Disreputable Retailers

[nhcigarfan]

Being member moderated board I would like to address disreputable retailers. I am concerned for the new members and lurkers when advertisers, such as tobaccoworld, come here and try to sell cigars and 2,3 or 4 times the MSRP. If new members/lurkers read posts and discover the members generally favorable opinions of Anejo's, opus x, etc., the new members/lurkers could get suckered into purchasing from disreputable retailers. This would undoubtedly lead to negative inferences towards our "hobby".

To this end I would like to begin a discussion about establishing a set of rules or guidelines to which retailers who choose to post on this board may be held accountable.

What I would like to see spring from this discussion is:

1. Rules or guidelines for retailers who choose to post at Cigarsmokers.com

1. A banning policy for dealing with offenders, or,

1. A black list, with a sticky, that we can refer new members or lurkers to for guidance.

I, as well as many of you, have found certain online retailers to be models of professionalism, customer service and quality. Gary, or cigar1993, comes to my mind as one who exemplifies what an online retailer should be.

So to assist in this discussion please think about what you like to see in retailers, what you have appreciated, as well as what you dislike.

Thanks, NH

[SuperChuck]

Hmm.... (I don't know how technically feasible this is, but...)

Some kind of "vendor rating system" which would would apply a bright red "hazardous retailer" or bright green "quality retailer" decal to the retailers headers. A few types of ratings may be involved (and may need to be defined on a per-retailer basis).

For example, a bright red "CHARGES OVER MSRP" might be applicable to a retailer to charges more than 1.5x MSRP or "SLOW SHIPPING" may apply to a retailer who has good prices, but it suspect on the shipping time...

Of course, the rules should be changed to reflect this rating system so no retailer cries foul.

I'm kind of averse to banning someone for posting high prices. As much as we should try to protect newbies from paying said prices, we do live in a capitalist society and if someone WANTS to pay $40 for an Opus, that's their perogative.

[Eshaw99]

I think just a vendor "Scumbag" list would suffice. We can start it off with TWCIGARS and The Cigar Emporium

[nhcigarfan]

Bump - for tbscigars.

[Kayakinboy]

TWCigars can rot in hell...


Gary is a Kick ASS Vendor!!! And he son rocks at halo!

[FlowerBasketExpress2005]

If somebody charges more than suggested retail than I think whoever buys it at that price instead of checking elsewhere to see what they go for is a sucker and not a good buyer.