Local purchase vs online cost

[tpicking]

Until today I've always bought my tobacco online, but this morning I made the 30 mile round trip to my nearest tobacco shop. Partly I just wanted to see their selection, but I was also thinking that I'd save shipping costs.
Their selection was pretty good, but it wasn't up to the large online shops. I bought half a dozen new varieties, and when I got home I compared costs. The actual tobacco prices were pretty close to online shops, but I definitely didn't save money on shipping costs. Gas for the trip was about $4, and I paid about $5 in NC state tax, so the total was higher than most shipping charges. (And if I use actual vehicle mileage to figure the cost instead of just gas, my cost for the trip goes up to about $15.)
Looks like I'll still order most of my smokes online.

 

[yohanan]

That's exactly the reasons that I order online. ::

 

[pentangle]

4$ for 60 miles? How much cost the gasoline there in Usa?

 

[zanthal]

You will be very hard pressed to beat the price, selection and convenience of ordering online.
But having a friendly shop to go to and smoke is great too.

 

[pjm03fatboy]

pentangle@ gas in wis is $3.19 per gal right now so if his car get 40 mile per gal or more i can see That!!

 

[nsfisher]

Nova Scotia Canada here and here is my cost evaluation
I ordered 1.5 ounch pack of Carter Hill, 3.5 ounce tin of 7 Seas Black, 2 ounce tin of H&H Blackhouse, 3 ounches of Larry's Blend, and a clay pipe, add to that a $25.00 shipping fee for a total of $77.00 and change.
If i bought it locally, if i could even find it (and i would have to drive to Halifax which is 290Km round trip)and over half a day of my time, it would be;
equivilant of 4.5 packs of baccy = $90.00, clay pipe here i imagine is bout $35.00,(if i could even find one) and gas for round trip is $35.00 for a grand total of approximately $160.00. So YES i shall only shop online from now on!!!!!!!
BTW our gas here is $1.30 per LITRE

 

[aussielass]

And therein lies the exact reason there will be no more B&M stores left in the not too distant future, and not only in this hobby either. The worst part of it is that many of them cannot see the cold, hard truth emerging and modify their business models to cope with this and hideous Govt. pressure driving them to the wall.
I paid $1.59 a litre for gas yesterday, but it's a moot point because I don't have a Pipe Store within several thousand miles and my cars are not amphibious

 

[schmitzbitz]

I echo the Nova Scotian; with the exception of tobacco prices. Tins run me between $35 and $50 each (50g), so the ninety you allocated might cover the Blackhouse.
A buck thirty-four nine per litre in Vancouver, BC...or at least my little part thereof.

 

[nemrod]

Just wanted to point out that gas here in Sweden is about $2 per litre. That's about $7.6 per gallon. :|
The Swedish tobacco tax doubles the price compared to ordering from other EU countries (mainly Germany) so it's unlikely that I'll buy anything but the occasional pouch locally.

 

[sherlock]

I buy from both. As a few have said I do it to help support my local business. There is always a cost when buying things and it isn't always money. I want my local B&M to stay in business, so I buy from them. It may cost more money, but I like the idea I am helping a business in my community. The other benefits of B&M's is they often have tobacco that is hard to find online just sitting on their shelves and you get to talk to somebody who knows their tobacco. This is not to say I want online shops to go out of business because they provide a great service. So I try to split it between the two.

 

[mluyckx]

Maurizio / nsFisher: Gas here in Texas is at roughly $3 / gallon, or about $0.80 a liter. Or roughly 60 EuroCent a liter. Compared to EUR 1.6 in Belgium last time I checked ;-)
Texas comparison of local vs online:

50g. tin of Nording Labrador: $18.75 here in the B&M. At P&C, without shipping: $9.75.
Texas taxes are having a toll on the pipe tobacco business here. My old time B&M, two guys in their 70's, have finally stopped carrying tins altogether. They are down to two types in bulk. Cigars are taxed differently and 90% of the B&M's are switching to that. Those that aren't switching have just ridiculously high prices like the one I just quoted.
Looks like I do need to start building a cellar. Off to talk to the misses, see if she buys my excuse to indulge in TAD :rofl:

 

[flipflopsandshades]

Nearest B&M to me, which is mainly a cigar shop, is a good half hours away. Their selection of pipes is rather scant but they do have a decent number of tobaccos tins and bulk blends.
I don't know what the answer is, but today I just fulfilled a TAD flair up from Pipes and Cigars. Even though I have to wait a few days I do think it is more cost effective.

 

[seakayak]

I am fortunate in having two fine tobacconist shops near my home and have always given them my business. I really enjoy the advice, convenience and the fellowship involved.

 

[igloo]

Seven mile to the shop I drive by and shoot the bird at . Fortry-five to a shop that will mix up what I need on a table . Online is half the price due to the new tax .

 

[mikemacrdlnds]

I shop online; example, 8oz of Lane 1-Q at my local smoke shop here in Ca. is $36.50 tax included. Shipped from Pipes&Cigars $22.63. So when it is time for my TAD order I usually order enough for free shipping. Taxes in Ca killed the true B&M Tobacco/Pipe shops. The nearest one is in Lake Forest, Ca, The Tobacco Barn, and that is a 100 mile round trip for me, and Lane 1-Q cost the same there as in the local smoke shop.

 

[judcole]

I do a little bit of both, but mostly online. My local guy gets the business for cleaners, and for his shop blends. He has an excellent selection of estate pipes, so I tend to look there for new pipe purchases. He doesn't do e-commerce, but does a lot of mail-order. It's pretty much a one-man show, though, so it won't outlast him.
None of the B&M's in Michigan does e-comerce, but they all do lots of mail-order. A couple of them are in college towns, which has given them a big base - and they've been in business for years. The other, Paul's in Flint, has also been around for years. He has a web presence - and FB - but does no e-commerce. ::

 

[ssjones]

No mail order of tobacco here in Maryland, so drive I do. I do enjoy trying a few bowls of a new jar blend and getting to smoke in a proper room versus my garage/workshop....

 

[drsam]

At this time I buy online cause it is a 4 mile round trip to buy a 4,00 pack of PA.
In a couple of months I will have a temporary move to Nashville about 2 blocks from

a very large shop.

 

[menckenite]

I will buy a tin or two occasionally from my local B&Ms as well as bent pipes, cleaners, and flints.
I buy bulk tobacco orders (when thy include free shipping) and straight pipes online.

 

[dburrows]

There are several benefits to shopping at the local B&M. A few of those are keeping your B&M in business, being a participant in a dying breed, helping to keep a place open that you can enjoy (the smoking lounges) and another big one, I think, is helping to maintain your local economy by buying local. Unfortunately I think that last one gets overlooked quite often. As others have said - the local B&M has much more overhead costs than the online shop.
There are several benefits to shopping online as well. Cost (always seems to be at the top of the list), selection and convenience.
All that said, I participate in both. I tend to order online for items I can't get at the local shop and for items I can get I stay local.
I'm sure everyone can list other benefits to both that probably have to do with personal reasons.