Buying A New Pipe - Online Or In Person

[seanv]

What is your preference and past experiences?

Myself, I prefer to buy in person. I like to inspect the pipe and feel it in my hand before purchase. I have bought one pipe online but I had checked it out previously in person so that barely counts as an online purchase.

 

[64alex]

Not just with pipes but with any item if you can see and touch with your hands is better than buying online, and I would never buy online clothing or shoes just to make an example. Said that online open up possibilities which simply are not available if you limit yourself to only what you can touch and it can be your only possibility if you want a custom made pipe from an artisan. I would say that for people new to pipe smoking is definitely advisable to see in advance the pipes, when you gain experience and you understand the pipes of different makers or artisans that you can be confident in buying online. I bought few nice pipes online from boutique artisans and they arrived exactly or even better of what I expected from the online pictures.

 

[mso489]

Good advice from 64'. Buying in person, especially the first pipe or three, gives you a lot better feel for what you're buying. You won't have the vast selection and the price break you'd have online, but you'd have a firsthand experience and learn about pipes too. The pipe shop staff is critical, and can either be instructive and helpful or badly misleading, so be alert to their knowledge level and honesty to the degree possible. Online, you can always call the vendor and ask them to look over a pipe for drilling and other details. Meantime, use online retailers to learn about brands, shapes, filters and non-filter, materials, new versus estate (used) pipes, and much more. For most Forums member, the endless learning curve is part of the enjoyment, so it's not like a work assignment, just part of the pipe interest.

 

[ashdigger]

I buy online, in person, through intermediaries, and from Forum members. My success from all four methods is pretty much the same. It doesn't matter how it looks or feels that makes or breaks a deal. It is, how does it smoke???? Can't tell that without burning baccy in it. I've had pipes that I loved the look and feel of, such as a Savinelli 320 KS Author and it smoked terribly FOR ME. I've also had a Savinelli Autograph and a Savinelli Hercules that looked great and felt great IN THE STORE. I took them home and they were garbage, to me. I've owned several pipes that were such good lookers, but bad smokers, I just gave away to get the bad vibes out of my possession. I could go on. It just doesn't' matter.
My solution is that I buy pipes from Artisan Pipe Carvers. I totally understand that this is not practical for most folks, and that's fine and perfectly okay.....but I also get them with just a few pictures, some measurements and online. Do you see where this is heading.....

 

[mso489]

ash', I've had good luck with Sav over years. I'm sorry you have been repeatedly disappointed. Do you think your requirements of pipes are particular to you, or did you just draw short straws on repeated purchases of Savs? I know foggymountain strongly dislikes Savs, if I remember correctly, but most people seem quite satisfied with most Savs. I like artisan pipes and have several, and consider them extra special, but I also have many factory pipes that perform very well indeed. Not just Savs, some truly inexpensive, bought selectively.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

I do both. Like 64, I typically don't like buying ANYTHING, pipes included, without being able to touch it, mess around with it, give the full check up before making the purchase.
The only reason I buy something online is because I can't get it from a store near to me. I bought my meer from a beautiful, fully stocked store that it was hard to leave. Could I have found it online cheaper? Sure. But there's just something about buying a pipe from a guy that's been in the business for years. I'm more hesitant to buy in a shop in which the person behind the register can't tell you the difference between a Peterson and a Savinelli. Those stores have a lot of mark up on them, and I'm just not willing to give my money to them.
Buying from Smoking Pipes is fantastic. You can even call them and ask questions about it before hand. I love service like that.
In the end, my preference is to buy in person, but if I have to buy online, I feel really good everytime I buy from Smoking Pipes. You really never can be sure about any purchase until you smoke it for a while, and by then, you may just be stuck unless you can trade/sell it off to someone else.

 

[ashdigger]

mso, I'm not sure, but I've had about 40-45 Savinelli pipes go through my rotation in my 7 years as a pipe smoker. I have exactly zero in my collection. I do have roughly 30 of the much maligned, but great smoking Petersons that I love and smoke almost daily. Yep, I'm one of those guys.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'll buy using whatever method works. Sometimes it's online and sometimes it's up front and personal. My preference is up front and personal, but that isn't always possible.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I really like buying pipes at the West Coast Show in person. Really good to see and touch the pipe in person. You get a better understanding of weight and balance in person. I do really like all the measurements SP takes of their pipes and list. Once you've purchased a few pipes that are roughly 5" long and weigh about 40 grams you have a better idea of the weight and balance, so if SP has the measurements around that and you like it it's pretty easy to say you're going to like it in person. Definitely get to pipe shows though and handle pipes in person even if you don't buy them. It will help a lot in pipe purchases.

 

[nitemair13]

I've only bought 3 pipes in person. My area does not have a good pipe B&M. That's why I like to go up to Raleigh and visit Pipes by George. Otherwise I've purchased online from MM and Smokingpipes.com, both of which have great customer service.

 

[sparroa]

I would prefer to buy in person but that is not an option for me. SmokingPipes is a great alternative though as they have an excellent selection, accurate dimensions and quality pictures backed up by strong customer service. There is no substitute for handling a pipe and having a concrete location to go if you have problems but this is the next best thing.
The worst experiences for me have been dealing with eBay sellers. lol

 

[Chasing Embers]

I prefer online as I despise driving.

 

[mso489]

ash', peoples' experience is so varied. I have seven Petes bought mostly six or eight years ago, and they've always been great, never any problems. But same is true with my Savs. Both serve my purposes well and are trouble free. So it goes. I think some brands have characteristics that annoy some people and not others. The five carvers whose pipes I have, all are excellent from my point of view, but I can easily imagine I might buy an artisan pipe that I just wouldn't like.

 

[ashdigger]

mso, true. I love, love, love my Ryan Alden pipes, but I did get one dud. I gifted the pipe and the new owner loves it. Now, the rest of my 27 Aldens smoke like a dream.
Btw, thanks to Duane, I'm going for 31 Aldens so I have a few more to go.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Btw, thanks to Duane, I'm going for 31 Aldens so I have a few more to go.

You'll buy more. :mrgreen:

 

[olkofri]

Whatever suits the occasion. My local B&M doesn't carry a large selection; he doesn't carry Vauen either. Thus, it's online then. If I want a Brigham, however, I'll visit him and have him place the order: a week or so later I'll get a call to come pick it up. Win-win in that case: brand new pipe straight from the factory and support for my local tobacconist.

 

[craiginthecorn]

I always prefer in person, but if I'm buying online it'll be only from folks I know I can rely upon. If I buy from smokingpipes, I always ask my rep for feedback first.

 

[npod]

At first I liked to buy in person, but now I have focused my pipe collection to only two schools and it’s easier to buy online with trusted sites and reps.

 

[warren]

I person.

 

[mso489]

Anywhere you can see a lot of pipes in person is a good learning experience, if you can exercise the self-restraint to only buy what you can afford and what fits in with your other pipes. If you can go to a pipe show and do the complete rounds, examining and handling everything of interest, top price to bottom, you will learn a lot. Likewise with pipe shops. The staff may not appreciate all the window shopping. Naturally, they want brisk quick sales. If you can look at magnitudes more pipes than you buy, you will find that what you finally buy, there or elsewhere or online, will be better for it. If you're going to buy a horse, look at thousands of horses first. You're learning more than you realize, and more than you set out to learn. This isn't just for beginners. I think it works for anyone.