EAR: Move on or raise an issue?

[El Presidente]

EAR= Email Assistance Required. 

 

 

"I hope you are doing well and everything is good on your side.

Sorry to disturb you, but I am looking for your kind advice on something. I had a friend who was travelling to Havana, and I gave him a list of three cigars to buy, the proper places to purchase, and also I gave him a budget of $2,200 USD. Well he brought back the cigars,but unfortunately, due to lack of time, he did not go to the places I advised. He bought from another location, and now I see clearly the cigars are not original. Even the quality is very bad, not even good fakes, unfortunately.

He is more of an acquaintance than close friend, and he is not a cigar smoker. He was just doing me a favour.

Now I am thinking, should I just accept this situation and move on? I received $300 change from the amount I gave him.

Appreciate your thoughts.

With best regards,"

 

I don't see an option other than to swallow it. 

Over to you good people. 

[benfica_77]

Ooof $1900 USD is some serious chunk of change. 

I'd have a conversation, but ultimately it comes down to two things. He didn't follow your instructions and at the same time you took a risk. If you bring it up, think about the impact it can have with your have friend circle or other ramifications. If you don't mind losing this acquaintance forever no harm in having a constructive and friendly conversation. 

Good luck. 

[Wookie]

3 cigars for $2200? Either this guy has disposable income or he’s not too intelligent. No offense intended. Sounds more like the ladder entrusting a troglodyte with that task. Was he hunting Behike releases?

[El Presidente]

11 hours ago, benfica_77 said:

Ooof $1900 USD is some serious chunk of change. 

I'd have a conversation, but ultimately it comes down to two things. He didn't follow your instructions and at the same time you took a risk. If you bring it up, think about the impact it can have with your have friend circle or other ramifications. If you don't mind losing this acquaintance forever no harm in having a constructive and friendly conversation. 

Good luck. 

If someone doesn't know this game, then to them buying from Havana Woolworths or Havana Tesco would at the time seem irrelevant. 

You know what it's like when travelling. Best of intentions, meet new people, late nights.you put things off until later in the week...and put it back again, rush, panic, airport, home. 

The purchase of cigars assignment in Cuba/Caribbean/Central America/Asia to my mind should only be given to those who know what they are doing. Otherwise there is risk aplenty. 

[El Presidente]

11 hours ago, Wookie said:

3 cigars for $2200? Either this guy has disposable income or he’s not too intelligent. No offense intended. Sounds more like the ladder entrusting a troglodyte with that task. Was he hunting Behike releases?

I assume it is three boxes.

[BoliDan]

Eat it. Sending an acquaintance that doesn't know about cigars to go cigar hunting, while on vacation, isn't something I would personally jump at even if they enthusiastically offered. We all know people with no knowledge will fall for this every time. Also, I wouldn't put it past a friend of a friend to see this as an opportunity to get a little extra vacation cash by seeking "deals" and using the rest for a nice dinner and drinks.

[Fuzz]

Agree, take it on the chin as a learning experience. 

[Puros Y Vino]

Caveat emptor. (you're the buyer, not the acquaintance). The situation does suck. No doubt. Unfortunately, the risk was yours, not his, even if he didn't do exactly as instructed. From what you have in your possession, take one from each box, cut it open and see if they're at least long filler. If so, they at least may be smokeable. Freeze them first though. 

[Dlowil]

I'd have the difficult conversation. Ask if the acquaintance can help make it right. If they don’t, chalk it up as a loss. If they do, then the acquaintance may have become a friend. Either way an expensive lesson.

[Zonum]

Lesson learnt. Bite the bullet. Not worth losing a friend. 

[Montezüma]

I have never done this. 

I have done: 1. Meet my contact at agreed location for pickup. 2. Surprise me with this budget from something at the airport DFS.

For this particular case, I agree with this:

8 hours ago, Zonum said:

Lesson learnt. Bite the bullet. Not worth losing a friend.  

Because the instructions it seems, were not crystal clear.

[zaca]

You can say something, but here’s the thing…Are you planning on getting money out of him? Because at the end of the day, that’s the toughest part here if the guy doesn’t have the cash. 

[Fuzz]

7 hours ago, zaca said:

You can say something, but here’s the thing…Are you planning on getting money out of him? Because at the end of the day, that’s the toughest part here if the guy doesn’t have the cash. 

[Çnote]

This was a bad plan. I'm curious as to which 3 cigars & exactly why procurement in Cuba was considered when direct transactions are possible. I know that can be influenced by a lot of local factors, but if the goal was 'best price,' karma happened. Sucks for sure. Expensive lesson.

 

[Cigar Surgeon]

He's going to have to eat it, I'm afraid.

Back in the old days I would never hand over a fraction of this to someone who wasn't a "cigar guy". And then I would make it clear upfront with a page of detailed instructions that they were to follow these instructions precisely with no deviation. Then I ran them through the common scams that they would face that would motivate them to deviate from the instructions, and how they were to ignore them.

I think I had a perfect rate.

But someone who isn't a "cigar guy"? You're just throwing money away.

[Ford2112]

It was at that very moment, he realized...he effed up.

[BG318]

Eat it. That's like sending my wife to buy a nice bottle of wine. No offense to my lovely bride. She doesn't drink. 

[BrightonCorgi]

I've heard this story countless times.

[chasy]

Gotta eat it. I would 100% find an excuse to mention that all the cigars my friend bought me were counterfeit and that it cost me 2 G's. But I'm petty.

[Mr.Q121]

I would just eat it and learn my lesson. I would however let him know that he was had but no big deal as he did not know. 

[Lucas Buck]

It’s super tempting anytime you know someone making the pilgrimage but you gotta resist unless it’s a fellow BOTL. I have done this many, many times and always with brilliant results but only ever with Brothers that have delivered the goods in the past and know what the f^k they’re doing. I truly feel bad for this chap but he should chalk it up to a hard lesson learned and move on. I would likely admonish the bad faith acquaintance on his pathetically bad form just a little though 😅

[Islandboy]

17 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I had a friend who was travelling to Havana, and I gave him a list of three cigars to buy

We haven’t even confirmed that his “acquaintance” offered to do this in the first place. 

[Çnote]

1 hour ago, Islandboy said:

We haven’t even confirmed that his “acquaintance” offered to do this in the first place. 

Savvy.

[Chibearsv]

I can't stand the idea of asking an acquaintance to be entrusted with something like this. I don't trust an acquaintance to take my trash cans to the curb when we go out of town. I certainly wouldn't count on one to carry a bunch of my cash and follow a specific set of buying instructions. I think the buyer didn't take nearly enough care for this and therefore should bear the responsibility of the total loss. It's also possible that the acquaintance profited from the enterprise by stating what the paid price was, but actually paying much less.  

[BrightonCorgi]

The buyer shouldn't be so cavalier to save a buck. Throwing judgement out the window thinking he had it figured out.