Intrusive B&M Sales Help

[Acalla]

Originally Posted by ActionAndy

Obviously I'm not going to fault them for it, it just throws my personality off and I end up feeling rushed/look like an amateur. "Oh, no...I'm just...here for, yknow cigars." Obviously, Andy.

Out here in phoenix, I haven't been followed in any of the B&Ms that I go to... But, and I suspect they do this on purpose, they sneak in up on me when I am in deep concentration checking out the cigars. Usually getting me to jump a bit. Then I give them the same statement you do Andy... "oh no.. ahhh. i'm good thanks." feel like a dork then.

[Spect]

Almost as bad as theft, B&M's have to deal with the "Mr. Cluster-F" persona who is bound to be in the humidor:

Licking cigar wrappers
Smelling them to see if they are plugged
Dropping them on the ground

Consider it quality control, once they know you they'll stop.

[Acalla]

Originally Posted by Spect

Licking cigar wrappers
Smelling them to see if they are plugged
Dropping them on the ground

You have got to be kidding... people lick them. I guess I shouldn't be surprised but that is type of stuff is .

[Shotgunjimmy]

Originally Posted by Spect

Almost as bad as theft, B&M's have to deal with the "Mr. Cluster-F" persona who is bound to be in the humidor:

Licking cigar wrappers
Smelling them to see if they are plugged
Dropping them on the ground

Consider it quality control, once they know you they'll stop.

i get the same treatment as the OP about 50% of the time in my B&M. Im curious though, how do you tell from smelling the cigar that it is plugged?

[foomanto]

i just thought it was sop. im still new to cigars i dont ask questions that mutch any more but i still do shop by the band more now by name than the way the band looks like. having someone thare to ask about sticks helps alot but some times i just want to look and waving someone in there with me makes me fill rushed. trying to get used to that.

[Silound]

Originally Posted by Acalla

You have got to be kidding... people lick them. I guess I shouldn't be surprised but that is type of stuff is .

Hah! Here's a few I've seen working at a shop:

• Licking the length to "test the strength"
• Sniffing (as far as stuffing them up their nose and snorting...does that actually do anything?)
• Dropping them, or worse, catching them against something and crushing them
• Roughly squeezing them (people don't seem to understand that no matter how well kept a cigar is, it WILL CRACKLE if you roll it like play-doh between your fingers next to your ear!)
• Rummaging around in a box till they find "the one"

Honestly, as an employee, I follow every customer into the humidor that isn't a regular "buy X number of Y cigar every time I walk in for exactly Z price." It has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with socializing and having the appearance of being helpful. The fact that the employee is there and willing to stand around with you in case you need help is a good sign. Plus, nearly 3/4 of my customers have NO idea what they want exactly, and are always asking my on sticks, or are regulars who are inquiring about any new arrivals, specials, or simply something they haven't tried before.

Also I can say with absolute certainty that cigar shops suffer from the Tetris Effect (the propensity of people to find ways to organize and interlock things such that the space allotted is used at the greatest level of efficiency) and stock gets moved around quite a bit to make room for as much as possible on the shelves.

If you feel so strongly that you want to do your shopping in peace, by all means, strike up a conversation about something with the employee. Nothing garners goodwill faster than to talk it up a bit, maybe get their opinions on some sticks, and otherwise make them feel like they know you better.

[brigey]

Originally Posted by BlackDog

There are several nice B&M's here in the Minneapolis area, two of which are in the Minnetonka area, on my way home from work. I've stopped at both to buy sticks, and they each have a nice selection. But what bugs me is that they both basically follow a customer into the humidor and stand and watch while you make your selections. I realize I haven't been in their stores enough that they "know" me, but it really puts me off. I'm usually dressed in slacks and a button down shirt, so I'm not "sleezy" looking. Since I'm new to cigars, I want to be able to take my time and make my selections, read the little signs, compare prices, etc. It's very off-putting to have someone follow me up one side of the humidor and down the other.

So, if you happen to be reading this, please back off. If I want help or have questions I'll be only too happy to ask.

In all honesty, use the time to ask the owners some questions and if you don't see something you would like to purchase make your inquiry. They have a lot of inventory and they may have had a lot of gars walk out the door. They are in business to sell merchandise not let it walk out the door.

Make friends and you will see that they will let you shop alone once they know you are interested in their business. It works, trust me, I do it all the time.

[TXRebel]

Originally Posted by Silound

Hah! Here's a few I've seen working at a shop:

• Licking the length to "test the strength"
• Sniffing (as far as stuffing them up their nose and snorting...does that actually do anything?)
• Dropping them, or worse, catching them against something and crushing them
• Roughly squeezing them (people don't seem to understand that no matter how well kept a cigar is, it WILL CRACKLE if you roll it like play-doh between your fingers next to your ear!)
• Rummaging around in a box till they find "the one"

What, NO Lewinskys?

[orca99usa]

I really don't mind it. Being a son of the South I'm naturally social and conversational, and sometimes I will even ask if they have anything new in. I have occasionally gotten suggestions for things I might not have tried otherwise. The B&M I frequent most often doesn't have a walk-in humidor (rather cabinets that line the walls) so it's a non-issue there.

[snowboardin58]

I'll post later on how I was recently kicked out of Buffalo Tobacco Traders because I was supposedly on tape shoplifting. Even though thhe sales clerk agreed to allowed us to empty our pockets and I even pulled my shorts down, I was kicked out and my friend bought his(he regrets it, especially so because of the prices there). Long story short I called and finally got ahold of him and got him to admit that he reviewed the tape and I was fine. I don't recommend that place.. the sales clerk is just an asshole and not knowledgeable enough. (An emo looking 25 year old kid)

[bigkev77]

The guys at my BM walk in with you ,but It seems they are getting the price of the cigar you are picking up. I don't think I could look at any one of a hundred sticks and know the excact size and line of the cigar. The few times I made it in and they were too busy to follow they had to take the sticks back to the humi and write down the prices. MAybe there are guys that memorize all the cigars and prices at other BM's.

I get feeling uncomfortable and looking like a dork while they are with you though. Somedays you just can't make up your mind and need some time.

[groogs]

I know how you feel. there is a cigar shop in Old Sacramento, and the owner is an older man, and he just glared at me when I was in the humidor. He has the worst selection of cigars in Sacramento, he doesn't have anything I would want to smoke, much less steal, but the two times I have been in there he glares at me through a window, like I am putting bundles of Opus X in my pockets every time he turnes around. I have no problem with an owner looking out for his merchandise, but he never once has offered to help me, or even said one kind word. Needless to say I have never bought anything from him, and will never go back.

[Homebrewer]

I was just in there the other day. He didn't hawk me in the humi but he wasn't friendly, that for sure. There is another one in Sacramento with a good selection that I won't name, but they send the salesman in the humi and give you a hard sell to the point where its downright uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by groogs

I know how you feel. there is a cigar shop in Old Sacramento, and the owner is an older man, and he just glared at me when I was in the humidor. He has the worst selection of cigars in Sacramento, he doesn't have anything I would want to smoke, much less steal, but the two times I have been in there he glares at me through a window, like I am putting bundles of Opus X in my pockets every time he turnes around. I have no problem with an owner looking out for his merchandise, but he never once has offered to help me, or even said one kind word. Needless to say I have never bought anything from him, and will never go back.

[Banky]

Yeah, my worst one was going to a local B&M down here in South Houston and actually having a guy tell me the second I chewed on one or took one out of the tube that I'd immediately buy it. I told the guy I didn't wanna add any extra stress and took my business elsewhere. The horrible part about this was that I'd just bought two boxes from the guy a month earlier.

[cigarlvr]

This used to drive me nuts when they did this. After reading this however with what peopel do with them I may not mind as must. I am plaing it safe and going to be buying sealed boxes going forward.