Hit a couple B&Ms today as I had some running around to do. Stopped at one and the woman working there was real nice and friendly and was trying to be helpful but after a short conversation left me be in their walk-in. After looking around I spotted a box on a high shelf that read "Anejo selections" So being the curious SOB that I am I opened the box. Low and behold they had a good number of Sharks and torps in there.My first thought was, wow the two hardest sizes to find and they still have them in stock. Again, curiousity got me and I had to turn them over to see the price. WTF!!!!!! $25 for the torps and $30 for the Sharks!!!!! I grabbed a couple other sticks that weren't over priced and headed to the register, and again the woman working there was super friendly until I brought up the Anejos. I was prob a bit of a d*ck head which made her go from nice to I can't get you out of the store so others can't hear you fast enough. I nonchalantly said "Wow, I can't believe you guys still have Anejo Sharks and torps in stock this late in the season but at those prices I guess I'm not really all that surprised." She looked at me and said "What do you mean?" Now she was asking for it so I responded with "Well at those prices you guys are marking them up over 100% of their retail price." To which she responded with "Well, that's our prices and people pay it." I just looked at her and said "Oh." With that she gave me my change and said "Take Care." This stores prices for most(not all) of their sticks tend to be a little high but the part of town it's in supports it but I thought that was just outrageous. That cr@p pisses me off. When I went back to NY for Christmas one shop had Sharks for $19 and that's with NYS tobacco tax which is high to begin with but $30 a stick! It was just fun to see her demeanor change with the conversation but I guess since they had a good amount of customers there she just wanted me out which I can't blame her. I am friendlier with one of the other guys that work there and we get along well so I'll have to bust his chops when no one is around next time I am there which isn't too often. Just thought I would share plus it astounded me since the shop I was at earlier in the afternoon has great pricing and has prices comparable to some online retailers and a much better selection of smokes to boot.
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I have run into places like that before... Once I see outragous prices I just walk out. If they're screwing customers like that than they must not be B/SOTL and I don't need to deal with them!

I've also heard of places charging a membership fee to see the 'private' humi with the Opus', Padrons, VSGs, etc. :-) :-)

aj
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this is America, that's proof that rape is legal.
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Sorry Bobby, but that is just an ignorant statement. A store owner has the right to charge whatever they want for their product. As consumers it is our right to not shop at that establishment.

There are several factors that may be involved other than greed. High overhead or they may not be a Fuente dealer therefore paid more on the secondary market.

Challenging a shopkeeper regarding pricing is always unwise, just walk and move on to another shop. :-)
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^^^ hence why i said "this is america".. they can do whatever they want... but, in my opinion, thats a "screwing".
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Sad part is, they are a Fuente dealer and do get their product from Fuente. If they didn't I prob wouldn't have questioned the mark up as much. Surprisingly enough they are on par with their Liga Privada pricing and that has been the key factor in what has brought me back the last few times even though every single time I leave I always say I'll never shop their again. Sadly, they are the only local Liga dealer and they have had Flying Pigs in stock the last few times I have gone there. Most of everything else can be had at other shops cheaper, but the area it's in supports their pricing which on average is about $2 more than everyone else which isn't too obnoxious. Normally I do not question a shops pricing and just move on like you mentioned Bobarian but for some reason this just struck a nerve with me today. It may be the fact that the prices were just so blatantly over priced. Ahh well, it is what it is and until I nut up for a box purchase of Ligas online I'll probably be back.
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That is incredible... BUT, prices like those arent all that uncommon... The B&M I was at yesterday was asking $25 for a La Aurora 100 Anos. I just shook my head and grabbed something else.

Oh, and I have seen as high as $34.95 each for Anejo Sharks online...:-)
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+1 Nothing wrong with charging more than they are worth. Nobody is forced to pay it, but somewhere there is somebody that will and the shop know that. It's called supply and demand. Not gouging since cigars are not a necessity, but a luxury. I see high prices, I just move on and don't say a thing to them. I want cheaper deals, I buy online. No need for people to get worked up because somebody is trying to make money. If it's priced too high, walk away.
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I agree with the statements of Bob, Jason & David. We live in a free market society. If you don't like the prices at one establishment, move on to another.
I'm not trying to bust balls here, but what did you think you would accomplish by telling them "Well at those prices you guys are marking them up over 100% of their retail price." I just don't think that would really be anyones business but the store owners. Maybe it would have been better just to mention that you wanted to buy some, but they were a little out of your price line. I've had store owners lower their prices for me with just a kind word and good attitude. Just my :-)
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de de de de de no. I'm just staying out of this one
Hi from you friendly neighborhood shop jocky :-)
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Hell, I think msrp is way to expensive for those things.


:-)
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Those prices seem about right for what they go for here in the Bay Area.
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Yeah that's what they fetch up here too!
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"There is a sucker born every minute" ---Has anyone paid any attention to the prices that people are willing to pay on the Devil Site.
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And the sad part is that people WILL buy them.
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Limited supply + high demand = higher prices. Seems logical for them to charge more than suggested retail if the demand is there and the supply is not. It sounds like the shop keep might have them a little high though, based solely on the fact that they are still in stock.

At least you knew enough not to buy them at that price.
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Hopefully your thread here doesn't say much about you really are and the BOTLs you are representing. Every business has the right to charge for even the air your breathing in their store. On the other hand, you have the option to take your business elswhere where you feel your getting the value for your money that you expect. If the store is charging those prices and getting them then why in the world would they charge less? They are there to make money. Unless they had some Red Cross painted on the front door indicating they are a charity and were giving them away I wouldn't expect any less from them.

I had the same conversation with a friend concerning the cost of NASCAR tickets. I told him the stands are full so the tickets muct not be too high. We teh customer control pricing, vote with your $$$, it works. Being an a$$ just makes it harder when the next BOTL walks in after you. My :-) and worth about that much.
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You prefer an overly regulated gov't controlled system?
Fell free to move to another country :-),(kidding of course)
...or just wait around long enough for the US to unfortunately drift in that direction.

Edit: Sorry I won't inject too much politics into this thread.

I simpy think a shop-owner can do as they please, within the laws. It's our JOB as consumers to choose who we purchase from and to make sure we pay what we want for a product
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:-)
Nothing else I can add.
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Your right, I probably should not have said anything and normally I wouldn't have but I guess when I saw the extreme prices of these it just struck a nerve that has long been annoyed with this store for a while so I had to poke a little bit. Obviously most of there other customers feel the same way about their Anejo prices which is why they still have Sharks and torps left in February. I'm sure someone who doesn't know any better will jump for joy when they find them. It's not like I have never bitten my tongue there before. I've bitten my tongue in the past when I have gone there and heard the same spiel from two different employees about their separate humidor with Gurkhas that only they can get with price points of $50 a stick for the Habano wrapped stick and $100 a stick for the Maduro. Both times I let them try and sell me on these ultra rare super premium Gurkhas without saying a word other than, No thanks not a fan of the Gurkha brand and than even sat through their rant on how great Gurkhas are and that I should give them another chance. I agree I prob should not have said anything but I did and figured I would share the story with you guys and yes normally they wouldn't get my business but their Liga Privada account is what brings me back since they are the only ones locally who carry them. I am not a complete idiot, I know that I am douche sometimes:-):-) My wife makes sure to remind me from time to time.:-)
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