El Presidente Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I had a chance while in Havana to see the prototype of the new warranty seals. Very similar to the current ones.....with one important difference. Bar code which tells to which distributor it was sent by Habanos s.a. This should set the cat amongst the pidgeons
shortsqueeze Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Rob, what will the net effect be as a result of this? Welcome back!
Guest rob Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 The distributors who supply Parallel importers will now be obvious and transparent.
El Presidente Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 The distributors who supply Parallel importers will now be obvious and transparent. Unless the seller cuts off the Bar Code or defaces it in order to protect the source. In such a case you would be a little nervous as to legitimacy. Bar code will have other information as well.
greenpimp Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 This oughtta be interesting. I wonder if justfakes will start making these now too. I would smiley face if it didn't piss me off already.
Trevor2118 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Unless the seller cuts off the Bar Code or defaces it in order to protect the source. In such a case you would be a little nervous as to legitimacy. Bar code will have other information as well. Looks like we will have to add bar-code readers to our arsenal of tools.
Ginseng Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Fascinating. I can't wait to see the new seals. Wilkey
Guest rob Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Anything, and I mean anything, that HSA do to help protect against fakes is going to get a big positive vote from all enthusiasts. At least they do things right sometimes. Hopefully they do it properly and don't stuff it up.
Trevor2118 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Anything, and I mean anything, that HSA do to help protect against fakes is going to get a big positive vote from all enthusiasts. At least they do things right sometimes. Hopefully they do it properly and don't stuff it up. This of course will not stop the private fakes..... cheap cigars with "justfake" bands placed into a secondhand legitimate box.
Guest rob Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 This of course will not stop the private fakes..... cheap cigars with "justfake" bands placed into a secondhand legitimate box. Hence why we all love the tried and true method of avoiding fakes.... always buy from reputable dealer.
FlyFishingDude Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Looks like we will have to add bar-code readers to our arsenal of tools. I was thinking the same thing. But since they're a few different standards of barcodes, which one will they use? If it was me, I would use RFID technology instead
El Presidente Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 I was thinking the same thing. But since they're a few different standards of barcodes, which one will they use? If it was me, I would use RFID technology instead I have a picture of the barcodes (complete new seal) but I cannot post it until it is formally released by HSA.
shortsqueeze Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 The distributors who supply Parallel importers will now be obvious and transparent. Obviously, that's why I asked for the "net" effect Will this mean AD's will no longer be willing to supply parallel importers?
El Presidente Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 Obviously, that's why I asked for the "net" effect Will this mean AD's will no longer be willing to supply parallel importers? We are talking about some of the sharpest knives in the industry. I wouldn't back against them
Tampa1257 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Interesting, yet I do not think it will have a huge effect among the larger Parallel Importers. Their clients already know that they supply through Parallel sources and accept it. Who I believe it will most interesting for is Habanos S.A., as they have had their head in the sand or were just looking the other way not acknowledging the issue.
Guest rob Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Precisely. HSA advertise (on their website at least) that there are global distribution zones and that these zones are supplied by their "exclusive" distributors. The fact they dont audit and punish offenders (by revoking their contracts) speaks volumes about their goals - sell as much product as possible, however possible.
El Presidente Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 We are talking about some of the sharpest knives in the industry. I wouldn't back against them I was talking about the Parallel guys
nocsious Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 What other information can we gather from the barcode? Can we cross reference the code on the Habanos website to at least verfiy box authenticity? That would be cool.
Trevor2118 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 What other information can we gather from the barcode? Can we cross reference the code on the Habanos website to at least verfiy box authenticity? That would be cool. :rotfl:..............
nocsious Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 :rotfl:.............. I'm not sure what to make of that. There are guys pouring over box codes giving letter ranges that match with production dates. Guy are obsessed with box codes, factory codes, stamps, half moon cutouts. Surely we will see some kind of primer come on on bar codes soon enough. Maybe the barcode will tell me some chick named Allejandra rolled my cigars and digs my massive biceps, I don't know.
Ginseng Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that HSA probably do not envision this as a resource for the end-customer's edification. In other words, the information contained in the barcode is probably coded somehow such that anyone without the need to know would be unable to learn anything of consequence. As for allowing the public cross-checking of serial numbers against a validation list...I cannot possibly imagine what might motivate HSA to do something like this. Managing this data and serving it would require no small commitment at the organizational level if not the technical level. Padron already implement serial numbers on individual cigars and you can tell nothing from them unless you call in to Padron for verification. Their valid-numbers database is not public accessible in the way you suggested. In any case, unless they provide other identification (for example, marca, vitola, factory, date code), simply having the prefix and serial number would be of little use. We know, and counterfeiters know what prefix codes are likely based on year of boxing. They'd just have to make up some serial number between say 10,000 and 90,000 and you'd never know because chances are, the prefix and serial would match up with some authentic box. Wilkey
Guest rob Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that HSA probably do not envision this as a resource for the end-customer's edification. Pretty much what I reckon. Hell, they don't even want us knowing what factory each box code refers to.
Trevor2118 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I'm not sure what to make of that. I was referring to obtaining such information (read any information) from Habanos.
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