Warranty seals bar code removed

[Omskakas]

On another cigar forum a member received a box that had warranty seal bar code removed. He asked vendor why it was done and got this response:

"seals and barcodes identify the distributor. Distributors are not permitted by habanos to sell outside their alloted area. They are removed most of the time for this reason."

Is this true and a valid reason? Does Czar remove codes when they ship outside Asian region?

[bob25]

The main reason for removing bar-codes is that the vendor dont wont them to be trace back to him.

Usually if he ships them to a NO CUBANS country...

If you buy from a well respected vendor then you have nothing to worry about.

Another reason for removing the bar-codes is "gray market",you can never be sure that you're getting the real deal.

P.S. AFAIK,the bar-codes only started to appear since 2009 so not all boxes has them yet.

[Omskakas]

The main reason for removing bar-codes is that the vendor dont wont them to be trace back to him.

Usually if he ships them to a NO CUBANS country...

If you buy from a well respected vendor then you have nothing to worry about.

Another reason for removing the bar-codes is "gray market",you can never be sure that you're getting the real deal.

P.S. AFAIK,the bar-codes only started to appear since 2009 so not all boxes has them yet.

The vendor shipped the box to Finland where Cubans are allowed. This box had a bar code. It was removed with sandpaper or like.

[FireDigger]

The vendor shipped the box to Finland where Cubans are allowed. This box had a bar code. It was removed with sandpaper or like.

Yes this is still a valid response even when shipping to a country where CCs are legal. Usually the ones who do this are gray market vendors who get their cigars from channels other than their official distributor; therefore, as you can understand, they don't want the cigars traced back to where they got the cigars. This does not mean the cigars are fake or of lesser quality, but it does mean the cigars will be less expensive. Czar does not do this since they get their cigars from PCC, the official distributor for the Asia Pacific. If you want, do a search as this has been talked about before. I just can't find that old post at the moment.

[tigger]

The main reason for removing bar-codes is that the vendor dont wont them to be trace back to him.

Usually if he ships them to a NO CUBANS country...

If you buy from a well respected vendor then you have nothing to worry about.

Another reason for removing the bar-codes is "gray market",you can never be sure that you're getting the real deal.

P.S. AFAIK,the bar-codes only started to appear since 2009 so not all boxes has them yet.

It's my understanding that the main reason is to protect official distrubutors/vendors who are selling product to grey marketers.

Don't see that the "no Cubans country" has all that much to do with it.

[mkz]

If you want, do a search as this has been talked about before. I just can't find that old post at the moment.

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...howtopic=100238

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...showtopic=98318

[Omskakas]

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...howtopic=100238

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...showtopic=98318

Thanks! Those posts made it clear.

[Colt45]

Here's another link if you care to read:

Link

[FireDigger]

Here's another link if you care to read:

Link

That was the one I thought remembered, Colt. Note to self: must improve search skills.