Over the last few days I have received a steady supply of questions through email, twitter, youtube, and the contact form. The strange thing about these recent questions is that many of them have been the same. With the recent announcement of the SCHIP tax proposal (as reported by the Stogie Guys) and Lew Rothman, of JR Cigars, putting everyone in a panic with the latest catalog, it seems people are looking to get ahold of cigars on the cheap.
Question via Contact Form
I am interested in buying cigars at a cheaper price. My local shops tend to have a mark up on the sticks and I am kind if tired of it. Which sites do you go to, to get your sticks for the best price.
Question via Twitter
Walt, where/what is the best online site to buy smokes?
Question via YouTube
Hi, can you tell me a good place to buy cigars online?
While it is expected to see an increased tax on cigars, now is certainly not the time to move to purchasing online exclusively. Your local cigar shop needs you more now than ever. If/when the tax goes into effect, many of these small business will take a hit in sales. If that hit is too significant, they will have no choice but to close their doors.
To be completely honest with you, I couldn’t tell you the last time I purchased cigars online for myself. When I bought my house I was presented with a decision I needed to make. I was either going to take about $100.00 per month and buy cigars online, or take that same money and buy half the number of cigars locally. I choose to make my purchases locally, without giving it a second thought.
Each Friday I leave work early and head straight for the cigar shop. I buy four or five cigars and spend roughly $25.00 per visit. While there I have some great conversation with some very insightful people. It is an excellent end to a long work-week.
Not everyone needs to make a choice between one source or another, and some are not fortunate enough to have a good shop close to home. In that circumstance we need to examine potential online retailers. With the vast number of them out there, who is a good choice and who is going to hound you with post-sale calls to see if you want to buy more?
While I haven’t purchased cigars online in a few months, I do take advantage of a great deal when I see one. I look at it as an investment. If I can save a few dollars per cigar, on a cigar I enjoy, I try and do what I can to get my hands on the deal.
The short list below is made up on retailers that I have dealt with on more than one occasion. I would make a purchase from any of these sites without worry, and recommend them to to others on a regular basis.
Recommended Online Retailers
- Atlantic Cigar
- CigarPlace.biz (*Sponsor)
- Cigars International
- Famous Smoke Shop (*Sponsor)
- Fumee
- JR Cigars
*While this retailer is a sponsor of Stogie Review, they come highly recommended and have been used numerous times before becoming a sponsor.
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Amen Walt. If I find a cigar I want to try, the first place I go to is the local shops. You can’t deny the savings of Internet retailers, but they do not provide the experience that going to your local B&M does.
Props to you for supporting local b&m’s. Nothing quenches that gotta-have-one-now craving like a stop at the local store!
And since I do buy online when the local places don’t have what I’m craving, I can appreciate your short list of online retailers.
I have bought from each of them, and my favorite is Fumee. Wow! That place is at least a step above the others in speedy delivery, careful packaging, great deals and perfect cigars. Did I say wow? WOW! 😀
Walt… thanks for supporting and promoting the B&Ms!
It really irks me that retailers are using S-CHIP as a marketing tool. Here are the facts (as I see them):
– S-CHIP is going to be passes and consumers will likely see an increase of $.40 – $1.00 on all cigars (The higher number depends on where in the pipeline the tax will appear… pre or post distributor)
– There will be no floor tax, so there is no incentive to clear a retailers inventory to prepare for S-CHIP. In fact, the opposite strategy is more sound… retailers stocking up now (pre-tax) can use post-tax pricing after April 1 for higher margins!
– There is an incentive for consumers to stock up now to beat the tax increase
– Post-Christmas Inventory Clearance is a sound strategy. Retailers examine their inventory and try to move the slow items out to make room for new, or hot items.
I am also having an Overstock Sale in my shop. While I do suggest to customers that they may want to fill their humidor pre-SCHIP., I certainly will not profess to having an “SCHIP SALE”! The SCHIP Tobacco Tax if unfair to smokers and, as a smoker, I object to the profiteering on bad news.
My $.02
Jim
Well said Jim. As a novice, my Tobacconist has given me great advice. For Christmas, my wife bought me a humidor from his shop. I feel obliged to give him my business even if I have to spend a few pennies more.
I agree with you 100% Walt. I tend to do the same thing as you, buy about $30 worth of smokes a week from the B&M and use online for a great deal, like Joe’s Cigar deal, Monster Deals, or something on Cigarbid.
Support the locals!
I guess i have to say online all the way…
cheaper is better for me now. And besides, if you buy from for example JR, CI, etc… you are helping all the people packing cigars there!
Agreed Support you Local B&M but you also have some deals going on via Twitter… Whatever your final choice is be sure they Support CRA….
Have you ever tried patobaccoDOTcom? I am trying to find other opinions but I think they are pretty new.