Offensively High Resale Prices On Unicorn Blends

[cosmicfolklore]

Expensive tobaccos and pipes tends to piss people off way more than expensive cars, shoes, belts, clothes, hats. Why do the same people who get all bent over Dunhill prices not also rage on Porsches and Lambos? I could afford several Dunhills, but maybe only one Lambo, ha ha.

 

[Kobold]

Eh. What I’ve found being an overly obsessive collector of things other than pipes and tobacco is that if you stick around long enough and make connections you will get what you’re looking for at the price you want. Just takes patience and a little hard work.
Stick to your guns and don’t pay those inflated prices.

 

[Gandalf The Grey]

Expensive tobaccos and pipes tends to piss people off way more than expensive cars, shoes, belts, clothes, hats. Why do the same people who get all bent over Dunhill prices not also rage on Porsches and Lambos? I could afford several Dunhills, but maybe only one Lambo, ha ha.

I have one car and it's a Bentley. I paid the cost of having luxury. The ones buying Porches and Lamborghinis who don't have the disposable income complain about the cost of repairs and oil changes (mine cost $500 and I have private insurance covering my repair costs). Those who complain about the cost of a well made Dunhill that will last for a long time aren't the ones buying expensive vehicles. Everyone wants the luxury but not everyone can afford it.

 

[EvertonFC]

Mostly, I just find this stuff laughable. In the bourbon world, the average person who buys Pappy wouldn't choose it in a 4-glass blind against a bunch of sub-$50 bottles. It's no different with Cuban cigars, it's no different with wine, it's no different in the art world, it's no different with pipe tobacco. People think it's exclusive, so they want it.

 

[Gandalf The Grey]

Mostly, I just find this stuff laughable. In the bourbon world, the average person who buys Pappy wouldn't choose it in a 4-glass blind against a bunch of sub-$50 bottles. It's no different with Cuban cigars, it's no different with wine, it's no different in the art world, it's no different with pipe tobacco. People think it's exclusive, so they want it.

But there are things that are exclusive to the well to do. A good bottle of scotch will be appreciated by those who are collectors of that sort. The average man hasn't had the experience of having the best.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Mostly, I just find this stuff laughable. In the bourbon world, the average person who buys Pappy wouldn't choose it in a 4-glass blind against a bunch of sub-$50 bottles. It's no different with Cuban cigars, it's no different with wine, it's no different in the art world, it's no different with pipe tobacco. People think it's exclusive, so they want it.

While I have founbd the Cuban cigars that I've tried to be rather incredible, I agree with you on bourbons. Being in a bourbon club, I've tried many different ones, and the more expensive they are, the more they strip my throat bare with heavy fusel tastes.

Most who buy Esotericas would scoff at someone smoking aromatics, but them smoke Esotericas where the main flavor is a casing. I just don't understand that.

 

[telescopes]

It is only a free market if everyone has access to the market at the point of entry to sellers.

The point of entry was never determined to be flippers. In the case of esoterica blends, flippers corner the market before the product can truly come to market in a manner accessible to most buyers. Secondly, The makers of Esoterica never intended for flippers to be able to enter the market as they do elsewise, esoterica would set the prices at a higher level.

 

[solideogloria86]

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.

"If I can't have it, I don't want anyone else to have it either!"

 

[LongIslandPiper]

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.

While I understand your position clearly, this is capitalism at its most fundamental. The market can only command what people are willing to pay for it. My $.02

 

[LongIslandPiper]

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.

For the love of tobacco, no need to give them any ideas lol

 

[LongIslandPiper]

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. ️

Btw your moniker is ironically suited to this thread. I also concur with what you stated.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If retailers actually cared, they could limit purchases to deter flippers.
And, they only tend to hit online retailers. Many B&Ms that don't list their Esotericas will still have them on the shelves, because in person they don't really move that fast.
The last few times I've been to a B&M, they've been setting there as pretty as you'd please on a shelf.
If you only buy online, then you're probably just shit out of luck. If you don't have a B&M, that is probably because you only buy online, and no one can compete with that. Maybe move? ...if it's that big a deal to you.

Me? I could go the rest of my life without ever even seeing an Esoterica, and live perfectly fine.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Expensive tobaccos and pipes tends to piss people off way more than expensive cars, shoes, belts, clothes, hats.

I couldn't disagree more. I wouldn't give a fusty ruck if your chamber is filled with tobacco that cost $100/bowl, and the pipe is a $10,000 piece, but when you drive by in your fine wood paneled Rolls or Jag I have pangs of envy.

The other items I either have good quality or don't give a damn ,

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I couldn't disagree more. I wouldn't give a fusty ruck if your chamber is filled with tobacco that cost $100/bowl, and the pipe is a $10,000 piece, but when you drive by in your fine wood paneled Rolls or Jag I have pangs of envy.

The other items I either have good quality or don't give a damn ,

I just don't see/hear anyone post that Jags should be more affordable so that everyone can get one... unlike how we see people post about Dunhills or Esotericas.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I just don't see/hear anyone post that Jags should be more affordable so that everyone can get one... unlike how we see people post about Dunhills or Esotericas.

Nor do I. Was speaking only to my own preferences as to what might cause me pangs---- of anything.

I can "afford" to smoke nothing but Penzance—but I smoke it rarely, and in fact have a 20+ year old 8 oz tray I am thinking of selling. I suppose I could "afford" that classic Jag sedan but I am not going to buy one.

 

[LongIslandPiper]

If retailers actually cared, they could limit purchases to deter flippers.
And, they only tend to hit online retailers. Many B&Ms that don't list their Esotericas will still have them on the shelves, because in person they don't really move that fast.
The last few times I've been to a B&M, they've been setting there as pretty as you'd please on a shelf.
If you only buy online, then you're probably just shit out of luck. If you don't have a B&M, that is probably because you only buy online, and no one can compete with that. Maybe move? ...if it's that big a deal to you.

Me? I could go the rest of my life without ever even seeing an Esoterica, and live perfectly fine.

This is precisely what my local B&M does. If he doesn’t know the person as a regular buyer he limits the Eso bags/Tins to one and to regular customers two.

 

[greeneyes]

A potential buyer might consider those exorbitant prices to be something of a "finder's fee" for their unwillingness to simply pick up a telephone or visit a nearby brick and mortar shop. It's easy to think of something as being rare if you're not putting in any effort to search for it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I just don't see/hear anyone post that Jags should be more affordable so that everyone can get one... unlike how we see people post about Dunhills or Esotericas.

True, but I've not heard of folks buying up a large portion of production before it reaches retail and then selling Jaguars for 3-10 times wholesale.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

True, but I've not heard of folks buying up a large portion of production before it reaches retail and then selling Jaguars for 3-10 times wholesale.

Umm, I don't think that we are on opposites sides of the debate. We are just getting our contexts crossed.

 

[kcghost]

Because you don't have enough money to buy these things doesn't mean the guys who selling this stuff should take less for their product. Remember these things are generally considered rare though not necessarily better than what you already have in your cellar.