At what price would you quit?

[Cairo]

8 hours ago, Fuzz said:

If you're outside of a heavily taxed country, you have been having it good for a long time. We now welcome you to the new reality.

That was why I became an insane cigar hoarder--I never took for granted that cigar prices would remain relatively low due to the unique legal and tax status of the US.     That could always change at any time.    The posts from folks in high tax countries really got my attention....

[SCgarman]

8 hours ago, Fuzz said:

I would contest that statement. You guys do not pay duty, unless you get caught by the Man (Canadian and UK residents are screwed like us). If I buy from FOH, I pay duty. If I buy from an overseas vendor, I run the gauntlet, which is 50/50 at the moment.

If you're outside of a heavily taxed country, you have been having it good for a long time. We now welcome you to the new reality.

Cuban cigars are legal in your country. Why would you buy your boxes online, unless you want to circumvent "the man"? If I had a LCdH local to my area in the US (hypothetically), I would not need to order my boxes from an overseas retailer. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

1 hour ago, NYgarman said:

Cuban cigars are legal in your country. Why would you buy your boxes online, unless you want to circumvent "the man"? If I had a LCdH local to my area in the US (hypothetically), I would not need to order my boxes from an overseas retailer. 

At $50+ per cigar, I couldn't afford to smoke cigars. I'm sure the same is true for most Aussies.

[freelunch0402]

Price perception is a very interesting topic. From a veterans perspective, one critical factor for decision making would be price/value ratio from prior purchases. Robustos used to be $7-8 per stick a couple years ago. Now it starts from $10 in many cases. Did smoking pleasure increase by 20~40%? Probably not. In that terms, current sudden price increase may lead to altercation of purchase patterns, or at least trigger some hesitation before clicking the 'send e-mail to Diana' button. I carefully expect though, that with some time for adjustment, most CC lovers will keep be CC lovers and think of an additional mental justification method for purchase. I'm currently going with 'this price is the cheapest going forward anyway, press the button'.  

Although I do have a limit, and agree with @CigarSurgeon. Considering money only, $40~50 per stick would be my limit. I'll be smoking way less though in those prices. I submitted $11~12 on the survey because that is my upper limit of (a very personal assessment of) fair market value of Robustos right now(Cohibas excluded). 

From a newcomers perspective, while ironic but believe there are a lot these days due to media and etc, their decision making will most likely be more simple and experience based. Smoked a $10 D4 and liked it? You're in the game now. It might matter less for them that D4 used to be $7 a pop. It's more like trying out a new restaurant(very coincidental and personal), less like valuation performed by hedge fund managers. 

Again, very interesting pole. I'm now curious if this kind of price increase(to clarify, 'price increase' not 'value decrease' for people who are thinking about the late 90s fiasco) happened in the past and how many customers actually backed out from CCs then. My guess is not many.  

[Kaptain Karl]

9 hours ago, Fuzz said:

I would contest that statement. You guys do not pay duty, unless you get caught by the Man (Canadian and UK residents are screwed like us). If I buy from FOH, I pay duty. If I buy from an overseas vendor, I run the gauntlet, which is 50/50 at the moment.

If you're outside of a heavily taxed country, you have been having it good for a long time. We now welcome you to the new reality.

We’re trying not to go your way for the love of god!!!! 

[Fuzz]

2 hours ago, NYgarman said:

Cuban cigars are legal in your country. Why would you buy your boxes online, unless you want to circumvent "the man"? If I had a LCdH local to my area in the US (hypothetically), I would not need to order my boxes from an overseas retailer. 

Why? That LCdH would be selling the same cigar as an online vendor, but at a massive markup due to taxes (tobacco duty and GST). And I'm not talking about a couple of dollars more, I'm talking tens of dollars more. That USD15 robusto overseas would be at least AUD60 locally. Now tell me whether you would still buy from the local LCdH or run the gauntlet?

Even if we looked at NC cigars (legal in both our countries), the math is the same. A USD15 in the States would be the equivalent of USD40-45 in Aus when taking taxes into account.

[Bijan]

3 hours ago, NYgarman said:

Cuban cigars are legal in your country. Why would you buy your boxes online, unless you want to circumvent "the man"? If I had a LCdH local to my area in the US (hypothetically), I would not need to order my boxes from an overseas retailer. 

 

1 hour ago, Fuzz said:

Why? That LCdH would be selling the same cigar as an online vendor, but at a massive markup due to taxes (tobacco duty and GST). And I'm not talking about a couple of dollars more, I'm talking tens of dollars more. That USD15 robusto overseas would be at least AUD60 locally. Now tell me whether you would still buy from the local LCdH or run the gauntlet?

It's even worse than that now. We don't even have a single LCDH in Canada anymore. And for CCs most retailers don't have good stock right now, and we have plain packaging on top.

[Fox Sterlingworth]

So many people chasing the LEs, Regionals, LCDHs, etc etc and the “ premium” brands/sizes that the everyday lines go somewhat unnoticed price wise.  These are the staples, the bread and butters.  And I’m good with the basics that pretty much sum up an “average” CC.  Something pretty phenomenal would have to happen for these to reach the price levels we’ve seen in the aforementioned.

[Cairo]

5 hours ago, freelunch0402 said:

Price perception is a very interesting topic....I'm now curious if this kind of price increase(to clarify, 'price increase' not 'value decrease' for people who are thinking about the late 90s fiasco) happened in the past and how many customers actually backed out from CCs then. My guess is not many.  

I have some old Spain price lists from the 2000s.    From those days (2006) to pre-Covid (early 2020) the price increases on regular production was not that significant (except for Cohibas and Trinis).  So lets talk numbers on some popular smokes:

2006--box of 25 Boli RCs was 239--you could actually beat that price pre-Covid at many sites

2006--H. Upmann Mag 46 box of 25 was 230--ditto

2006--Hoyo Epi 2 box of 25 was 250--ditto

2006--Monte 2 box of 25 was 300--ditto

2006--Partagas D4--box of 25 was 274--ditto

2006--Partagas Lusi--box of 25 was 370--ditto

2006--Punch Punch box of 25 was 230--ditto

2006--RASS 25 box was 243--ditto

2006--R & J Exh. 4 was 219--about the same as pre-Covid sale price

For those who are curious, a couple of Cohiba and Trini prices:

2006--Cohiba Robusto 25 box was 428--a little lower than pre-Covid price

2006--Cohiba Sig VI 25 box was 563--much much lower than pre-Covid price

2006--Cohiba Lancero 25 box was 502--much  lower than pre-Covid price

2006--Trini Fundis 25 box was 342--much lower that pre-Covid price

One other exception to the rule:

2006--H. Upmann Sir Winnies--25 box was 363--much much lower than pre-Covid price

 

[Hammer Smokin']

19 hours ago, Fuzz said:

I would contest that statement. You guys do not pay duty, unless you get caught by the Man (Canadian and UK residents are screwed like us). If I buy from FOH, I pay duty. If I buy from an overseas vendor, I run the gauntlet, which is 50/50 at the moment.

If you're outside of a heavily taxed country, you have been having it good for a long time. We now welcome you to the new reality.

it truly bothers me when I see Yankees complaining about price increases. 

 

Like really bothers me. 

 

I know I need to ignore it...but it absolutely pisses me off. 

[Monterey]

20 hours ago, Fuzz said:

I would contest that statement. You guys do not pay duty, unless you get caught by the Man (Canadian and UK residents are screwed like us). If I buy from FOH, I pay duty. If I buy from an overseas vendor, I run the gauntlet, which is 50/50 at the moment.

If you're outside of a heavily taxed country, you have been having it good for a long time. We now welcome you to the new reality.

I admit, we do it have it a lot easier.  Feel for all you who have been dealing with this for much longer.  Still love this place and will continue to support FOH as long as I can.  Hopefully for a long long time

[Fezztone]

53 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

it truly bothers me when I see Yankees complaining about price increases. 

 

Like really bothers me. 

 

I know I need to ignore it...but it absolutely pisses me off. 

I agree- But the Yankees are second to the Dodgers (formerly of Brooklyn NY) and just ahead of the Mets. It seems to be a NY thing.

2021 26 Man Payroll

1	Los Angeles Dodgers LAD			$189,583,011
2	New York Yankees NYY			$162,454,279
3	New York Mets NYM			$144,170,998

 

[Monterey]

1 hour ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

it truly bothers me when I see Yankees complaining about price increases. 

 

Like really bothers me. 

 

I know I need to ignore it...but it absolutely pisses me off. 

We, (at least I), am not complaining.  I completely understand what is going on.  I have bought many boxes of late, never once commenting about the price.   For me it is more about the long term impact and if I can afford to keep this hobby going.

[Jonboy4074]

it truly bothers me when I see Yankees complaining about price increases. 
 
Like really bothers me. 
 
I know I need to ignore it...but it absolutely pisses me off. 

Why?

[SmokyFontaine]

It's getting close for me. It has definitely slowed my buying down. I'm often griping about that famous Cuban "consistency" so if they get too spendy, and quality doesn't match (it never will) then I just can't justify it. Like, I can afford it, but can't justify it.

[DanWil84]

In regards of CC's I think a robusto is allready overpriced. A average robusto costs around 14 euros in NL and no discounts (boxes for example) are allowed. Trinidad or Cohiba are around 25+ euros and are flying out of the shops. If I compare the basics on a cigar, so how it looks and is made CC's can't compete with a 5 to 7 euro Nicaragua robusto. Flavor wise a good CC robusto wins by a long shot, but that doesn't make the NC robustos bad. At the moment I would be perfectly happy with smoking CC PC's as my shorter smoke and for larger smokes pick a NC. So I regard a CC robusto as a expensive bottle of wine: sometimes there is a time to pull the cork on a expensive bottle and sometimes it's time to poor wine out of a cardboard box.

honestly don't want to compare price, if I would do that I would stick to pipe smoking. 1 quality meerschaum pipe and a few tins of tobacco and your set.


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[medzikone]

I checked 9-10$.

But I've noticed one thing: When I did a big order from our local online retailer, the price was huge for me, by only because our currency is almost 4:1 to USD. Also, the prices were lower than anywhere else.

Buying in USD is different thing. I can pay $250 per box, but 1000 PLN looks really scary. 

 

[ha_banos]

🤣 UK here.....

[djrey]

The taxes and smoking restrictions that many of you are discussing in other countries is largely shaped by the political atmosphere you may have voted for. If you don't like it, change it. The US is often criticized for fighting for their rights and distrust of an overreaching government. Well, that is how we still have cheap (or what I would call normal) priced cigars. 

[smbauerllc]

Whist very utilitarian,   the robusto is also not a cigar that shows off the very best of cigar making/blending. 
I would tap out very quickly on expense for a robusto sized cigar, it's not a format that i've ever had a 'stunning' cigar from.  Always just very good, good or ok. 

I smoke a fair number of Robustos or things close to that range, and have had some excellent ones

Admittedly I prefer something longer though, even if I have to sacrifice a little bit of rg

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Bijan]

3 hours ago, djrey said:

The taxes and smoking restrictions that many of you are discussing in other countries is largely shaped by the political atmosphere you may have voted for. If you don't like it, change it. The US is often criticized for fighting for their rights and distrust of an overreaching government. Well, that is how we still have cheap (or what I would call normal) priced cigars. 

Not enough cigar smokers here in Canada to do anything about it and not much cigar industry to lobby also. Marijuana did get legalized not too long ago but definitely way more pot smokers around. Probably more pot smokers than cigarette smokers by now.

[Puros Y Vino]

10 minutes ago, Bijan said:

Not enough cigar smokers here in Canada to do anything about it and not much cigar industry to lobby also. Marijuana did get legalized not too long ago but definitely way more pot smokers around. Probably more pot smokers than cigarette smokers by now.

There are a couple of registered tobacco industry lobbyists Federally, but I dont know what they're lobbying for exactly.  Pot definitely has taken over as Canada's vice tax cash cow.  They may even end up getting indoor smoking lounges.

[djrey]

26 minutes ago, Bijan said:

Not enough cigar smokers here in Canada to do anything about it and not much cigar industry to lobby also. Marijuana did get legalized not too long ago but definitely way more pot smokers around. Probably more pot smokers than cigarette smokers by now.

Very true, I would imagine that to be the case here in the US as well. Cigar smokers as a group have nowhere near the power to overturn any laws. Without stepping too far into the politics field I was more referring to keeping in mind which political parties cater more to individual freedom rather than large govt. We may battle a good bit down here in the US but for the most part we do a decent job of keeping the govt in check. Here in the US you can see how different political parties effect the prices of tobacco products (and most other commodities for that matter). A $7 Padron in some states becomes a $20 Padron in another. It all depends on which party has had control in the state long enough to force through their agenda (ie taxes and bans).

[Hammer Smokin']

5 hours ago, djrey said:

The taxes and smoking restrictions that many of you are discussing in other countries is largely shaped by the political atmosphere you may have voted for. If you don't like it, change it. The US is often criticized for fighting for their rights and distrust of an overreaching government. Well, that is how we still have cheap (or what I would call normal) priced cigars. 

aren't cuban cigars illegal in the USA?

[Focal_Banger]

5 hours ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

aren't cuban cigars illegal in the USA?

Only purchasing from Cuba. We can purchase them from other countries. Also, if you are able to visit Cuba, as my sister did in 2019, you are able to take some Cubans back. Whether you declare them in customs is your prerogative. My sister did and I got 8 cigars from it. 👍