CI's marketing and ad copy has always been way over the top.. The key to dealing with that is simple... DONT BOTHER READING IT... EVER..
Do people on this board really seek out an online retailers advice in the form of ad copy to determine what they want to smoke? I understand if the uninformed do that.. but if you are a member here.. it should be apparent that there is plenty of advice available from actual smokers right at your fingertips.. if youre a member here.. you likely have a relationship with a B&M (or multiple B&M's).. you likely have relationships and have HERF'd with a number of other board members.. you most likely read an occasional blog or review board dedicated to cigars.. and/or read cigar magazines.. if you are a member here.. you are most likely more than a casual smoker.. you are I would guess to some degree an enthusiast.. if not a full blown fanatic..
So why would anyone read what is obviously over hyped garbage.. know its garbage.. and trust it.. then make a decision on what to buy or not to buy?
And if you like something (you were recommended it from someone other than CI.. or tried a single stick before making the plunge..etc..).. and can get it at a more affordable price through Cbid than anywhere else.. does it really matter what the ad copy says? Does it really matter what the band on the stick says? Does it really matter if the perceived quality is high or low? Who rolled it? or anything else? you have determined you like it.. and you have determined you like the price... what else exactly matters?
CI/Cbid is not where you go to find information or become informed... If you trust CI.. or Thompsons.. or hell, Halfwheel for that matter to be the be all to end all source of information that you make your purchasing decisions by.. you have failed miserably before you even got started..
it is however, without a doubt, one of the most affordable places/ways to purchase.. if you know what you are doing.. (can also bite you square on the ass if you dont know what you are doing)..
So.... if you want to use Cbid successfully... the formula is simple...
Know what you want/like prior to going there.. know what other places typically retail the product for.. if it is a CI exclusive or CI brand.. know what it sells for at CI.. know if it is something they routinely put on sale or clearance etc.. and know what you are willing to pay for it...
Bid that price.. and then sit and wait...
If someone comes along that is willing to pay more than that... let them do it... people pay above retail on Cbid all the time for whatever reason they do (uninformed.. let the excitement of an auction push them to making a bad decision.. must have the product right now.. etc..etc..).. DONT enter a bid higher than what you initially determined you wanted to pay..
If you loose.. its not a big deal.. its almost guaranteed that the same item will be up for grabs again in less than a week.. often the same item is up for grabs several times a week.. just bid on another one..
Sooner or later you will end up with what you wanted.. at a price far below what you would pay elsewhere...
this is especially true with "yard gars" and other lower end products.. its very hard to get a deal on lines from DE, Tat, etc..
Regarding their legal rights and what they can and cant do... while I would agree that what they do lacks ethics.. what law have they broken? and why do you believe they cant do what they are doing?
