At what price would you quit?

[djrey]

With all the talk about supply and demand recently and price increases etc. I became curious to see where people would draw the line and either stop smoking or switch to a non Cuban cigar. Personal choices like this will have a direct role in determining the future market. Lets assume we are talking about your favorite Robusto. At what price per stick would you call it quits? Vote for the highest price range that you would willingly pay. 

[Focal_Banger]

Great pole idea! I'm upset but understand the price increases, but it still hurts my wallet. I haven't been buying as much as before this all cascaded. I can't wait for prices to drop close to where they were before. Someday 😕

[smbauerllc]

My favorite Robusto, the CoRo, has already exceeded my willingness to buy at around $28ea everywhere.

Just 6 months or so ago I could get them for $20ea

I just can't bring myself to spend more than $25 on a single stick, unless I come into some windfall money (bought some with the last stimulus check), or its an ER or EL that I have read a lot of good reviews on from different forum members.

Due to cc price increases, I have been smoking a lot more nc's than I was, and am stocking up on value boxes of cc's (partagas mille fluers, RyJ Mille fluers, monte 4's, LFdC's, Fonsecas, etc).

Partly due to smoking smaller cigars in the winter anyway too though

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[Monterey]

Cohiba and Trinidad have already gone too far, so they are out.  Most recently Bolivar Liby's were cut.  The rest are also too high, but I am still "in the game" on those as I'm trying to be understanding of what vendors like FOH are going thru with trying to pay the bills with less sales.

But even at today's prices i'm switching to non-cubans if things don't correct in a year or so.  I sure hope it doesn't come to that.  I really like my Cubans! 

[djrey]

2 minutes ago, Monterey said:

I'm trying to be understanding of what vendors like FOH are going thru with trying to pay the bills with less sales.

Good point, and let me make this clear, this poll is in no way condemning good willed businesses like FOH. They have been subjugated to this crappy situation and are doing nothing but their best to survive and provide people with the cigars they enjoy. 

[Midas]

The chances of me quitting are slim but I’ll definitely be smoking more PC’s and less Robustos and larger formats.

It will be interesting to see if the prices come back to a pre Covid level once supply is back to 100% in the next 12-18 months. I’m probably being a bit too hopeful though tbh.


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[smbauerllc]

The chances of me quitting are slim but I’ll definitely be smoking more PC’s and less Robustos and larger formats.

It will be interesting to see if the prices come back to a pre Covid level once supply is back to 100% in the next 12-18 months. I’m probably being a bit too hopeful though tbh.


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Unfortunately, my prediction is that prices will only drop slightly once they have figured out how much people have been willing to pay based on sales.

I have noticed with many non-cigar things that once prices increase, but sales remain somewhat the same, that prices tend to stay there.

Really hope I'm wrong though

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[djrey]

6 minutes ago, smbauerllc said:

Unfortunately, my prediction is that prices will only drop slightly once they have figured out how much people have been willing to pay based on sales.

I have noticed with many non-cigar things that once prices increase, but sales remain somewhat the same, that prices tend to stay there.

Really hope I'm wrong though

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That's why I was so curious to poll the members here. In my head I'm thinking no way is someone paying $300 a box for D4's but then I always remind myself that people are in different financial situations and value things differently than I do. Problem is, like you said, if enough people are willing to spend that kind of money we are all screwed until supply becomes so high that they need our section of the market again to bring numbers back up.

[Midas]

I think the biggest problem for pricing is going to to be the apparently recent huge demand from the Asian market which is going to keep the demand very high.

I think that consumption has gone up during Covid due to working from home or not at all if you were placed on Furlough in the UK coupled with having to stay in or at least not be able to travel meaning people have had more disposable income.

Also a box of D4 in the UK is around £600-650 so about $800ish so $300 definitely won’t stop that market


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[smbauerllc]

That's why I was so curious to poll the members here. In my head I'm thinking no way is someone paying $300 a box for D4's but then I always remind myself that people are in different financial situations and value things differently than I do. Problem is, like you said, if enough people are willing to spend that kind of money we are all screwed until supply becomes so high that they need our section of the market again to bring numbers back up.

Yup, welcome to capitalism.
Prices will go to whatever the market will bear, and I suspect that sales are still high enough that prices will go down slightly, but wont return to previous levels unfortunately

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[djrey]

2 minutes ago, Midas said:

Also a box of D4 in the UK is around £600-650 so about $800ish so $300 definitely won’t stop that market

I know I always nearly choke when I hear prices mentioned on some of the youtube videos I watched based out of Europe. Safe to say I would be totally tobacco free with prices like that. 

[smbauerllc]

I think the biggest problem for pricing is going to to be the apparently recent huge demand from the Asian market which is going to keep the demand very high.

I think that consumption has gone up during Covid due to working from home or not at all if you were placed on Furlough in the UK coupled with having to stay in or at least not be able to travel meaning people have had more disposable income.

Also a box of D4 in the UK is around £600-650 so about $800ish so $300 definitely won’t stop that market


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Yeah, UK prices are insane. If I lived there i'd be buying from Switzerland online rather than at a B&M with their prices.

I have noticed that most things that are out of stock with my handful of trusted vendors are still available at UK online vendors, but no way I'm paying their prices.

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[Midas]

I’m fortunate enough to travel to Europe a couple of times a year so I very rarely if at all purchase in the UK. Of course FoH has been great as well so very thankful for that.

Some Swiss vendors aren’t currently shipping to the UK due to customs issues. Fortunately I only smoke a couple of times a week at most, less in the winter so it’s not an issue now travel is pretty much open to Europe again, just hoping there’s actually some stock left next time I manage to get there.


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[Grateful13]

Inflation is happening across the board. Have you seen the prices in the grocery store lately?  Prices are not coming down. It’s not just cigars. 

[smbauerllc]

Inflation is happening across the board. Have you seen the prices in the grocery store lately?  Prices are not coming down. It’s not just cigars. 

Yup. Prices of everything will go to whatever the market will bear and stay there. Gasoline is a good example of this.

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[teamrandr]

Honestly they are too expensive already when you factor in plugged/ underfilled etc. 

[jhalischuk]

Would just cut back as needed but no way I'm quitting lol

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, Grateful13 said:

Inflation is happening across the board. Have you seen the prices in the grocery store lately?  Prices are not coming down. It’s not just cigars. 

Inflation in the US is a self inflicted wound caused by the current admin printing and spending trillions of dollars that they don't have. This may not be the case with other countries in the world. And is a separate issue with the large demand/short supply of Cuban cigars. Apples vs. oranges

[Islandboy]

Recent price increases are definitely a hard pill to swallow, and I don’t think blame for this can be squarely placed on any one thing or another - there’s a unique combination of forces at play right now. Still, it’s my understanding that any of us in the US complaining about pricing have no idea how good we’ve had it for years, and still do, compared to nearly anywhere else in the world.

[Kaptain Karl]

I'd say $11 for most regular production robustos, and $20 for CORO. Luckily I loaded up before the last price increase so any more purchasing is just filling holes here and there in my collection. 

It'll be interesting with how prices have skyrocketed in the past year is if current stock will get the appreciation when sold 5 years from now that the previous aged stock is getting right now. 

[smbauerllc]

I'd say $11 for most regular production robustos, and $20 for CORO. Luckily I loaded up before the last price increase so any more purchasing is just filling holes here and there in my collection. 
It'll be interesting with how prices have skyrocketed in the past year is if current stock will get the appreciation when sold 5 years from now that the previous aged stock is getting right now. 

Yeah, that was about the going rate about a year ago.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to be set up for boxes, so wasn't able to stock up really, even if I had foreseen the price increases

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[Tstew75]

Being that Cohiba rolls the best Robusto in the World, I'll pay for them on release & age myself (typically won't pay secondary/aged prices). The CoRo smoking experience is unparalleled & worth $20+.

The only other one above $15 that I buy lots of are Vigia...right now they can be had for about $17/stick. I'm obsessed with these, particularly GLE/TLE 19s & any & all UAO/MAR coded boxes. All the new Trini vitolas make zero sense to me price wise, but these do. I'm going really deep on these at the moment.

All others belong in that $10-14 range.

[Cairo]

24 minutes ago, Kaptain Karl said:

I'd say $11 for most regular production robustos, and $20 for CORO. Luckily I loaded up before the last price increase so any more purchasing is just filling holes here and there in my collection. 

I checked the $9-$10 box because I have a lifetime supply at this point--no need for further buying since deals are not tempting me.

The Gods seem to be telling me I have enough cigars.

[Tstew75]

39 minutes ago, NYgarman said:

Inflation in the US is a self inflicted wound caused by the current admin printing and spending trillions of dollars that they don't have. This may not be the case with other countries in the world. And is a separate issue with the large demand/short supply of Cuban cigars. Apples vs. oranges

*Ahem*

...you mean the current administration, the one before it, and the one before that...

[SCgarman]

19 minutes ago, Tstew75 said:

*Ahem*

...you mean the current administration, the one before it, and the one before that...

FYI, prior to January 20, inflation was almost non existent. I buy gasoline and groceries. Sleepy Joe owns this.