Are Tobacco Shops Ripping off Newbies

[cwpiperman]

OP, as a n00b as well (3 months), I have to say that the average price I pay for a 1.76-2oz tin of, for example, a G.L. Pease, Cornell&Diehl or Dunhill blend is about $10USD, give or take. You may pay a bit less than this buying good tobaccos in bulk, but I wouldn't do the bulk thing unless you've got lots of experience and know what you like. I have over 25 blends in 1.76/2oz tins that I'm slowly savoring and sampling, both to hone my palate and to find favorites for rotation. YMMV
Welcome and hope you enjoy getting to know pipes and tobacco.
CW

 

[Chasing Embers]

$10.50 for 3 oz

If it was that cheap everywhere, my cellar would fill my house!

 

[olkofri]

I agree they need to make money but at $10.50 for 3 oz I could not stay married and continue smoking a pipe!!

Good thing you're not in Canada, where 3 oz would be about $60.

 

[willisk]

Well for one of my first posts I’m glad to see that like most forums there are constructive criticism and then there’s not!!

Hope I didn’t offend anyone but I am new to this I don’t know what average prices are or what the norm is!! I’m switching from

Ryo cigarettes were I can roll a carton for $8.50. I’m sure most of you were a lil shocked at first

When you got into this!! Except for those with deep pockets that have never had to count pennies!!

 

[oldtoby]

Like my old Poker mentor once said: "Son... It'll cost you a bit to learn sometimes." :wink:

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Most places you have to take into account a tobacco tax, which is why in store blends cost more than online.
My guess would be the tobacconist was just trying to sell that $150 pipe that's been on the shelf for 5yrs or more already.
I would also note that a lot of tobacconists are more cigar forward and the people working there don't know nearly as much about pipes or pipe tobacco. It's rare to find a Jon David Cole or Country Squire tobacconist.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Except for those with deep pockets that have never had to count pennies!!

When I was younger, I wasn't exactly counting pennies but I wasn't in the same position financially as I am now. I bought basket pipes and bulk tobacco. I didn't think the B&M was ripping me off either. I smoked what I could afford and was happy with it. There were a lot of things I wanted or wished for but simply couldn't afford at the time. Wasn't anybody trying to rip me off. I just needed to work harder and invest wisely so I could enjoy it later in life.

 

[willisk]

I will say the pipes on display looked a lil dusty!! I have seen good deal online for b

Both pipes and tobacco!! I’m going to order some tobacco on Thursday!!

 

[Chasing Embers]

I’m sure most of you were a lil shocked at first

When you got into this!!

I smoked Grabows and drug store blends for the first decade after starting at seventeen. The idea of a $100 pipe blew me away. I then went up to those and much higher, but have since settled into estate pieces and restorations. You can get a satisfying smoke at any price range. The only limit is how much you are comfortable putting into it.

 

[workman]

I think 3 oz of pipe tobacco will provide at least 30 bowls. That would last most of us 1-2 weeks. Compared to a carton of RYO's, that's not bad. I pay somewhere around 20 $ for a 1.75 oz tin and I consider it cheap.

The pipe tobacco I smoke costs me 40-60 $ a month. Cigarettes would cost me 300 $ a month for a pack a day, which was my average. So we have a better, cheaper, more interesting, more diverse, better tasting thing here. What's not to like?

 

[bassbug]

If the only thing you're looking for is getting nicotine into your bloodstream as cheaply and as quickly as possible, the RYO cigarette thing is probably the way to go (yes, let's be honest here, nicotine is an addiction).
I am a former cigarette smoker, so I have a bit of insight into this.
If you give it a chance and learn how to smoke your pipe well, I think you'll find that a bowl will leave your cravings satisfied for a quite a while longer than smoking a cigarette. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the slow absorption of nicotine rather than the quick hit. Bonus points...you don't have to inhale the smoke.
Overall, pipe smoking is a little more expensive than cigarettes, but, again IMO, worth it.

 

[npod]

Sounds like a great experience with good advise. Darn, $10 for your first trip to a true pipe centered tobacco B&M is fantastic. And, I completely agree with the recommendation to buy a good pipe (read moderately expensive) for your first pipe.

 

[bigpond]

$18 for a pipe and 3 oz’s of tobacco?! WTF! Who the heck are these crazy, man milking bastards? :puffpipe:
To give a bit of perspective, I just returned from Canada and stopped by a premier tobacconist who was charging $44 for a 2 oz tin of c&d.
OP, you paid more than you might online but that’s how it goes with retail these days. Perhaps you learned a thing or two you might not have online.

 

[woodsroad]

Well for one of my first posts I’m glad to see that like most forums there are constructive criticism and then there’s not!!

I think that you got a very well-balanced response to your pointed question.

Hope I didn’t offend anyone but

You'll have to work quite a bit harder to offend most people here. Amusing them is a lot easier!

I am new to this I don’t know what average prices are or what the norm is!!

Yet, you are on the internet, on a pipe smoking forum that is plastered with advertisements from all of the top retailers.

I’m switching from Ryo cigarettes were I can roll a carton for $8.50. I’m sure most of you were a lil shocked at first When you got into this!!

I came to pipe smoking from cigars, so I found prices to be quite reasonable. I still find pipe tobacco prices to be reasonable.

Except for those with deep pockets that have never had to count pennies!!

Most people who are financially comfortable got that way by counting pennies.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Back to basics: No, in general tobacco stores are not ripping off newbies. Some—and none I have encountered— tobacco shops may have an ignorant or unscrupulous employee who will try to do so.

 

[bnichols23]

"$10.50 for 3 oz" -- Go to Walmart, Ingles, Publix, Kroger, or any other mass-market chain & see what a 1.5 oz pack of Captain Black runs you; if it's less than $6 you have no idea how lucky you are. $10.50 for 3 oz at a B&M is more than reasonable.
The pipe? Possibly, to a certain extent, but they do have to make a profit. They're right that you don't want to skimp on a crap pipe, although that doesn't mean you have to buy one that's 3 digits either. I don't recommend everybody start with a cob, but it's very true that you'll generally get a much better smoke with briar.

 

[crashthegrey]

Rip you off, no. Steer you in the right direction, yes. Misguided, according to some. See, I would recommend a good briar first, and you can't jump in offering an estate. Not everyone wants to learn how to refurbish. While a cob or hardwood are perfectly fine for some, I like briar better. And it gives a more "honest" tobacco experience to some. You saved some money by taking basically RYO and a codger blend and mixing them. I am glad it worked for you, but no tobacconist is going to recommend that to a new guy. They will offer some genuine pipe tobacco and try to get you to find your own favorite. I don't see anything wrong except that the $15 for a hardwood is a little bit steep, but every shop makes their money somewhere.

 

[woodsroad]

See? This is why the government should take over tobacco sales.

 

[crashthegrey]

:rofl:

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

woodsroad hits two out of the park on the same thread!

Most people who are financially comfortable got that way by counting pennies.

See? This is why the government should take over tobacco sales.