking. I'm sure it's not the case everywhere -- but that's just something I've personally noticed.

Also, if he's carrying that, I'm sure he's an authorized dealer? Certainly he wouldn't be outsourcing his Anejo and paying over MSRP himself?

 

[grateful1]

I visit a local shop a few times a month. Often I am paying well over MSRP for what I smoke there. I always just factor the extra amount going to being able to sit down with lots of cool people watch some cable HD TV (or a fight if they PPV it) and relax. Last week though I asked if they got any Sharks. The owner said sure and headed to the back (deep storage) to grab one. Turned out it was $20.00 and since I had never had one I paid for it. I'd like to buy some more however including other sizes and I while I want to buy from my local shop the prices can be steep. Has anyone dealt with something like this before? I am usually of the mindset it never hurts to ask for a discount but I don't want to put these guys off since its a very enjoyable time when I am there.

Thanks,

There are no stupid questions. Don't you think?

I'd use some tact....a little.

First, is he an authorized dealer?
Are his other products HIGH?
Are other dealers in that area high priced?

After these are dismissed(or not), then you may want to ask him, 'why are these so steep'?
If he's a professional...he'll take it in stride...if not...he may implode.

I'm sure others have some good views!

 

[hoshnasi]

Also, if he's carrying that, I'm sure he's an authorized dealer? Certainly he wouldn't be outsourcing his Anejo and paying over MSRP himself?

Good question, and I am not sure he is that highly rated a AF dealer. I do not believe he gets Opus from AF. He does however get the Hemingway line.

 

[grateful1]

Also, if he's carrying that, I'm sure he's an authorized dealer? Certainly he wouldn't be outsourcing his Anejo and paying over MSRP himself?

Good question, and I am not sure he is that highly rated a AF dealer. I do not believe he gets Opus from AF. He does however get the Hemingway line.

Just because he gets the Hemy line...doesn't mean he gets the HTF stuff.

It sound like he's picking them up second hand....or just making a VERY large profit

 

[jlada]

A good bud of mine runs a B&M a few towns away. He's AF authorized, but he's not big enough to get Opus though. He gets massive amounts of Hemi Nat's and everything else, but AF just won't send him Opus -- he simply doesn't move enough of their product.

Concur with:

Just because he gets the Hemy line...doesn't mean he gets the HTF stuff.

It sound like he's picking them up second hand....or just making a VERY large profit

 

[tone-ny]

If you are in California, he isn't a gouger per se. You are paying the tax associated with living in the state, plus whatever his overhead is. Yes you should ask for a discount as you are a regular customer. I paid $14.75 for sharks plus 8.25% sales tax in NYC last year.

 

[grateful1]

A good bud of mine runs a B&M a few towns away. He's AF authorized, but he's not big enough to get Opus though. He gets massive amounts of Hemi Nat's and everything else, but AF just won't send him Opus -- he simply doesn't move enough of their product.

It's not about moving product. He has to buy into an Opus contract.
I understand that those aren't easy to get any longer....Moki may know...but I know it is a contract arraingment.

I need confirm.

 

[tone-ny]

A good bud of mine runs a B&M a few towns away. He's AF authorized, but he's not big enough to get Opus though. He gets massive amounts of Hemi Nat's and everything else, but AF just won't send him Opus -- he simply doesn't move enough of their product.

It's not about moving product. He has to buy into an Opus contract.
I understand that those aren't easy to get any longer....Moki may know...but I know it is a contract arraingment.

My understanding is someone has to give up their Opus account for someone else to get it. They limit the number of Opus agents by area.

 

[jlada]

It's not about moving product. He has to buy into an Opus contract.
I understand that those aren't easy to get any longer....Moki may know...but I know it is a contract arraingment.

Ya, the way his is set up, as I understand it, is that he has to sell/order so much "lower end" product to get the Hemi's. He worked his way up to the Hemi's, and those thing sell like hotcakes, but he just doesn't move enough to get upgraded to the Opus contract. Of course, I don't prod his financial status, but I've seen the catalogs and whatnot AF/Prometheus sends him. Pretty ridiculous amount of stuff. As I understand it, he has to move like 3x more AF stuff for them to send him Opus/Anejo.

Edit: Could be wrong, but it seems logical.

 

[grateful1]

My understanding is someone has to give up their Opus account for someone else to get it. They limit the number of Opus agents by area.

Correct...to an extent....look at Casa Fuente!

They certainly are NOT giving these out any longer...not years. However, if an area becomes more populated...they may.

Andrew....did you take the day off...get over here!

 

[hoshnasi]

On a tip (thanks grateful) I called 6 shops within a five mile radius. Four were clueless as to what I was talking about and had a small line. The other two however had at least the Anejo line. The first had Sharks for $22.95 The other had no sharks but four sizes ranging in price from $25-$32! Yikes!

Hah, just now I called another shop and he told me "Good luck finding them, if I had them I'd charge $30!"

*Not to self: Avoid California for tobacco purchases* XD

 

[kiwifruit]

At $20 in California, I don't think he is a price gouger...just the crazy tax on top of MSRP. I try and do the same thing as you do, when at a local BM with a lounge, I buy their smokes if I am hanging out.

 

[42]

At $20 in California, I don't think he is a price gouger...just the crazy tax on top of MSRP. I try and do the same thing as you do, when at a local BM with a lounge, I buy their smokes if I am hanging out.

I pretty much concur here. I don't think he's gouging too much - consider the insane CA tobacco taxes plus the added cost of doing business in CA plus the fact that since they are a rare cigar, he can gouge a lot more than that and still sell them.

Some of what I do at my B&M to get the best prices possible are the following:

1) I know the owner somewhat since I've bought a lot from him in the past. This helps a lot.

2) When you're going to buy something, try to buy a little larger quantity than you might want to. This increases their overall profits for the sale. No one wants to give any price break on 1 cigar, they're making a small enough profit already.

3) When you're almost done picking out your cigars and you have at least 4-5 premiums or $50+ total (see #2), you can do a couple things at this point. Pretend the calculator in your brain hasn't been furiously crunching away the whole time and ask him for the 'cash price' for the cigars. If it's a small shop and you're dealing with the owner or a manager, they may have the freedom to knock off a little tax for you - not to mention the 2-4% that would go to the Credit Card company on a charge.

4) Or, ask him if he'll throw in one of your sticks for free. My B&M sometimes will do a buy X get 1 free type deal.

Just remember to be respectful and be willing to bend the rules a bit. Usually I'll get a 1 free deal or at least 10% shaved off the price when I use these methods.

As a general rule, I try to avoid buying anything in-state but the rare cigars I can't get online. As a result, my B&M thinks I have a very cultured taste for expensive smokes Makes it good though because he's always ready to flash me the Opus/Anejo/Padron 80th/etc. that he has stashed away when I walk in the door.

IMHO - If you call around and shop at many different B&Ms - it's harder to build the relationship that's gonna get you some good discounts.

Edit: to do a bit of rewording.

 

[bilder]

Up here it is the taxes that drive up the costs.

Opux X start at $22.75 up here. But on the good side, they are always in stock when you feel like spoiling yourself. The shop owner has started to shy away from carrying too much of the higher end stuff. The taxes drive the costs up to the point where no one wants to buy them. Often his prices are less than the internet bandits even with the tax.

 

[StinkiMonki]

Also, if he's carrying that, I'm sure he's an authorized dealer? Certainly he wouldn't be outsourcing his Anejo and paying over MSRP himself?

Good question, and I am not sure he is that highly rated a AF dealer. I do not believe he gets Opus from AF. He does however get the Hemingway line.

There are many Fuente products a B&M can order through a middle-man such as Phillips & King. He could also broker from other B&Ms. Usually the Fuente is on an allotment. They just show up, no ordering necessary. He may or not be a AF dealer. This doesn't really help much, does it?

 

[Dave]

An Opus Dealer will usually have an "AUTHORIZED OPUS X DEALER" certificate, on the wall somewhere, with the store name on it, something similar to a College Diploma.

Cigar Family website also lists AF authorized retailers by location/zipcode, but I'm not sure if this is up to date..

 

[Charley]

Hoshnasi, what B&M are you talking about? Where is it?

 

[hoshnasi]

Hoshnasi, what B&M are you talking about? Where is it?

Its Cigar Time in Cerritos. I'm usually there on Friday and Saturday afternoon. Send me a PM if you want to meet up.

Knowing that I am not exactly getting ripped off (ripped off by the cali govt. maybe) I bought two sharks for Xmas gifts. Also smoked a Davidoff 07' limited edition.... Damn, thats was good. Also smoked a Zino classic. Should of started with the Zino.

 

[Infinity]

If the $20 included tax, then his price is fair. MSRP is around $10.00 and we all know in CA what the taxes are.

Factor in that you sit in his domain, in comfort, with some good company...for everything else there's MasterCard :laugh:

Brian