Advice for B&M owners anyone?

[replicant_argent]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

4. When I ask if you have the new thing I'm looking for, and you tell me "yes we do, but they are in the back and I haven't priced them yet", prepare for me to call you a lazy bastard.

Really?



No... I gotta ask, are you serious on this one?

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

Really?



No... I gotta ask, are you serious on this one?

Nope. Paul's Cigar Shop on Beaverton-Hillsdale HWY.

Asked about Warlock (by omar ortez), and the older salesman told me "yep, we just had some dropped off in the back for promo, but i haven't inventoried them yet".

I laughed all the way out the door.

[awsmith4]

So are you now saying that a local cigar shop should keep prices in line with a online store and if they can't they should move out of state to avoid the taxes but continue to stay in state and provide cigars and a place for you to smoke?

Seems impossible...

Originally Posted by awsmith4

So are you now saying that a local cigar shop should keep prices in line with a online store and if they can't they should move out of state to avoid the taxes but continue to stay in state and provide cigars and a place for you to smoke?

Seems impossible...

No, I gave two of the local shops their opportunity to earn my business several times. Timber Valley Tobacco's owner died, and the sales woman who bought it, Dawn, ran it into the ground by not ordering any more stock.

Paul's has the worst service I've ever had, of ANY retailer, tobacco or not.

Rich's is a good place. They have a markup of about $1-2 per stick compared to other places, but it is downtown and I understand that.

Pearl Specialty Market is right down the road and charges 20% more than Rich's.

I love threads that ask you your opinion, then you get chided for giving it! lol


I never said they needed to keep prices inline with online retailers. I said putting an extra $10 a stick compared to other stores in town would get you labeled a scammer.

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

No, I gave two of the local shops their opportunity to earn my business several times. Timber Valley Tobacco's owner died, and the sales woman who bought it, Dawn, ran it into the ground by not ordering any more stock.

Paul's has the worst service I've ever had, of ANY retailer, tobacco or not.

Rich's is a good place. They have a markup of about $1-2 per stick compared to other places, but it is downtown and I understand that.

Pearl Specialty Market is right down the road and charges 20% more than Rich's.

I love threads that ask you your opinion, then you get chided for giving it! lol

I'm not chiding you, and I apologize for the tone of my last post. You do however state your opinions with a certain vigor that for some reason inspired me to repute. But it was meant to be more in the spirit of a lively debate, not to tell you you are wrong.

If you scroll back a few pages you and I made the same point, my biggest piece of advice to store owners is "Give a damn"

Originally Posted by awsmith4

I'm not chiding you, and I apologize for the tone of my last post. You do however state your opinions with a certain vigor that for some reason inspired me to repute. But it was meant to be more in the spirit of a lively debate, not to tell you you are wrong.

If you scroll back a few pages you and I made the same point, my biggest piece of advice to store owners is "Give a damn"

You're probably right. My wife says I come across as a prick to almost everyone. It wasn't meant to be as rough of a response as it came across as, but being a small business owner I often go over what I would do differently if I were the owner of a shop when I walk in.

It wasn't meant to be an attack on B&M owners, just what many people feel when they walk in.

In all honesty, a good friend of mine is thinking looking to purchase Timber Valley and turn it into a private club. Hopefully, he will be able to lead by example rather than follow what other shops in town do.

1. Interact with customers

2. Offer the best service available. Customer service is what adds value to the product you sell. Customers can get that thing you have at a number of stores, they come to you because they either like you or you offer something they can't get anywhere else, usually outstanding service.

3. Thank the customer for the patronage. Simply put, a little praise goes along way with people.

4. If you have to lose money in order to get a box of Anejos in your store for your customers once a year, do it. Mark the price up .25 on all your "reject" sticks, and flavored items to make up the difference. I doubt you'd have to go to that extreme however. Your customers will LOVE you for it, and will return for sure. I promise.

[loki]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

Nope. Paul's Cigar Shop on Beaverton-Hillsdale HWY.

Asked about Warlock (by omar ortez), and the older salesman told me "yep, we just had some dropped off in the back for promo, but i haven't inventoried them yet".

I laughed all the way out the door.

so you do everything the second you get it? maybe he'd just done inventory the day before, maybe he just did it before you got there...maybe you should open your own shop since you have the perfect way to do everything

Originally Posted by loki

so you do everything the second you get it? maybe he'd just done inventory the day before, maybe he just did it before you got there...maybe you should open your own shop since you have the perfect way to do everything

Nope, the online guys do a perfect job for me. Thanks!

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

Nope, the online guys do a perfect job for me. Thanks!

However, then you made this post.

Online guys do not provide a lounge, they don not clean the ashtrays, they do not give personal service. I too order a lot of cigars online but each the online and the local retailers play a certain role.

Originally Posted by awsmith4

However, then you made this post.

Online guys do not provide a lounge, they don not clean the ashtrays, they do not give personal service. I too order a lot of cigars online but each the online and the local retailers play a certain role.

Neither do our shops. They don't allow smoking, except Pauls which has two chairs.


I go to the Mark. I don't buy my cigars there, but I do spend $20-40 each time I go on food, and drink. Seeing as they have around 30 humidors that are owned by patrons there, I don't see them as making their money on stogies either.

[markem]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

I go to the Mark. I don't buy my cigars there, but I do spend $20-40 each time I go on food, and drink. Seeing as they have around 30 humidors that are owned by patrons there, I don't see them as making their money on stogies either.

The cigars are from Broadway Cigars and you would have to ask Sam whether or not the Shilo/Mark makes any money off them. The Shilo/Mark owns the humidors and boxes, but I don't know what the rent might be. Some here on this board have private boxes there.,

Also, Dawn never owned Timber Valley, although she was looking for investors. The son of the late owner eventually sold it to two guys, who seem enthusiastic but are relatively new to cigars, or so I am led to believe.