Tatuaje "The Face"

[SmokeProper]

Centro seems like a smart dude. Thanks for your thoughts and comments. And welcome.

 

[Thegreekone]

I can agree with most of your sentiment. The only exception is post count. Anyone can rack up a count with nonsensical posts. I can tell you I've received a lot of help here via PM, so it is not always through public postings to base one brother's ability to help another.

In total and whole hearted agreement. I have gotten some great leads, advice, and feedback via always generous BOTL. Love it here. :thumbsup:

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

"All cigar smokers should know that MSRP means something different depending on where you are. The cigar tax, individual policies on SCHIP, whether that tax is included or comes up at the end of the sale, operational cost, all of these contribute to the sticker price."


Taxes I understand, whether it's local, state & federal, tobacco tax - whether it be a state tobacco tax or SCHIP (Federal) and I've been working in and around the tobacco business since 1995, but I ain't heard of or know anybody that passes on an "operational cost" to their customers!

 

[earful]

I guess this is what is referred to as the 'madness', but it sure is a sweet, crazy chase.

 

[Centro33]

I don't know everyone's reality. We're in a comparably low cost area, but I'd think rent and utilities in Chicago, New York, Miami Beach, etc. would require a business model that accounts for that. That would apply to every item, naturally, not just super special cigars.

 

[BrandonP]

Taxes I understand, whether it's local, state & federal, tobacco tax - whether it be a state tobacco tax or SCHIP (Federal) and I've been working in and around the tobacco business since 1995, but I ain't heard of or know anybody that passes on an "operational cost" to their customers!

Never been to AZ I take it then? We have a certain location here that has huge cost upkeep and it shows in their prices. The B&M I work at charges standard MSRP, they are around $3-$5 more per stick on everything we have in common. And the funny part is people happily pay it...confusing to say the least.

 

[KINGLISH]

SO is it going to cost me 30% more in MA compared to FL?

 

[lbowles2]

I was just in Centro this evening and Bryan told me about this. I'm thinking I'm going to have to get the box... just gotta talk the wifey into it. For me it is a fair amount of coin for 13 cigars.

I wasn't going to look at this thread but I'm glad I did after reading Bryans post. He and the others at Centro are a class act and treat the customers very well. It was almost shocking how quickly they knew me by name after just coming in a few times spread over 3 or 4 months time. And Bryan has an uncanny knack of always leading me toward a cigar that I like... and Umut is the same way. If you're ever driving by Lawrence you need to stop by and check em out :thumbsup:

 

[TheCigarKid]

I was told $172.25 shipped. Which is fine by me! Oh, but there has to be a catch, right?

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

All the B&M's I have worked at charged MSRP and than all taxes were seperate line items, that way the customer knew we were selling the cigars at the price suggested by the manufacturer. They all paid rent, had lounges, wide screen tv's, stereo's and wi-fi, but none of them passed thoses costs on to their customers. As fair as they were concerned that was part of the costs of doing business.

 

[BxCigrfan]

well all i know is i want a dress box so hopefully i can get my hands on one
want to keep my boxes together they just look cool like that

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

I was told $172.25 shipped. Which is fine by me! Oh, but there has to be a catch, right?

That is a damn good price considering 13 cigars @ $13.00 a piece is $169.00, so someone is only charging you $3.25 shipping?

 

[TheCigarKid]

That is a damn good price considering 13 cigars @ $13.00 a piece is $169.00, so someone is only charging you $3.25 shipping?

I don't mind that price at all! The shipping is coming free w/ the Box purchase... AND Another box of Tat's. So if you want to guarantee the LE box, you better cash up the cash for another box of Tat's. Always a catch... Better act quick, though.

 

[njstone]

Pete is eating SCHIP on all his cigars still, so any retailer telling you that SCHIP factors in on these is full of it. Also, I'd never buy by phone/internet who charges for "operational costs." The MSRP on cigars is always a HUGE markup over what the retailers pay ... if they want to charge in-house customers more, of course that's their business.

 

[tmoney2007]

Pete is eating SCHIP on all his cigars still, so any retailer telling you that SCHIP factors in on these is full of it. Also, I'd never buy by phone/internet who charges for "operational costs." The MSRP on cigars is always a HUGE markup over what the retailers pay ... if they want to charge in-house customers more, of course that's their business.

This is true. SCHIP is paid on the distribution end, not the retail side. Retailers are going to charge their margin over what they pay. If they charge MSRP + "SCHIP" they are ripping people off.

 

[SergeantStogie]

I gotta quit reading this thread. It is getting me all spun up to try and buy a box of cigars just for the fun of saying I got one instead of being a cigar I really want.

 

[Centro33]

Pete is eating SCHIP on all his cigars still, so any retailer telling you that SCHIP factors in on these is full of it. Also, I'd never buy by phone/internet who charges for "operational costs." The MSRP on cigars is always a HUGE markup over what the retailers pay ... if they want to charge in-house customers more, of course that's their business.

I'd like to point out that a retailer has a lot of expenses (and state taxes are one of those expenses) that the large online and catalogue businesses do not. Also, the online/catalogue businesses do a volume that is miles beyond what a small local business does. A cigar store in a town of 100,000 has to manage a lot of expenses that aren't a factor when you're moving millions of cigars a day.

Pete has long been one of the few who eat SCHIP. It doesn't apply across the board (meaning other manufacturers) and my point on that was that there are a lot of costs people seem to be unaware of.

To the MSRP issue: in my experience, MSRP (by the way, I'd like to point out that the 'S' is for suggested and the 'M' doesn't mean mandatory) is often (STRESSING THE POINT: NOT THE CASE WITH PETE, BUT VERY, VERY OFTEN) well below the price a retailer would have to sell for in order to keep his head above water. It'd be a great world if everything was sold at cost, but it would be very difficult to keep stores open in that reality. I won't mention names, but there are a lot of manufacturers that set an MSRP that is ridiculously out of line with what a store has to charge in order to stay in business. (Luckily for me, to say nothing of the national economy if this line of thinking were taken to its logical end, cigar stores don't have self checkout yet.) Many of them don't account for SCHIP, or state tax, or apparently the cost of the cigar. In my experience, that markup is far from 'huge.' Also, our customers (and I'm sure many other retailers do the same) often receive considerations that make the markup anything but huge. I can say in full confidence that we are not screwing anyone. I've heard of retailers gouging, but I've never been a part of it and haven't met a retailer who has.

 

[Centro33]

I was just in Centro this evening and Bryan told me about this. I'm thinking I'm going to have to get the box... just gotta talk the wifey into it. For me it is a fair amount of coin for 13 cigars.

I wasn't going to look at this thread but I'm glad I did after reading Bryans post. He and the others at Centro are a class act and treat the customers very well. It was almost shocking how quickly they knew me by name after just coming in a few times spread over 3 or 4 months time. And Bryan has an uncanny knack of always leading me toward a cigar that I like... and Umut is the same way. If you're ever driving by Lawrence you need to stop by and check em out :thumbsup:

Thanks so much, Larry. When I'd mentioned it earlier, BOTL timed out and the post seems to be lost, but I will repeat myself: We appreciate you, your business and your kind words. Very happy to have you as a member of the Centro Family.

 

[Farani]

Thanks for the tip bro. More than a hundred sixty have already called in! :argh:

hi guys. this is my first post here. Wondering if I have any shot of getting one of the two boxes at this point. Calling first thing tomorrow morning!

 

[RyanCuad]

hi guys. this is my first post here. Wondering if I have any shot of getting one of the two boxes at this point. Calling first thing tomorrow morning!

lol...