Do Tobacco Professionals Read Us?

[mso489]

Someone on a current thread said they thought GLP and C&D probably read Forums. In the past I have often wondered to what degree pipe professionals would find Forums useful reading from a professional point of view. Of course, we have maybe eight or ten blenders, carvers, and others who are members and may read us for recreation, and generously chime in with great informed material now and then. I've always thought that the pros could skim out a lot of useful info, like an ongoing focus group, and save a lot of extra trouble seeking out the feedback. I consider some members pros and participants -- jiminks, sable on Barling, pipestud, Ken, Russ, and others. I'm sorry I can't name all offhand. What is the general sense of what the professional readership of Forums is? For professional info or just entertainment?

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

They're fools if they don't.. at least occasionally. There's a lot of business being done here.

 

[geopiper]

Sykes Wilford (smokingpipes.com) and Russ Ouellette (pipesandcigars.com) have replied to threads here started by forum members. This always gave me the impression that at least these two tobacco professionals lurk here and jump in if they feel the need to address something important to them.

 

[mso489]

Yes, this looks like free market research for the pipe smoking industry. Someone would have to screen through to sort out the banter, the bawdy, and the irrelevant, but that's true with any research. Seems like the actual pipe discussions are loaded with information about customer habits, thinking, opinions, trends, and buying habits. Some/most of the companies don't have big marketing departments, so this would be a strong supplement to that. Even a part-time grad student with some sociology, psychology, and/or marketing knowhow could pull a lot from here, I would think. Maybe it is just so much jabber, but I doubt it.

 

[BROBS]

Yes, this looks like free market research for the pipe smoking industry. Someone would have to screen through to sort out the banter, the bawdy, and the irrelevant, but that's true with any research. Seems like the actual pipe discussions are loaded with information about customer habits, thinking, opinions, trends, and buying habits. Some/most of the companies don't have big marketing departments, so this would be a strong supplement to that. Even a part-time grad student with some sociology, psychology, and/or marketing knowhow could pull a lot from here, I would think. Maybe it is just so much jabber, but I doubt it.

I’d believe they read some of it. Maybe just out of curiosity but it has to have some value to them, if nothing else to see that most are satisfied or not etc.

 

[mso489]

Trying to put myself in their place, if I were working for a pipe tobacco company, I'd want to look at "What Are You Smoking" from time to time, and discussions of blends, comments on retailers (to hear about the competition), and to see what's trending and what might not be getting attention that could. It's true, the biggest customer base is made up of one-blend aromatic smokers who spend less than $70 USD on a pipe, so they are looking at a fraction of a small customer base. However, they also get a global input from a wide range of education, income, experience, age, etc. You have to know what you are looking at, but it is bound to be useful.

 

[logs]

pretty sure the ghost of Charles Rattray follows everything we post

 

[BROBS]

pretty sure the ghost of Charles Rattray follows everything we post

HE LIVES IN POLAND NOW

 

[Chasing Embers]

Greg Pease does have an account here as well.

 

[greeneyes]

There's no doubt in my mind that they do. Jeremy Reeves from Cornell & Diehl chimed in very quickly when I found that fiber in the Spark Plug. I've heard of several other manufacturers and distributors having a visible presence on various forums.

 

[ray47]

Okay, since the door is open......why doesn't smokingpipes.com sell Dr. Grabow and Kaywoodie pipes?

 

[jpberg]

I think a lot of the oldsters, the guys that were active in the nineties and into the 00s pretty much dropped out after politely answering the same question for the 5,000th time.
They're still around, but only pop their head out of the hole for something significant.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Some certainly do, seen quite a few responses posted here by the pros.

 

[saltedplug]

In general the pros don't have a high opinion for the forums. I've seen them openly disrespected, and they don't think that we have good manners.

 

[Pipelady20]

Okay, since the door is open......why doesn't smokingpipes.com sell Dr. Grabow and Kaywoodie pipes?

I wondered this as well.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

Okay, since the door is open......why doesn't smokingpipes.com sell Dr. Grabow and Kaywoodie pipes?

Probably so that they won't have ANY pipes I can afford on a fixed income.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Probably so that they won't have ANY pipes I can afford on a fixed income.

You have to watch the sales. I got a new old stock Tsuge for the price of a Dr Grabow. The prices can dip pretty low on occasion.

 

[canucklehead]

Probably so that they won't have ANY pipes I can afford on a fixed income.

They have 174 pipes under $50 right now.

 

[mso489]

I know pros join Forums and participate from time to time. But do those and others read it for market research, whether they join or not? If I were in the biz, I think I'd scan it regularly, skip a good bit of it as social conversation, but attend to info about products, trends, complaints, and point-of-view. It's a Focus group, in effect, at no cost to them. It's kind of crazy not to take a look, in a methodical way.

 

[canucklehead]

You have to watch the sales. I got a new old stock Tsuge for the price of a Dr Grabow. The prices can dip pretty low on occasion.

I am considering getting a Tsuge just because they are so inexpensive. ?