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Fakes

NullSmurf

Das Bruce
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
7,851
There are times when I feel like fakes outnumber the real thing. Some are hard to detect, others are incredibly sloppy. I call those tourist fakes because they only have to fool the non-smoker. Anyhow, until very recently, I didn't believe the embargo would be lifted in my lifetime. As many of you know, I have chosen NOT to violate the embargo.

A Democrat put up the wall that has held through many liberal and conservative administrations. I'm not now beginning to feel that the embargo will not last out to 2012. That said, what will normalizing trade with Cuba do to the scum of the earth assholes who make and sell fakes? I think they'll move on to Nigerian email scams.
 
There are times when I feel like fakes outnumber the real thing. Some are hard to detect, others are incredibly sloppy. I call those tourist fakes because they only have to fool the non-smoker. Anyhow, until very recently, I didn't believe the embargo would be lifted in my lifetime. As many of you know, I have chosen NOT to violate the embargo.

A Democrat put up the wall that has held through many liberal and conservative administrations. I'm not beginning to feel that the embargo will not last out to 2012. That said, what will normalizing trade with Cuba do to the scum of the earth assholes who make and sell fakes? I think they'll move on to Nigerian email scams.


Nah, as cigars get more expensive when the embargo is lifted, fakes will still be around, if not more prevalent.
 
They will still be around. I am in the clothing business and you see fakes all of the time. They make fake Cubans and Non Cuban cigars. Just like how they make fake LV bags and fake Nike sneakers or fake Rolex watches. Counterfeiting is a big business and people make money. In my opinion if and when they open up the borders there will be a lot more fakes on the market because of the amount of time it would take Habanos to go through all of the red tape to import cigars. When the borders open up, foreign investment, travel, humanitarian aid will be on the list of things more important then cigars. Thus making it easier for the fakes to enter the market. Consumers will expect cuban cigars to start popping up on the market, where in reality it would take some time. Just my 2 cents

The problem is that I think they will get better at it.
 
I agree with Ed. Counterfeiting is HUGE business and it will get worse, before it gets better. And Bruce....I believe that fakes DO outnumber the real ones.
 
Fakes will grow in abundance imo. They might even spread to increasing fake production of NC premiums to capitalize as those markets have to compete with an expanding Cuban market.
 
I'm expecting a new cigar boom. I came on board the cigar world near the end of the boom so I missed a lot of what happened but I'd imagine every American Joe Blow is going to at least want to try a CC. This might lead to more fakes due to an increase in demand and limited production. The thing I'm curious about is what this will do to the NC manufacturers? But then again, this could be a bit offset by the advent of new cigar lines that incorporate Cuban tobacco. It will be interesting times, that's for sure. I imagine I'll be focusing on buying the NC cigars and wait for the inevitable recede of interest in CC's and the end of the boom.
 
People out to make a quick buck will just find new ways to cheat others out of their money. Whether the embargo is lifted or not, I think fakes will just get harder and harder to spot. I don't know if factories will want to do much in the way of helping distinguish the genuine from the fakes, either, since they've already got a high demand. The best thing is still to be vigilant and to educate others.
 
I've said this before, and it's only my opinion, but here's what I think will happen:

- For whatever reason, the embargo gets lifted.
- Every guy and his brother wants to try "a cuban smoke" now that they are legal. Even guys that don't smoke now.
- Legit Habanos factories can't keep up with the short term demand; quality goes to hell and prices go up at the same time.
- With huge demand, high prices, and limited supply, the counterfeiters have a field day. It will be damn hard to get "legit" goods as the wholesalers and merchants will be preyed on, just like individual folks are now.

Those fortunate enough to have a few boxes in the cabinet stand by the side in awe at the thrash, glad to have what they have. Demand will be brutal, short term. The thrash will continue until the demand backs off. I give it a year or so to get back to more or less normal levels. Once the demand is reasonable again, prices may or may not fall depending on how many new cigar enthusiasts pick up the hobby.

One guys opinion - B.B.S.
 
Couple accused of spying for Cuba for 30 years

An indictment unsealed Friday said Walter Kendall Myers worked his way into higher and higher U.S. security clearances while secretly partnering with his wife, Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers, as clandestine agents so valued by the Cuban government that they once had a private four-hour meeting with President Fidel Castro.


This all I have to say on this matter
 
I've said this before, and it's only my opinion, but here's what I think will happen:

- For whatever reason, the embargo gets lifted.
- Every guy and his brother wants to try "a cuban smoke" now that they are legal. Even guys that don't smoke now.
- Legit Habanos factories can't keep up with the short term demand; quality goes to hell and prices go up at the same time.
- With huge demand, high prices, and limited supply, the counterfeiters have a field day. It will be damn hard to get "legit" goods as the wholesalers and merchants will be preyed on, just like individual folks are now.

Those fortunate enough to have a few boxes in the cabinet stand by the side in awe at the thrash, glad to have what they have. Demand will be brutal, short term. The thrash will continue until the demand backs off. I give it a year or so to get back to more or less normal levels. Once the demand is reasonable again, prices may or may not fall depending on how many new cigar enthusiasts pick up the hobby.

One guys opinion - B.B.S.

I had a similar discussion with a friend. I made pretty much all the same points you did with the exception of the second one, since CC's are readily available here... just expensive.

If the embargo is lifted, it'll be interesting to say the least.
 
I didn't want this to become yet another "what if the ban is lifted". This thread asks what happens to the fakes that are now so abundant.
 
I've said this before, and it's only my opinion, but here's what I think will happen:

- For whatever reason, the embargo gets lifted.
- Every guy and his brother wants to try "a cuban smoke" now that they are legal. Even guys that don't smoke now.
- Legit Habanos factories can't keep up with the short term demand; quality goes to hell and prices go up at the same time.
- With huge demand, high prices, and limited supply, the counterfeiters have a field day. It will be damn hard to get "legit" goods as the wholesalers and merchants will be preyed on, just like individual folks are now.

Those fortunate enough to have a few boxes in the cabinet stand by the side in awe at the thrash, glad to have what they have. Demand will be brutal, short term. The thrash will continue until the demand backs off. I give it a year or so to get back to more or less normal levels. Once the demand is reasonable again, prices may or may not fall depending on how many new cigar enthusiasts pick up the hobby.

One guys opinion - B.B.S.

I had a similar discussion with a friend. I made pretty much all the same points you did with the exception of the second one, since CC's are readily available here... just expensive.If the embargo is lifted, it'll be interesting to say the least.

I don't know where you get your stuff but CC's aren't any more expensive than most of the good stuff that you can get here legally.

Edit....Nevermind, you are in Canada. Sorry.
 
I didn't want this to become yet another "what if the ban is lifted". This thread asks what happens to the fakes that are now so abundant.
They'll be cheaper.

I'd guess that less Spanish fakes will make it into the US, and the US market will evolve so that people who are buying fakes will/should know that they are buying fakes (like Rolex, LV, etc., as Spivy mentioned). People buying luxury brand names at low prices generally know that they're not getting the real thing.

Just like I go to a factory-authorized jeweller to buy a Rolex, I go to an authorized-by-the-Habanos-appointed-Canadian-distributor tobacconist and get my Havana's there. When I go into a gas station and I see a box of Cohiba Esplendidos, I just assume that they're fake, and those cigars are priced like fakes. OTOH, I'll assume that the JLP's or Los Statos de Luxe or low-end RyJ in the gas station are Cuban, and that the machine-made or Don-nobody cigars that say that they have some Cuban tobacco in them actually do have some Cuban tobacco.

Other than the initial rush, I don't see why it would be different there.
 
Damn, I saw the title said fakes and noticed that enerjay had posted. I got all worked up, only to be let down. :laugh:
 
There is going to be TONS more fakes since every one and his uncle is going to want some.

Its going to be 100 times worse than the "Cigar Boom" on supply and demand and the manufacturers of fakes are going to jump right in and make a killing.
 
An increase in fakes, perhaps yes. But I would think most legit tobacconists would obtain and supply the real thing, so for the true/real cigar smoker for lack of a better term, should be purchasing a real cc.

Prices probably will go up somewhat, but I don't see a "boom" as prevalent as last time due to the economic/social climate.

I have to think that Canadian border retailers will take a hard hit.

Ramblings of a madman.
 
They put a MACANUDO label on them

That is freaking funny, Jay! :laugh:
 
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