Drew Estate & Joya de Nicaragua Doubleshot Event
- Thread starter s1nist3r
- Start date
Wow, that sucks. I thought the whole point of these events were to get people excited about the brand and move product, so everyone wins. At least the events that were hosted by Samuel that he was doing a little while ago included a Bashert Pig. I think that's a cool thing for an event, as is the yearly Casa de Montecristo UF-4 event or earlier in the year when the UC Pigs were available at one of the PA stores. Have something available to get me excited about your brand. IMO that's a big opportunity that's being missed and the ball is getting dropped on these events.
And its not just DE events either, the last Oliva event that I went to was garbage as well. It was less than 10% off the purchase of a box. Thats a terrible deal. I'm not saying that you have to rival online prices but that's not even in the same ballpark. Almost no one bought boxes even though the rep mentioned it several times and was trying to get people hyped about it. After the 5th time he mentioned it in like 30 mins over a portable PA system I wanted to yell "no one gives a shit" but I somehow held it in. The Ashton events are just as bad, $10 entry and you got $10 off the purchase of an Ashton product and a free sample of whiskey or some shit. I'm not a whiskey guy so that didn't appeal to me much. And most of the time the raffles they do are complete crap too. Like 5 swag packs to every cigar related item, I came to your event for cigars not crappy hats and t-shirts. I was hoping that a DE event might bring more to the table but I guess not.
My local is now a Liga account, so the last DE event they had JD there, and plenty of Liga Privada 9s and 52s. I didn't see any Unicos, but I got there late so they very well could have been gone. In May JD is coming back for a private dinner thing for like 40 people, but the price is out of my league. Might be good stuff there thou.
Couldn't have said it better myself brother
Craig Mac
BoM 4/10 7/11 12/14
Most of these events that aren't a meet and greet with a big name are just about building brand awareness for a product. Usually the ticket price covers the cigar and usually there is another element whether it be some sort of swag or taking part in a pairing/tasting. If there is a big name then it is an opportunity for the customers to rub elbows with a big name in the industry.
They're not to push unicos or hype some internet guys hunting the A's, Basherts or whatever. They already have your business or don't have your business based on your preference. You're not the customer these are setup to attract. It's to get the normal joe who goes to his local b/m a time or two a week and might not vary from his cohiba red dot or his gurkha whatever, and might be able to lured into an Undercrown or a CyB or Joya stick.
They can sell all the FFPs they could ever make on the internet alone. They don't need to push that product. Where they make the money is the guy who might buy a box or two of the UCs and make it their regular daily smoke.
Heck, they make more money on Acids alone that they never would need to sell another product.
They can sell all the FFPs they could ever make on the internet alone. They don't need to push that product. Where they make the money is the guy who might buy a box or two of the UCs and make it their regular daily smoke.
Heck, they make more money on Acids alone that they never would need to sell another product.
DE needs to start sharing the wealth and start giving LE stuff to all their retailers and not just their big Internet companys.
With the requirements they have to even sell Liga is above and beyond. Of course it's easier for these big company's and Internet retailers to meet the requirements.
They are more about making money anymore than helping out the little guys.
With the requirements they have to even sell Liga is above and beyond. Of course it's easier for these big company's and Internet retailers to meet the requirements.
They are more about making money anymore than helping out the little guys.
They just came out with the UC Dogma and let's be honest, Smoke Inn is a big online retailer. They don't need the help from DE. I'm sure they sell enough on their own w/o DEs help to keep themselves afloat.
Look at Tatuaje, the stores they do collaborations with, I never even knew they existed. That's what helping a small B&M is all about. And even the LE stuff they do is pretty readily available.
Look at Tatuaje, the stores they do collaborations with, I never even knew they existed. That's what helping a small B&M is all about. And even the LE stuff they do is pretty readily available.
Here's my thing: these events are advertised in emails that I receive, are hyped and pushed by the employees in the stores and all too often their isn't a good delivery on the "event" itself. 10% or less off on boxes isn't an event, IMO. I can do better than that on just about any website. I understand that its not always possible to compete with online prices and that's not necessarily the goal. However, consumers are more informed then ever in the internet age and I've been to events where I've overheard owner and reps talking about how they've been happy with turnouts but disappointed in the amount of product sold. If I've paid to be a captive audience for you talking about and pushing your product and you expect to move product then make your "event" an actual event. Offer real discounts on products. Have a new line of products that you're trying to push? Give away a single of the new product, let me try it and please for the love of God don't expect me to blind buy a box. Make it worth my while, that's all.
As for DE events, I understand that Unicos will sell themselves. However, these aren't just for HTF hunters and that's evidenced by my local recently receiving 6 boxes of UF-13s and even at a 1 single per person limit they flew off shelves and over 4 boxes were moved in a 2 day window. So I don't think its out of line for people paying to attend an event to expect to have some of this stuff available to buy, even with buying limits. And a "deal" like buy 5 singles get one free isn't very good at all. Another local has something like that set up buy 6 get one free all day everyday on any product. These events are pushed and hyped and if you're advertising and talking about "great deals" then you should bother to have an actual worthwhile deal. Fair or not, being an inventive brand with outside the box products and being a brand with many of its products aimed at enthusiasts and connoisseurs then I don't think its ridiculous to have a higher expectation for the events themselves. When the one of the best brands in the industry with the most unique products come to town at my local I just expect more than a vanilla event.
As for DE events, I understand that Unicos will sell themselves. However, these aren't just for HTF hunters and that's evidenced by my local recently receiving 6 boxes of UF-13s and even at a 1 single per person limit they flew off shelves and over 4 boxes were moved in a 2 day window. So I don't think its out of line for people paying to attend an event to expect to have some of this stuff available to buy, even with buying limits. And a "deal" like buy 5 singles get one free isn't very good at all. Another local has something like that set up buy 6 get one free all day everyday on any product. These events are pushed and hyped and if you're advertising and talking about "great deals" then you should bother to have an actual worthwhile deal. Fair or not, being an inventive brand with outside the box products and being a brand with many of its products aimed at enthusiasts and connoisseurs then I don't think its ridiculous to have a higher expectation for the events themselves. When the one of the best brands in the industry with the most unique products come to town at my local I just expect more than a vanilla event.
Pete himself has said that the store exclusive releases are "to reward the retailers that do big numbers with him." I think its fair to say that if Smoke Inn does good numbers with DE then its makes sense for DE to throw them a bone and give them a big weekend of sales, like a thanks for doing lots of business with us.
What I was getting at tho is Pete does it with small B&Ms that could use the help.
I'm sure there are a lot of B&Ms that sell DE well, but instead of helping out a smaller guy, they opted to go back to the big internet company.
You can call CI or Famous almost any day of the week and they will have some Unicos in stock. My local shop hasn't had them since Christmas, he asks and asks and buys Liga, CYB, JDN, Acid, Nica Rustica, MUWAT and they NEVER throw him a bone. Shit, he can't even get Herrera, yet Famous and CI have them on their auction sites all the time.
Sorry it's took so long to respond. Been real busy at work, but mine was disappointing too! I've seen people post about these events and getting the hard to get smokes like the A or some of the unico series, and i went in thinking that i could get some but no luck. They had deals on the DE smokes like if you buy 3 you get a fourth or discount on a 5 pack, but that was about it.