How does the Gurkha brand not destroy itself?

[Iholmes]

Dude... you keep raising logic points, but seem to miss the ideas everyone is restating.
Your points assume everyone does their homework before buying, and I don't think that's the case with the demographic segment Gurkha and Rocky target.

I have to do homework??? Can't I just cheat off of you guys and still enjoy this hobby?

That end of the floor was a shit-show, filled with dudes in Tommy Bahama shirts and golf hats - not your average BOTL (maybe except for @jwintosh), but your archetypal CA reader

I'll remember not to ever wear a tommy bahama shirt around you so I don't get mentioned in posts like this.

But I do agree, any company that wants to make money has to either appease the masses or appease a very small crowd and charge big $$$ for their product. Gurkha just tends to appeal to the masses

 

[sean]

I have to do homework??? Can't I just cheat off of you guys and still enjoy this hobby?

I'll remember not to ever wear a tommy bahama shirt around you so I don't get mentioned in posts like this.

But I do agree, any company that wants to make money has to either appease the masses or appease a very small crowd and charge big $$$ for their product. Gurkha just tends to appeal to the masses

Tommy Bahama is fine... it's the combination of Tommy Bahama and golf gear that makes the look. It's like chemistry. Surely you know a thing or two about chemistry, Master Ian.

 

[Cigary43]

P T Barnum said it best....and it is definitely alive and well in the Cigar Business when you consider that cigars are one of the most misunderstood things in life...right up there next to trying to unscrew your pregnant GF. Gurkha has managed to hypnotize cigar enthusiasts about their product....roll up some tobacco with a pretty band and talk about how it's one of the 7 Wonders of the World and people will buy it like it's 'snake oil'...

 

[Craig Mac]

Gurkha Ghost is actually produced by Abe Flores of PDR, and is actually is priced protected and not a bad cigar.....

Gurkha has plenty of "online" brands that are MAP and marketed by the RETAILERS that sell them as "save x amount when you buy this Gurkha", so while it's easy to blame Gurkha, part of that lies on the retailer using the "savings" they are offering by selling at it MAP pricing to make it seem like a great deal. Some brick and mortars won't carry those lines because of how heavily discounted they are online, Gurkha responded to this a few years ago by introducing more B&M only lines that were price protected, many of which are no longer B&M only, but still "price protected". Gurkha does have a lot of brands and many of the "cheaper" lines tend to water down the brand to the point they are undesirable to many, but it seems there is always one company in every market that polishes a turd, slaps a fancy band on it and makes people believe they are getting great value and the consumer buys in to it because they don't do their homework.

 

[squaresoft]

i dont know how familiar you are with guitars and the like shlippy but I feel like gurkha is the same way. according to guitar retailers you're always getting your guitar at a ridiculous markdown from MSRP. like I go an buy a guitar for 799 bucks but the sticker says that really it's worth 1400. The thing is though that everywhere on the planet is selling it for 799 or cheaper. that 1400 is some imaginary made up number to make people feel like they're getting a deal.

Gurkha does the same thing, they set MSRP at some ridiculously high number that is waaaaaaaay more than the cigars cost to make and sell them at their actual value while claiming you're getting a 98% discount. Gurkha stays in business because people who are new to the hobby are like
"ZOMG SUCH A HUGE DEAL!!!!" and buy up trash that isnt even worth one tenth of what they claim it is.

 

[Shlippy]

Gurkha does have a lot of brands and many of the "cheaper" lines tend to water down the brand to the point they are undesirable to many.

Just curious why Gurkha doesn't slap a different label on its lower-end stuff.

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

50% of people are below average intelligence

Science

 

[sean]

Just curious why Gurkha doesn't slap a different label on its lower-end stuff.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm going to guess that it is because their "high end stuff" is still low-end.

 

[quazy50]

Also keep in mind that Gurhka doesn't actually produce its own cigars, to my knowledge. So, I'm sure that when they get a quality producer those will be price protected and possibly a decent smoke.

I still won't buy from the brand based off of how their CEO or who ever it was acts. I read an interview once and that guys ego is larger than Donald Trumps I think.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mikenice81]

How can Range Rover charge so much for a vehicle consistently rated one of the least reliable in initial quality? How does Ford or Chevrolet ever sell so many trucks when every year there will be a sale for $5,000 or more off of MSRP?


The fact is, marketing and image trump logic. Most people make irrational economic decisions far more often than rational decisions. That is the sad fact of human existence. People are not rational or logical.

 

[ZippoGeek]

People are not rational or logical.

I resemble this remark.