What tinned tobacco should my shop sell?
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IMHO-Carry the cornerstone blends and then tweaks specifics
for their customers requests; SG, MB, MC, C&D, Escudo, etc.
for their customers requests; SG, MB, MC, C&D, Escudo, etc.
Tagging this post just because it's a good reference for a few classics i have yet to try.
I agree with Jud when he wrote:
For a mostly-cigar B&M that's trying to cross over, I think LOTPR's list below is better:
I agree with Jud when he wrote:
As I read Photoman's list I was saying "Yes! THAT one!" But Jud's right -- I was saying that because after 30 years with a pipe, those are what *I* like.
For a mostly-cigar B&M that's trying to cross over, I think LOTPR's list below is better:
I have only had half of that list and have heard a lot about them on the forums and b&ms. Regardless I say your most important ones to get are the frog morton blends because they are great beginner blend in my opinion. Almost every virginia or vaper I have had has been in bulk but he asked for tins. I only mentioned one aromatic because every b&m I have been to has a bunch of aromatics in bulk.
The local shop in Dayton always stocks a lot of Dunhill, Peterson, and MacBaren's. The Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, 965 Mixture, Nightcap, and Dunhill Flake seem to be very popular in this city. Peterson Old Dublin, Irish Flake, and University Flake also seem to sell like crazy. All of the MacBaren's Flakes sell really well here too, especially the Mixture Flake and the HH Old Dark Fired. I also noticed a while back that Squadron Leader is hard for them to keep in stock too. The only other stuff that I've noticed them burning through fast is Dan's Blue Note, and bulk bags of 1Q. The owner doesn't stock C&D, McClelland's, H&H, CAO, or much else because not too many people buy it here in Dayton. I'd say look into Dunhill, Peterson, and MacBaren's.
Greetings,
Take it from someone with experience, if you only have 12 tins on the shelf, don't expect to sell a lot of tins. That's akin to stocking 12 boxes of cigars. You might sell a couple, but lack of selection isn't very exciting and doesn't generate future sales.
The grim reality is, in these days of the internet, customers expect - no, DEMAND - variety and selection. 100 or more is a good start. I ended up stocking more than 250 different tinned tobaccos, from Mac Baren to Dunhill to G.L. Pease. Some sit, some sell like hotcakes, but that's how it is.
If you're really limited to around a dozen, focus on only the MOST popular blends. Anything new that hits the market, definitely order a few tins. Folks will want to try it as soon as they can. The rest should be based on customer demand. ASK what the customer wants, don't guess.
Also, promote the tinned tobacco. Offer samples. Talk them up. Romance the tobacco. Don't just put them on a shelf and expect them to sell themselves. They'll just collect dust and become old, "vintage" tobacco.
The old rule of thumb for pipe sales is - You need to stock 12 pipes for every one you sell. Same goes for tobacco. Best of luck.
CACooper
Take it from someone with experience, if you only have 12 tins on the shelf, don't expect to sell a lot of tins. That's akin to stocking 12 boxes of cigars. You might sell a couple, but lack of selection isn't very exciting and doesn't generate future sales.
The grim reality is, in these days of the internet, customers expect - no, DEMAND - variety and selection. 100 or more is a good start. I ended up stocking more than 250 different tinned tobaccos, from Mac Baren to Dunhill to G.L. Pease. Some sit, some sell like hotcakes, but that's how it is.
If you're really limited to around a dozen, focus on only the MOST popular blends. Anything new that hits the market, definitely order a few tins. Folks will want to try it as soon as they can. The rest should be based on customer demand. ASK what the customer wants, don't guess.
Also, promote the tinned tobacco. Offer samples. Talk them up. Romance the tobacco. Don't just put them on a shelf and expect them to sell themselves. They'll just collect dust and become old, "vintage" tobacco.
The old rule of thumb for pipe sales is - You need to stock 12 pipes for every one you sell. Same goes for tobacco. Best of luck.
CACooper
Go to smokingpipes.com. For each tin brand they sell they give you a rating in terms of their sales. For instance Dunhill Flake is #1, so you must have it. Click on the tobacco to get the rating It will take a while, but your investment will be made based on fact.
I'd get most of the Macbaren line. Well known to everyone, varies from Aros to Lats (unlike what some people have listed, only english blends)
He should have an equal assortment of aromatics, Va's and english blends. Can't just have one blend type or youre killing the other potential customers.
So again, I'd say the entire, or most of the MacBaren line. Then he can order more of a genre of blends once he knows what sells. If only english blends sell, then buy more.
He should have an equal assortment of aromatics, Va's and english blends. Can't just have one blend type or youre killing the other potential customers.
So again, I'd say the entire, or most of the MacBaren line. Then he can order more of a genre of blends once he knows what sells. If only english blends sell, then buy more.
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