Most Outrageous B&M Prices

[Rev2010]

Originally Posted by sboyajian

Many shops don't gouge.. some do. That's business.

Where I am (NYC/NJ area) all shops are way overpriced with the exception of the Manhattan JR Cigar store. At least there the prices are normal. Every other one I've walked into has been crazy overpriced. But, that's probably just because of where I am. I'm sure some B&M's have good competitive pricing, but sadly not here... or at least that I've run across.


Rev.

[sboyajian]

Originally Posted by Rev2010

Where I am (NYC/NJ area) all shops are way overpriced with the exception of the Manhattan JR Cigar store. At least there the prices are normal. Every other one I've walked into has been crazy overpriced. But, that's probably just because of where I am. I'm sure some B&M's have good competitive pricing, but sadly not here... or at least that I've run across.


Rev.

Higher prices in the NYC/NJ area are the nature of the beast.

First of all consider how much more it costs to own or lease space in NYC as compared to Bath PA. The shop that runs a 2000 sq. ft operation in NYC probably pays more for their lease in 3 months than it costs CI to have their 20 something thousand sq. foot building in Bath PA for an entire year.

Secondly, NJ tobacco tax is 30% of wholesale. NY is now up to 46% of the wholesale price.

Many of the online stores (Holts, Cigar.com, CI, Famous, etc).. are all located in PA. The reason? There is no Tobacco Tax. $0 and 0%.

People should keep in mind, while online is usually cheaper, it's not a matter of being ripped off at the B&M.. the b&m simply has more expenses, probably higher taxes, and depending on inventory may even be buying it from a wholesaler at a higher price than directly from a manufacturer rep.

Perhaps I pay less than online most of the time because VA is only 10% tobacco tax. So if my shop gives me 20% since I spend so much there, I am 10% less than the online guys.

But people shouldn't feel ill towards their local shops. Keep in mind that they have bills to pay.

I'll never pay $30 for an opus that many shops charge.. but then again, most online shops charge that too. But if a 5 pack of cigars is $40 online and $47 at your local shop. Give it to the local shop. You're going to pay $5 in shipping anyway. Pretend the $2 is a convienance tip. Help them out.

[JP_26]

Originally Posted by sboyajian

The problem is your post gives the impression that all B&M's are overpriced.

The last box purchase I made at my usual shop, I paid $10 less than anywhere I found it online (Padron 64 Monarca Maduros).

Many shops don't gouge.. some do. That's business.

I didn't mean to give that impression. But I can say that even before SCHIP, I can remember the RP EDGE being sold for around $12 a stick and the Bucanero Windjammer's being sold for $13 bucks a piece. I still bought a few Winjammer's because I just wanted to try them out. I can't imagine what the prices are at this shop now after SCHIP(I haven't been there in about 1 year).

With that being said, I would have no problem supporting my B&M's a lot more if they were only a couple dollars or even 3 dollars over the price, but when you start to get into the $7-9 dollar markup's per cigar that is just insane. The problem is that the few B&M's I have around here are all the same. That JM Dominican I first posted about was at a different shop.

[sboyajian]

Originally Posted by JP_26

I didn't mean to give that impression. But I can say that even before SCHIP, I can remember the RP EDGE being sold for around $12 a stick and the Bucanero Windjammer's being sold for $13 bucks a piece. I still bought a few Winjammer's because I just wanted to try them out. I can't imagine what the prices are at this shop now after SCHIP(I haven't been there in about 1 year).

With that being said, I would have no problem supporting my B&M's a lot more if they were only a couple dollars or even 3 dollars over the price, but when you start to get into the $7-9 dollar markup's per cigar that is just insane. The problem is that the few B&M's I have around here are all the same. That JM Dominican I first posted about was at a different shop.

It's hard to argue with that.. $13 for a RP Edge is simply laughable. Hopefully time will help weed out the bad shops and allow the quality ones to prevail. I think the edge at my shop ranges from 5 to 8 depending on size.

[muellator]

Originally Posted by K Baz

Try livng in Canada - if you can find a B&M your lucky if it has more then 20 boxes in stock your blessed.

Now for price I have seen 90 $ Opus in a B&M in Calgary

Where do you usually buy if local? (I'm from Regina too) I wish we had a decent shop in town.

[2Curious]

Originally Posted by sboyajian

The problem is your post gives the impression that all B&M's are overpriced.

The last box purchase I made at my usual shop, I paid $10 less than anywhere I found it online (Padron 64 Monarca Maduros).

Many shops don't gouge.. some do. That's business.

I agree, not all shops price gouge. My local B&M is same price as online, sometimes better, and I don't have to pay shipping! And they have an online version of the store front.
I was in there one lazy Saturday afternoon, and 2 people came in and bought lots of individual sticks, an assortment actually. They were stocking up at this shop, before they spent 3 summer months in another state somewhere, as the local prices by their summer home were ridiculous.

[ghe]

To help keep things in perspective, that New Jersey retailer is paying, I believe, a state tax of 48% of the wholesale price on all the cigars he buys. The shops you're ordering from in Florida and Pennsylvania have zero state tax on cigars. You're also paying no sales taxe with online orders outside the delivery state, while that New Jersey retailer has to not only collect a 7% sales tax at the time of sale, he has to account for it and pay it. New Jersey is also, I believe, one of the states that has begun an aggressive campaign to collect from consumers the sales tax (I'm unsure about excise taxes) on goods ordered from online retailers out of state.
As I said before, I think it's important to maintain some context to the discussion.

[PerpetualNoob]

I would love to support my B&M with ALL my shopping, but fascist taxes make it impossible to buy more than a few token purchases a month.

State tax is 75% of wholesale, with a city tax of another 75%, with no cap. Plus SCHIP. A cigar that wholesales for $3 is now eight bucks, and that's before the poor retailer has even made a penny off the deal. There's almost nothing good in there for less than $10, with what I consider to be good smokes averaging around $15. I go in and buy 5 cigars, it's almost always $75-90. I have a lot of expenses, but I have a pretty good job and some disposable income, but not that much. It's not the B&M's fault, I understand that. I still do it anyway, once a month, or every other month, but it's basically like giving a homeless person a nickel. Factor in their other overhead, they're still barely breaking even on my piddly little purchases.

If I could go in there, have a smoke, a couple of drinks, watch some TV, hang out with other BOTLs, that would be a serious value-add, and I would be all over it, but we can't even SMOKE in the shops anymore, much less any of that other fun stuff. Paying $20 for a cigar that sells online for $5 would still be worth it to me. I really envy those of you who have friendly, comfortable places to enjoy your cigars.

[mrsmitty]

I'm lucky my local b&m has three stores in one town and I thought they were a bit over priced until I looked online and compared prices, they mark up maybe $1-3 depending on the stick which isn't much for the convenience and supporting one of the 5th oldest cigar shops in the U.S. been ran by the same family since 1876.

There very reasonable on the Opus X as well although they have a limited supply, they sale out about as soon as they get them.

I spend on the average $50 a week at the b&m, and have been splurging online as well, I balance them out. My only rant is I live 30 minutes from my b&m lol.

[ckelly]

I may get blasted for saying it, but I have stopped buying online due to the poor quality. My left over online cigars are now the cigars I give away on the golf course to complete strangers.

I went the auction route, along with a few other online orders, and felt that every cigar was just a poor smoke. There are a few local stores, but the wife and I go up over the border to New Hampshire to keep my humidors stocked. I got plenty of cigars that were from both venues, and it was incredible the difference between the cigars. The online cigars were just plain awful. I thought I got a great deal to, but you get what you pay for. I guess it also helps that there is no sales tax in New Hampshire.

You keep buying online. Real cigar smokers find a good B&M, local or a long ride, and enjoy fine cigars.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by ckelly

You keep buying online. Real cigar smokers find a good B&M, local or a long ride, and enjoy fine cigars.

Real cigar smokers huh?

Glad to know I am a fake cigar smoker.

[blazingazn]

Don't ever buy cigars in Vegas.

I was too hammered to realize, but I paid $30 for a Churchill Montecristo from a street vendor.

Yeah I still feel stupid




Anyhow, I'm from Canada, Vancouver and the tax basically doubles up the price or more of tobacco.

I only buy the cheap stuff, or throw down once and a while.

[blazingazn]

Originally Posted by K Baz

Try livng in Canada - if you can find a B&M your lucky if it has more then 20 boxes in stock your blessed.

Now for price I have seen 90 $ Opus in a B&M in Calgary

I hear you K Baz, it's brutal here.

There's a couple good places downtown Vancouver, they have a good amount.
But even so, taxes are so expensive here.

[blazingazn]

Originally Posted by muellator

Where do you usually buy if local? (I'm from Regina too) I wish we had a decent shop in town.

Always willing to help out a Canadian.

I'm from Vancouver.
Not sure if you can mail Tobacco across provincial lines?


We got a bunch of good cigar shops here.
-Rick.

[Juicestain]

Would also have to be FFOX for me. Seen a single stick in a Everett, WA B&M for $40. I know a lot of people rape the prices on these due to demand but damn. My regular B&M sells 'em for $10-$20 depending on size.