Offensively High Resale Prices On Unicorn Blends

[badbriar]

At the risk of being flamed into oblivion, am I the only one that believes that this relatively recent phenomenon is getting greedily out of hand? I mean, when someone is able to purchase an 8 oz foil bag of a highly sought after pipe tobacco for around 50 bucks and then resells it for some 6 - 8 times cost, isn't that taking things to a whole new level of greed??? Thing is that those greedy bastards have no interest in actually enjoying the prize, but sell it to the highest bidder. They also deprive the unfortunates who would never actually see that tobacco from ever having the opportunity to try it.
Personally, I'd rather see the tobacco companies stop exporting the HTF tobaccos to this country and simply send it all overseas. At least that way, the greedy bastards will not benefit, like the rest of us.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Why all the angst? Tobacco is hardly an essential product. There's clearly people happy to pay the prices being asked. I'm a fan of free market and Capitalism. It's no different with countless other products. If I wanted it that badly, I'd be happy to have it available despite the price.

 

[AroEnglish]

Why all the angst? Tobacco is hardly an essential product. There's clearly people happy to pay the prices being asked. I'm a fan of free market and Capitalism. It's no different with countless other products. If I wanted it that badly, I'd be happy to have it available despite the price.

I think this is where I am now too but I get why people are pissed. It’s the feeling that it’s unjust that someone who has no care at all for this thing is making this money off of it.

Yeah it’s just the consequences capitalism. There's good things about it and there are bad things about it but you can’t separate those things.

 

[shanez]

I, for one, appreciate the prices. Just a little more increase and I can sell off my cellar and retire early.

Seriously though, it's not bad. Compared to cigars the price per smoke is still better. Most of the blends, probably all, aren't all that and a side of fries. If people want to pay the price that's their business and more power to them. It's no different than any other brand name trend.

 

[LeafErikson]

Why all the angst? Tobacco is hardly an essential product. There's clearly people happy to pay the prices being asked. I'm a fan of free market and Capitalism. It's no different with countless other products. If I wanted it that badly, I'd be happy to have it available despite the price.

This is the camp that I'm in. The NFL has had this issue in the past with their tickets. The NFL would sell tickets for say $100 and scalpers would flip them for $800 once the tickets for the game had sold out. The NFL decided to just sell those $100 tickets for $800. I'm surprised Germain's hasn't done the same thing with Esoterica.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I understand the frustration, but personally I could care less. I would never pay those crazy prices, but I’m not drinking Pappy & slurping caviar either…that’s not my latitude. But, if it’s yours …go ahead hoss. If the market decides you’re not a player…just accept it and move onto a different market that caters to your billfold. Besides, there is plenty of other out there better than the Gold bags readily available & reasonably priced imho. ️

 

[sablebrush52]

When someone charges a huge mark up for a much needed medication because they've locked up distribution, I'm all for stringing them up.

Tobacco isn't a basic necessity and if someone wants to charge an enormous mark up I''m free to decline to pay it, as is anyone else.

Personally, I'd rather see the tobacco companies stop exporting the HTF tobaccos to this country and simply send it all overseas.

The Esoterica blends were created for Steve Richman of the Piedmont Tobacco Company using Germain's Catalog blends as a starting point, and were created for the US market. So if they're not being sold here, they're not being sold anywhere.

It's a self inflicted wound. Buyers set prices, not sellers. If buyers are not willing to pay, sellers can either lower their prices or not sell inventory.

It's a personal choice. There's not a tobacco made today, or ever, for which I would spend hundreds of dollars to smoke. Others feel quite differently or these prices wouldn't exist.

Are scalpers opportunistic greedy bastards? Is a 400 pound robin fat?

 

[andrew]

I just dont buy them or smoke them. As once you paid 800% more for a blend than it's worth it won't live up to your expectations. And if it was readily available for cheap you'd probably pass it over.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Wanna complain, blame the buyers. Without suckers paying exorbitant prices, the market wouldn't exist. Just don't buy them, you're really not missing much.

 

[Auxsender]

At the risk of being flamed into oblivion, am I the only one that believes that this relatively recent phenomenon is getting greedily out of hand? I mean, when someone is able to purchase an 8 oz foil bag of a highly sought after pipe tobacco for around 50 bucks and then resells it for some 6 - 8 times cost, isn't that taking things to a whole new level of greed??? Thing is that those greedy bastards have no interest in actually enjoying the prize, but sell it to the highest bidder. They also deprive the unfortunates who would never actually see that tobacco from ever having the opportunity to try it.
Personally, I'd rather see the tobacco companies stop exporting the HTF tobaccos to this country and simply send it all overseas. At least that way, the greedy bastards will not benefit, like the rest of us.

With all due respect, pull yourself together, man.
This is a free market and it’s beautiful.
Don’t hate all over it simply because you’re not participating. I say, get in the game!

Here are some potential options:
1. Develop a relationship with a B&M.

2.Get money, scour the internet, and buy some of whatever it is you’re after.
Tinbids and PipeStud have it regularly.

3. Decide you don’t want to pay market value and move on with your life while enjoying the literal thousands of other blends out there.

I hope you find some peace with this topic.

 

[warren]

I mean, when someone is able to purchase an 8 oz foil bag of a highly sought after pipe tobacco for around 50 bucks and then resells it for some 6 - 8 times cost, isn't that taking things to a whole new level of greed???

Sadly, the world of economics doesn't revolve around your needs. Corner a luxury product, smoking is a luxury, and sell for the highest price possible. That's just sound, risky but sound, financial maneuvering.

Obviously there are enough buyers to justify the prices. You simply don't have the same desire/resources as they do. So, you'll just have to live with the situation and forego those blends. But, blaming a person for taking advantage of a seller's market ain't gonna do you any good.

They also deprive the unfortunates who would never actually see that tobacco from ever having the opportunity to try it.

Who cares? I certainly don't worry about what others can or can't afford. Or, how others spend their moneys. Simply none of my business.

 

[LeafErikson]

smoking is a luxury

What Warren meant to say is, "Smoking is a hobby."

 

[jpberg]

I blame Pipestud, The Art of Manliness, and Melvin Schwartz.
Not necessarily in that order.

 

[karam]

I blame Pipestud, The Art of Manliness, and Melvin Schwartz.
Not necessarily in that order.

Hey leave The Art of Manliness out of this!

On point, what sable said.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

I'm with the OP here. I do have some sympathy with the idea that tobacco is a luxury, therefore we shouldn't be too concerned with this type of behaviour. But I have greater sympathy with the idea that luxury items shouldn't just be available to the rich. Someone mentioned the Super Bowl. That is a perfect example, and we have the same problem here with big football matches. Gangs of organised criminals will buy up all the tickets and sell them outside the ground at a 500% mark-up. This is not the free market working in the way Adam Smith imagined it, because by the very nature of the product being sold, demand will always outstrip supply. It isn't possible to increase the supply, so the normal laws of market economics don't apply. It is in these grey areas that these type of shenannigans happen. In the case of big sporting events, the people who operate in these areas are criminals, and what they are doing is strictly against the law (I am sure the same is true in the States). In the case of tobacco, OK, it is not against the law, but it certainly violates the spirit of the law, and really has nothing to do with free market economics, a lot closer to criminality.

 

[thesmokindragon]

 

[jaytex1969]

 

[paulfg]

nobody is forcing you to buy it at the inflated price.If you don't think it's worth it don't pay it.As you state it can be bought at reasonable price, just do the donkey work.
Sometimes things are outside your price range,that is a fact of life.

 

[pinem]

I also fully support the OP and agree with WerewolfOfLondon. The flippers are not capitalists, they are parasites. They did not make the product, they are just using it as a way to leech off pipe smokers for monetary gain. They should get a job and actually make a contribution to society, not leech off it. The root of all evil...and a special place in hell.

On the other hand, if the manufacturer wants to charge these prices, then fine, they made, they can ask what they want for it. That is their prerogative, and if you don't like it, go make something better or buy something else.


As for Patent Law, that is a whole different matter, and doesn't belong in this discussion.

 

[captpat]

Prices (and taxes) for most tobacco products are going up, some more than others. It's an almost free market, supply and demand rules. IME not all unicorn blends live up to the hype, sometimes they are not as good as commonly available blends, of which there are plenty. Sometimes I think prices are driven by FOMO. I have a few unicorns that I don't smoke much anymore, the asking prices are causing me to consider letting them go to finance other purchases.