Firebird Flake Release Must Be A Success

[ak2000]

I love the "reviews" of tobacco no one has tried yet. Particularly the Chinese customers complaining that it was limited to (I assume) domestic buyers. I also love how people always mention the "hype" as a marketing ploy. Most of the "hype" is on forums, not from advertising. Very limited release means many won't get any, that's a fact. Also, selling 10 at a time means less shipping labor cost for SP, not unreasonable. Yes I was lucky enough to score a few tins. But if I hadn't, it wouldn't be a big deal to me at all. Plenty of other good tobacco to smoke.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

This is quite comical to me, everyone all hurt over a small batch selling out fast. It happens often with C&D. Sounds like they did limit it to 10 tins per order to try and let more people have some. A lot of people who buy these small batch releases buy a lot because they want to see what it’s like 3yrs or 5yrs down the road. To me the only issue is SP probably should have anticipated even more traffic with the push from the community to C&D after the STG debacle and went with even more bandwidth on this release.

 

[NomadOrb]

This is quite comical to me, everyone all hurt over a small batch selling out fast.

I think it's more jumping through hoops to give them money for over an hour, only to find a sold out screen waiting for you is a waste of time and rather annoying.

Also, to the people that feel so high and mighty for not having any interest in a small batch, OK? Good for you, I guess?

This blend has very interesting tobaccos that some people were excited about. How many aged oriental Kentucky red Virginia blends are out there?

You win some, you lose some, but SP wasted a lot of people's time on this one, which is frustrating.

 

[beezer]

It sounds like I'm in the minority of being okay with SP setting a 10 tin limit and having the website traffic create a virtual NYC during rush hour. Sometimes I win some sometimes I lose some. To me that adds to the fun of the hunt.

For those who missed out let's not be too critical...there's always a 50% chance this limited run comes with mold in which case the loser today becomes the winner tomorrow.

 

[coming to_falling too]

Here's what one reviewer thinks

 

[Chasing Embers]

Also, to the people that feel so high and mighty for not having any interest in a small batch, OK? Good for you, I guess?

As opposed to the high and mighty sour grapes crowd? SPC is in a business for making money, not placating bruised egos.

 

[NomadOrb]

As opposed to the high and mighty sour grapes crowd? SPC is in a business for making money, not placating bruised egos.

I don't really see that at all. Usually it's people patting themselves on the back for not being interested in a blend.

Take what you want out of it, customer experience is a real thing. Ego has nothing to do with it.

 

[Brendan]

You guys, come on now...





It's just re-branded PS Luxury Navy Flake

 

[Bbailey324]

You guys, come on now...





It's just re-branded PS Luxury Navy Flake

Turns out it is all rebranded Luxury Navy Flake. We have just been falling for the marketing hype...

 

[Brendan]

THANK YOU!

 

[Philosophical Smoke]

I personally think 10 tins on a release of 5000 is too much. So...you're in essence giving 500 pipe smokers a chance to try it. So be it...

The thing that I had a problem with more so was their terrible online server system. Being in this business I know what it costs to create a website capable of handling high demand loads at peak times and it's like putting a giant flashing light on screen that says "we're cheap" when a site crashes within minutes of an event like this.

Unless the entire Russian bot army was hammering them all at once, that shouldn't have happened.

 

[Chasing Embers]

critical...there's always a 50% chance this limited run comes with mold

Considering their track record that's highly likely.

 

[geoffs]

Microeconomics 101 tells me they should be jacking up the price on these limited releases.
That would serve to both reduce demand, and also give forum participants one more thing to complain about.
One stone, two birds!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Microeconomics 101 tells me they should be jacking up the price on these limited releases.
That would serve to both reduce demand, and also give forum participants one more thing to complain about.
One stone, two birds!

The ltd releases are a little more expensive, and they limit how many people can get. It's just that the demand is outrageous, because these ltd releases are all so damned good.
It would be nice if they could tweak their website engineering to handle the large swarm to buy all at once.
Or, maybe they could just hide the release day, and not reveal that the blend is released until after it is already live online.
Anyway they do it, someone will get left out, unfortunately. I'm not sure what the best fix is.

 

[fireground_piper]

Maybe they were on to something with those midnight release windows everyone complained about.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I think it's more jumping through hoops to give them money for over an hour, only to find a sold out screen waiting for you is a waste of time and rather annoying.

Also, to the people that feel so high and mighty for not having any interest in a small batch, OK? Good for you, I guess?

These things happen, sites crash. People miss out. I think it’s rather childish to whine and complain about it on a forum or write a negative review on their website. If you’re that annoyed about it contact their customer service.

I’m not high and mighty for not having interest in it. Actually, it did interest me. My personal situation right now is I’m bulking up my cellar on readily available blends, so that’s where I’m putting my money.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

For real. Who buys ten tins of a blend they've never had before. FOMO greed IMO.

Buy ten, flip five and yours are almost free.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

The majority of their customers aren't the smoke one tin of a blend per year variety. Most of their special releases are gone within the first hour. The best way to keep a blend like that available is to keep it as quiet on forums as possible. More non members read these pages than members.

Why super hype a product for weeks knowing you don't have enough on hand

 

[lordofthepiperings]

SmokingPipes is a site for collectors, pipe AND tobacco collectors. There are people who collect blends just like there are people who collect pipes. If they made enough for everyone to have a tin then it wouldn’t really be a limited release or be a special blend.

 

[NomadOrb]

These things happen, sites crash. People miss out. I think it’s rather childish to whine and complain about it on a forum or write a negative review on their website. If you’re that annoyed about it contact their customer service.

I’m not high and mighty for not having interest in it. Actually, it did interest me. My personal situation right now is I’m bulking up my cellar on readily available blends, so that’s where I’m putting my money.

I was under the impression that a pipe smoking forum is the perfect place to share your thoughts about things like this.