• Hi Guest - Come check out all of the new CP Merch Shop! Now you can support CigarPass buy purchasing hats, apparel, and more...
    Click here to visit! here...

Authorized Fuente Retailer's & MSRP...

N

Neuromancer

Banned
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
419
I thought I read somewhere that authorized Fuente retailers are supposed to sell smokes like the Opus X's at MSRP, but I may have misread something...I have an authorized Fuente retailer near where I live that was asking $15 for Opus X Petit Lancero's...is this too much? Any comments?
 
They are but it also has to do with the taxes they have to pay and their rent. I was in Vegas last year at the Aladdin cigar shop. They are Opus direct and the prices we around $50 to $100 a cigar. We asked about it and they told us that their rent was outragous and tobacco tax is about 30%. When we get ours the Petit Lancero is about 9.00 We are in MO and tobacco tax is only 10%. MSRP is just that,suggested! Situations cause certain retailers to have to sell at different prices.
 
The Fuente reps for the most part DO NOT CARE. I have seen this first hand. Retailers are also not supposed to sell boxes of OpusX. One retailer here in town sells Opus above retail and by the box. He did this right in front of the rep. The rep said "You are not supposed to do that". The retailer said "If I can sell by the box, I will". Rep shrugged and continued what he was doing. For the record, this same rep also has, on occasion, sent MORE Opus to this retailer upon request, after he sold his normal shipment to ONE guy five minutes after it came in.

Moral of the story: Yes, it is the case that Fuente wants Opus sold at or near MSRP with limits so more people can get them. It is also true that many retailers do not abide by one or both of the above "suggestions". Finally, it appears that the reps do not really care one way or another. at least that has been my experience...
 
After my most recent experience with Fuente, I've come away with a different understanding of their pricing policies. My experience with Fuente and MSRP

I get the distinct impression they do NOT like price gouging their customers. I'd suggest if you're concerned with the prices, go to CigarFamily and e-mail the customer service department your concerns. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the result...
 
Referring to Jingles comments, the retailers set the limit, not the cigar makers. Although I support shops that limit rare or harder to get sticks because they are trying to be fair and equal! :thumbs:

Tobacco and local taxes play huge part. ;)
 
Opus suck :p

I can usually pick up Opus at my local shop but he abides by the 2 sticks per customer crap.

It really pisses me off because you know for a fact he friends have gotten full boxes of Opus hand delivered upon request.
I refuse to be friendly with some ass clown who owns a cigar store just to get some box of Opus. Not to mention I can get them cheaper from my fellow BOTL here.


Rich

Edit for *mispelling my name*
 
I should clarify my statement. I just don't like the fact that this particular retailer NEVER puts the Opus on the shelves, limit or no limit, MSRP or no MSRP. He gets them in, calls Terry Bradshaw, and TB buys them all. That pisses me off. This retailer is TBs personal Opus stooge.
 
mrjinglesusa said:
I should clarify my statement. I just don't like the fact that this particular retailer NEVER puts the Opus on the shelves, limit or no limit, MSRP or no MSRP. He gets them in, calls Terry Bradshaw, and TB buys them all. That pisses me off. This retailer is TBs personal Opus stooge.
[snapback]234461[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

Terry Bradshaw?! Just tell him that his commercials suck! :angry:

That is pretty messed up what your tobacconist does... sorry man :(



(realized what I put was not what I was thinking, working and posting mixes people up every now and then)
 
ggiese said:
After my most recent experience with Fuente, I've come away with a different understanding of their pricing policies. My experience with Fuente and MSRP

I get the distinct impression they do NOT like price gouging their customers. I'd suggest if you're concerned with the prices, go to CigarFamily and e-mail the customer service department your concerns. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the result...
[snapback]234435[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

Good idea George. i emailed them and informed them of the practice this retailer makes of calling Terry Bradshaw and selling him every box of Opus he gets in. Price is not the problem here (although they are above MSRP). It is the fact that "ordinary" consumers of Fuente products cannot buy Opus from him even though he gets them in.
 
mrjinglesusa said:
ggiese said:
After my most recent experience with Fuente, I've come away with a different understanding of their pricing policies.  My experience with Fuente and MSRP 

I get the distinct impression they do NOT like price gouging their customers. I'd suggest if you're concerned with the prices, go to CigarFamily and e-mail the customer service department your concerns.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the result...
[snapback]234435[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

Good idea George. i emailed them and informed them of the practice this retailer makes of calling Terry Bradshaw and selling him every box of Opus he gets in. Price is not the problem here (although they are above MSRP). It is the fact that "ordinary" consumers of Fuente products cannot buy Opus from him even though he gets them in.
[snapback]234470[/snapback]​
Click to expand...


It will be quite interesting to see what, if anything, comes of this. I suspect that nothing will; but you never know. I have been to the shop in question many times and trust me, I would like nothing more than to see this guy get his a$$ handed to him.

But while we are on the subject of Opus and MSRP and limits, etc; I have become very weary of Fuente and from what I have partially seen (and mostly heard second hand) they manipulate the market very well. Stop and think for a minute what a tremendous marketing campaign Fuente has going here.

They make a great cigar (i really do like Opus and the ones I have smoked have been really good) and get the MSRP relatively low. Then they say there are limits on who gets them, when, how many they can sell, etc; but it seems they don't enforce the rules. But it does get us talking about them. Then, when we can't find them at a good price, or even at all, it feeds into this lore. It really is brilliant. They slap labels on things, start up the marketing machine and we line up to drink the Kool-Aid. Kinda ****ty I think.

Either that or I am in a bad mood today.....

Just my $0.02

Patrick

Edit for grammar...
 
Terry Bradshaw probably pays a pretty penny for that service. The vendor is just doing what's in his best business interest.

Some people are willing to sell their soul to the devil to make a dollar. Others are not.
 
vewyphishy said:
Terry Bradshaw probably pays a pretty penny for that service. The vendor is just doing what's in his best business interest.
[snapback]234511[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

I doubt it. He will sell them anyway and he knows it. He doesn't charge TB any more than he would charge people if he put them on the shelf. Frankly, I think he wants the money ASAP since they come COD (i.e. he has to shell out probably $3,000 when the OpusX come in).

If he sells them to TB he gets his $3,000 back (+ profit) right away. Otherwise, he would have to wait a few weeks until they are all sold. Assuming he buys them at less than MSRP (very likely) and marks them up 1.5-2x MSRP (also likely), he's looking at about a $1500 to $2000 PROFIT in less than an hour. I understand WHY he does it but that doesn't make it any more tolerable...

EDIT: Typo
 
mrjinglesusa said:
vewyphishy said:
Terry Bradshaw probably pays a pretty penny for that service. The vendor is just doing what's in his best business interest.
[snapback]234511[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

I doubt it. He will sell them anyway and he knows it. He doesn't charge TB any more than he would charge people if he put them on the shelf. Frankly, I think he wants the money ASAP since they come COD (i.e. he has to shell out probably $3,000 when the OpusX come in).

If he sells them to TB he gets his $3,000 back (+ profit) right away. Otherwise, he would have to wait a few weeks until they are all sold. Assuming he buys them at less than MSRP (very likely) and marks them up 1.5-2x MSRP (also likely), he's looking at about a $1500 to $2000 PROFIT in less than an hour. I understand WHY he does it but that doesn't make it any more tolerable...

EDIT: Typo
[snapback]234531[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

Then he ain't getting them from fuente... :whistling:
 
Neuromancer,where is the shop you are talking about?

Is the store that Terry Bradshaw is buying his Opus from an authorized Opus dealer?

Some Fuente accounts do not have an authorized Opus account, they will buy Opus on the secondary market and then jack the price from there.

If anyone knows of authorized Opus dealers not doing the right thing, let me know and I'll pass the info on to the proper person at Fuente.
 
The Master said:
Neuromancer,where is the shop you are talking about?

Is the store that Terry Bradshaw is buying his Opus from an authorized Opus dealer?

Some Fuente accounts do not have an authorized Opus account, they will buy Opus on the secondary market and then jack the price from there.

If anyone knows of authorized Opus dealers not doing the right thing, let me know and I'll pass the info on to the proper person at Fuente.
[snapback]234546[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

Yes, he is an authorized Fuente dealer. I know he has had the Fuente rep there an several occasions and he has been in business for over 30 years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top