stirring the pot local B&M vs big internet

Originally Posted by SeanGAR

Well if the best product went to the best clients (assuming these are B&M), how would they handle that at the factory? By rollers? By changing the cigar formulation?

Too much work and cost to segregate that way.

It just doesn't make sense that a manufacturer would put out anything that would be considered at all inferior in their regular line. That is why seconds abound. I've had seconds that smoked and looked very good. And if CI or any of the big guys found that they were getting inferior cigars because of who they are or their negotiated prices, how long do you think that would last?

DPG gets a huge order from CI for blue labels. You think they change the formulation or rolling to fulfill the order? You think DPG or any other retailer would risk the reputation of their cigars to save a few bucks? I just don't see it, not even a maybe.

I could go through how simple it seems to me. But ice already explained parts of it and you don't even see a maybe. So I'll leave it at that and not try to convince you. I mean you're not even willing to entertain the possibility. I'm wasting my time. It becomes an arguement and not a discussion. Not here to argue.

I have been watching this from afar up to now.

Inherently I disagree which is my opinion not a statement of fact but it really makes no sense whatsoever.

That is like saying if I buy my Windex at the local grocer on the corner that I am going to get a superior product than if I ordered it from Costco online that given that the manufacturer knows it is for Costco they will use a slightly inferior and cheaper formula and charge costco less so they can sell it at a lesser price.

It sounds a little absurd when we are talking about window cleaner, yet I believe this is the exact same argument that has been applied.

I cannot see it happening, I see no empirical evidence that it is, and I cannot imagine retailers (online) and consumers tolerating it. In fact I would bet that somewhere in the annals of Fair Trade and Market Laws it is illegal to represent them as the same product if they are in fact not.

[SeanGAR]

Originally Posted by Legend

I mean you're not even willing to entertain the possibility. I'm wasting my time. It becomes an arguement and not a discussion. Not here to argue.

An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition, is it not?

In any case, I do a lot of sensory testing for my job. I realize that you need a lot of samples to have validity in your conclusions. I also realize that there are other possible explanations for the differences that you have observed. I do not doubt at all that you have seen clear preferences for cigars purchased at your B&M compared to online. Why would I? You come here looking for an explanation, which is cool. But you were given the explanation. Age of cigars and possibly humidity of storage.

I will, however, contribute money and time to the effort to design and run the experiment to test your hypothesis; as long as you are willing to accept the results of the experiment, as I am. I am willing to accept that I may be wrong ... I am married after all .