Advice for B&M owners anyone?

This thread is a GREAT! Customers meet B&M employees and owners! Its nice to get both sides of the story.

Some of the things I've run into:

Their hours are too short. Being open until 5pm everyday doesn't do anything for me, I work too. I would love to have a B&M that stays open until 7pm so I could stop there after work.

Inventory. I've read posts complaining that B&M's stock only the common brands or something to that effect. My problem is the opposite. The local B&M doesn't have any brand name I recognize. I'm not as knowledgeable as many of you fine folks here, but I have heard of a lot of common brands. When I walk into the local B&M and don't recognize anything, if the owners don't engage me, I leave.

Just a note: I guess I shouldn't be surprised that people will steal cigars in a B&M, but I was. I "thought" that anyone that would be interested in purchasing a cigar would not be a thief too. Maybe thieves just go into any retail store and try to steal anything, I don't know.

Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect. However if I would ever entertain stealing, it would be a Brinks job or nothing.


Cheers,


Mike T.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by Miket156

Just a note: I guess I shouldn't be surprised that people will steal cigars in a B&M, but I was. I "thought" that anyone that would be interested in purchasing a cigar would not be a thief too. Maybe thieves just go into any retail store and try to steal anything, I don't know.

$700 gone in minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNVL1nNaEgw

It's always the people you wouldn't expect to steal that does.

Originally Posted by Miket156

I "thought" that anyone that would be interested in purchasing a cigar would not be a thief too.

Never met a lawyer, huh?

[Ogre]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

Never met a lawyer, huh?

1. Don't disrespect me because of my age. Yes, I look young, but after 4 kids and 3 wives...I need a stogie.

2. When I ask about a top 25 NC stick, don't look at me like I'm the crazy one if you don't have it. "HUH? Whats a Liga Privada? Who makes it? Is it a generic?" LOL

Yeah Rich's in Portland....I'm looking at you! You've been promising to get me a box for over a year.

3. (Already been mentioned) When I come into your store wearing a sweatshirt, don't expect me to be looking for the dog rockets. Last time this happened, I ended up buying $200 in sticks.

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.

5. Get off your damn computer and interact with your customers. Yeah, forums are fun...but customers bring you money. Save the forum updates for after work please.

6. Don't mark your sticks up with more than a 70% profit margin, and I'll be willing to bet that your "theft problem" might go down some. Ever bought a stogie on the strip in Vegas? Talk about price fixing!

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

6. Don't mark your sticks up with more than a 70% profit margin, and I'll be willing to bet that your "theft problem" might go down some. Ever bought a stogie on the strip in Vegas? Talk about price fixing!

Just out of curiosity how do you know what there profit margin is and how does that make theft justified???

Originally Posted by awsmith4

Just out of curiosity how do you know what there profit margin is and how does that make theft justified???

I'm not justifying ANYTHING. But when you've gone to conventions, know what wholesale is, and then see those sticks in certain stores for 25% more than your regular B&M's, yeah..something is up and it stinks.


$40 45th Padrons

$20 Nostrosos

$25 Camacho Triple Maduros


These are why I don't go into certain stores. When something is above MSRP, who is the real thief in that equation?

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by Bad Finger

I'm not justifying ANYTHING. But when you've gone to conventions, know what wholesale is, and then see those sticks in certain stores for 25% more than your regular B&M's, yeah..something is up and it stinks.


$40 45th Padrons

$20 Nostrosos

$25 Camacho Triple Maduros


These are why I don't go into certain stores. When something is above MSRP, who is the real thief in that equation?

Often times cigars in event areas are bought from a retail outlet not a wholesaler or a manufacturer. Every time a cigar changes hands (as well as many other products) it often needs to be doubled to make a margin that is profitable. Without profit there is no point in business. If the market will bear a $40 Padron then that is not gouging, that is providing for your customer base. Cigars are not a necessity so no one is forced to pay high prices. The only way a person would be a thief is if they misrepresented what they were selling. If they have a cigar clearly priced and a customer is willing to buy that cigar at that price then that is the free market at work. If the seller was peddling fakes or rebanding lower grade cigars then that would constituent thievery.

With that said it does trouble me to go to a local shop that has higher prices than their competitors, know that they get them from the same source, and then hear them complain that no one is buying and the other guys are undercutting them. If your competition is pricing lower maybe you need to as well. Yes, you may not make the same margin per cigar but a low margin is better than no margin from lack of sales.

Originally Posted by awsmith4

Often times cigars in event areas are bought from a retail outlet not a wholesaler or a manufacturer. Every time a cigar changes hands (as well as many other products) it often needs to be doubled to make a margin that is profitable. Without profit there is no point in business. If the market will bear a $40 Padron then that is not gouging, that is providing for your customer base. Cigars are not a necessity so no one is forced to pay high prices. The only way a person would be a thief is if they misrepresented what they were selling. If they have a cigar clearly priced and a customer is willing to buy that cigar at that price then that is the free market at work. If the seller was peddling fakes or rebanding lower grade cigars then that would constituent thievery.

With that said it does trouble me to go to a local shop that has higher prices than their competitors, know that they get them from the same source, and then hear them complain that no one is buying and the other guys are undercutting them. If your competition is pricing lower maybe you need to as well. Yes, you may not make the same margin per cigar but a low margin is better than no margin from lack of sales.

Oh, I completely understand what you are saying, and completely agree. I don't steal, and would never justify it, I just thought I might throw out a reason I could see someone justifying it over.

I simply just don't offer gougers my money.

[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.

[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!