What Is With These Esoterica Prices?

[lukasstrifeson]

I totally understand OP’s point. ?

A rare or discontinued or well aged blend is worth a premium... something readily available periodically is not as much. Not that kind of premium.

Finally someone who's actually reading out here.

$100+ on a discontinued blend? Super aged blend? Fair enough, I can get on board (not gonna pretend like I didn't buy 40th Anni and aged CC at $65 a tin) but there's a difference between that and a tin from last week for $120 than MSRP - that was what shocked me.

But there's always some smart aleck who's gonna post a SND chart, like dude we get it, you own "Economics 4 Dummies" and enjoyed the pictures.

- - -

I attribute the consignment prices to impatience and a cultural shift to instant gratification. Some are willing to pay in order to not have to wait. I myself have been patient and have yet to pay over $13 a tin and $36 a bag for any Eso blend. There is a B&M close to me that has Eso in stock. The same tins have sat in their establishment for over a year because at $25 a tin, no one is biting. I think that Eso is reasonably priced in the market, especially when compared to the last drop of G&H. My prediction is that G&H will be released in the same frequency as Eso thus creating the same vacuum (marketing...marketing...marketing) and that by this time next year, once our supplies are low and we need a fix, we will be thrashing about in disgust with G&H. I think it has been said before in relation to hard to find blends, "be patient, one day it will just fall in your lap".

Hmm, very good point. The culture of instant gratification is definitely a part of it, people are definitely more inclined to pay for convenience now. Why bother hunting down a blend for months when you can have it tomorrow for a small premium? Fair enough.

As for the marketing aspect of release, I'm afraid you're spot on there too. Hope the big blenders don't move towards those kind of release schedules but if it's more profitable than before it'll be hard to blame them (I probably still will though).

 

[Chasing Embers]

Hey now, they use the ounce system. So that's 56.7g.

Too used to the measurement system of good tobacco, but you're right, they use ounces.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I attribute the consignment prices to impatience and a cultural shift to instant gratification. Some are willing to pay in order to not have to wait. I myself have been patient and have yet to pay over $13 a tin and $36 a bag for any Eso blend. There is a B&M close to me that has Eso in stock. The same tins have sat in their establishment for over a year because at $25 a tin, no one is biting. I think that Eso is reasonably priced in the market, especially when compared to the last drop of G&H. My prediction is that G&H will be released in the same frequency as Eso thus creating the same vacuum (marketing...marketing...marketing) and that by this time next year, once our supplies are low and we need a fix, we will be thrashing about in disgust with G&H. I think it has been said before in relation to hard to find blends, "be patient, one day it will just fall in your lap".

Same

 

[FurCoat]

Too used to the measurement system of good tobacco, but you're right, they use ounces.

View attachment 61173

Brilliant....lmao

 

[sablebrush52]

but there's a difference between that and a tin from last week for $120 than MSRP - that was what shocked me.

But, keep in mind that 4Noggins sells to overseas buyers, for whom a recent release is just as difficult to obtain as a vintage tin. They can't just call a B&M, like we can, to buy from a current drop of Unobtainium.

 

[briarbuck]

My cut off is $1,000 per stick. Anything over that is excessive.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Go to Disney and check out the prices. $169 for an adult to get inside, but you can pay about $300 more to not have to wait in line. And, that's for a freaking kiddie ride.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Glad we have sensible folk here! [BB's self limit.]

And Di$neyLand?

Fuuhgeddddabboudddit. Only reason I am glad I have no grandkids.

 

[trouttimes]

What is super expensive to one person is not to another. I know people who balk at $10.00 for CB, others that ven pause at $150 for Penzance. It's all perspective and your income. That's why you can buy a $15,000 car and a $300,000 car. Why make money if not to spend it on what you get enjoyment from?

 

[foursidedtriangle]

First off bragging is uncool. Especially about hoarding a product mostly irrelevant like tobacco (that’s just pathetic), but about money also to some degree.

I won’t brag, just saying I can afford jacked up prices for sure but there is no chance. No chance I will give someone a profit for dodging the queue and reselling a sought after product.

 

[PipeIT]

To express to others what constitutes a Ripoff, we all have to be able to agree to some fair extent as to what doesn’t constitute as a Ripoff.

Of course, in this so called Free Market, pretty much most of the time, anything is up for grabs.

So?

The reason I spoke in this manner, is because when I went online and found many various blends that 4Noggins was selling, available at other places, besides seeing prices here on the Forum by members, on many occasions 4Noggins was the only one selling at the highest prices.

Bottom line for me, for my own observations, I’ve never seen lower prices at 4Noggins.

Oh, and on the buying side of Tins, I’ve personally bought several blends of Vintage tabac, that I’ve seen many times, 4Noggins selling in excess 5-10 times higher.

Making a profit, making money, living etc., no one is certainly arguing anyone’s rights to do so, but when I see prices 10x over the Norm, well... ?

 

[PipeIT]

Edit time ran out, I forgot to add these thoughts later.

———————
And to be very clear, I have never seen Forum Members here charging extreme exuberant prices to one another. On the contrary, I see a great Pipe Smoking respect and camaraderie here, buying and selling very fairly, I do not see 4Noggins in the same perspective at all.

‘Do Unto Others As You Want Them To Do Unto You! ?

 

[BROBS]

To express to others what constitutes a Ripoff, we all have to be able to agree to some fair extent as to what doesn’t constitute as a Ripoff.

Of course, in this so called Free Market, pretty much most of the time, anything is up for grabs.

So?

The reason I spoke in this manner, is because when I went online and found many various blends that 4Noggins was selling, available at other places, besides seeing prices here on the Forum by members, on many occasions 4Noggins was the only one selling at the highest prices.

Bottom line for me, for my own observations, I’ve never seen lower prices at 4Noggins.

Oh, and on the buying side of Tins, I’ve personally bought several blends of Vintage tabac, that I’ve seen many times, 4Noggins selling in excess 5-10 times higher.

Making a profit, making money, living etc., no one is certainly arguing anyone’s rights to do so, but when I see prices 10x over the Norm, well... ?

Exactly. It’s not like pipestud is giving away his tins, yet they are 5x less than 4 noggins?

 

[PipeIT]

Exactly. It’s not like pipestud is giving away his tins, yet they are 5x less than 4 noggins?

Not everything I saw was at Pipestud’s or where I made purchases, but I have seen Steve selling some tins that were 5x cheaper and some even more.

 

[sablebrush52]

Oh, and on the buying side of Tins, I’ve personally bought several blends of Vintage tabac, that I’ve seen many times, 4Noggins selling in excess 5-10 times higher.

Making a profit, making money, living etc., no one is certainly arguing anyone’s rights to do so, but when I see prices 10x over the Norm, well...

Keep in mind that the consignors set the prices, and 4 Noggins adds a percentage above that for their time and expense in putting these tins on their website and taking responsibility for shipping. The objectionable prices start with the consignors.

 

[PipeIT]

Keep in mind that the consignors set the prices, and 4 Noggins adds a percentage above that for their time and expense in putting these tins on their website and taking responsibility for shipping. The objectionable prices start with the consignors.

Yes you are correct I understand.

It would just be nice that 4Noggins would look at the Market and possibly consider not allowing such prices, after all, what then should we think when 4Noggins allows this. ?

This is just one of the many fine examples of the differences I have seen.

Now this is a 1997 tin at Steves 4x less expensive.

Pipestud's Consignment Shop | McClelland's Original Frog Morton 50g tins - Year 1997

Buy and sell vintage, aged and out of production collectible tobacco tins as well as new and estate tobacco pipes! | McClelland's Original Frog Morton 50g tins - Year 1997

www.pipestud.com

4Noggins has it listed 4x higher, and it might be safe to assume, if it was the same date, 1997, it could possibly be 5x more expensive.

McClelland: FROG MORTON 50g - 1999 - C

<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Consignment Tin owned by 3rd party seller </strong></span></p> <p>McClelland Frog Morton 50g - 1999</p>

4noggins.com

 

[BROBS]

Keep in mind that the consignors set the prices, and 4 Noggins adds a percentage above that for their time and expense in putting these tins on their website and taking responsibility for shipping. The objectionable prices start with the consignors.

Good point.

it, however, does look to reflect badly on the business.

 

[warren]

Damn! If you can't or, won't, pay an asking price keep shopping around. Posting a product and setting a price is not a so called "ripoff." No one is forced to buy at the vendor's asking price. He is not selling a "necessary", he's selling luxury items at the behest of clients. Lotta of folks here seem to have a deep grasp of the man's business and resent his style.

Highly entertaining thread this.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

Yes you are correct I understand.

It would just be nice that 4Noggins would look at the Market and possibly consider not allowing such prices, after all, what then should we think when 4Noggins allows this. ?

This is just one of the many fine examples of the differences I have seen.

Now this is a 1997 tin at Steves 4x less expensive.

Pipestud's Consignment Shop | McClelland's Original Frog Morton 50g tins - Year 1997

Buy and sell vintage, aged and out of production collectible tobacco tins as well as new and estate tobacco pipes! | McClelland's Original Frog Morton 50g tins - Year 1997

www.pipestud.com

4Noggins has it listed 4x higher, and it might be safe to assume, if it was the same date, 1997, it could possibly be 5x more expensive.

McClelland: FROG MORTON 50g - 1999 - C

<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Consignment Tin owned by 3rd party seller </strong></span></p> <p>McClelland Frog Morton 50g - 1999</p>

4noggins.com

To be fair, the sale price is listed but not date. A lot of those tins on Steve's page have been there for decades...

 

[PipeIT]

To be fair, the sale price is listed but not date. A lot of those tins on Steve's page have been there for decades...

Decades... LOL

Both Tins have Dates listed, not sure I understand what you mean... ? PipeStud’s is 1997 and 4Noggins is 1998.

Steve takes Tins off when they sell.

Look at the page right now, there are 3 pages listed, and it will change.

Steve has told me Tins are removed when sold, and if they are still sitting there showing sold, he just hasn’t gotten around to removing them, but he does remove them when he puts up new tins, which is often.

Every tin on these 3 pages are recent sells.

Pipestuds Consignment Shop | Tobacco Tins

Pipestuds Consignment Shop | Tobacco Tins

www.pipestud.com