International pricing policy by Habanos SA

[dangolf18]

4 hours ago, houdini said:

This too shall pass.......markets will decide prices. tastes and market share might shift....this website might be friendsofecuadoreans or friendsofesteli one day. who knows?? The only thing constant is change. Theres more than a few marcas I will be disappointed about but there will be other countries and brands that will come in to satisfy the needs of the market. I love cuban cigars.... but not only cuban cigars. Paraphrasing el Presidente earlier in the thread, Chill! Lets see how this plays out.

Unfortunately I think it's going to be even worse than what we're expecting. Just look at other luxury markets like high-end watches. People are still paying $50k for a Rolex Daytona when suggested MSRP is $13k 😄

[juri]

For a 50% price increase does this mean better QC? 🤣

[ChicagoRob]

4 hours ago, Troels said:

Time, for once, to smoke more than I buy

Hahaha this killed me. Very apropo in my case as well.

 

3 hours ago, juri said:

For a 50% price increase does this mean better CC? 

Hellllll no lol. There’s no reason for them to invest in QC when they can continue moving as much inventory as they do in the midst in a once in a lifetime price increase.

However it is to be determined whether their long term strategy will work, or not.

[Texwrangler]

I feel I’ll smoke less and not toss a stick so quick like I would in the past for whatever reason I would.

[SCgarman]

18 hours ago, dangolf18 said:

Unfortunately I think it's going to be even worse than what we're expecting. Just look at other luxury markets like high-end watches. People are still paying $50k for a Rolex Daytona when suggested MSRP is $13k 😄

Yup, Rolex prices are totally off the charts and no end to the bubble. My 18K Sub is worth 2X what I paid five years ago. I have a new BMW on my wrist now🤣

[djrey]

18 hours ago, dangolf18 said:

Unfortunately I think it's going to be even worse than what we're expecting. Just look at other luxury markets like high-end watches. People are still paying $50k for a Rolex Daytona when suggested MSRP is $13k 😄

I have to agree. During covid the shipping delays were supposed to be fixed in a few months. Then there was a minor price increase that was supposed to work itself out in a few months. Then production was down but that should be back up in a few months. It's pretty clear that it is spiraling out of control without any end in sight. As long as people are paying the prices, nothing is coming down. Sure there will be some adjustment but for those of us with $225-250/box of Robusto max the CC hobby is likely done. I pray that I am wrong but people keep on buying and buying at these inflated prices. HSA isn't completely stupid. 

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, djrey said:

I have to agree. During covid the shipping delays were supposed to be fixed in a few months. Then there was a minor price increase that was supposed to work itself out in a few months. Then production was down but that should be back up in a few months. It's pretty clear that it is spiraling out of control without any end in sight. As long as people are paying the prices, nothing is coming down. Sure there will be some adjustment but for those of us with $225-250/box of Robusto max the CC hobby is likely done. I pray that I am wrong but people keep on buying and buying at these inflated prices. HSA isn't completely stupid. 

When a common box of Monte#4 hits $500usd, I will know for sure this is a hobby I'm done with. And box prices are continually rising by the week. 

[djrey]

8 minutes ago, SCgarman said:

When a common box of Monte#4 hits $500usd, I will know for sure this is a hobby I'm done with. And box prices are continually rising by the week. 

I'm already shocked they are selling for what they are right now. But again, everyone has a different limit based on many factors. 

[houdini]

On 5/11/2022 at 1:00 PM, dangolf18 said:

Unfortunately I think it's going to be even worse than what we're expecting. Just look at other luxury markets like high-end watches. People are still paying $50k for a Rolex Daytona when suggested MSRP is $13k 😄

Let them.....Fools part with their money and the market will settle. Theres so many amazing watch brands out there that will blow away Rolex Daytonas. For 50k, Ill take an FP Journe from the boutique. They make 800 pieces of art a year. Rolex makes a million. As far as cigars go, there will be other brands and countries to come along and fill that void. As Daytonas/ Cohibas become hype, true connoissers will look elsewhere.

[SCgarman]

32 minutes ago, houdini said:

Let them.....Fools part with their money and the market will settle. Theres so many amazing watch brands out there that will blow away Rolex Daytonas. For 50k, Ill take an FP Journe from the boutique. They make 800 pieces of art a year. Rolex makes a million. As far as cigars go, there will be other brands and countries to come along and fill that void. As Daytonas/ Cohibas become hype, true connoissers will look elsewhere.

FYI, the stainless steel Rolex Daytona has been hard to obtain for decades now, not just post pandemic. You may choose other watches for 50K, but the Daytona is a hype watch and plenty around the world won't settle for an alternative. They simply have to have it. Plenty of companies would like to be in the position Rolex is in. 

[Hammer Smokin']

but that says more about the "quality" of the person than the quality of the watch. 

[jakebarnes]

2 hours ago, SCgarman said:

FYI, the stainless steel Rolex Daytona has been hard to obtain for decades now, not just post pandemic. You may choose other watches for 50K, but the Daytona is a hype watch and plenty around the world won't settle for an alternative. They simply have to have it. Plenty of companies would like to be in the position Rolex is in. 

[JohnnyO]

I see myself in a few years flying out to Hong Kong, in the middle of a Typhoon, trudging through the swamps, with a flashlight, finally to make it to the almighty Swisher Sweet factory. There I find the custodian at the back door and say "I have $1000 for a 5-pack, Cherry Sweet if you have them". He says: "Nah brah, those are $1500". John

[jakebarnes]

14 minutes ago, JohnnyO said:

I see myself in a few years flying out to Hong Kong, in the middle of a Typhoon, trudging through the swamps, with a flashlight, only to make it to the almighty Swisher Sweet factory. There I find the custodian at the back door and say "I have $1000 for a 5-pack, Cherry Sweet if you have them". He says: "Nah brah, those are $1500". John

God help you if you're trying to get the Backwoods seconds. 

[houdini]

5 hours ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

but that says more about the "quality" of the person than the quality of the watch. 

agreed. im not into watches.....or cigars for hype. 

[Homer]

The bubble at Nasdaq has already been exploded. 

Look at the stock prices of new tech companies like Snowflake 400->133USD, Doordash 300->70USD

There is no such thing as eternal bubble or eternally rising markets. 

[Salomones]

LCDH Basel now between 220-300€ for BHK 52-56. Per Stick!

[SCgarman]

11 hours ago, houdini said:

agreed. im not into watches.....or cigars for hype. 

Neither am I. Been into both 30+ years. Long before the hype train arrived at the station 

[Bijan]

1 hour ago, SCgarman said:

Neither am I. Been into both 30+ years. Long before the hype train arrived at the station 

Reminds me of this dialogue from the first episode of Sex and the City 1998:

BIG: I've been smoking cigars for years, back when they were terminally uncool

SAMANTHA: I've got this great source that sends me Hondurans. Do you want to try one?

BIG: No, thank you

SAMANTHA: Really? You can't find them anywhere

BIG: Cohibas, that’s all I smoke. (lighting cigar for Samantha who puffs it suggestively)

Don't ask me why I remember this...

[Frinkiac7]

Several prominent grey market vendors appear to have hiked prices on a lot of the lesser marcas as well. Not by huge margins but a noticeable increase from a few days ago. I think this gets worse before it gets better (I don't think it will get any better). When have you ever seen a product like this with the global market and single source of production and marketing come down in price?

Even a lot of the old cheap & cheerful standbys are close to $200 USD a box. I guess it's all relative...

[El Presidente]

22 minutes ago, Frinkiac7 said:

Several prominent grey market vendors appear to have hiked prices on a lot of the lesser marcas as well. Not by huge margins but a noticeable increase from a few days ago.

price went up between 6% - 9% on "lesser marcas" depending on distributor.  HSA increase was 7% (on these)  from memory. 

[coug28]

If you can read between the lines….. 

(see below)

 

Be THANKFUL you are here, and haven’t yet been 86’d! 

[NSXCIGAR]

5 hours ago, Frinkiac7 said:

Several prominent grey market vendors appear to have hiked prices on a lot of the lesser marcas as well.

I think this is more a function of limited stock. Everything is scarce right now. Even Hoyo Epicure isn't everywhere and that's the first time I've ever seen that. 

The distributors aren't wholesaling anything right now except the duty free crap they're forced to take. The gray market is on fumes. There's no one to roll the cigars and even if there were transportation off the island is a fraction of what it was. 

What the gray market vendors do have (PSD4, Monte 1-5) they are trying to make some margin on from their loyal customers who only buy from them. Who can blame them? 

[Lunettesman]

Just got the info from Intertabak. Cohiba Robustos pack of 3 were 98chf (=more or less same USD). New price: 214chf. So a 70usd coro

[SCgarman]

On 5/14/2022 at 3:00 AM, NSXCIGAR said:

I think this is more a function of limited stock. Everything is scarce right now. Even Hoyo Epicure isn't everywhere and that's the first time I've ever seen that. 

The distributors aren't wholesaling anything right now except the duty free crap they're forced to take. The gray market is on fumes. There's no one to roll the cigars and even if there were transportation off the island is a fraction of what it was. 

What the gray market vendors do have (PSD4, Monte 1-5) they are trying to make some margin on from their loyal customers who only buy from them. Who can blame them? 

I will be surprised if all the gray market vendors manage to make it through this and survive. One I use has barely anything for sale. But they do also sell NC's. Still, a dire situation overall.