FOH Mystery Box??

[FireDigger]

I am just wondering if we're worthy of an FOH Mystery Box since some other sites are doing this? I'm sure the demand will be through the roof!

[NSXCIGAR]

1 minute ago, FireDigger said:

I am just wondering if we're worthy

[Çnote]

Please don't do this.

[Greenhorn2]

Why a mystery box when the man plainly shows what you are purchasing? My luck is the mystery is something I already have several boxes of. I'll  stick with the see it buy it program. 

[benfica_77]

Dont....the one with the owner starting with the letter R was poorly received by consumers and another one gave a small box of Monte Opens and NCs.....

 

Agreed with others on here order what we can afford from 24:24 and BR. 

[Bijan]

I don't know I think the last two from the vendor I know about would have been well received here. I think it was $249 PLPC one year (which was very poorly received), and this year it was low $200s dress box of BBF (which I hope got a better reception).

[Çnote]

Mystery box is basically blind buying an unknown box for a roughly 10% discount. If that appeals to you, if sure that more Swiss vendors will do it as it's been a success on their end, and they are all in sync with each other, but that success comes at the detriment of the consumer.

I'd rather buy what I'd like and have someone knowledgeable inspect before shipping. I've gotten terrible looking cigars from Swiss vendors with no recourse except to refrain from ordering from them again.

Look at what's available in 2424 offerings after a couple hours. Rob doesn't really need to resort to a lower price to move his goods, and often when there is a truely cracker price, there's plenty to go around. 2424 clearance prices are usually within few dollars of the best price being offered, if not a dollar or two less, and the cigars are actually inspected. Paying a small premium for HQ and PSP is a wonderful option if you are truly looking for the best stock possible, just like paying for USDA choice and prime beef.

FoH essentially provides an elite level service for an incredible value, all with transparency and fair pricing. I'll take that over a deal on something I probably don't really want.

[Islandboy]

The allure of this escapes me entirely.

[PrairieSmoke]

1 hour ago, Bijan said:

I don't know I think the last two from the vendor I know about would have been well received here. I think it was $249 PLPC one year (which was very poorly received), and this year it was low $200s dress box of BBF (which I hope got a better reception).

BBF were cabs -- at least mine was.

[Nevrknow]

Plus I like everything about FOH. I’m the type to spend my $$ on people I like rather than just a name, gimmick or sale price.

[B44]

36 minutes ago, Heels82 said:

The BBF mystery box was legit however the other two I saw from another vendor I was like...

Think this is them in their stock room?

[FireDigger]

1 hour ago, Çnote said:

Mystery box is basically blind buying an unknown box for a roughly 10% discount. If that appeals to you, if sure that more Swiss vendors will do it as it's been a success on their end, and they are all in sync with each other, but that success comes at the detriment of the consumer.

I'd rather buy what I'd like and have someone knowledgeable inspect before shipping. I've gotten terrible looking cigars from Swiss vendors with no recourse except to refrain from ordering from them again.

Look at what's available in 2424 offerings after a couple hours. Rob doesn't really need to resort to a lower price to move his goods, and often when there is a truely cracker price, there's plenty to go around. 2424 clearance prices are usually within few dollars of the best price being offered, if not a dollar or two less, and the cigars are actually inspected. Paying a small premium for HQ and PSP is a wonderful option if you are truly looking for the best stock possible, just like paying for USDA choice and prime beef.

FoH essentially provides an elite level service for an incredible value, all with transparency and fair pricing. I'll take that over a deal on something I probably don't really want.

The one I'm talking about is usually a 30-40% discount. Last year was PLPC for $205 and this year was the BBF dress box for $220. I think it was Mag 54 and one of the Trinidads before that. These make no financial sense for the vendor and were basically done as an appreciation for their customers which was why I said in my original post "if we're worthy".

I only know of one other Mystery Box which started this year. They had three tiers, but before the reveal, it was already obvious they weren't going to be good. After people started receiving the actual boxes, we found out that the Mystery Box was basically this vendor's way of getting rid of boxes that won't move, for a minimum discount. This is not what I had in mind when I asked. 😀

[Çnote]

I've seen 20-40% off deals on 2424, usually about once a month looking at my very inconsistent notes. Siglo II in the past week or so was the most recent. The spate of aged secretos, mc#4 and Fonseca #1 at very fair prices could also be seen as the same level of discount without the chicanery of a mystery box.

I buy 5-8 boxes a year, so I'm not willing to buy something just to get a deal, especially on basically uninspected product.

[yadegari6]

2 hours ago, PrairieSmoke said:

BBF were cabs -- at least mine was.

Dress box for me, but I am beyond happy with the quality of what I received. 

[FireDigger]

8 minutes ago, therealrsr said:

Vigia were with the mag 54's in the big mystery box that year, the good old days...

Yep, you are right. They did two Mystery Boxes in 2019, one for $190 (turned out to be the H. Upmann Mag 54 cab) and one for $130 (turned out to be the Trinidad Vigia). 2018 was $89 (H. Upmann Royal Robusto). 

[El Presidente]

Not really my thing. 

• I would feel uncomfortable dumping rubbish stock "blind". Let people know it is "questionable" and discount out......no problem at all.  Everyone knows the risk. 
• Do you really want to receive Monte 4/5? RGPC/Partagas shorts?   Really?   I would at least like to make it a little left field. 
• There is not enough "left field" stock available today to carry it off. 

$250 Mystery Box and you received a box of SP Beli.......that is something that I know you would be thrilled with and that in itself would bring a smile to my face. 

Unfortunately in 2021, it can't be done. 

[Chas.Alpha]

I’ve solved the mystery box question: Since my day starts earlier than most, I’m usually 3/4 in the bag by the time 24/24 posts! I never know what’s coming...😳

[Cigar Surgeon]

4 hours ago, Bijan said:

I don't know I think the last two from the vendor I know about would have been well received here. I think it was $249 PLPC one year (which was very poorly received), and this year it was low $200s dress box of BBF (which I hope got a better reception).

PLPCs are being looked back on as a boon these days.

[Nevrknow]

Plpc for $250? I’ll take 6 thank you.😂

[Zaxeiler]

4 hours ago, Islandboy said:

The allure of this escapes me entirely.

It’s the same part of the human brain that is pulled to the lottery. A chance…

[FireDigger]

4 hours ago, Islandboy said:

The allure of this escapes me entirely.

 

32 minutes ago, Zaxeiler said:

It’s the same part of the human brain that is pulled to the lottery. A chance…

The allure is a nice discount on nice sticks, hardly a lottery for the Mystery Box I was referring to. Like I posted earlier, PLPC for $205 and BBF for $220. That's pretty unbeatable no matter where you go.

[TobaccoRoad]

I stumbled across one of the mystery box deals and bought it last year for the novelty. $205 was not a big spend and I was very pleased with the cab of PLPC's. Sort of like buying yourself a Christmas present knowing that it is something you are going to like, even if you've already got some. And still being surprised when you get it. I would definitely consider doing it again.

When you think about it. Buying boxes of CC's, even hand selected boxes, is a mystery box purchase. No matter what they look like, smell like or what the box code or date is, until you rest them a little bit and fire one up. You don't really know what you've got. Chasing the good boxes and the spectacular smoke is all part of the mystique. Take all of the mystery out of it and it would not be so enjoyable. 

 

[SpecialK]

From my experience as a young man in the military ... A mystery box can be a bad thing.. 

[NSXCIGAR]

31 minutes ago, TobaccoRoad said:

Sort of like buying yourself a Christmas present knowing that it is something you are going to like,

Well, the issue is a lot of people don't like PLPC and 50 of something you don't like is even worse. 

I don't want any cigars I don't like even 30% off. I'd be pretty unhappy with Hoyo Epi or RyJ WC for $200 because I can't stand them. 

So you get people signing up hoping for a deal on something they like but when they get a bust they get pissed and the vendor gets blasted with nastygrams even though the buyers knew the risks, not to mention the reduced profit the vendor makes from such a steep discount. 

The fact that the mystery box deal has been offered by that particular vendor far less often lately might be an indication of the hassle it ends up being. 

 

[TobaccoRoad]

17 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Well, the issue is a lot of people don't like PLPC and 50 of something you don't like is even worse. 

I don't want any cigars I don't like even 30% off. I'd be pretty unhappy with Hoyo Epi or RyJ WC for $200 because I can't stand them. 

So you get people signing up hoping for a deal on something they like but when they get a bust they get pissed and the vendor gets blasted with nastygrams even though the buyers knew the risks, not to mention the reduced profit the vendor makes from such a steep discount. 

The fact that the mystery box deal has been offered by that particular vendor far less often lately might be an indication of the hassle it ends up being. 

 

I didn't intend to imply that purchasing a mystery box was mandatory, or even a good idea. Just that it tickled my personal fancy. Keeping in mind that everyone's cigar journey is unique and on different timelines. I was honestly cool with whatever CC was sent as I am in the exploratory part of my journey. I had never tried the PLPC and probably will never get to purchase them again in that price range. So it worked to my advantage. Whereas an experienced collector like yourself has a more targeted approach to purchasing. I definitely see your point.

Looking at it realistically, I don't know why a vendor would take the risk of unsatisfied customers and complaints. Why not just advertise the cigars at a good deal and sell them to the folks that like them. For a 100% certainty any of the boxes mentioned would have sold out on the merit of the discounted price without the gimmick of the mystery box.