I don't think anyone is saying that he didn't send enough to local retailers or to too few of them ... Nearly all those who've had issue with the release are unhappy because ALL of the Dracs went to local retailers, to be used at their discretion, which resulted very few boxes available for purchase by the public at large (I.e. hardcore Tat fans like us).
Again, this is very easily resolved for next year without losing a thing, simply by sending a bunch of boxes to one of the "13" specufically for phone/Internet orders.
Since when do Tat smokers that are local to these shops NOT qualify as the public at large?
By the nature of the distributor/retailer relationship, the retailer buys from the distributor and is free to do what they wish with the smokes from there for the most part. If anything more companies require face to face sales than require shops to sell over the internet.
If a shop has enough interested customers to sell their allotment to loyal and current (or possible) future customers, more power to them.
I didn't get any franks last year and there wasn't a shop with them within 5-6 hours. Its a limited edition smoke, not everyone is going to get them. These cigars aren't just a gift to the community, they are a gift to the shop owners that carry and sell tatuaje. Most importantly they are a piece of merchandise. If a shop owner doesn't normally do phone sales and sells smokes over the phone, I promise you they are never going to hear from that customer again.
Think on the margin. What if you are the 16th loyal and dedicated tat smokers who wants a box at one of the unlucky 13? Should the shop owner not be able to sell you one because you are a regular customer and the local half of the shipment is already gone? I don't think so, it doesn't make any sense.
Selling through the CRA would do great things for them and solve many of these problems.