Smokingpipes.com Prices

[fitzy]

I emailed them and just got a standard form answer with no real explanation.

 

[RDPipes]

I've seen ALL e-tailers fluctuate in their prices. That's what they do and it really doesn't bother me. I shop for the best price and buy from whom is the cheapest and has good customer service.
I don't really care why they do it. I does peeve me when one retailer out of many raises their price beyond reasonable. Then again, I don't have to purchase from them, so I just go elsewhere. Plain and simple.

 

[monbla256]

I emailed them and just got a standard form answer with no real explanation.

I'm sadly befuddled about this whole thing  :twisted:  What does it MATTER as to WHY the different firms do the pricing they do? Just as when grocery shopping, one finds the best prices and shops at the retailers that give them. I could care less WHY a retailer prices their products, I'm just looking for three things, availability of product, reliability of shipping method. and PRICE!  Meet all three of these criteria for me and I'm a customer  :twisted:  :twisted:

 

[idbowman]

I emailed them and just got a standard form answer with no real explanation.

I'm sadly befuddled about this whole thing  :twisted:  What does it MATTER as to WHY the different firms do the pricing they do? Just as when grocery shopping, one finds the best prices and shops at the retailers that give them.

Aye.  And as long as someone will pay those price - well, actually as long as enough someones pay those prices - why wouldn't they charge that much?  Free Market economy and all that.

For my own purposes, I prefer not to buy a pipe for more than $150 if I can't see it and hold it with my own hands first, UNLESS it's something I've commissioned with someone I know and/or trust, or if I'm buying it as an estate from someone in the pipe community that I know will represent it fairly and allow me to return it if I'm not happy.  Just a reflection of my own situation, of course, but I couldn't imagine buying an $800 pipe from a commercial website...but then, I don't have $800 to spend on a pipe anyway, so it's all subjective.

 

[Fr_Tom]

C&D Three Friars is $38.88/lb bulk at P&C. It is $30.81 at SP. It pays to shop around really, and maybe that is the lesson here for us.

 

[mark]

Yes SP is the best as far as the information they provide on individual pipes. Am I willing to pay a little extra for that. yes. Am I willing to pay 25% more? no

I don't see the problem. If you feel SP prices are skewed and you're not willing to pay 25% more, then shop elsewhere for a better price.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I love the way SP presents a pipe, the best pictures and probably the best specifications on the internet. But to pay 25% extra for that privilege? Geez, if I don't like the pipe, I'll return it.

I think you're paying extra for a monster operation; think of the overhead in employee wages. And they keep growing, coming up on cigars several years ago and the buyout (oops! they called it a merger) of C&D (I have no proof but I always distrust an aggressive capitalist.)

 

[Aristokles]

For the blends I buy, smokingpipes.com has the best prices, some by large amounts.
I recall when we had a discussion about the apparent increase in the prices of their estate pipes, or rather, what seemed like increases. I gathered the consensus of several online forums was they could command that pricing due to their exacting standards and proved reputation.
For new pipes I did notice that when Peterson last increased sp.com immediately raised their prices while my local B&Ms did not adjust pricing until they replenished stock with the more expensive pipes. Either sp.com was on the ball and wrote their inventory up based on replacement value (which I would do, if I could) or they have a faster inventory turnover than my local shops (or both) and got into higher priced inventory faster. One never knows for certain.

 

[KevinM]

There are two axioms worth noting in Capitalism 101 -- Competition works to hold down prices; The need to earn a profit holds down costs. (Granted this needs some qualification.)

I don't notice that SP prices are higher across the board, but they do several things that push that second axiom. They sell individual pipes -- see the photos and text -- whether they're artisan or production line products. It's a nice feature, but there's a cost to it.

They also have on staff writers who do polished jobs on describing new and estate pipes. The SP pipe site also seems to be updated almost daily. Most competitors don't offer these extra features.

What does SP get for these extras? I think they deliver the sense of an online pipe shop. And they give pipers reason to drop in frequently, since the content changes frequently. Others hold down costs of frequent maintenance and treat the product more as a commodity.

What I've found is that SP prices for a particular item may be high (or not), but by the time the whole order plus shipping is totalled, things tend to even out or better.

 

[BriarFox]

I have always looked at shipping with the item. SP's free shipping over a certain amount does help even out the prices compared to other places. I do wish that SP would photo both sides of all pipes listed for sale on their website.

 

[Docsknotinn]

Any man worried about money wouldn't buy an $800 Dunhill. To those that can afford it, 25% probably doesn't bother them.   

So if I can buy an $800 pipe I don't want to save 25%? That just doesn't make any cents at all from my perspective. I've purchased a Dunhill in this price range in the last year and I assure you I certainly want to save $$$ as much as the next buyer. Lets remember we are talking about a $200 price difference.
Frankly that's why I avoided US dealers and ordered a Dunhill in this price range from Italy. Earlier this year Dunhills were a full 25% less over seas. Even after recent price increases Al Pascia is still less expensive than many US dealers and they are using the photography method that others are trying to copy.
As far as SP goes I've had rather poor experiences with them on high end pipes, However I have always thought their Tobacco prices were less expensive and returns are easy as it gets.
Overall I think Internet forums make much ado about nothing when it comes to etailers. After all, we spend our money as and where we each see fit. No shop can be all things to every customer.

Dave

 

[longbottom]

How true!

 

[J Soshae]

I second the "Amen"

There are a few rich "foolish" people. Most wealthy people are so, because they are wise with the small details.


The difference in the Have's and Have not's.
Have's behave as if they have not.
Have not's behave as if they have.

 

[Ocelot55]

Any man worried about money wouldn't buy an $800 Dunhill. To those that can afford it, 25% probably doesn't bother them.   

So if I can buy an $800 pipe I don't want to save 25%? That just doesn't make any cents at all from my perspective. I've purchased a Dunhill in this price range in the last year and I assure you I certainly want to save $$$ as much as the next buyer. Lets remember we are talking about a $200 price difference.
Frankly that's why I avoided US dealers and ordered a Dunhill in this price range from Italy. Earlier this year Dunhills were a full 25% less over seas. Even after recent price increases Al Pascia is still less expensive than many US dealers and they are using the photography method that others are trying to copy.
As far as SP goes I've had rather poor experiences with them on high end pipes, However I have always thought their Tobacco prices were less expensive and returns are easy as it gets.
Overall I think Internet forums make much ado about nothing when it comes to etailers. After all, we spend our money as and where we each see fit. No shop can be all things to every customer.

Dave

That's what I get for speaking in general terms. Stereotypes, right? They're great until they're not.  :mrgreen: