With all due respect to Macallan, who has shown his experience, wisdom, knowledge and intelligence many times, I must say I know the other side of the coin. While I am truly sorry for his multitude of bad experiences, I continue to stick to the tradition of searching for the best price on whatever one is shopping for. Of course, one should always seek reputable and reliable merchants. If they aren't reputable and reliable, then go to the second best priced merchant, etc.
There are a variety of reasons why retailers charge what they do for the products they offer. Sometimes it's because their rent or the wages they pay their employees are a lot higher. Sometimes it's because they cater to a certain kind of clientele who not only don't care, are too lazy too find out but ARE ACTUALLY HAPPIER, YES, ACTUALLY HAPPIER PAYING 200 DOLLARS FOR A BOX OF CIGARS THAT YOU AND I CAN GET FOR 140 DOLLARS by doing a bit of diligent shopping.
And the internet is a great place to shop without wasting money on gas and time being out in society where you can be assaulted, shot, have a truck or bus go out of control on you and pin you up against a building, or trip and fall, breaking your body and ruining your life, etc. Not to mention seeing and meeting people you don't care to see and meet to begin with.
The Hermit's Diatribe Continues: :duh: :sm_angel:
I know a web site that charges $97.21 plus shipping for my favorite bourbon. I know another web site that charges $76.99 plus shipping, and yet another that's currently charging $39.99. In a New York City liquor store, you will pay $74.99 plus tax. If what Macallan's saying applies across the board, like to cigars for example, then I guess those lower priced guys got the "bad bottles," no?
I have been smoking cigars for 8 1/2 years. I buy from NYC shops, the internet and I have had so little in the way of "bad experiences" on the internet that they're not worth mentioning, let alone even existent. My worst experience was with the HIGHEST PRICED INTERNET AND CATALOG BUSINESS in the country!!! I'm not even going to go into what happened, but it was 5 years and 10 months ago to the day and I have not gone back there, even for their rare good deal on certain items. And they ARE rare!!!
ANY reputable merchant, whether internet or in-person will also seek to please EVERY customer. The internet is a great way to spread bad press, and these merchants know that. Don't forget, most internet merchants are stores who also have a mail order business. They HAVE to please you. I have listed below my favorite web sites through the years. Phatash gets most of my business but I'm always shopping around.
Last, but not least, don't forget certain points about the way people operate in life. There are designer dresses that sell for $5,000 on Fifth Avenue in NYC that someone with a lesser budget can get for $2,000 if she looks around. There is a famous funeral home on the Yupper East Side that will charge you $15,000 for the same funeral, church, casket and all that my friend a few blocks down and over a bit will charge you $6,000 for. The people that shop on Fifth Avenue WANT to keep shopping there. That's what makes property values go sky high, and Fifth Avenue boutiques charge so much. SOME people WANT TO PAY MORE.
That's how a company that charges $200 for a $140 box of cigars, $115 for an $88 dollar box of cigars and $90 for a $65 can stay in business. Don't be so mystified. The internet cigar business is just like life. And if you get a bad shipment, send a fax, e-mail or phone call, and START OFF in a firm, but respectful, detailed, polite, conciliatory, NON-confrontational, NON-judgmental, NON-imposing fashion and I think you'll wind up getting fine product for good prices and be a satisfied customer.
My favorites, still in business, in alphabetical order:
http://www.bonitasmokeshop.com
http://www.cigarlight.com
http://www.cigarsx10.com
http://www.firehousetobacco.com
http://www.lilbrown.com
http://www.payless-cigars.com
http://www.phatash.com