Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

:eek:

I just had a first-hand encounter with the "new" pricing in Canada (hadn't been in a couple years). Yeesh. For those who don't know, what used to be essentially at parity with most European retail is now 2-3 times that, across the board.

;s to all my Canadian brothers and sisters. I don't envy your sad situation. That's some silly, ridiculous bucks they want, to get your lips on just about anything. I saw some pretty HTF disco'd stuff on the shelves, but I understood why and I left them there, as well. Walked away empty-handed, full-walleted and broken-hearted.

:sad

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

That is why I can't support my local B & M anymore.... that and our stupid display laws in Ontario....

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Those will be showing up soon down here, too. :td

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

I am not familiar with "display laws" could someone be so kind as to enlighten a nooblet?

And I remember another BOTL from Canada posting just yesterday that some of the high end CC's were running in the $40 range.......:eek: fook me. My condolences boys.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

I could be wrong but I think I remember hearing grumblings of this somewhere. It's when you can't physically view the cigars but have to look at pictures in a catalog and choose what you want and than the person working there will get them for you. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Say wha? What's the dealio, Greg?

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Maybe im not as smart as the law makers but whats the point of this?

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

The display law is reducilous. They can't even have cigarette packs visible at gas stations & such. There are plastic flaps covering the cartons they sell out of.

The first time I noticed it I asked and the clerk said "They call it going dark." I responded "Where I'm from they call it going commie". He didn't laugh. I thought it was funny.

Edited to mention all cigar displays and signs referring to tobacco sales are not allowed to be displayed outside the store unless somehow grandfathered in such as cigar or tobacco being part of the name of the business.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

I did hear about this and there was talk in Jersey that this may come down the pike in the future. Imagine not being able to physically select your sticks at your local B&M? That's some **** right there.

I'm sure more can elaborate but lets go back to the OP for a second. Are you saying the prices on CC and NC sticks are 2 to 3 times more than the average in the states and around the world?

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

I think in lots of cases that statement should be flipped around.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

To supposedly keep kids from wanting to buy cigarettes and cigars. You know because we all see young kids running into the local B&M to pick up the newest release from Pete Johnson.:r I think having to i.d. people is enough. Do we really need to take it a step further? I love how we can no longer think for ourselves.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Pretty much correct....:td
They are trying to keep the kiddies from starting to smoke anything...:r
Plastic flaps over the shelves for cigs and tinted out the windows in the cigar humidor @ the local B & M so you can't see what if anything is in stock. You get to look in a book to decide what you want and staff go into the humidor to 'pick' you sticks for you.:xxx
Most of the kids buy the Indian reserve smokes...
On top of all the Bull, ridiculously high taxes.
They wonder why we 'tax avoid':r

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

In Canada the blacked out display is not a provincial law, it's federal. As with all the laws aimed at reducing the appeal of tobacco to children, it's not targeted cigars.... it's targeted at cigarettes and flavoured cigarillos. It also only applies to public stores in which children under the age of 18 are legally allowed to enter. Bespoke B&M's can achieve the same result by tinting out their doors/windows and enforcing a no minor's policy, if they do that then there's no need to cover up the humidors.

As for pricing, welcome to Canada and the rest of the world. The US still has it very very easy in terms of the level of taxation you pay. Enjoy it while it lasts :tu

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Getting the glossy Holt's catalog makes me want to smoke, so I guess out-of-sight, out-of-mind would work to deter me :D

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

I went to Windsor back in 1992 with a few friends. Went into a B&M there and Cohiba Esplendidos were $75ea, Monte #2's were $50, and I paid $7 for a Jose Piedra! :r

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

That sums it up right on the button!!:sh:sh

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Holy Sh1t! And they are still in business? That seems like an easy boycott to me. I can't see anyone ever paying those prices if they can just order it in the ma for a third of the price.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Generally leaning more toward 3 than 2. :td

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

That is pretty much how it is here in Canada. On top of that, Montreal (Quebec) has some nasty provincial tax along with the federal to make the prices on cigars even more insane. Just to sum it all up:

Cigarettes (Almost 10$ per pack)
Any Cuban Cigar (35$ and +)
Don Pepin Blue Label (24$)

We have it all, including Cubans, oh and how could I forget, the highest taxes as well.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Maybe us Americans should be bombing out Canadian brothers...

You can always order out of country correct? Cigars.com goes international and acme sites that remain unmentioned ship worldwide. So you should be able to get all te same smokes at the same prices we pay.

Only difference would be the local, correct?

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Ordering tobacco from foreign vendors is hit or miss, customs takes a very dim view of it and the financial penalties imposed if your package is intercepted end up making the contents far more expensive than it would have been to just head down to your B&M and buy the sticks locally. There are some US based vendors that "play nicely" with the custom declaration forms, but none of the Cuban sources will anymore so they're basically useless to Canadian's.

BTW, the tales of $75 Esplendidos and $50 Monte #2's are either a bit tall or just a bad B&M that was trying to scalp American visitors. Those sticks are $37 - $40 and $30 range respectively in my local B&M. Still not cheap but certainly not what that B&M in Windsor apparently wanted for them.

See above, Canada Customs makes mail order a risky business.... as a customer it's hard to win at the boycott game when boycotting = smoke nothing at all.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Well I think that if they order from one of the unnamed sites, and their package gets pulled at customs, they pay taxes on their goods. So I guess if that is the case it sounds like a risk that could pay off or get you hit with some nasty taxes you REALLY don't want to pay.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

In many cases taxes and other fees levied by Customs are 300 per cent MSRP.

The ridiculous thing about hiding the smokes to protect kids is that many kids buy "contraband" cigarettes manufactured at Indian reserves for a fraction of the cost of legit ones:
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/09...e-part-series/

And like Darryl said, as much as I'd like to support local B$Ms, I just can't afford the taxes that come with doing so.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

That is why I'm actively trade interested, and I mule back from the ISOM when ever friends or family travel there.
Maple syrup for cigars anyone?...:r

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Wow, that does suck...it's amazing how different laws are created/implemented in different countries...definitely feel for'ya!

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

Damn Geoff. Thanks for clearing that up. In short. That sucks.

Re: Oh, Canada- STICKER SHOCK!
 

i go to havana to buy my smokes...pretty decent prices there.

derrek :hm