Advice for B&M owners anyone?

[Bill86]

1. I hate being followed in to walk ins.
2. I also hate being completely ignored.
3. When I say do you have snus don't tell me to buy cope at the gas station across the street. Just say no we don't.
4. Don't tell me you're getting in things you aren't. "oh we plan to get in lots of limiteds", three months later...nothing new.
5. Don't assume I know nothing about cigars, I've yet to meet an employee that has a clue.


I agree with the work clothes thing I use to go in on my breaks and they wouldn't even bother to acknowledge my presence. That's frustrating. I also hate hearing "come on support your local shop" yeah but you don't support me at all. I have to smoke your cigars and you refuse to get in any Viaje/Tatuaje/Illusione cigars.

Shops these days don't seem to work for your business they seem to expect it.



Also please do not tell your employees to recommend Gurkha Titans just because they are the most expensive stick in your humidor (something like $34 a stick).

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by Bill86

That's frustrating. I also hate hearing "come on support your local shop" yeah but you don't support me at all. I have to smoke your cigars and you refuse to get in any Viaje/Tatuaje/Illusione cigars.

Shops these days don't seem to work for your business they seem to expect it.

Along those lines if you prefer/require me to buy your sticks to smoke in your shop post a sign.

Don't get mad/ban me when I won't smoke your shitty cigars, especially after I have spent a couple hundred bucks in your store.

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by kydsid

Along those lines if you prefer/require me to buy your sticks to smoke in your shop post a sign.

Don't get mad/ban me when I won't smoke your shitty cigars, especially after I have spent a couple hundred bucks in your store.

Yep, I spent $160 bucks and wanted to smoke my DES there. The employee said don't let the manager catch you but I really don't care. I said really? After I just spent $160 bucks?

So yeah, B&M's have gotten MUCH less of my money after finding all 3 of them to have different issues that are ridiculous.

[neoflex]

Yes, please do not try and push the sticks that are not moving on me when I come in or the highest dollar stick you have in your shop on me. I have experienced this in the past and usually I respond with a "No thank you." I have had times where they continued to hound me and I replied with, "No thank you, I've smoked it and it's not my thing and probably not many others so I'm not surprised you guys are forced to push it so your not stuck with a back stock of turds." A response like that usually gets the point across rather quickly and more often than not I will not be in a hurry to be back to that shop. Like I mentioned earlier, I am easy to please. Give me my space but don't ignore me. Ask me if I need help or any recommendations after a few minutes alone and usually I will take it from there. The shops that treat me with respect are the shops that get most of my business. They don't even need to be 100% knowledgeable as everyone starts somewhere but just don't push crap on me if you don't even know what your trying to sell me or wouldn't smoke yourself.

[MikeyC]

Originally Posted by Bill86

Yep, I spent $160 bucks and wanted to smoke my DES there. The employee said don't let the manager catch you but I really don't care. I said really? After I just spent $160 bucks?

So yeah, B&M's have gotten MUCH less of my money after finding all 3 of them to have different issues that are ridiculous.

Most shops keep their sticks too wet to smoke right away anyhow. From my perspective, as long as you spent money in the shop you should be able to smoke whatever you want.

Lots of good points made in this thread!

[Volusianator]

Originally Posted by Bill86

5. Don't assume I know nothing about cigars, I've yet to meet an employee that has a clue.

Good evening Bill, my name is Wade!

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by Volusianator

Good evening Bill, my name is Wade!

I mean locally

My guess is you're a bit far from Franklin/Nashville TN.

[MajorCaptSilly]

Hire really hot women. I don't care what they know about cigars.

MCS

[markem]

Originally Posted by MajorCaptSilly

Hire really hot women. I don't care what they know about cigars.

and make sure that they are fully capable of taking the blame when you put a half smoked stick in a box you are sending to someone.

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by markem

and make sure that they are fully capable of taking the blame when you put a half smoked stick in a box you are sending to someone.

My biggest issue is: If you are going to own a cigar store, give a damn about cigars and the culture. If you just thought it would be a money making venture or a safe retirement hobby **** off and let someone who is passionate run the place. No I don't want your highest margin stick, no I don't want the hard to find Altidas product the duped you into stocking, I just want good sticks at a fair price. When I ask you if you carry a cigar that has even been highly rated in a publication like Cigar Aficionado, don't look at me like a dumbass, especially if the issue that mentioned it is on the counter next to the register.

I am in real estate and spend most of my day researching...real estate. If I owned a cigar shop I would spend all day, in between customers, researching...cigars.

Shop owners, give a damn. That is my recommendation.

[thebiglebowski]

Originally Posted by awsmith4

When I ask you if you carry a cigar that has even been highly rated in a publication like Cigar Aficionado, don't look at me like a dumbass, especially if the issue that mentioned it is on the counter next to the register.

this. one of my local shops never seems to go after anything but the usuals (AF, CAO, etc...) and never seems to know much beyond what they have in stock. i don't care much for CA, but at least read the cigar reviews! there's real information there! true story, about a year ago, i asked if there ever going to get in any tatuaje. they looked at me like "tatu... what?" never heard of the brand...

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by markem

and make sure that they are fully capable of taking the blame when you put a half smoked stick in a box you are sending to someone.

That there is some funny ****!

Originally Posted by MajorCaptSilly

Hire really hot women. I don't care what they know about cigars.

MCS

^^^ *100


I wish we up in Canada can still walk into the humidors and look at the products instead of in books.

[357]

Originally Posted by msayewich

^^^ *100


I wish we up in Canada can still walk into the humidors and look at the products instead of in books.

Going dark they call it..........as in the dark ages.

[Thammy]

Originally Posted by msayewich

^^^ *100


I wish we up in Canada can still walk into the humidors and look at the products instead of in books.

Is this unique to Ontario? I am from Alberta and I still walk into the Humidor at my local B & M.

Reading these makes me very thankful for my local place, these are some horror stories here. My local owner went as far as to offer to phone my university to vouch about my pipes not being for drugs when I got searched and reported. The only problem I have is me being young and considered immature except that is from other customers and not the owners.

Mind you one tobacco store here hires anyone, regardless if they know anything about cigars at all. I went there once only to be greeted by a 18 year old girl who complained about the smell of the humi and told me to hurry up. Tobacco lovers only please!

[357]

Originally Posted by Thammy

Is this unique to Ontario? I am from Alberta and I still walk into the Humidor at my local B & M.

Reading these makes me very thankful for my local place, these are some horror stories here. My local owner went as far as to offer to phone my university to vouch about my pipes not being for drugs when I got searched and reported. The only problem I have is me being young and considered immature except that is from other customers and not the owners.

Mind you one tobacco store here hires anyone, regardless if they know anything about cigars at all. I went there once only to be greeted by a 18 year old girl who complained about the smell of the humi and told me to hurry up. Tobacco lovers only please!

I'm not sure if it is Ontario only. I'm guessing so. They even have plastic flaps to cover the cigarettes (on the shelves) at gas stations. It's mind boggling. Apparently it is illegal to see a tobacco product in person before you buy it. All exterior signage had to be removed as well. The only exceptions were grandfathered in where cigar or tobacco was in the name of the business.

[jesseboston81]

Originally Posted by Thammy

Reading these makes me very thankful for my local place, these are some horror stories here.

I never knew how fortunate I was to have my B&M of choice until I read this thread. Honestly, at that shop I've never experienced any of the complaints that others are reporting here. Employees at my B&M are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about cigars, and seem to know just when to leave me alone to browse and when to spend twenty minutes walking me through the shop, chatting about my tastes, and giving me personalized recommendations.