Why do b&m change names of commercial blends

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mechanic

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 1, 2018
242
2
I have a tobacco shop near me mostly cig and ryo orianted but have 6 jars of house blends with names like blueridge blend etc. But right under that it says lane 1q or lane bca what is the point?

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,576
66
Sarasota, FL
Many people wouldn't know what the words below even mean. If helps the B&M sell something for twice the price the buyer could get themselves online.

 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Many reasons. Some B&M's are open about the provenance of the product, though. My local store sells BCA and HGL by the same name, but they changed the name for 1Q to 'Gladstone'. If I ask the owner which actual Lane's name for a given blend is he'll tell me, no problem
Price isn't much of a factor here, with the taxes the way they are, all bulk blends go for the same price—about $20 per ounce.

 

mechanic

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 1, 2018
242
2
Geez those taxes are a bitch wheres that at canada? I pay about 3usd for a ounce of. Blueridge blend which is clearly noted as lane 1q on the jar so i dont know why they would even rename so some places actually try and pass off as there own blends and dont put 1q on the jar?

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
If helps the B&M sell something for twice the price the buyer could get themselves online.
It's a practice that has been in use long before online sells. I think, mostly, they do it for the fun of it. Also some blends being a series of numbers just isn't as nice as a blend with a name. I'd order (totally making this up) "Campfire In The Blue Ridge" much sooner than "Blend 01759B" any day. Some, I suspect, may change the name to make you think they blend it themselves. There's a shop in Arlington that sells renamed blends. I asked about their "Mist" and the guy told me straight up it was Lane BCA. So often times they're quite open about it.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,205
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
My old b&m used those blends for the base of customer designed blends. One could buy the Lanes and others in bulk and get creative. Some of those very local blends were damned tasty and the latest incarnation of the original store still sells a few of them.

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,378
70,055
60
Vegas Baby!!!
A B&M that I love is named The Sanctuary. All of the blends are renamed to fit their theme. As an example Monks is actually RLP-6 and it goes on from there.

 

mechanic

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 1, 2018
242
2
Are they legally required to list the blend i just find it weird my b&m has their name on jar with the actual blend. Underneath

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,378
70,055
60
Vegas Baby!!!
Mechanic, if I recall this correctly, Lane doesn't care. I actually think they encourage it. I say this because of the 15 or so B&Ms I've been in almost all of them rebrand Lane tobacco to fit their theme. If Lane hated or disallowed it, the field is fertile to file "cease and desist" orders.

 
Yeh, the whole point of those robot names, like 1Q, RLP-6, R2D2, is that they are meant to be sold as renamed bulk. We just know these names now, because we can now buy direct online. Many old guys who visit these B&Ms probably have no idea what the real names are. And, some may now put the inventory names underneath them because so many new guys do know the names.

 

chilly65

Might Stick Around
Nov 13, 2018
75
20
The renaming game was so that you could not shop other stores for "your blend", you had to go to your store to get that blend, which ensured your continued patronage.

 

economistandfisherman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 11, 2018
257
3
I think Ash and Cosmic hit the nail on the head. I always buy online, but the other day I passed a B&M tobacco shop that I didn't know sold pipe tobacco (most "tobacco shops" around here peddle pot paraphernalia). I went in out of curiosity and they had what was obviously PS400 and PS17, but called it something completely different; the others looked a lot like something Stokkebye would make in bulk, but because they aren't in my rotation, I couldn't be exactly sure...I didn't see any Lane in there though (I do have 1Q in my rotation, so I know what that looks/smells like). Just guessing here, but maybe some of these shops actually set up primary supplier deals with some of these companies? I don't know. Looks like they had about a 50% margin on it as well from what I can buy it for online.

 

blendtobac

Lifer
Oct 16, 2009
1,237
213
Just guessing here, but maybe some of these shops actually set up primary supplier deals with some of these companies?
That doesn't happen. Small B&Ms don't buy direct from the manufacturer, and distributors would be hurting their business by offering a deal on one particular brand since they sell a number of different brands that they would like to get in shops. Even going direct, when possible, it would be counterproductive to offer a brand exclusive deal for Peter Stokkebye since that brand is distributed by...Lane Limited.
Russ

 

kanaia

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 3, 2013
658
543
The renaming game was so that you could not shop other stores for "your blend", you had to go to your store to get that blend, which ensured your continued patronage.
BINGO!

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Some customers who stick to one or two blends will come back to the same shop, where they know the shop name for a blend, and happily re-supply. Tinder Box does that at all its chain of stores. To the degree that it brings some customers back, it's worth the trouble. The more saavy pipe smokers know what's going on and don't mind the minor ruse. My independent does that, but happily discloses the source if you ask.

 
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