why a vendor doesnt carry a brand

[veteranvmb]

I get most of my "special cigars" from cbid.
However, I get the bulk of my cigars from jr. Either at the dutch auction, regular action, but usually a straight ahead puchase.
However, one of my usual smokes they dont carry and I am forced to use other vendors even tho I like jr.
They do not carry Rocky Patel line, and when I asked customer service(because they have a number to call, if they dont stock something your looking for) they said its a personal choice and will not go into it.
Anyone know why?
I buy a box every month and a half, and a box of r y j every month and a half. And occassionally a box of h uppmans or macanudo robusto portofinos.
I know a ton of places have that also, and I may just start buying elsewhere, but I usally pick up a couple of jr alternatives and a dutch bid or two at the same time.
If they refuse to stock them, I will stop buying their alternatives and just increase my cbid activity and buy the stock items probably from famous smoke shop..

Much regards Jerry

[madurolover]

I seem to recall something about Lew calling out RP for "misleading" consumers with the '90 and '92 Vintage lines. Basically he said the RP was full of it or something along those lines.

It may have caused a rift which might explain why JR's doesn't carry the RP brand.

This is just a guess but it is possible.

[thebayratt]

But yet they have the "Alternative" lines of those exact '90 & '92 RP lines...... Seems like they wouldn't have anything to do with RP even an alternative if they thought the lines were missleading.... If they are a popular line and you have an alternative to it, you should atleast carry the real deal also.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by thebayratt

But yet they have the "Alternative" lines of those exact '90 & '92 RP lines...... Seems like they wouldn't have anything to do with RP even an alternative if they thought the lines were missleading.... If they are a popular line and you have an alternative to it, you should atleast carry the real deal also.

The alts are made for JR exclusively. They are supposed to "replace" the regular brand so maybe they feel they are undercutting RP by having them.

Like I said, I may be totally wrong about my reasoning but it makes sense to me.

[thebayratt]

True on the undercutting.... makes good sense.

Why can't they all just get along???
By the way I was not trying to knock JR (I don't want to even start that post-jacking themerage of knocking anyone)

Them not wanting to carry a particular brand is like Walmart not wanting to sell Pepsi one day, they are thier own business and can sell what ever they want.

[Cigary]

Originally Posted by thebayratt

True on the undercutting.... makes good sense.

Why can't they all just get along???
By the way I was not trying to knock JR (I don't want to even start that post-jacking themerage of knocking anyone)

Them not wanting to carry a particular brand is like Walmart not wanting to sell Pepsi one day, they are thier own business and can sell what ever they want.

It might be about cigars but it's still about market share. At the end of the day it's still a business and nobody likes their product to be copied or referred to as the "other" brand. Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery until cigars came into the act. RP branding is all over the place almost like Gurkha brands. The more you put out there the less room for the competition.