Everything Is Being Priced As "Premium"

[AllorNothing]

Making this post as I'm a bit disappointed in a recent price increase here in Canada from my favorite vendor. They we're the pretty much the last one to do follow the price hikes so kudos to that. They're #1 hands down in Canada. Everything about them is respectable.

That said, everything is priced as a premium stick which honestly kills the market from a branding perspective. This only hit me now because I didn't shop anywhere else and their pricing structure made sense. Most cigars across every Marca are sitting in the $40 to $50 category regardless of brand name and size of cigar, which is absolutely nuts. This makes zero differentiation across the portfolios (making them all equals) from a price standpoint, when it's not. There are Monte 4s priced (+$1-$3) the same as RyJ Wide Churchills, pretty much the HdM portfolio, Monte #2, etc.). Then, several dollars extra and you're entering another bracket of cigars where the Trinidad line is sitting.

You know, 2 days ago I bought a large pizza and it costs $47. I think we are just entering the age of post-Covid in getting milked from companies. Everyone is milking the price hikes whether or not they've incurred cost increases. The consumer has adjusted and their income will either adapt (likely not) to this inflation and price gouging or they will simply buy less because they have to, or rack on debt (and most won't because we're not in a friendly borrowing environment and they have nothing to show for). 

Anyway, Trinidad Coloniales, or Monte 1s? Lol 

[ha_banos]

Easy, Monte 1.

[SCgarman]

Let's see. $47 for a large pizza? Nope. I'd be home making them in my kitchen before paying that price. Absolutely crazy. Are they charging $40 for a single Monte4? I hope not.

[AllorNothing]

2 hours ago, SCgarman said:

Let's see. $47 for a large pizza? Nope. I'd be home making them in my kitchen before paying that price. Absolutely crazy. Are they charging $40 for a single Monte4? I hope not.

$40 for monte 4

$45 monte 1

Pretty much everywhere in Canada it is in line.
 

 

[El Presidente]

It was only last week that an elderly lady close to us was complaining that the "roast and three veg" lunch of the day at the local club had risen from $12:50 to $15:00 in two years. . She was going off her nut until I reminded her that she had no problem putting money in the poker machines at the club 🤣 

Businesses gouging on prepared food can't exist because people have the chance to do it themselves. I respect a business that can charge $47 for a pizza and retain sufficient customers to support it.

I just paid $36 for 6 doughnuts to take to a lunch as dessert. I don't eat them but this bakery has a great doughnut reputation and I qued 15 deep to pay $6 for a doughnut. Gouging? F no. Brilliant execution! 

I have no idea what your retailer is smoking but likely not cigars. 

Go the Trinidad 😉

 

[AllorNothing]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

It was only last week that an elderly lady close to us was complaining that the "roast and three veg" lunch of the day at the local club had risen from $12:50 to $15:00 in two years. . She was going off her nut until I reminded her that she had no problem putting money in the poker machines at the club 🤣 

Businesses gouging on prepared food can't exist because people have the chance to do it themselves. I respect a business that can charge $47 for a pizza and retain sufficient customers to support it.

I just paid $36 for 6 doughnuts to take to a lunch as dessert. I don't eat them but this bakery has a great doughnut reputation and I qued 15 deep to pay $6 for a doughnut. Gouging? F no. Brilliant execution! 

I have no idea what your retailer is smoking but likely not cigars. 

Go the Trinidad 😉

 

I don't disagree from a business POV. If you're selling out $47 pizzas or $36 for 6 donuts, you're doing something right and that's completely driven by our want for more. It's almost laughable when you think about it because we attach some monetary value to something that is meaningful to us.... but it's gotten out of whack and that's just consumerism lol. Next time those donuts will be $10 with added glow in the dark sprinkles and many people will find value in that. It's like a bottle of grey goose at the club being $250 vs $45 at your liquor store. 

Anyway, I'm not b*itching because I'm still buying, but I'm finding it a bit hard to understand some of the price increases. I'm actually wondering if there' some critical thought and math behind it. Like I said, there are petit coronas of global brands priced the same as robustos and lonsdales. That would mean that the tobacco has to be graded at a much higher degree than those robustos and lonsdales, which it likely isn't based on Habanos S.A's marketing? Trinidad and Cohiba would be the two superior and than the global brands follow and then the local. 

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

It was only last week that an elderly lady close to us was complaining that the "roast and three veg" lunch of the day at the local club had risen from $12:50 to $15:00 in two years. . She was going off her nut until I reminded her that she had no problem putting money in the poker machines at the club 🤣 

Businesses gouging on prepared food can't exist because people have the chance to do it themselves. I respect a business that can charge $47 for a pizza and retain sufficient customers to support it.

I just paid $36 for 6 doughnuts to take to a lunch as dessert. I don't eat them but this bakery has a great doughnut reputation and I qued 15 deep to pay $6 for a doughnut. Gouging? F no. Brilliant execution! 

I have no idea what your retailer is smoking but likely not cigars. 

Go the Trinidad 😉

There's this pizza joint in my city, everyday they make a certain amount of fermented dough and once it's sold out they don't make any more. It's sold out every single day with a line that goes down the block for $15 slices of pizza. Great pizza. I've waited that 1 hour line to try. 

[Dr Process]

OP, I hear you.  In regards to your last statement regarding debt, here in the US, we love us some debt!  Americans’ credit card balances have hit a record high of 1.1 trillion!  

[AllorNothing]

17 minutes ago, Dr Process said:

OP, I hear you.  In regards to your last statement regarding debt, here in the US, we love us some debt!  Americans’ credit card balances have hit a record high of 1.1 trillion!  

Its ok... just print more money! brr

[Chas.Alpha]

Here in the US, we just can’t get over the idea that we’re not “exceptional.” I just bought a new telescope tonight for $4800.00. On my credit card…😔

[JoshD]

4 hours ago, AllorNothing said:

The consumer has adjusted and their income will either adapt (likely not) to this inflation and price gouging or they will simply buy less because they have to, or rack on debt (and most won't because we're not in a friendly borrowing environment and they have nothing to show for).

You're right. I know a few people who are reducing/eliminating their savings rate, or racking up debt, because they just can't (won't) deal with a reduction in spending.  These are people who know what they're doing.  

When items hit that imaginary threshold of cost/enjoyment ratio, I'll no longer enjoy them even if I can afford it. Bourbon is headed down the same path.

[AllorNothing]

32 minutes ago, JoshD said:

You're right. I know a few people who are reducing/eliminating their savings rate, or racking up debt, because they just can't (won't) deal with a reduction in spending. These are people who know what they're doing.  

When items hit that imaginary threshold of cost/enjoyment ratio, I'll no longer enjoy them even if I can afford it. Bourbon is headed down the same path.

Possibly, but I believe people today are unable to step away regardless of biting away their savings or racking up debt. Everyone just wants to keep living the way they did yesterday. 

[Chitmo]

On 2/24/2024 at 12:25 PM, SCgarman said:

Let's see. $47 for a large pizza? Nope. I'd be home making them in my kitchen before paying that price. Absolutely crazy. Are they charging $40 for a single Monte4? I hope not.

The Canadian dollar will be worth half a peso soon! 😂 

[Chibearsv]

On 2/24/2024 at 1:08 PM, Dr Process said:

Americans’ credit card balances have hit a record high of 1.1 trillion!

The US mortgage business has several cost regulations. The theory behind at least a couple of those regulations is that any consumer that would pay more than the "going rate" just isn't smart enough to stop themselves from paying more than they can afford.  And yet, the credit card offers just keep on coming.  🤔

[El Presidente]

10 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

Here in the US, we just can’t get over the idea that we’re not “exceptional.” I just bought a new telescope tonight for $4800.00. On my credit card…😔

 

[SCgarman]

6 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

The US mortgage business has several cost regulations.  The theory behind at least a couple of those regulations is that any consumer that would pay more than the "going rate" just isn't smart enough to stop themselves from paying more than they can afford.  And yet, the credit card offers just keep on coming.  🤔

Think of all those personal bankruptcies that are coming down the pike. The lawyers will be even more flush with cash than they currently are. Something's gotta give sooner or later.

[free85]

On 2/23/2024 at 9:53 PM, AllorNothing said:

 Everyone just wants to keep living the way they did yesterday. 

A portion of this has to have something to do with the reality of "I am working as hard, today, as I did yesterday."

[AllorNothing]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:42 PM, El Presidente said:

It was only last week that an elderly lady close to us was complaining that the "roast and three veg" lunch of the day at the local club had risen from $12:50 to $15:00 in two years. . She was going off her nut until I reminded her that she had no problem putting money in the poker machines at the club 🤣 

Businesses gouging on prepared food can't exist because people have the chance to do it themselves. I respect a business that can charge $47 for a pizza and retain sufficient customers to support it.

I just paid $36 for 6 doughnuts to take to a lunch as dessert. I don't eat them but this bakery has a great doughnut reputation and I qued 15 deep to pay $6 for a doughnut. Gouging? F no. Brilliant execution! 

I have no idea what your retailer is smoking but likely not cigars. 

Go the Trinidad 😉

 

Didn’t take much to convince me… just in

[cigcars]

    *I was just watching Life styles of the Super Rich (2017) and they were featuring a cigar lounge for the most "expensive and sought after cigar" in the world and it was for (get this) GURKHA!!  I don't know if this has been covered previously on this forum but I shouted out what I'm sure was you all's response: WHA-A-A-T!!?? Yeah. Kaizad Hansotia strikes again. I mean it featured all kinds of special packaging expensive  presentations for each stick, etc.  I couldn't believe all those guys were pretending like it was such a wonderful prized  item. 

[VictorEremita]

On 3/1/2024 at 8:55 AM, AllorNothing said:

Didn’t take much to convince me… just in

Damn dude

[Greenhorn2]

On 2/23/2024 at 9:50 PM, Chas.Alpha said:

Here in the US, we just can’t get over the idea that we’re not “exceptional.” I just bought a new telescope tonight for $4800.00. On my credit card…😔

Are you looking for bugs on Mars or what?😆

[Chibearsv]

1 hour ago, Greenhorn2 said:

Are you looking for bugs on Mars or what?😆

He’s hoping the rain will stop so he can peep his neighbors 😂