Thoughts on selling among friends. Rules of thumb?

[El Presidente]

 

Greg posted the following on the Lounge Lizards pinned thread and I thought it an excellent question. 

 

I'd also be interested to hear the lizards take on selling cigars amongst friends. Obviously there are different situations - a box of recent PSD4s vs unobtanium VR Classicos would be treated differently - but what’s the rule of thumb? Cost, cost plus plus, or current market rate with a small friends & family discount? How does the increase in pricing from HSA along with the rise of Bond Roberts/other online venues and resulting exponential increase in value affect this?

 

This is a question I have been faced with  time and again.....and I still don't don't think I have a "rule of thumb". 

 

Have a crack 

[Skm672]

I would say the average of last 5 times sold on Bond Roberts.

If its lower than cost then cost +10%

 

[riazp]

I mean it’s whatever both parties deem fair. Especially among friends. I would have no issue trading a box of higher value to a mate for a box of lower value if it’s a box that I would rather have than the one I currently own. 

I've done this in the past where I had a box I didn’t really enjoy the rest and traded it for cigars of lower value but cigars that I really enjoy. As long as both parties see it as win-win it’s fair!

[Havanaaddict]

Man, that is a tough one. In general, I would follow the current market rate with a small friends & family discount! 
Luckily enough, most of my friends have plenty of cigars and don’t need to buy any from me.😂

[Nevrknow]

3 hours ago, riazp said:

I mean it’s whatever both parties deem fair. Especially among friends. I would have no issue trading a box of higher value to a mate for a box of lower value if it’s a box that I would rather have than the one I currently own. 
 

I've done this in the past where I had a box I didn’t really enjoy the rest and traded it for cigars of lower value but cigars that I really enjoy. As long as both parties see it as win-win it’s fair

Same here. We all know what we paid for them anyway. But if I have some not so high on my list, but he has one not quite for him - we're trading. What's a few bucks among friends?  -Rob. They're just cigars.

👍

[Nevrknow]

Did I structure that quote correctly? @JohnS ?? 😂

[Boss Hog]

If I’m making money on your ass, you are definitely not considered a friend. 

Plain and simple.

[JohnS]

21 minutes ago, Nevrknow said:

Did I structure that quote correctly? @JohnS ?? 😂

It's a pass! 😅

[riazp]

28 minutes ago, Nevrknow said:

Same here. We all know what we paid for them anyway. But if I have some not so high on my list but hehas one not quite for him. We're trading. What's a few bucks among friends?  -Rob. They're just cigars.

👍

 

23 minutes ago, Boss Hog said:

If I’m making money on your ass, you are definitely not considered a friend. 

Plain and simple.

Correct! This is the way

[Lucas Buck]

Current value. I’ve had close friends offer me ridiculous prices based on what they paid and I refuse. I pay current value or close. 

[El Presidente]

 

I work on the basis of what I paid, not on what it's worth. Similar with mates when we swap.We simply tailor the transaction so it makes sense to both. 

 

[BoliDan]

I'll give my best friend a $75 cigar that isn't even a big cigar guy 🤷. I'd like to open people's minds to cigars. If they don't like it, that's ok. At least we had some friendly times.

[Nocoins]

It’s a tough question because of how many of us consider cigars separately from their value in most friendly situations. But if a friend of mine is in the market for something I have — regardless of what it is — I am reluctant to part with much more value than I’d give as a gift. I will gift unobtanium cigars when I do, but I wont sell a $1k box for $200. In other words, and not to be absurd, but if a friend wants to buy my house, FMV is pretty well close to the F&F price. Same goes for a box of Inmensas. I’d rather just not sell stuff to friends. 

[david9985]

4 hours ago, Nocoins said:

It’s a tough question because of how many of us consider cigars separately from their value in most friendly situations. But if a friend of mine is in the market for something I have — regardless of what it is — I am reluctant to part with much more value than I’d give as a gift. I will gift unobtanium cigars when I do, but I wont sell a $1k box for $200. In other words, and not to be absurd, but if a friend wants to buy my house, FMV is pretty well close to the F&F price. Same goes for a box of Inmensas. I’d rather just not sell stuff to friends. 

This is how I feel too. If I was selling a box to a mate, it's current market value with some F&F discount. But as @Nocoins says, and as is my experience with B/SOTL, we are much more inclined to give anything as everything as gifts and pay it forward.

[BrightonCorgi]

If they smoke cigars with me, they are free. If they want to buy cigars from me, they are the prevailing price I can sell them.

[Ruggerpgh99]

True Friends - Cost (incl shipping). I would rather trade than sell, but not too many close friends are in the game of CC. If I am not close enough to you, to either hand you a cigar to smoke with me, or sell at cost, I am probably not open to the idea of depleting my stash for you.  

[Shakey]

Singles are always freely given. I prefer to trade boxes because that tends to align interests instead of dollars. I want to share interesting things with my friends much more than make/lose some money.

If selling, the market has moved so much that it’s possible to sell for a big discount off the market rate while still making a healthy profit. If I buy from a friend for 50% less than the market rate and my friend doubles their purchase price, I view it as we both win. But would still prefer to trade. 

[joeypots]

I am stuck on unobtanium. I often give away cigars that have been given to me, mostly NWs.

Cuban cigars? It depends and since I’m not likely to sell a box I’m apt to give you a few if you need them. 

A good friend who is a very fine interior painter says he has a set hourly rate built into the quote. For friends and family he doubles it. 

[LizardGizmo]

For the unobtainable/non-replaceable I would only share with a very close friend at cost. I wouldn't make them available to anyone outside of that small circle.

For something that is replaceable, even with a more recent box date, I will sell at the current market value.

I wouldn't feel comfortable profiting from a close friend. As for a casual friend or acquaintance, I treat that transaction as I would anyone I'd encounter online.

I'm looking forward to debating this with the lizard guys in two weeks. I'm certain a few of the guys are going to have it out on this topic... 

[tbelle7]

An actual FRIEND - sold at cost (what I paid).

Anyone else - find a number we can both live with.

[theTXpanda]

14 hours ago, Boss Hog said:

If I’m making money on your ass, you are definitely not considered a friend. 

Plain and simple.

Exactly that. If I'm calling you my friend, then it's just straight up cost if not free. With a you take care of me, I take care of you understanding. If I'm needing to make money on something for some reason, it wouldn't be going to a friend. 

[Perla]

Easy handle for me, what I had paid for the box my friend will pay. 
Box swaps - when a friend has a box I am looking for, happy to trade another box he/she desires. Trade should be fair/equal +-10%. 
 

 

[Chibearsv]

My CCs are either given or traded or kept. No selling.  

[LordAnubis]

I need to make friends with all you at cost people and see how many 1966s you have 😁 

For me it’s at market with a bit of a discount if I’m selling (happy to be generous) and not expecting any discount if I’m buying. If I win, I win...if I lose, I lose (granted not likely in the current market as no cigar has decreased in price).

The way I see it, there is absolutely no way I would short change a friend by buying from him for less than the price he deserves. I would expect a friend to hold similar values. 

It should be clarified this isn’t talking about group buys or whatever cos that’s obviously all at cost. Just talking about, “hey I’m looking for a box of 2020 D4s anyone got one they’re happy to offload?”

[Wlu1988]

On 3/7/2025 at 2:09 PM, El Presidente said:

I work on the basis of what I paid, not on what it's worth. Similar with mates when we swap.We simply tailor the transaction so it makes sense to both.

I agree with this. I typically find myself in need of someone to enjoy cigars with so I’m in the camp of selling to your friends at cost. Second choice would be an agreeable trade and third would be just gifting (more applicable to individual cigars you are smoking that night). 

I trust that it will all come back around to you in time. It’s a brotherhood after all.