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BOTL UPCOMING MAINTENANCE
Hi Everyone, as mentioned in my introduction post, BOTL needs quite a bit of updating, patching and whatever else I might come across. Over the next few weekends BOTL may be unreachable on occasion as I do migrations or updates, etc. Just be patient - we'll be back! I'll generally try to keep these maintenances until later in the evenings.
Monster Thoughts
- Thread starter tatuaje
- Start date
njstone
BoM January 2010
I'm on my phone and don't have time fo a full response now, Pete. But I thought that the way it way it was done this year was great EXCEPT for one thing--there were very few boxes available that were truly open to the public. So for all the fans and collectors who don't live within driving distance of one of the primary or secondary retailers, we were out of luck in terms of scoring a full box.
This can be very easily solved by adding just one component--the one you suggested of a single retailer that gets a ton of boxes (maybe one of the 13 in the current system). The number brakedowns would be up to you, of course. This way, those who have no recourse but a phone (or Internet?) order could do so, but all the other fun things for the retailers and local buyers could still happen.
So just add to the current system an extra couple hundred boxes to one specific retailer (it could even be a surprise). they might sell out in an hour, but all the fans who are ready at 1pm could get their box or two.
This can be very easily solved by adding just one component--the one you suggested of a single retailer that gets a ton of boxes (maybe one of the 13 in the current system). The number brakedowns would be up to you, of course. This way, those who have no recourse but a phone (or Internet?) order could do so, but all the other fun things for the retailers and local buyers could still happen.
So just add to the current system an extra couple hundred boxes to one specific retailer (it could even be a surprise). they might sell out in an hour, but all the fans who are ready at 1pm could get their box or two.
How about something like the CRA did for their sampler. You go to your Tatuaje website and order the box and pay "x" amount of dollars. You then get it shipped to a local B&M and pay them "x" amount of dollars. This way the B&M makes some money.
It would be even nicer if you gave us BOTL'ers a secret early bird code to buy them 1 day earlier than the public :eyebrow:
It would be even nicer if you gave us BOTL'ers a secret early bird code to buy them 1 day earlier than the public :eyebrow:
smokemifugotem
BoM July '10
Hell...have CRA do it all for ya...it would quickly triple their members list...like elder said...just like the samplers.
My opinion is that it's your brand and your call. The masses will follow. Or at least I will (as long as I have taken my "bi-polar" medicine on the 12th).
But, I think that vendors that make promises to clients and then re-nig is bullshit. If I make a promise I keep it. It is opportunities like this that vendors can increase their clienteleand future sales from those who spend real money on cigars. They only shoot themselves in the foot when they don't care who you are or what they've promised.
Love your brand and always will.
Thanks for everything, including the friendship.
But, I think that vendors that make promises to clients and then re-nig is bullshit. If I make a promise I keep it. It is opportunities like this that vendors can increase their clienteleand future sales from those who spend real money on cigars. They only shoot themselves in the foot when they don't care who you are or what they've promised.
Love your brand and always will.
Thanks for everything, including the friendship.
I like the idea of limited boxes but opening more cigars to the people that want them. I am more interested in smoking your cigars because I enjoy them. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to try the Frank because I could not find any to purchase nor could I find anyone willing to trade or sell to me. I see the same thing happening with the Drac. I would love to get my hand on at least a few of them.
I really like this idea.
Pete you do it however you want to, its your company. I'm sure I'll get to at least try a Drac. Hell I got my first Frank this week and I am a total newbie to cigars. If there isn't any Drac boxes I'll buy other boxes of tats thats all.
I'm sure I will be in the minority here but I honestly don't think you are going to satisfy everybody no matter what you do. I would like to get a box but if I don't it's not the end of the world. Am I going to stop purchasing your products because I didn't get one...NO. I wasn't able to get any Franks from last year but I still have lit up and smoked quite a few Regios since last October.
I do respect the fact you are trying to satisfy everybody but I don't think that will happen.
I do respect the fact you are trying to satisfy everybody but I don't think that will happen.
People would be upset anyway (like I am) because I have called stores that said "we will sell those to lounge members first, and if we have any left, to the public"
It would be the same situation... No matter what you do, the only people that will be truly happy are the ones that get their hands on what they want.
I see my only chance is to be at the Smoke Inn event on the 30th.... They said they will sell on a first come first serve once the event starts.......... So I'm taking the day off of work and will be there from 10am when they open till the event starts to snag a box of each if possible, hang out for a bit and drive the 95 miles back to my house.... It will be worth it if they honor what they told me on the fone, and I guess bringing my laptop and hoping they have WiFi and places to eat near by, I'll be at the shop for over 8 hours to snag a box.
CWS
<b>Lead Moderator</b>
I like it. I smoke cigars, not cigar boxes. The coffins are fun but the cigars were great. I smoked all but one. Would have loved to get a few more. The "collectors" get what they want and the cigar smokers get to enjoy your product. Seems very win win.
Pete think its a bad idea at all and think a lot of people will also. Imagine B&M wont like this much either as one shop is getting a whole lot of love.
First off from a marketing perspective let me just say pure genius.
I think the steps you took this year increasing the boxes and distribution made a lot more people happy then sad or frustrated. Moving it to Glauster would piss a lot of people off I think.
1) I like the fact you give back to all your faithful vendors by giving them the chance to get the limited edition boxes and I can support my local while getting a collectors item.
2) Gloucester is going to sell most of the boxes to its locals or people in the region who will then resell the boxes. B&M always support their locals over all others. I know you know this. To do otherwise is to shot yourself in the head. Their locals keep them in business.
3) When the doors open on the 13th all the locals who have reserved boxes (which you know is going to happen) and the guys standing at the shop will be helped first. Then the phone calls will be answered.
4) Pete Why should the collectors in this one region be treated better every year over all the other collectors in the country/ world?
5) If you think it good to reduce the limited boxes again, why not go with 666 boxes and now have the Lucky 7? These 7 shops which should be selected largely on regions. Each of the 7 will each get an equal cut.
Okay I had some other ideas I thought would be cool, but this is long enough and you likely wont read stuff this long. Figured it was worth a shot
OOOOooo and make more T110's please!!!!!
First off from a marketing perspective let me just say pure genius.
I think the steps you took this year increasing the boxes and distribution made a lot more people happy then sad or frustrated. Moving it to Glauster would piss a lot of people off I think.
1) I like the fact you give back to all your faithful vendors by giving them the chance to get the limited edition boxes and I can support my local while getting a collectors item.
2) Gloucester is going to sell most of the boxes to its locals or people in the region who will then resell the boxes. B&M always support their locals over all others. I know you know this. To do otherwise is to shot yourself in the head. Their locals keep them in business.
3) When the doors open on the 13th all the locals who have reserved boxes (which you know is going to happen) and the guys standing at the shop will be helped first. Then the phone calls will be answered.
4) Pete Why should the collectors in this one region be treated better every year over all the other collectors in the country/ world?
5) If you think it good to reduce the limited boxes again, why not go with 666 boxes and now have the Lucky 7? These 7 shops which should be selected largely on regions. Each of the 7 will each get an equal cut.
Okay I had some other ideas I thought would be cool, but this is long enough and you likely wont read stuff this long. Figured it was worth a shot
OOOOooo and make more T110's please!!!!!
I like this one and I am going to look into the logistics of this.
xddco
The Skipper
I like the CRA idea. I also think that this will all settle down in a few weeks. I got 4 boxes of Franks last year. After my first box, I bought an additional 2 full boxes by calling shops on the list 2-3 days after release because people ordered them and did not pick them up or pay. I bought another box from a private party. I ended up gifting/trading more than 2 boxes of them.... some of the BOTL here, who migrated from cbid, can attest to that. That's the beauty of BOTL.....we share our wealth of cigars. I think everyone who wants a few will get a few.
The reality is that this is a highly sought after commodity. The retailers know that. They are also experiencing slumping sales and decreased revenues. A phenomenon like the Monster series is a cash cow for them. It's the American way. As a producer, Pete is stuck in the middle, trying to support the small business owner who distributes his product, while at the same time, keep his customers (fan base) happy by offering the product at a fair price, (that he can't really control, particularly in light of schip and the gray market). That is quite a dilemma. If there was a way to take care of everyone here first, I think a CRA type deal would be great. However.....
The aura of the Monster includes the hunt. Some will make the kill, some will miss. It's up to us to share.....both the experience as well as the kill, if we made it.
The reality is that this is a highly sought after commodity. The retailers know that. They are also experiencing slumping sales and decreased revenues. A phenomenon like the Monster series is a cash cow for them. It's the American way. As a producer, Pete is stuck in the middle, trying to support the small business owner who distributes his product, while at the same time, keep his customers (fan base) happy by offering the product at a fair price, (that he can't really control, particularly in light of schip and the gray market). That is quite a dilemma. If there was a way to take care of everyone here first, I think a CRA type deal would be great. However.....
The aura of the Monster includes the hunt. Some will make the kill, some will miss. It's up to us to share.....both the experience as well as the kill, if we made it.
dpmrpa
Indiscriminate Bomber
I agree with AJ and a few other with this Pete. You can do both and more people would get a chance at them. Personally I missed the Frank got on a good list for the Drac and still am going to miss this. Yeah my bad luck but will try harder next year. Love your cigars keep making them.
Since I came up with the idea Pete, you have to give me the 1st box. LOL J/K
That has to be the best idea yet, imo. Using the popularity of your brand to boost the group that helping us to keep our rights to smoke.
Maybe other cigar manufacturer's would follow suit.
It seems like a lot of the trouble stems from not enough boxes being available to phone orders. So everyone ends up calling multiple stores, getting their names on multiple lists and increasing the perceived demand. This brings in more speculators, and people trying to buy extra boxes for their friends pumping up the demand even more. I think Pete's idea would work to correct this problem, but I like the 13 stores and the "unlucky" aspect, as well as "the hunt" to get the sticks, as long as it is reasonably possible to actually buy a box. Reducing the 13 to only 31 boxes probably didn't help. With increased awareness, they would need 100 boxes to want to sell over the phone.
Plenty of your stuff is available and even the more limited stuff finds its way into our hands. I think everything will work out when the boxes hit the shelves.
Plenty of your stuff is available and even the more limited stuff finds its way into our hands. I think everything will work out when the boxes hit the shelves.