Cigar Weekly

Rob G · 03-28-2011, 09:22 AM

It's been a while since I've purchased cigars online. I filled my Aristocrat Mini a couple of years ago and I only smoke a few cigars a month on average. So, along with purchases at the local shop, I haven't had a need to buy online. I'm looking to purchase a box or three and I noticed that JR's has extremely high shipping prices. What's the best place to buy from online? I'm looking for the overall lowest price, including shipping. I'm not looking for auctions. I just want to get the best price. I live in NY, so any place I order would need to be outside NY.

Thanks!

CJ3 · 03-28-2011, 09:28 AM

CI. Ships from PA. 2 days tops to NY. Always arrive in good condition and instantly smokeable.

My "cheapskate" shipping strategy goes thusly:

Watch the "Joe Cigar" link daily on the sticky above, and when it's something you'd like, pop for it. For added effect, pile on with an order or two of something else, to jack up the overall value of the free shipping.

hockeymaniac · 03-28-2011, 09:32 AM

Famous is also good. I have never had a problem with either CI or Famous. Famous also has free shipping on a bunch of brands or check their Monster deal also because if it comes with free shipping your whole order ships free.

Rob G · 03-28-2011, 09:56 AM

Thanks for the recommendations guys. I found some nice sales prices at Famous. I used to be one that would shop for low prices, regardless of the brand. I ended up with a lot cigars that I wasn't crazy about. Now I'm shopping for cigars I like and looking for the best price. Famous has some good sales going right now. I'll check out CI as well.

If anyone else know of some good places, let me know. Also, I just realized that JR's shipping is a flat rate. So the more you order the better the shipping rate is. But as an Amazon Prime member I can tell you that free shipping always makes it seem like a better deal.

KatDad · 03-28-2011, 09:59 AM

IMO the top three are CI, JR and Famous but that is based on my personal experience.
There are many good retailers of fine cigars.

mannish · 03-28-2011, 11:46 AM

CI has too many Ghurkas, Vegas, Man of War...etc for me. I much prefer cigarmonster from famous WAY better selection. Joecigar seldom ever has anything I want. JR does not have anything I really want.

holts, famous just ordered Vujae Oro from New Havana ciagrs very fast ship.......Almost everything I order Pepin was somehow involved

I do order some LCGs but usually find the best price and order from there

I am not loyal to any retailer - whoever has what I want at the best price is who I use

google

Cigary43 · 03-28-2011, 12:11 PM

These are good places...I like Atlantic Cigars and they tend to have really good pricing. The thing is when I start price matching between online sources I usually will Google with this search: Best pricing for _______ cigars. Enter the name and start comparing.

Over the last few years I have a file that gives me best pricing on those cigars I smoke the most and I will check them weekly for pricing. If I want to try new cigars or just buy singles without having to pay for shipping I order from Tampa Humidors

cigarfan · 03-28-2011, 02:40 PM

My top two are

Serious Cigars
Famous Smoke Shop
Not a knock against the others, I've just been treated so well for years by these folks, I only go elsewhere if they don't have what I want in stock.

In no particular order...here are my other "go to" online vendors.

JRs
Holts
CI

In years of ordering, no issues. All honest dealers, with great customer service.

I stick with the first two, because the prices don't vary that much, but do on occasion. But sometimes. a cigar I want is out of stock.

Really you can't go wrong with any of these, IMO.

grtrx · 03-28-2011, 02:52 PM

I have not ordered from CI recently because of the way they handled tickets for cigarfest

I have ordered from Famous, Atlantic, MD and Smoke Inn and all are top notch service and good selection.

Somewhere along the line I quit ordering from JR, not sure why.

Briandg · 03-28-2011, 02:55 PM

At the very end of the invoice, JR is still the cheapest place to buy, IMO.

Yes, it pisses me off that I can't buy a single item without a $9 shipping charge. It also pissed me off that I couldn't add a 5 pack when I wanted to without incurring a $3 charge. Shipping is never going to be a simple issue. The thing is, I watch their sales, and now, they're taking even more than ever of my money, because they are offering even better sales, and I'm working out the shipping a little.

Rob, you might just check JR when you start to order, and see if the package with shipping beats the price you find at other places. It does a lot of the time, on things I've looked at. But, what the hell, you're probably not interested for the most part in what they sell, and you'll be better able to find what you want at CI.

03-28-2011, 09:22 AM	#1
Rob G Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Camillus, NY Posts: 16,121	Best place to buy online? It's been a while since I've purchased cigars online. I filled my Aristocrat Mini a couple of years ago and I only smoke a few cigars a month on average. So, along with purchases at the local shop, I haven't had a need to buy online. I'm looking to purchase a box or three and I noticed that JR's has extremely high shipping prices. What's the best place to buy from online? I'm looking for the overall lowest price, including shipping. I'm not looking for auctions. I just want to get the best price. I live in NY, so any place I order would need to be outside NY. Thanks! __________________ Rob If people can tell me where to smoke, I can tell them where to go, too.

03-28-2011, 09:28 AM	#2
CJ3 Club Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: The hell called New York State Posts: 2,899	CI. Ships from PA. 2 days tops to NY. Always arrive in good condition and instantly smokeable. My "cheapskate" shipping strategy goes thusly: Watch the "Joe Cigar" link daily on the sticky above, and when it's something you'd like, pop for it. For added effect, pile on with an order or two of something else, to jack up the overall value of the free shipping. __________________ Charter Member, MCLC Making others green with envy

03-28-2011, 09:32 AM	#3
hockeymaniac Herf Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hutto, Texas Posts: 6,674	Famous is also good. I have never had a problem with either CI or Famous. Famous also has free shipping on a bunch of brands or check their Monster deal also because if it comes with free shipping your whole order ships free. __________________ Member Full Flavored Federation Such a long long time to be gone and a short time to be here "No, I'm not a pessimist. At some point the world shits on everybody. Pretending it ain't shit makes you an idiot, not an optimist."

03-28-2011, 09:56 AM	#4
Rob G Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Camillus, NY Posts: 16,121	Thanks for the recommendations guys. I found some nice sales prices at Famous. I used to be one that would shop for low prices, regardless of the brand. I ended up with a lot cigars that I wasn't crazy about. Now I'm shopping for cigars I like and looking for the best price. Famous has some good sales going right now. I'll check out CI as well. If anyone else know of some good places, let me know. Also, I just realized that JR's shipping is a flat rate. So the more you order the better the shipping rate is. But as an Amazon Prime member I can tell you that free shipping always makes it seem like a better deal. __________________ Rob If people can tell me where to smoke, I can tell them where to go, too.

03-28-2011, 09:59 AM	#5
KatDad Herf God Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 30,274	IMO the top three are CI, JR and Famous but that is based on my personal experience. There are many good retailers of fine cigars. __________________ The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it George Bernard Shaw The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it H. L. Mencken The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants Albert Camus The Land of the Free Because of the Brave

03-28-2011, 11:46 AM	#6
mannish Herf God Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Springville, AL USA Posts: 15,792	CI has too many Ghurkas, Vegas, Man of War...etc for me. I much prefer cigarmonster from famous WAY better selection. Joecigar seldom ever has anything I want. JR does not have anything I really want. holts, famous just ordered Vujae Oro from New Havana ciagrs very fast ship.......Almost everything I order Pepin was somehow involved I do order some LCGs but usually find the best price and order from there I am not loyal to any retailer - whoever has what I want at the best price is who I use google __________________ “We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

03-28-2011, 12:11 PM	#7
Cigary43 Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Atlanta,Ga. / San Diego, Ca. Posts: 469	These are good places...I like Atlantic Cigars and they tend to have really good pricing. The thing is when I start price matching between online sources I usually will Google with this search: Best pricing for _______ cigars. Enter the name and start comparing. Over the last few years I have a file that gives me best pricing on those cigars I smoke the most and I will check them weekly for pricing. If I want to try new cigars or just buy singles without having to pay for shipping I order from Tampa Humidors __________________ Drink 'til she's cute, but stop before the wedding.

03-28-2011, 02:40 PM	#8
cigarfan Herf God Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10,822	My top two are Serious Cigars Famous Smoke Shop Not a knock against the others, I've just been treated so well for years by these folks, I only go elsewhere if they don't have what I want in stock. In no particular order...here are my other "go to" online vendors. JRs Holts CI In years of ordering, no issues. All honest dealers, with great customer service. I stick with the first two, because the prices don't vary that much, but do on occasion. But sometimes. a cigar I want is out of stock. Really you can't go wrong with any of these, IMO. __________________ It's not an optical illusion, it just looks like one.

03-28-2011, 02:52 PM	#9
grtrx Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Naperville IL Posts: 44,579	I have not ordered from CI recently because of the way they handled tickets for cigarfest I have ordered from Famous, Atlantic, MD and Smoke Inn and all are top notch service and good selection. Somewhere along the line I quit ordering from JR, not sure why. __________________ "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Sir Winston Churchill "A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption." - Guy de Maupassant

03-28-2011, 02:55 PM	#10
Briandg CW Squirrel Wrangler Herf God Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: southwest Missouri Posts: 35,518	At the very end of the invoice, JR is still the cheapest place to buy, IMO. Yes, it pisses me off that I can't buy a single item without a $9 shipping charge. It also pissed me off that I couldn't add a 5 pack when I wanted to without incurring a $3 charge. Shipping is never going to be a simple issue. The thing is, I watch their sales, and now, they're taking even more than ever of my money, because they are offering even better sales, and I'm working out the shipping a little. Rob, you might just check JR when you start to order, and see if the package with shipping beats the price you find at other places. It does a lot of the time, on things I've looked at. But, what the hell, you're probably not interested for the most part in what they sell, and you'll be better able to find what you want at CI.

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