Smokingpipes.com Price Increase

[dhizzy]

I have recently noticed an increase in prices at my favorite online retailer SP.com. Anyone have any insight? I have only noticed it on tobacco because I'm not in the market for a new pipe right now. It isn't a detriment but I still want to know what's up. Is this a sign of things to come? Maybe Sykes can chime in. For instance; as recently as a month or two ago I noted MacBaren ODF at about (don't quote me exactly but it's close) $11.17. It is now 13.29 for a tin.

 

[zekest]

A person wiser than me recently posted: "Tobacco today is as cheap as it will ever be."
Listen to the Radio Talk Show interview with the president of Sutliff Tobacco. We are on a razor's edge of waking up to 80% or more tax on pipe tobacco.
Very soon it is possible that your only choice will be between a $67 pouch of Borkum Riff, or a $127 bag of Ohm "pipe tobacco".

 

[cortezattic]

Check your order history against current prices. I didn't see any increases on the stuff I bought back in December.

 

[dhizzy]

Yep, they've definitely went up. I'm speaking mostly about MacBaren blends because they are my point of reference. I order those more than any other brand.

 

[rickpal14]

If prices haven't charged in a year or so than an increase has to be expected at some point. Doesn't matter to me who initiated it i.e. McB or SP.com. As long as its not a 50% type of increase its a part of staying in business.

 

[dhizzy]

Doesn't matter to me who initiated it i.e. McB or SP.com.

Me either. I wondered if maybe they did it to alleviate some of the shock of an impending tax increase. Which, if you think about it, is not a bad business move. Like I said, it's not a deal breaker and I will continue to go there because they are a top notch retailer.

 

[rickpal14]

That's a good point dhizzy, although I am sure that all the retailers will let us know who is responsible for the huge increase if/when it happens!!!! 8O

 

[thesmokindragon]

They now offer MB in a 16oz box for their ODF, it is how I

buy it, comes to about $2.68/per oz I will take that price anyday
As I always say if you can buy "bulk" this is the way to go,

and my usual saying "Don't screw around and by it by the pound"

 

[JimInks]

I agree about buying by the pound when you can. It is true that MacBaren has raised their prices on a few blends, but I doubt it's a hedge against upcoming taxation. And their prices are still pretty good. But yeah, it's smart to stock up while the prices are this low.

 

[plateauguy]

Maybe it went off sale.

 

[bigboi]

I noticed the price increase as well. Although it was on the blends that people were really starting to go after. For example, Frog Morton Cellar was the same as the other Frog Morton's when I first bought it, but since it has gained popularity I have noticed that it has gone up about $2 more for a 100 g can. I also noticed this on the ODF when ODG started to get really noticed around here as well. Don't blame them, demand and supply.

 

[mso489]

I've bought bulk tobacco fairly recently, taking advantage of the SP deal on Dunhill's 965,

and several other tobaccos from Altadis, Lane, McClelland. Those have all been good deals

and really competitive in today's market. Pipes, however, seem to really have gone up. As

I mentioned on another post, whole series of Petersons seem to be one higher price than

before, rather than having a range of prices between particular pipes. Except for certain

brands, it is more difficult to find pipes below certain arbitrary break points. Petersons are

getting rare below $80, for example. Some series of Sav's seem to have gone up significantly.

I'm sorry I haven't tracked these to be able to site specifics, but I do find myself backing off

on some purchases, or waiting, hoping to catch a sale, whereas before I wouldn't. Since

pipes aren't being taxed, maybe retailers are trying to cash in on their inventories before

a big tax on tobacco hits and makes the market for pipes much cooler. I don't see myself

quitting because of tobacco tax, but I suspect it would tend to dampen my frequency, as

with high tax prices making me more sparing in driving. Recreational roaming about isn't so

fun anymore.

 

[swilford]

Some pricing on Mac Baren changed with the switch of distribution. Some things went up a little and some things went down. It really depends on what you were looking at. I think ODF did go up. I'll have Tracy double check it, but I think the pricing changes you're seeing are from this.
Best,
Sykes