That other "online store."

Echambers

I know that many of have had 'difficulties' with the other online store, 'T' but I just read that they are celebrating their 100th anniversary. With such crappy customer service, how have they been in business so long?

0patience

Because the internet hasn't been around as long and word takes a while to get around.

Plus, a lot of people buy from them when they first get into cigars, because they advertise everywhere.

variant2

They most likely attract a certain type of clientele that doesn't know any better. Kinda like the same type of people that keep funding millions to the Fauxiba makers.

YankeeMan

On very, very rare occasions I will buy something from them if it strikes me as a great deal.  However, when I call them I start out with, "I don't want to join anything, I don't want to be notified of anything, I don't to be part of anything, etc."

By the time I get done with my rant, they just take my order and that's it.  However, whenever I do order from them, I feel like I'm cheating on Kelley.

raisindot

Ummmm, not sure exactly which "other online store" we're talking out? If it's the one that starts with the first word as this site in plural and the second word starts with a vowel, I'd say I've never had a problem with anything I've ordered from them and have found some deals I can't find elsewhere. 

Bob_Luken

raisindot said:

Ummmm, not sure exactly which "other online store" we're talking out? If it's the one that starts with the first word as this site in plural and the second word starts with a vowel, I'd say I've never had a problem with anything I've ordered from them and have found some deals I can't find elsewhere. 

No. We're talkin' 'bout Tom. And as mentioned before, they get you as a newbie because they stick ads in every publication and offer cheap deals with humidors included. As far as I know they did this before the internet came along. Like many newbies I started with them. I never had much problem with any orders but I have heard stories. But, they started getting on my bad side when they just kept calling me all the time. And, always up-selling me. If I wanted ten cigars they were hell-bent on selling me a box, or at the very least getting me into their cigar of the month club. . 

jlmarta

I've heard numerous tales of dried-up sticks and other negative things. I've personally ordered a sampler that didn't totally have in it what was advertised and, of course, the constant phone calls and upselling - all of these make that company persona non grata in my world. 

danielzreyes

Oooooooo you guys are talkin about Thompson on here oooooooo.  I'm  tellllllllinnnnnn.  Everybody knows that's not allowed on this forum.  You guys better edit your posts before the mods/forum police/DILLIGAFers (-D) come.

Can I get a rat badge? 

Bob_Luken

danielzreyes said:

Oooooooo you guys are talkin about Thompson on here oooooooo.  I'm  tellllllllinnnnnn.  Everybody knows that's not allowed on this forum.  You guys better edit your posts before the mods/forum police/DILLIGAFers (-D) come.

raisindot

Oh, okay. I've never bought from the T people. But to be kinda fair to them, I've also seen plenty of ads for cheap humidor/cigar sampler deals from this site and its sister site. Matter of fact, when I was startin' out with these here money-suckin' hobby I took advantage of these deals from both companies. Still have the humidors, even thoiugh I've given 'em up for the larger babies once CAS set if.  

Bob_Luken

raisindot said:

Oh, okay. I've never bought from the T people. But to be kinda fair to them, I've also seen plenty of ads for cheap humidor/cigar sampler deals from this site and its sister site. Matter of fact, when I was startin' out with these here money-suckin' hobby I took advantage of these deals from both companies. Still have the humidors, even thoiugh I've given 'em up for the larger babies once CAS set if.  

How DARE you presume that is in ANY way a fair comparison!!!!!!

Bob_Luken

Bob_Luken said:

raisindot said:

Oh, okay. I've never bought from the T people. But to be kinda fair to them, I've also seen plenty of ads for cheap humidor/cigar sampler deals from this site and its sister site. Matter of fact, when I was startin' out with these here money-suckin' hobby I took advantage of these deals from both companies. Still have the humidors, even thoiugh I've given 'em up for the larger babies once CAS set if.  

How DARE you presume that is in ANY way a fair comparison!!!!!!

Forgive me, I re-read your post. You've never used the T folks.
You don't know what you're talking about. 

CharlieHeis

I got some dried up crap from them when I was a newb. As stated, they were at the top of the list when I googled where to buy cigars online. Live and learn. I'm guessing they don't have a ton of loyal customers and repeat business. 

Echambers

CharlieHeis said:

I got some dried up crap from them when I was a newb. As stated, they were at the top of the list when I googled where to buy cigars online. Live and learn. I'm guessing they don't have a ton of loyal customers and repeat business. 

That's kind of my point.   They have been in business for 100 years. It can't all be newbies and they must have loyal customers.  That's the piece I don't understand because I've never heard anyone say anything good from them. And I had a bad exeperience with them too.  

Ironically i I just got their new catalog. 

0patience

Echambers said:

That's kind of my point.   They have been in business for 100 years. It can't all be newbies and they must have loyal customers.  That's the piece I don't understand because I've never heard anyone say anything good from them. And I had a bad exeperience with them too.  

Ironically i I just got their new catalog. 

They do have loyal customers.
They buy machine mades and "the deals".

Most of them are quite happy with what they get, mostly because they don't know any different and others, because that is where their father or grandfather bought.

These are the folks that buy Victor Sinclair, Don Raphael, Don Elias, Don Lugo and every other nasty "Don" cigar.

There are tons of folks who smoke cigars, to smoke cigars.
They aren't interested in the different tastes and quality.
For every one person who dotes over their cigars and humidors, there is one who stores all their cigars in a cigar box. And to them, all our fussing over cigars is silly.

ExpendableYouth

I don't dote, I obsess.

edelrionyc

Most of the time that I meet someone that smoke cigars and I ask them where they get their cigars from its usually 4 out of 5 times from T.  Now there is also a strange coinciendence that these same people aren't into the hobby as I am.  Meaning I look into the region, want to know who the blender is, where the cigar is from, what to expect, etc.  These people smoke cigars to smoke.  They don't obsess over the hobby as I do.  I think T advertises everywhere and gets people to buy from them because they are so in your face.  Me i'm quite happy at Cigar.com.  Even is a site is a few bucks cheaper in something I want I'll still get it from here.

Lee.mcglynn

Last order I made was a good deal on some rare smokes...I think they played football with the package before they shipped it...box was fine the goods were not! I think everyone has been warned more then a few times about that place and yet it still happens to pop up

variant2

Friends don't let friends buy "G"s or shop at "T"s.

brianetz1

0patience said:

Echambers said:

That's kind of my point.   They have been in business for 100 years. It can't all be newbies and they must have loyal customers.  That's the piece I don't understand because I've never heard anyone say anything good from them. And I had a bad exeperience with them too.  

Ironically i I just got their new catalog. 

They do have loyal customers.
They buy machine mades and "the deals".

Most of them are quite happy with what they get, mostly because they don't know any different and others, because that is where their father or grandfather bought.

These are the folks that buy Victor Sinclair, Don Raphael, Don Elias, Don Lugo and every other nasty "Don" cigar.

There are tons of folks who smoke cigars, to smoke cigars.
They aren't interested in the different tastes and quality.
For every one person who dotes over their cigars and humidors, there is one who stores all their cigars in a cigar box. And to them, all our fussing over cigars is silly.

My fatherinlaw buys from them and this is him to a T.  Smokes victor sinclair all the time and to him smoking a macanudo is a big deal.  I have eventried to give him some better stuff and nope he goes back to his crap

MorganGeo

My experience with them was when I first started getting into the cigar hobby.  They lured me in with a deal such as buying a cheap humidor, cheapo cigars, and a cheap plastic cutter for like $25.  I think my wife actually got me that deal when I first started out.   It wasn't until I got educated and had some good sticks from buddies such as Walt that I learned what the good stuff was like.  

First_Warrior

T is to dam- pushy for me. When they started calling me and trying to hard sell me cigars that I didn't want I just told them where to push it. 

jsnake

Advertising doesn't matter and it isn't about cheap deals. It is about missing items, dried up cigars, the worst customer service in any industry, telemarketing calls, unauthorized credit card charges, bait and switch to name a few. That is the difference. Here you have customer service and great product. That other place will never get ny business again no matter how good the deal. If they were giving away Opus X free I wouldn't take them...... ok well maybe I would but I would be angry about it. 

bert873

Yea I had a roommate in college that did a cigar club through them and it took him forever to get it cancelled. They just kept charging him and sending him stuff regardless of how many times he requested to cancel.

Temmeh

Right now I have been happy purchasing from cigars.com and T........ If I start to receive poor product Or service I will simply find someplace else to spend my money.

Thats how competitive economics works, right ? 

Thank you for the heads up... I will definitely pay attention. 

Rhamlin

Oh I hate them!Bob_Luken said:

raisindot said:

Ummmm, not sure exactly which "other online store" we're talking out? If it's the one that starts with the first word as this site in plural and the second word starts with a vowel, I'd say I've never had a problem with anything I've ordered from them and have found some deals I can't find elsewhere. 

No. We're talkin' 'bout Tom. And as mentioned before, they get you as a newbie because they stick ads in every publication and offer cheap deals with humidors included. As far as I know they did this before the internet came along. Like many newbies I started with them. I never had much problem with any orders but I have heard stories. But, they started getting on my bad side when they just kept calling me all the time. And, always up-selling me. If I wanted ten cigars they were hell-bent on selling me a box, or at the very least getting me into their cigar of the month club. . 

 I hate them. Wouldn't use them if they were selling Padron 64's for 2$ each. Well maybe then

Amos_Umwhat

0patience said:

Echambers said:

That's kind of my point.   They have been in business for 100 years. It can't all be newbies and they must have loyal customers.  That's the piece I don't understand because I've never heard anyone say anything good from them. And I had a bad exeperience with them too.  

Ironically i I just got their new catalog. 

They do have loyal customers.
They buy machine mades and "the deals".

Most of them are quite happy with what they get, mostly because they don't know any different and others, because that is where their father or grandfather bought.

These are the folks that buy Victor Sinclair, Don Raphael, Don Elias, Don Lugo and every other nasty "Don" cigar.

There are tons of folks who smoke cigars, to smoke cigars.
They aren't interested in the different tastes and quality.
For every one person who dotes over their cigars and humidors, there is one who stores all their cigars in a cigar box. And to them, all our fussing over cigars is silly.

This is it.  The first 10 years or so that I smoked cigars, I smoked what was available at local Pharmacies, Convenience Marts, etc.  I knew that there were other, "better" cigars, at what I considered astronomical prices, but why would I waste money on that?

Later, when provided with a little education and opportunity, I picked up on cigar appreciation as we here know it quite rapidly.  I'd just never had that door opened.  I discerned right away, also, that there was a difference between hand-rolled cigars, and that some that people raved over, Macanudo for instance, while not terrible, were not what I was after.

So, I proselytize amongst the smokers of machine made "cigars", and cigarette smokers, and I'm always amazed when they politely return to their nasty habits, lacking understanding of what is available to them, after they've been treated to the opportunity.

And that is why I was so excited when I found out about this place, and read what the guys here had to say, and thought; "Finally!  I'm not alone! Somebody understands!"

And so, I thank you, my Brothers and Sisters, for being here!