This Just Makes Me Sick

[sablebrush52]

At any rate, my point was that these tobacco "scalpers" didn't create the scarcity to manipulate the price. They seized the opportunity to flip for a profit.

Correct. The definition of scalping revolves around the reselling of a scarce item for many multiples of it's normal (whatever that is in these crazy timed) or retail, price.
What make this more shocking to so many is the rapidity of events.
Maybe there's something wrong with me that I don't see this as a desirable activity in which to engage. I certainly had the opportunity, since I knew about the closing back in December. Rather than buy hundreds of tins to hold for reselling I bought some tins to smoke. The McClelland scalping feels distinctly predatory and I'm not a predatory person. But, the prey have to volunteer to be prey in this instance.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

But, the prey have to volunteer to be prey in this instance.

Tis the crux of the thing entirely, in my view.

 

[echambers]

One of the benefits of moving into pipes from cigars in the last year is that I haven't had time to fall in love with any of these blends. I have a couple 100g tins of on the town and cellar that I'll save for a while but there is SO MUCH variety already out there that i'm sure I'll find plenty to love without spending $100 a tin.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I have a couple 100g tins of on the town and cellar that I'll save for a while

These tins are now going for over $100 each on eBay. C'mon. You know you wanna.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Just received my last order of McClelland tobacco. Bought 10 tins of Balken Blue as its one of my Top 3 tobacco's and is one of my daily smokes. That brings my total to 17 tins, and no I'm not selling any of them. I'm going to enjoy them for myself down the road.
Now I'm all for free market, free country do what you want, blah, blah, blah, but these individuals that went out and bought specific blends for the whole point of turning around to sell the tobacco on ebay is stupid and they are taking advantage of other pipe smokers. In my opinion those individuals doing that are giant D-bags!!! Very sickening that someone would buy something they're not going to even enjoy for themselves, and purposely put the tobacco on ebay to make a profit. Lowest of the low. Personally I wish people would just ignore these auctions and not buy anything at all, but there are lots of dumb people out there on both sides, and they'll pay the stupid price, because well they're stupid.
Now if its a vintage tin like the 2000 Christmas Cheer, I can see that, but a tin that cost $17 and now going for $100 this week is absurd. :crazy:

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

these individuals that went out and bought specific blends for the whole point of turning around to sell the tobacco on ebay is stupid and they are taking advantage of other pipe smokers.

I have sold tobacco for profit. I have also given lots away. So what does that make me? The "lowest of the low"? "Stupid"?

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

The way I see it, there are plenty of rich people with more money than sense. And they didn't have the sense to buy McClelland when the gettin was good.

Now, if they want to piss away their yacht gas money and overpay for some tins late to the game, all is fair. Hopefully, the seller is just a poor shnook looking to pay his bills or sees an opportunity to stock his cellar deeper on the cheap by flipping a few tins. That's capitalism, supply/demand, and nobody is twisting the buyer's arm.
That said, there is no way I would pay these ridiculous asking prices either, no matter how much I want it.

Spot on.

 

[coyja]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/McClelland-Frog-Morton-Cellar-100-Grams-Minus-2-Bowls-That-I-Smoked/112853520715?hash=item1a4698114b:g:eSwAAOSwFFpanmrz
Its getting hectic out here

 

[elvergun]

I have sold tobacco for profit.

It's not about selling tobacco for profit...it's about selling tobacco under the current circumstances.
Pipestud sells tobacco for profit, but he sold some tins of 40th for little or no profit. Asking for double the price (or more) right now is taking advantage of other pipe smokers who were late to the party by only a few days. And these unfortunate pipe smokers were only late because some unscrupulous ebay sellers were buying 50 to 100 tins at a time. I would rather pay $50 to Smoking Pipes for a tin of 40th than to some pipsquea...err...entrepreneurial soul trying to make a buck. The people at SP did the honorable thing and they did not increase the price of their existing stock...so the...err...honorable gentlemen of ebay took advantage of the situation.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Now if its a vintage tin like the 2000 Christmas Cheer, I can see that, but a tin that cost $17 and now going for $100 this week is absurd.

I agree. But even then, $100 is pushing it for me. But Christmas Cheer was limited production each year anyway, and with the aging, I might be willing to pay up to that if I had the funds. But I'm definitely not one of those that can afford to drop a lot of money all at once on a bunch of tins, especially just to sell them. This last order of McClelland blends was my largest order of tins yet, with just 12 tins total, mostly Balkan Blue to bolster what I already had on hand, and then a couple other blends that I really wanted to try before they were gone for good. And it broke me for the week. Granted I've collected quite a few pipes over the years now, but those have all been purchased with money saved up for that purpose, or when I got lucky and got some overtime, holiday pay, or tax return money.
*sheesh this post sounds like I'm being a big baby* :rofl: Really I'm just trying to get my point across. There are others like me, or even making less money, that just can't drop hundreds of dollars at once on a bunch of tobacco, and the big buyout by (possibly)people who had the funds to buy a bunch just to sell a bunch to make more, made it very hard for some to try and get their hands on these blends before they were all gone. I'm glad I was able to get some, but I bet some others weren't able to get any at all and it's definitely unfortunate for them.
And..... I'm not going to lie... I'm being a big baby over the fact if I want to buy more Balkan Blue, it might cost me the price of a pipe.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/McClelland-Frog-Morton-Cellar-100-Grams-Minus-2-Bowls-That-I-Smoked/112853520715?hash=item1a4698114b:g:eSwAAOSwFFpanmrz
Its getting hectic out here

SMH. Three is still some Frog Motrin out there on the shelves. I don't think it's all that anyway.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Minus 2 Bowls That I Smoked

I don't know what bothers me more... that he's putting it up on Ebay after smoking 2 bowls of it, or that there are actually people bidding on it. :crazy:

 

[jpmcwjr]

Really ? How about after a big snow emergency the hardware store that was selling shovels for $15 normally,ups it to $80. Or the chain saw that was $300 is now $550-$600. Or when a towns electric is out and the gas station next town over triples the price per gallon!! That's supply and demand and you see nothing wrong? Those are not life saving items.

No, but they are essential. That's price gouging at its finest.
Selling my tin of Christmas Cheer for $100 is not.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

I'm being a big baby over the fact if I want to buy more Balkan Blue, it might cost me the price of a pipe.

I feel the same. I would have picked up a heck of a lot more than I did if I knew they were going to sell out in a few days.

 

[ashdigger]

I think it's insane it's already at this level of hysteria.

 

[brian64]

This debate will still be raging when the next brand goes extinct...and no one will have seen that coming either.

 

[jmatt]

Wow. I'm amazed most of you are American. Supply and demand. Econ 101. Two weeks ago the supply was never-ending. Today it's gone. Price goes up. Don't you buy stocks hoping the price will go up and you'll sell to someone else someday? Good grief people. It's tobacco - arguably a luxury item. If you want it, and can pay the price, then buy it. And if you don't, don't. I'm shocked at the indignation in this one thread.
And for what it's worth, according to tobaccocellar I've got about 100 tins of McClelland stocked up. So I suppose I could be taking some profits right now. But personally, other than trading with some people here on this forum, I've never flipped a tin. But whatever is left in another 20 years I hope to sell at a ridiculous profit.
P.S. - anyone want these 8oz bags of Penzance and Stonehaven I've got lying around?

 

[beefeater33]

^^ Damn Man!! Where you been? Good to see you post again, and a great one at that!.............. ::

 

[lasttango]

It's eBay... get what you can.
I don't get upset with what people ask for on eBay.
If someone did that here, I'd kind of think they were a douche. I'd keep that to myself though.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

P.S. - anyone want these 8oz bags of Penzance and Stonehaven I've got lying around?

I'd consider it if your price isn't too outrageous.