Blind Sampler? Please...

[grateful1]

[quote author=Clampdown link=topic=9602.msg53162#msg53162 date=1306444779]
[b]How is listing a grab bag of Cuban cigars any less credible than selling a single box?[/b] 
[/quote]

How do you know it didn't get reported?

Stop with the deflection.

[smelvis]

Depends on the person selling I guess, I for the first time am selling some cigars and doing it with blind samplers, a couple thousand dollars so far. Maybe if they know you are not into it for profit the buyer can be happy. On my sales I have about 50% have bought again. Go figure!!

Selling is a lot of work, only doing it because I might have to move and am going more and more Cuban.

But I tend to agree I would have to know the person pretty well to buy one myself. so I guess they do have a place if your not in it for the money.

[Clampdown]

[quote author=grateful1 link=topic=9602.msg53948#msg53948 date=1307564868]
How do you know it didn't get reported?

Stop with the deflection.


[/quote]

I've been told my response might have been a bit harsh.  I'll try to be nicer, What?

[Clampdown]

[quote author=Knuck42 link=topic=9602.msg53170#msg53170 date=1306449888]
Clampdown, I know you to be a reputable member of our online cigar community.  I would not buy a blind sampler from you, but not because I believe the sticks would be of poor quality, or because I think the package would be worth less then the price, but because I am sour on the entire idea.  I cannot say the same for others.  Others are the main reason I am sour on the idea.  

That said I disagree with some of your points however.  To intimate that the risk lies with the seller rather then the buyer is, IMHO not usually the case.  
[/quote]

Let me address that final point, and try to make it a little clearer from my perspective...

I send out lets say 15-20 cigars to you in a blind sampler.  Now, in pm's I have received requests from people asking for me to not send Churchills or Robusto etc, therefore I don't send those to these buyers.  I also have made it noted before that every package might receive a Cohiba (or other high end marca), Regional or EL, and maybe all three.  So sometimes, the blind buys aren't always blind.  A lot takes place via pm's that the board doesn't see.  

Ok, back to my point on my risk.  There are three results to my blind buys,

A. Send them back to me, money refunded and leave me a poor response.  In this scenario, I'm out the 30 mins it took to pick the cigars, 20 mins to package and drive them to the post office and finally the delivery costs to get the cigars back to me.  (also taking the chance the buyer will send the cigars and package them properly).  
B. You get the cigars, and will keep them but not entirely pleased with what I picked and leave a poor response, via trader comments or in pm.
C. Take the cigars because I did a good job, and leave me a positive trader rating and send a pm saying as much.  

In the five years I have done these,  I have never had A or B occur.  Both of those result in poor trader ratings for me and most likely an end to any future sales.  Does that mean it won't in the future?  I don't know, maybe.  But what I can guarantee, is that every cigar you get will be legitimate and are one's that I am smoking.  These aren't some half assed fakes with pretty Palm Trees or unreleased cigars that no one has seen yet on the market.  Nor am I sending you some expired piece of shit that tastes like a napkin from Applebees.  For some, knowing what the cigars are leads to more legitimacy, but as we have seen on the boards and cruise ship stops around the world, just because it comes in a box that says Cohiba, it doesn't mean they are the real deal.

[Clampdown]

Thanks guys for this thread, someone came forward and purchased a great blind sampler from me last night.  [url=http://www.havanaboards.com]www.havanaboards.com[/url]  Great new board with amazing members and offering intelligent conversation about cigars and sales. 

[Fuente Fan]

[quote author=Clampdown link=topic=9602.msg54065#msg54065 date=1307706459]
Great new board with amazing members and offering intelligent conversation about cigars and sales. 
[/quote]

I guess the unwritten part of this post is that the members here are dick heads.  :boty:

[ckay]

I will say this...I've seen a lot of blind sales guarantee that a buyer will be satisfied.  However, I have not seen nor heard of any results from those sales.  Almost as a way to not bring any negative rep for the seller.

Most recently, a blind sale has gone on at another board, and let me tell you, the buyers have been so impressed with what they've received that pictures and praise are being posted with each delivery.

I saw one shipment with a natty BBMF being included.  Most packages housed at least an Opus X, or Anejo or both.

[Clampdown]

[quote author=Fuente Fan link=topic=9602.msg54081#msg54081 date=1307714672]
I guess the unwritten part of this post is that the members here are dick heads.   :boty:
[/quote]

No, its pretty clear that there are a lot of people here for one reason, attack others and their sales.  This site can serve a great purpose for people wanting to try new cigars and find hard to get sticks.  However, there a few members here who contribute in the only way they know how, attacking others and commenting on issues they have no clue about.

[canadianbeaver]

Once again, Clampdown, I supported your sampler sales in that thread once we got into it. I said you looked like you were selling some great cigars. I was burned in a cheap sampler because I got what I paid for. Unfortunately, your listings are now gone.

I tried to apologize in a PM, but got attacked again.

[lakeside toker]

Gee....wonder why?