is it wrong to withold a source?

[livwire68]

Pick and choose and be very picky! If you are sure then then hook them up! If they correspond continually with you or come back for another season let your guard down some! You cant be the "big shot" to everyone. I have connections which I never use, I still just dont feel right. I try to never take advantage, no matter how much I "want"! In due time I will but they will not be forgotten!

[Tio Gato]

If you're gonna post a good find people are gonna ask where. It's human nature.
Don't worry if they call you names. Sticks and stones, heh?

Sometimes I think of the Wizard of Oz. Remember the line "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
Sometimes we are that man, other times it's someone calling us names, other times it's people questioning our motives, beliefs, etc.
Like the internet, the "curtain" provides a place to hide behind until it is drawn gently back.

Pay no attention to those that would get your blood pressure up.
Life's too short.

[DPD6030]

If it is someone I don't know or others don't know and can't recommend them then no, keep it to yourself. If you know them personally then I say go ahead. If they screw things up for you then you lost your source. I've shared sources but everyone knows it anyways.

[Snake Hips]

I never just give out Habanos sources unless it's someone I know at least pretty well from the forums. I've seen a barage of new guys asking me for them the last couple of months on various fora, and how I respond depends on how they approach me. Most of the time they just ask me for a clue, so what I do is offer to guide them away from sheisters as long as they do their own footwork to find vendors, explaining that sources are earned because they were hard to get and because they get spoiled or overfished.

Sometimes they straight-up ask me where to get them, and I tell them exactly what they should do. Contact Habanos, S.A. and get a list of their distributors, and painstakingly contact each of them about each vendor they want to know about, then order something from any of them to see if they're any good. If they have the balls to come up to me with 2 posts and basically say "Hey wheres the best internet source for real CC?" then they have the balls to find out the hard way like people used to, and that's spending months tracking the legitimacy of sources through the offical supply chain.

Originally Posted by Snake Hips

I never just give out Habanos sources unless it's someone I know at least pretty well from the forums. I've seen a barage of new guys asking me for them the last couple of months on various fora, and how I respond depends on how they approach me. Most of the time they just ask me for a clue, so what I do is offer to guide them away from sheisters as long as they do their own footwork to find vendors, explaining that sources are earned because they were hard to get and because they get spoiled or overfished.

Sometimes they straight-up ask me where to get them, and I tell them exactly what they should do. Contact Habanos, S.A. and get a list of their distributors, and painstakingly contact each of them about each vendor they want to know about, then order something from any of them to see if they're any good. If they have the balls to come up to me with 2 posts and basically say "Hey wheres the best internet source for real CC?" then they have the balls to find out the hard way like people used to, and that's spending months tracking the legitimacy of sources through the offical supply chain.

Damit and I was just gonna ask you where you got yours. just kidding

I want to add that I do not have a B&M that stocks Opus nearby and the shop 2 hours away marks them up pretty good. So someone taking a good source and marking them sky high and reselling is touchy for me. In fact, I have paid way too much for Opus before because I could not get them any other way. Whereas, I have met some great BOTL here and on other boards that have sold to me at MSRP plus shipping. So to me, it benefits the whole community more when people protect sources.

[DrDubzz]

if you don't know them, F em

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by Big Vito

I pmd Jeremy with an apology. You are right Peter, and sometimes it sucks being a blockhead.

again Sorry Jeremy.

Hey brother... I gotta tell you I appreciate that. Not saying you were right or wrong or in the middle. It just means a lot to me that at times we take a step back and say hey... I may have hurt a brother's feelings whether I meant to or not.

Thanks...

[neoflex]

I would say judge it on a situation to situation basis. I have had vendors that I dealt with in the past that had really great pricing and shared the source and next thing you know the word spread like wild fire and than their pricing was reported to the manufacturer which in turned made them have to adjust their pricing because word must have gotten to other vendors and they cried about it which ruined it for not only me but everyone else. If I find really crazy deals I normally keep them to myself or only share it with close friends and tell them to keep it quiet too. I have also had vendors hook me up with fantastic pricing and tell me to keep quiet about the pricing and not share the deal they gave me so they in turn do no run into the situation described above. If a vendor has something hard to find and their pricing is retail I have no problem sharing the source especially if they do online sales. If they don't I do not mind working out a deal where I pick the sticks up for them if the vendor is not local to them etc etc. But if they sell a 5er/box to someone and they sell it online for an over inflated price, well I do not see how I could be held accountable. They chose to make the sale so they in turn would be just as guilty. You can't control what people do with the product after it is sold and they made there money on it so I do not see how a vendor can get pissed at you for something that a person whom they sold their product to did after the fact. Yes, you may have tipped the person off to your vendor but that by no means gives the vendor the right to make you guilty by association IMHO. I can see how that would make you very leary sharing your sources though and like you would probably keep my mouth shut after having it happen one or more times. I just think it is wrong of the vendor to beat you up for it. If the person asking does not get the answer they are looking for and in turn reams you out for it, well that person should be addressing other issues other than acquiring fine cigars and if that is their reaction, than I would also think that they are the very shady salesman that you are trying to avoid tipping off. So what vendors do you deal with? Huh, Huh??? J/K!

No I don't think it's wrong.I think that it's personal choice,and if someone gets mad about it tough.

[wrench turner 85]

Originally Posted by hotreds

No- it's up to you to do with your source what you want. If the guy calls you names for doing so that only proves how right you were not to give it up. On the other hand- and I'm not saying you do or did this- some BOTLs really need to cool their jets about bragging about their latest pick-ups- esp. with CCs. After all, these ARE illegal here- and in theory should not be any anyone's hands that lives in the USA.

But- to answer your question succinctly: No.

Your source, your call.

Originally Posted by nozero

Your source, your call.

couldnt agree more

My personal call is that it would be a situation-dependant thing.

If the source is nothing special and exclusive access isn't an issue, then sure, why not?

If the source is something exclusive and a bit of an "insider tip" that gives you an edge that would be eroded by spreading the word around everywhere, then I would defer to those that say, "It's your source.". The fishing hole analogy is great.

Basically I would let someone in on some very valuable information if I have a good and familiar relationship where you trust this person, it's okay to tell him not to tell anyone else, and where it would be okay to call him out on it and say, "Hey man, did you tell anyone about that or something?!?" Harder to do this with a stranger or casual acquaintance.

It's your info and you can choose who to share it with I wold not worry about what anyone thought.
Josh

No, its not wrong.

[Hitagain]

I agree that it is your source and your right not to reveal it. Not like I would know anything, as new as I am, I'm happy when I find something local at MSRP. I did ask someone local to my area when some local B&Ms where around here and he was happy to let me know, I may at some point down the line ask for someones source and if they wouldn't reveal it, I would at least hope they offer to make a buy for me, but if they didn't I would completely understand....

[groogs]

Originally Posted by Stonewall

It's your info and you can choose who to share it with I wold not worry about what anyone thought.
Josh

Your source is your source, do with it what you will.

[Wolfgang]

I wont give my sources out to anyone! My family asked how I obtained a box of HDM Des Dieux and my only answer the whole week was " from a friend". I know what I had to do to be let on to these sources and there is no chance in H-E-double hockeysticks Im giving it up. They can order through me no charge whatsoever and I will ship to them. (maybe skim a stick or two off the top)

[Sandman]

I used to, now I don't. It's unbelievable how ungrateful some have been when I have helped them out. Never did give out a source that was beyond the obvious though. It was amazing at the old board, there would be banner ads flashing all day, and people would still be wondering where to source cigars.