What Online Retailers Do People Like?

[stevuke79]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

I always liked going into a store... especially because I can browse the pipes and discover one that I didn't know I needed. LOL!

It was great when I was in NJ and I had JR Cigar... but in Las Vegas I'm not near any stores (though there are at least two).

It seems like PipesandCigars.com is dying down and doesn't offer as much stuff.

Where do you all buy your tobacco online?

 

[ray47]

I use SmokingPipes primarily, but I just ordered a pipe from The Pipe Nook and let me tell you, it had perfect drilling and smokes like a dream. I got great service from Eddie Grey, the owner. Eddie also posts some good informative videos on You Tube.

 

[Sonorisis]

At merchants that support this site with their advertising.

 

[peregrinus]

Two site sponsors that have never let me down.

For current pipe tobacco and pipes:
Smoking Pipes

For pipes and vintage tobaccos:
Pipestud

 

[magicpiper]

I use them all. My favorite depends on which one has something I’m looking for. When an allocated blend pops up at one of the online retailers, that’s my new favorite. When something I enjoy is on sale, that’s my new favorite retailer. I enjoy P&C when I’m shopping for both pipe tobacco and cigars. I love the pipe inventory at SP. I shop with TobaccoPipes because I want to support a retailer in my home state of FL. I don’t like the FL taxes but their customer service is great and shipping is always fast. I’ll eventually get over to their side of the state to visit their b&m.
I would like to give the pipe nook a whirl but they won’t do business with Floridians because of taxes. The exception has been the purchase of the commemorative Matches860 pipe. I hear their service is top notch too.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

I generally use SmokingPipes.com but have considered giving Eddie Gray and the Pipe Nook some business. I did just purchase a Matches860 commemorative pipe through the Pipe Nook. I've also used Pipes and Cigars in the past and for me, no issues were experienced.

 

[sandollars]

Smokingpipes.com is GREAT! Good selection and excellent service. This is where I get the bread and milk and the occasional pastry.

There are many other tobacconists who have niche markets that shouldn't be ignored. Among them:

The Country Squire
Watch City
L.J. Peretti's
Smoker's Haven
etc.

And of course, everyone has their own hidey-holes and secret locations.....

 

[stevuke79]

At merchants that support this site with their advertising.

Why didn't I think of that?

 

[BlueMaxx]

Smokingpipes.com is GREAT! Good selection and excellent service. This is where I get the bread and milk and the occasional pastry.

There are many other tobacconists who have niche markets that shouldn't be ignored. Among them:

The Country Squire
Watch City
L.J. Peretti's
Smoker's Haven
etc.

And of course, everyone has their own hidey-holes and secret locations.....

Another like for Watch City...just got a few more tins of Squadron Leader....second time I have ordered through them, top notch.

 

[bent1]

Agreed, kudos to WatchCity as well. Quick, secure ship & packaging.

 

[danimalia]

I like all the site sponsors I've tried. I tend to order from TobaccoPipes.com and SmokingPipes.com the most, but I've also had great experiences ordering from Mkelaw Pipes and Pipestud. One of these days, I need to order from Bolito or LePipe or one of the other European sponsors. I've ordered from SP.eu... Does that count?

TobaccoPipes, I have to say, has been absolutely stellar in my experiences. Last weekend I ordered a few tins late on a Friday evening, but didn't meet the $75 threshold for free shipping. Well, the paid option was like $6 and the package arrived the following Monday, here in the SF Bay Area all the way from the Tampa Bay Area. Incredible. 1 business day!

I have also had good experiences with 4Noggins, P&C, Watch City and others.

 

[cshubhra]

• I primarily buy from smoking pipes. With many orders only one had an issue, which was fixed promptly when I called. Overall experience I would give them 95/100 which is a very high score
• I have bought from Estervals once. Shipping is expensive (Somehow I got a different higher shipping rate, compared to other forum members). Since the tobacco itself is discounted, if you buy lots of tobacco, the shipping works out to your advantage. The shipping is very slow, and they don’t use pillow packs or bubble wrap for packing, so some of the tins will get dented
• I once bought from Cup O Joes. Experience was very positive
• I bought twice from B&M which also have an online portal. The tobaccos are more expensive than other online retailers, but I ordered fully aware of that fact. The service was good
• I placed two orders from Smokers Haven. Good experience.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Tobacco Pipes is the best for me. They don’t charge state sales tax. Customer service is stellar.

Smoking Pipes is also great.

Watch City Cigar and Iwan Ries are excellent smaller shops that are also B&Ms.

 

[SATX Pipe]

The guys at tobaccopipes.com are great to deal with and many times when other online vendors are out of certain tobaccos odds are TP.com will have some.

For pipes there’s a lot of good vendors off the beaten path. A couple that fly under the radar often are pipingainteasy.com and Lawdog’s Pipes on Facebook.

 

[olkofri]

4noggins, Tobaccopipes.com, SPC, cupojoes.com; in that order. I've bought once from Al Pascia, but it was only one time: service is stellar, though.

EDIT: scratch that last one. You were asking about tobacco, not pipes.

 

[BlueMaxx]

I cannot say enough good things about Smokingpipes.

Especially for us beginners, because just starting out in this hobby can be quite overwhelming.

Outstanding and personal customer service.

Great pricing. Huge selection.

And something not too often mentioned from things I have read, but a great website presence.

It shows you very good pictures, even the ability to zoom in on the grain of the exact pipe you're looking to buy, so you know exactly what you're getting.

But most of all it is easy to navigate.
Other sites are behind the curve compared to Smokingpipes.

It is quite slick at being able to narrow down and define your search within the website for either tobacco or pipes.

Email alerts on that "hard to find" item you want.

The website is laid out logically and is secure, also easy to find your past orders.

Fast shipping and excellent packaging.

A really great area is provided for reading users reviews on a product you are looking at and it even shows a sales rank number.
So if you're like me and not as familiar with things being a newcomer to the pipe hobby it can show what is and is not popular. That is something I really like. Numbers don't lie.

Sales tracking gives you "Users Perks" which is very cool.

Lastly, they have their pulse on the pipe community even within the forums and use that to create an even better shopping experience.

I can say from my own experience that I trust them.

It is not just how well they handle they the every day sale, but how they attend to the occasional problem.

Did I mention great customer service?

 

[olkofri]

Esterval's seems to have developed a following too.

 

[cigrmaster]

Smoking pipes is my go to tobacconist.

 

[mso489]

At least start with our Forums sponsors out of appreciation for the site, listed at the left side of Forums. They're all good, some specialized in various areas, others all-reaching, but all worth visiting. Al Fascia for higher end pipes, and smokingpipes.com for huge inventory and well curated estate pipes, and everyone else for whatever you want. I have some favorites that are not sponsors, or are previous sponsors too. The sponsors are a good foundation.

 

[kg.legat0]

smokingpipes, p&c (if you dont mind shipping taking forever), tobaccopipes.com ...fortunately, I don't think I've really had a bad experience at this point, have made a lot of orders.