Advice for B&M owners anyone?

Depending on where you live, the typical cigar retailer is at a disadvantage when compared to Internet stores. Where I live (Pennsylvania) we have archaic laws and the state isn't afraid to charge gratuitous license fees for anybody that is in the "sin" business (smoking, drinking, sex). Cigar retailers may also be hit with an additional city tax for same. Retailers also have a smaller market to serve.

Internet dealers that have a user friendly website and fair prices can sell anywhere in the US, so they have a larger customer base. Internet stores don't have to pay all those license fees for allowing smoking in a public place. They can operate out of a warehouse and not have to work a retail establishment with wall to wall, leather chairs, expensive glass front humidor cases, etc.

Small cigar retailers don't survive where I live.



Mike T.

One of the things that I don't like is some Internet cigar resellers won't accept my UPS account number for shipping. I can use our company's UPS account# if I ask and I don't have to pay shipping at all. Some of them say their "system is automated" and they can't use another account number. That's baloney. Worse, one company told me that it was against their policy to use another UPS account#. So, its against MY policy to buy cigars from poor business people.

Anyone that is in business can get the UPS World Wide software from free from UPS and a label printer and labels for DIRT CHEAP! its cheaper and more efficient that using the UPS website and your laser printer or your own label machine. I know this for sure because we use to do it the old way and several months again we switched to the UPS software and label printer and my life is so much easier. I can crank out the packages now! Also, I can use anyone else's UPS account provided I have all the correct information, which the owner of the account would have to give me.

Some companies that insist on doing the shipping over-charge for that service, and I find it annoying. It's so bush league. I won't buy from them.

Rant over,



Mike T.

You are correct in your replies guys, but we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

You're right, the free market will take care of the issue at hand. Being labeled a scammer doesn't mean you ARE a scammer, just that people view you that way. Once that happens, you might as well board up the windows because its all down hill from there. Even if you have awesome prices, if you seem 'shifty' as a proprietor, you are probably not going to be around for very long.

To those who complain about state taxes. Move. Sorry fellas, I had to move out of state to gain lawful compliance in the industry I'm in, coming from Idaho. As I was told before my move, "if you don't like the laws in your state, get out.". I did. The rules that are setup by your local legislature can and do get changed through action and BOTL's running for local office, not charging more at the register.


There is a reason that Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all take a hit on the hot items during the xmas season. They realize that they could charge more for an Xbox, but they lose money on those purchases to attract more customers into their store, and make the profit margin up on cheaper products.

Just like the restaurant business, where most kitchens lose money due to food costs, and make it up on alcohol sales. If you can't compete with everyone else in town, that is nobody's fault but your own when it comes to running a small business.

If you don't like taxes, there are a number of way to start a Cigar Union, Association, or other 501(c)3 non-profit to get around that, and possibly get around local laws limiting smoking areas in public.

I guess it comes down to this for me. When I walk into a cigar shop, I expect to be talking to a tobacconist who does it for the passion of the leaf, not a guy trying to make a quick buck.

Where there is a will, there's a way.

[Adriftpanda]

Maybe he was busy?

Originally Posted by Adriftpanda

Maybe he was busy?

Nope. Store had two guys puffing, and the proprietor on the PC looking at ESPN.com. Went back later in the eve when I was driving by, just to ask the younger sales man about it.

He said they had been in the back for 3 weeks, that the rep dropped them off intending to be given out to the guys who buy Omar Ortez lines. He walked into their closet, grabbed them, and 5 #49 Anjeo's the other fella said they didn't have, and I completed my order.

The salesman told me point blank, "yeah, the other guy is a dick".

I haven't gone back.

[RandJCigars]

Some really interesting comments here...most seem to be either East Coast or West Coast. I'd like to hear from some of you customers in the South; Texas, Louisiana, Florida, etc.

It seems fascinating to me that some of these proclaiming business owners would act in such a way. I run a B & M myself, and customers (as all of us should know) make the doors stay open. Now I won't sit here and say that I welcome and greet every customer that walks through the door right away, but before they leave, they will get a "hello, how's it going, if you need anything let me know". That is my greeting to all customers that aren't "regulars".

On a day to day basis, Im either at the computer dealing with manufacturers (making orders), dealing with accounts (taking orders for the wholesale side of the business), cold calling to attempt to open new accounts, and stock trading. When Im not at the computer, Im sitting down with the customers conversing, play8ing dominos, playing cards, or just hanging out. When a customer comes in while Im in that scenario, I make it a point to look at them and tell them "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask" so they know I'm the guy that works there.

It's crazy to me to hear that these little things that all B & M owners should do naturally, don't do, and end up losing customers over it. I do not have a walkin humidor but I would think that rather following in customers every time they enter, the owner would just put in a few cameras to cover the angles.....but I guess not.

Keep the conversation going, it's cool to read this side and than read the B & M thread, lo.

Jimmy:

I like your approach to handling customers. Its not hard-sell and you are letting the customers know you work there and if/when they have questions, you can take care of them.

The only B&M store where I live is small with a limited selection of cigars that I never heard of before. Now, I don't know every cigar on the market, but I don't see the common brands. I believe they open at 11am and close at 5pm Mon-Wed and stay open later on Thursday or Friday. It makes it difficult for me to go there, I work too. This place won't be a hang out for me, I am not going to pay 10 to 12 for a cigar I never heard of just to support their store.

When I was back home for the holidays, there was a much larger B&M with a great selection of cigars, a nice selection of accessories, and a knowledgeable staff. I went in there with my nephew. I spent $65 on cigars and my nephew bought some accessories. We sat and smoked a cigar and relaxed in some nice leather chairs. If that store was located where I live now, I would be a regular.

Jimmy-Just an FYI. I sent an email to you at your shop.


Cheers,



Mike T.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by Miket156

Jimmy:

I like your approach to handling customers. Its not hard-sell and you are letting the customers know you work there and if/when they have questions, you can take care of them.

The only B&M store where I live is small with a limited selection of cigars that I never heard of before. Now, I don't know every cigar on the market, but I don't see the common brands. I believe they open at 11am and close at 5pm Mon-Wed and stay open later on Thursday or Friday. It makes it difficult for me to go there, I work too. This place won't be a hang out for me, I am not going to pay 10 to 12 for a cigar I never heard of just to support their store.

When I was back home for the holidays, there was a much larger B&M with a great selection of cigars, a nice selection of accessories, and a knowledgeable staff. I went in there with my nephew. I spent $65 on cigars and my nephew bought some accessories. We sat and smoked a cigar and relaxed in some nice leather chairs. If that store was located where I live now, I would be a regular.

Jimmy-Just an FYI. I sent an email to you at your shop.


Cheers,



Mike T.

Mike,
Rather than put a members name (to whom you are responding) at the start of your post, it is more helpful to use the "quote" button. This not only shows your response is addressing a particular person but it also puts your response in context without the reader having to go back and look for the post to which you refer.

[OLS]

I also like this thread and have to come down on the side of the free-marketers.
ANY B&M that prices stock high, I do not think of them as gougers or scammers or rip-
off artists. However, I also do not go to their shops again. So in the end, one thing they
ARE is losers. I spend, or used to spend a ton of money on cigars in B&Ms and while I hold
no personal animosity towards them, I do chuckle at how they let 5 grand a year walk out
the door.

Now many will just think, 'oh that guy is a hobo with no money, who cares if he left without
buying'. No. I am not going to tell you how to price your stuff, because I know that in any
business it's tough out there, and in the stogie business, it's often really scary. But I think
that a lot of customers are like me, I'll let a B&M owner hang himself without so much as a
price comment. Because I DON'T KNOW anything about his business. But I have definite
opinions. I am a foot voter. What's funnier is that also have no idea about how much info they
share with one another, is one shop KILLING IT and keeping that info to himself, or is he sharing
his basic profits with other owners and leaving them scratching their head over how he does it?
Who knows. But price sells and word travels fast.

[RandJCigars]

Mike,

Thank you sir. I replied back to your inquiry.

Originally Posted by Miket156

Jimmy:

I like your approach to handling customers. Its not hard-sell and you are letting the customers know you work there and if/when they have questions, you can take care of them.

The only B&M store where I live is small with a limited selection of cigars that I never heard of before. Now, I don't know every cigar on the market, but I don't see the common brands. I believe they open at 11am and close at 5pm Mon-Wed and stay open later on Thursday or Friday. It makes it difficult for me to go there, I work too. This place won't be a hang out for me, I am not going to pay 10 to 12 for a cigar I never heard of just to support their store.

When I was back home for the holidays, there was a much larger B&M with a great selection of cigars, a nice selection of accessories, and a knowledgeable staff. I went in there with my nephew. I spent $65 on cigars and my nephew bought some accessories. We sat and smoked a cigar and relaxed in some nice leather chairs. If that store was located where I live now, I would be a regular.

Jimmy-Just an FYI. I sent an email to you at your shop.


Cheers,



Mike T.

I have to give a shout out to Jimmy Zaid, one of our members that owns a cigar shop outside of Houston TX and also wholesales to other stores in Texas. I found Jimmy on this website and I emailed him for prices. I placed my order and it shipped Thursday from his locaton in Pearland Texas. My order was on my door step this morning here in Central PA! His prices are competitive or lower than the national internet stores and I got the best service I ever had, no BS. Both boxes of Cigars I ordered were fresh and in sealed boxes as we would expect, the supplies were good order, and he through in a couple of free cigars for giving him a try! His handle is RandJCigars on this site. If you look him up, all his contact information is there.

I don't know if its appropriate for me to provide his phone number and email address or not, so I'll let that slide. Members of this Forum can find him easily on this site, he is a listed vendor.

Its nice to deal with "one of our own".


Cheers,


Mike T.

[OLS]

When I am a seller, though, I AM CONCIOUS about my high prices and always apologize for them in advance.
I do not LOWER them, but I do apologize for them, lol.

[Thammy]

Sorry I meant to say, thanks for the clarifying with the laws you posted. (not clarify them further lol)