shop refuses to sell opus...

[RJT]

Originally Posted by Lorglath

I just hate the whole hunting for Opus' I personally find it frustrating and choose not to do it anymore.-Matt

I used to do it years ago but not in a long time. If I do get any I usually give them away to friends and clients. Now I buy much better cigars from the comfort of my nice leather chair in my office. It can still be a little "stressful" but I save on gas running from shop to shop.

[hova45]

My shop saves them for the regulars too. Which I appreciate because of the amount of money I spend there.

[DennisP]

I can completely understand a shop in another state not wanting to sale two Opus'. When I first read it I thought you were talking about a shop more local that you would drive to after the phone conversation.

I would be curious as to how much they sale via mail order at this place. Most B&M's that do minimal shipping would do the same. They are going to sell out of these, so why not allow the locals who support them on the non hard to find cigars have the advantage of purchasing them?

[smokinpoke]

okierock (brad) ran into a similar issue with a TinderBox here in OKC when it came to Anejos < hope I spelled that right.

He wanted one just one and they would not sell it to him.

[Trout]

Originally Posted by icehog3

I think if they are going to sell to their regular customers only, and only receive a couple boxes a year, that is fine...but don't display the box on the shelves so you have to tell a tourist or first-time customer he can't buy one.

I agree

[Puffin Fresh]

Taking your info (and I assume credit card info) and then calling you back is a rotten deal. If they had refused in the first place, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I doubt he'll care about losing your business because:
1) he has no idea the kind of dime you drop on cigars
2) he'll have no trouble selling the only cigars you'd be interested in getting from him anyway.

Still, taking your info and then calling back is pretty rotten.

[barbourjay]

Originally Posted by DennisP

I can completely understand a shop in another state not wanting to sale two Opus'. When I first read it I thought you were talking about a shop more local that you would drive to after the phone conversation.

I would be curious as to how much they sale via mail order at this place. Most B&M's that do minimal shipping would do the same. They are going to sell out of these, so why not allow the locals who support them on the non hard to find cigars have the advantage of purchasing them?

it wasn't the fact of a small sale but the fact that they took the order than then called back to cancel it that upset me. i've ran into quite a few places that hold stuff back and won't ship unless you buy 100$ worth of stuff but never ran into a shop that took an order and then refused to fulfill it.

[Dgar]

What do I think....

I think if I see any dbl rb, you'll know.


I would have sent the cigars, I just figure 2 cigars is no big deal

[tchariya]

Originally Posted by barbourjay

so i've been on the hunt for some robustos and i called a shop that was referred to me by another member on here. the sales rep answered and said they would sell me two robustos. i was fine with whatever they would sell. they took my name and all my info and then about half an hour later i get a phone call from the owner stating they only sell opus to their regular purchasing clients. personally i'll never order anything from a shop with an attitude like that. it was over two cigars after all. not like i was asking for a whole box and they just lost all the future business from me as well. wouldn't the Newmans who are in charge of distribution be upset that a dealer is refusing to sell any of their product? i wonder what that shop would say to a tourist who walked in and saw what they had and wanted to purchase a few. opinions?

yes i know i miss-keyed the title but can't edit it.

Did you talk to a Max and get a call back from a Hal?

My favorite B&M will only hold Opus and Anejos for local customers. The guy who tends the store during the day tends to forget that. I think store owners have every right to run/sell how they want to sell their unique/hard-to-find cigars. If they won't sell it to you, someone local will come buy and buy them, even if limit 2 or three.

If you were a store owner and you NEVER had any Opus/Anejos available for your walk in customers because you sold them to someone over the phone; eventually you will get a reputation of never having any Opus or Anejos and people will start going elsewhere.

[barbourjay]

Originally Posted by Dgar

What do I think....

I think if I see any dbl rb, you'll know.


I would have sent the cigars, I just figure 2 cigars is no big deal

thanks bro but i've got all the double's i need and have moved onto the regular robusto's

[barbourjay]

Originally Posted by tchariya

Did you talk to a Max and get a call back from a Hal?

My favorite B&M will only hold Opus and Anejos for local customers. The guy who tends the store during the day tends to forget that. I think store owners have every right to run/sell how they want to sell their unique/hard-to-find cigars. If they won't sell it to you, someone local will come buy and buy them, even if limit 2 or three.

If you were a store owner and you NEVER had any Opus/Anejos available for your walk in customers because you sold them to someone over the phone; eventually you will get a reputation of never having any Opus or Anejos and people will start going elsewhere.

i agree they can sell it however they want. but don't tell me i can have some then call me back and say i can't

[bazookajoe]

I can see that this would be frustrating, mostly because you know the cigars are there. And agreed, he knows nothing about you or how much business you might have sent his way. Gotta give him credit though for taking care of his regulars - I'm sure you'd appreciate that courtesy from your sources. And chances are if he didn't save them for his clients they would've been gone before you called anyway. Just my .

I do think not honoring the promise made to you was bad business though, even if the person making the promise didn't have the authority to do so.

[tchariya]

Originally Posted by barbourjay

word, just wanted to clarify. i get a little carried away sometimes so i don't want someone thinking i was there.

but let's contrast this to two other vendors. one i've never dealt with at all, i got their number from a member here and was able to order the 25 double robusto's i needed over the phone from them. then another vendor from NY who posts here (uptown cigars) who i called and spoke with. he's offered to sell me large quantities and has sold me a grip of cigars so far. finally another vendor from PA who has sold me anything he has gotten in no problems also. i was just kinda shocked at this situation and this guy lost a client(s) for life. first time i've ever had someone call me back telling me they weren't going to sell me anything.

Please be more specific than that. You were asking for very limited sticks (Opus and Anejos). I'm sure the B&M would gladly sell you boxes of Padrons or CAOs or whatever is readily available.

These sticks are usually limited by quantity to the walk-in crowd also. It probably wasn't worth their while/time to ship just two sticks to you (postage not charged).

[barbourjay]

Originally Posted by tchariya

Please be more specific than that. You were asking for very limited sticks (Opus and Anejos). I'm sure the B&M would gladly sell you boxes of Padrons or CAOs or whatever is readily available.

These sticks are usually limited by quantity to the walk-in crowd also. It probably wasn't worth their while/time to ship just two sticks to you (postage not charged).

that wasn't what the issue was though. the issue is that i placed the order and then was called back afterwards to say it was cancelled. if the order was to small and not enough then they would have said so in the first place.

[tchariya]

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

That is nauseating.

I would take the owner aside and have a polite but frank conversation. Tell him you usually spend X amount on cigars each month, and have friends that also smoke. It is hard to find a good tobacconist, and you would like to be considered welcome at a store you would like to do future business in. I would then tell him that that kind of policy (if he has them on display) certainly doesn't give you a good impression of his practices. Essentially telling a customer you don't appreciate his patronage and perhaps a good share of his purchases throughout the year is shooting themselves in the foot in the current politically correct atmosphere surrounding any form of tobacco. Each potential customer should be treated like gold to a business that is in the process of sauntering down memory lane, such as the local hardware store, haberdashery, and butcher.
On a side note, not ever having had an Opus, I may be talking out my rear end, and they are God-like cigars worth the retailers elitist attitude.
.

I don't think its an elitist attitude at all.

I think it is a business decision. If a B&M decides to not sell to patron over the phone some of these prized sticks (who might live miles from the shop and never visit the shop in their lifetime), I think they have every right to reserve these sticks to walkins or regular patrons. The regulars do bring in constant cash flow.

In addition, you aren't going to buy boxes from a B&M since most are way over MSRP, you are going to purchase from the internet (and the store owners know this!).

I don't mean to start any wars here, but B&Ms will run the business like they want to run it and we smokers will just have to live not being able to get these sticks in quantity. I'd rather spend my $$ on contraband anyway.