Liga price increase?

[bdc30]

I've always found Liga stuff to be on the high side of my price tolerance level, but this puts them even more out of reach. Sure they make some great cigars, but as others have said there are a lot of very solid options in the sub $10 range. Especially if I'm buying box quantities, I just can't justify the extra expense.

 

[sofc]

have to agree it crossed the cusp for me too mikey.

Did you get someone to write this for you?

 

[strife]

Still would rather smoke the LP than an Opus even at that price. To each his own.

 

[GoingPostal]

Zach I would like to point out that many have not only been here awhile(some since the start of the LP line) We are huge fans of JD, SS and the DE family. HOWEVER we have every ability to say AS THE consumer what WE feel is right and cost conscious for OUR pocket books. Basically I'm trying to tell you many have been on the cigar safaris, many here know how many differnt tobaccos are placed in a Undercrown, DR, Lp9 OR A T52. However we as the final consumer have the RIGHT to say wether or not a cigar is cost consciuos for US the avid cigar smoker. After all most cigar smokers in general are not shelling out 300 dollars a box for high end cigars. I believe Mikey (MTH) is basically saying for HIMSELF the DE brand is pricing themselves out of HIS humidor....... I would say I feel the same way.
Regards,
Jfire

Right on, yeah i like liga but just priced out of my budget.

 

[ZachF88]

look guys, I like ligas a lot. It does suck that prices have gone up. It means I will buy less of them and smoke less of them. But what I was trying to point out was that I understand why there was a price increase. DE has gotten so much hate from this forum lately. One of the reasons why I came to BOTL was to escape all this whining and bitching about certain cigar manufacturers. It's quite frankly ridiculous. I don't want to start a huge thread of arguments. Aren't we all brothers of the leaf here? Can't one person stand up for what he believes in?

I mean no offense to the OP or any of the rest of you but I took this thread as: Hey fellow BOTL's, has the price of ligas risen?

The replies I took as: Yes, this sucks, ligas should always be the same price. They produced papas fritas so the prices wouldn't increase, but the prices have increased.

Maybe I misunderstood the overall message. As an entrepreneur, I know what it takes to get a business going and keep it running. I talked with JD about these things and I was giving you guys what I took from it. I'm sorry for sharing my knowledge of Drew Estate. I just like to know all the facts before I type and that got the best of me.

So lets get back on topic and end this crap (can't we all just get along?):

OP: Yes, I have noticed an increase in all ligas. My b&m was charging $16.99 for FFP's and the same for dirty rats. The cheapest liga was around $14-15. This is including CO tobacco tax.

 

[Craig Mac]

Liga has gotten a lot of love on this forum over the last two years Zach. With several members having Liga in their screen names even.

I am pretty sure the OP posted about what he was seeing regarding the price changes with Liga. We are a cigar board, we discuss that here.

 

[bdc30]

Was just going to say the same as Craig. When I first came to BOTL, this was a Pete board through and through, but in the past year or two JD has made huge headway and Pete has mostly fallen off the map. Not sure what you mean by saying DE has "gotten so much hate" - I perceive the exact opposite.

 

[Craig Mac]

I think Saints and Sinners changed that B. Changed the demographic from a Tat board to a Liga board.

 

[kockroach]

We can bitch and moan all we want, but in this day and age, nothing can stay the same price forever.

True, but as the salaries of most people aren't increasing right now, a product's price increase makes it harder to consider for purchase.

Also, Drew Estate has over 1,600 employees, and the number keeps getting bigger. They also have the biggest fabrica in Nica, with a hotel for guests to stay (Cigar Safari). The workers at the fabrica get paid a good wage for Nica standards and get benefits. Many of the workers are quite happy there and want to stay, thus reducing turn-around. Drew Estate is also very active with the town of Esteli. They do many charitable events and want the town of Esteli to thrive. Also, JD is always on the move, promoting his brand, visiting with fans and friends, and I can tell you he goes above and beyond for everyone, even people who are quite inebriated and can't spell their own names. The man travels for 7 days, then goes home for 5 days. Even then, he's helping his wife start up a dog rescue business. The guy has a huge heart. Hell, last Thursday, he landed in Colorado, went straight to an event and stayed there well after the event was suppose to end. The next day, he had another event. And the day after that, he spent 12 hours outside setting up and chatting with friends for the Rocky Mountain Cigar Fest. Then 2 hours later, he hosted a huge HERF that lasted well into the night. I can tell you he was quite worn out. Throughout the history of Drew Estate, JD has never taken any money out of the company and he is not about material things. So don't think he's hiking the prices and pocketing the cash, since this is not true.

It's great when a company does good things for their employees, and DE definitely is one of those. But, JD being a great guy that takes the time to know everyone's name and spend all the time he does to talk with people has nothing to do with the price of cigars. One thing to remember, a business is about profits. Otherwise, they are officially called non-profit or not-for-profit. Additionally, I would think that the $650 price for the Cigar Safari per person is what pays for the hotel (and other things of course) on the DE property (which is a pretty nice place...saw it a couple of years ago).

JD mentioned several times that the prices of tobacco has significantly increased, and the tobacco needed for the ligas have become much harder to get. Not to mention, some of the vitolas and very hard to make and take tremendous amount of time. For example, the dirty rat has 7 different tobaccos, all in a small size. The Feral is another example. They lost a lot of income during the liga wrapper shortage, and the the shortage is still hanging around. Also, if you ever have any manufacture defects (ie cracks), email Drew Estate and they will hook you up. For the price you are paying, JD wants you to have the perfect cigar. But there is no such thing as a perfect cigar, since they are all hand-made. Both JD and Saka are active on the boards and with the community.

I do understand that DE is very strict on their process for wrappers and the quality of tobacco used for their LP cigars. I think it is great! But if there is such a shortage, why use the tobacco for projects outside of the straight up No 9 and T-52 lines when they don't have enough tobacco to supply those lines?

I rather pay a little extra for a liga, knowing that the money is going somewhere beneficial. It takes a lot of money to run a successful cigar business in this day and age. Also, there is a HUGE demand for ligas, and retailers are recognizing this and are raising the price. It's a classic case of supply-and-demand.

Two price increases on LP that I have seen over the past couple of years have not been because the retailers are raising prices. Of course supply/demand has an effect, but it doesn't mean we have to pay it.

I am shocked about how many people on BOTL keep on bitching about ligas. The price of a medium french fries at McD went up, but I don't hear people bitching about that. The price of a coke can has gone up as well, but I don't hear anything. So just chill people and have a cigar.

I don't drink Coke, and I hardly go to McDonald's anymore. And those prices are quite different than a $1 (or more) per cigar, multiply that out by a full box, and you have quite a bit more than the small price increase of fries.

This will be my last post in this thread, as I do not want to start a huge battle. It does suck that the prices have increased, but we just have to live with it.

my .02! /end

I think you have seen that there are a number of people that won't just live with the increase. I agree that the pricing is getting too high now. One great thing about cigars...the LP I do have (which I really enjoy) can age. Can't say that about your fries and Coke.

For me, I do enjoy Liga Privada cigars, but this most recent price increase makes it difficult to say I will buy much going forward. I would rather spend less and get other cigars that I enjoy. The beautiful thing is that there are so many brands out there.

 

[kockroach]

And definitely agree that I don't think there is a lot of DE hate here. Actually quite the opposite. I know he was excited when he was asked to come to the BOTL Herf that was held at Casa de Montecristo in June.

 

[RacFocus]

I will continue to smoke the Undercrowns as an everyday kinda smoke. The Liga Privadas, like others have said, have priced themselves into the special occasion smoke for my pocket book.

 

[JimmyC]

Like it or not its a good business move as long as they keep selling out.

 

[CAJoe]

I love the Liga Privada but here in CA it has always been priced around the same as an Opus so it has always been a special occasion or once in awhile smoke for me. As for price increases most manufacturers increased thier pricing in Feb. or March, DE just waited on it. That being said there are a few manufacturers who havn't raised prices for a few years and one even ate the SCHIP. So is a price increase needed? No. Do companies want to keep the same margins or make more? Yes. Liga is an item that DE cannot make up with quantity so they will raise the price to keep the same margins or make more. It sucks but it's capitalism.

 

[SuprHasan]

I recently did a box split of the T52 Beli and No9 Toro with a local BOTL here in Sydney. It worked out to $19/stick after paying for postage and local taxes. Worth it? Yes.
I'd think twice if the price hit $20/stick, but that'd be because of the scumbag local taxes.

 

[sofc]

I think I will have one today to see what all the fuss is about.

 

[bdc30]

I think I will ONLY have one today

The price increase effects us all in our own different ways...lol

 

[Diplomatico]

As the OP pointed out, definitely a noticeable price increase at the retail level. I've been buying six packs of LP9 Toros and Corona Dobles from a BOTL sponsor for the past couple of months and the price per stick has increased by somewhere between $1-$2 per stick.

 

[Rupe]

Supply and demand is Econ 101. Right now there is a limited supply and a strong demand which means that DE can command a higher price for their products. If the price increase slows demand to the point where DE's business falls off then you may see prices stabilize or go down.

In the end, each of us will need to look at our own individual situation and vote with our wallets.

 

[Craig Mac]

I will continue to smoke the Undercrowns as an everyday kinda smoke. The Liga Privadas, like others have said, have priced themselves into the special occasion smoke for my pocket book.

Undercrown wasn't part of the recent increase, just want to let that be known.

 

[Diplomatico]

Supply and demand is Econ 101. Right now there is a limited supply and a strong demand which means that DE can command a higher price for their products. If the price increase slows demand to the point where DE's business falls off then you may see prices stabilize or go down.

+1. Unbelievably, I saw someone pay $225 for a box of ten FFPs on another board. :frownno: