Thompson Cigar

Started by nwb, 07/24/2014 10:48 AM

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Ken Kelley

QuoteDonM - 12/18/2014  4:27 AM

Quoteclami - 12/18/2014  3:33 PM

Just tried to order from them, and get this email about verifying my age (cause they hand out credit cards to lots of minors these days??).  They wanted me to send them a picture of my Drivers License.  I don't think so.  Canceled the order.  Seems very shady to me.

A new policy?  I would have been reluctant to send them a pic of mine as well. Any one else had this happen?


Yikes! That reminds me that I need to get my driver's license renewed by the 22nd!  :-0
Guru of Benign Curmudgeonliness, Imperfect Patience, and Reluctant Toleration.



Vroomp

That seems very suspect to me... :?:
Guru of Not Following the Rules


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When you are dead, you don't know that you are dead. It is difficult only for the others.
It is the same when you are stupid....



Hot Stuff x

#27

I ran into this age verification issue a couple of years ago with CI.  Here is part of the email they sent me, my initial reply, and their follow up.  I was able to satisfy their age verification by providing a former residential address.  This was a one-time thing and I never got asked again:                

"Les, Thank you for choosing Cigars International. For future orders we will need some additional information. Due to pending FDA regulations, age verification will be required for the purchase of cigar products. So that we are in compliance, Cigars International has elected to begin verifying now. We will do everything we can to make verification as easy as possible. We are committed to providing you with the highest level of service, while maintaining the privacy and security of your personal information. We are using a third party company, Veratad Technologies, to assure that you are of legal age to purchase cigar products. With the information we have on file for you, Veratad was unable to confirm your age with the publicly available information contained in their databases. In most cases it’s a simple fix. We’ve found that verifications can be stalled due to minor spelling or punctuation differences. If you could please call me at 1-888-244-2790 extension 713, I can troubleshoot the situation and get this cleared up in no time."            

 

 

My Reply:    

 

Evan,    I live overseas and work on a U.S. military base, so calling you is very inconvenient, not only due to the time difference, but also because it is an international phone call, and thus not "toll-free" for me.   Let me know if there is some other way I can accomodate your age verification requirement.  Perhaps I could provide some information via email?  What kind of proof of age would you require?    Sincerely, Les  

 

 Counter-reply from CI:    

 

"Les, My apologies, we have an email drafted up for those that are abroad. Basically there are two options. The first of which is to provide a few old residential addresses that you lived at in America. The reason I ask for these is due to the fact Veratad’s database dates back six to seven years and also does not verify at APO’s. The second option, which is the solution if the old addresses do not work is to send in a photo copy of an ID. The ID has to simply have your name and date of birth, everything else can be blacked out. Most people have sent their driver’s license or passport, I have also received military ID’s. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Below I will attach the general email we are sending to those outside of the country. Thank you for choosing Cigars International. Respectfully, Evan XXXX Verification Specialist Cigars International"

LES
Guru of Morning Calm and Oriental Wisdom


_________________
"So I feel like I've cheated on a wife or long time lover... this is your damn fault Les, you sent me that first Tatuaje!!!!!!  You introduced us!!"  - Bob Cordell

"You got me started on both the Liberty and the Christian's Blend, Les. Now my kids won't be able to go to college." - Brlesq

okieeagle

Outside of their extensive selection of cigars, their very competitive prices, and proven quality in their products I have always found Thompson's customer service to be nothing but stellar. A good example is my call to them today. I have been receiving their 5 cigar sampler pack for quite some time. I have also recently inventoried my humidor in the Cigar Geeks Humidor application. Of course, I was not much of an aficionado and thus I would simply give the sample pack newsletter a read, then simply discard it. Well, I now need that information to properly determine when I purchased these cigars to add that information to the Cigar Geeks Humidor application. So, I called Thompson's and simply asked if they had them. Not only did they say they did, up to a certain date of maybe a year or two back, they offered to gather them for me, and mail them to me Wow, now, not only do I have the information I need, I can also get into the habit of keeping that for reference, and to make notes when I smoke these cigars.

I know there are many online cigar retailers, and I am absolutely open to checking others out, but quite honestly, with service, selection and price being primary considerations I really have no reason to go to another source.

Cheers and happy smoking,

okieeagle
"I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke every last one of 'em." - Ron White

Ken Kelley

Quoteokieeagle - 12/3/2015  3:06 AM

Outside of their extensive selection of cigars, their very competitive prices, and proven quality in their products I have always found Thompson's customer service to be nothing but stellar. A good example is my call to them today. I have been receiving their 5 cigar sampler pack for quite some time. I have also recently inventoried my humidor in the Cigar Geeks Humidor application. Of course, I was not much of an aficionado and thus I would simply give the sample pack newsletter a read, then simply discard it. Well, I now need that information to properly determine when I purchased these cigars to add that information to the Cigar Geeks Humidor application. So, I called Thompson's and simply asked if they had them. Not only did they say they did, up to a certain date of maybe a year or two back, they offered to gather them for me, and mail them to me Wow, now, not only do I have the information I need, I can also get into the habit of keeping that for reference, and to make notes when I smoke these cigars.

I know there are many online cigar retailers, and I am absolutely open to checking others out, but quite honestly, with service, selection and price being primary considerations I really have no reason to go to another source.

Cheers and happy smoking,

okieeagle



I'm glad to see a newcomer poking through the old threads. As much as you like Thompson's I think you are unnecessarily restricting yourself in your cigar experience. There are many other sites besides Thompson's offering excellent deals on some excellent cigars. There is plenty of information here on CG as to which ones they are and you may find a couple in your ramblings that surprise you.

By the way, Welcome to Cigar Geeks!   :biggrin:
Guru of Benign Curmudgeonliness, Imperfect Patience, and Reluctant Toleration.



Cfickter

Now back to our regularly scheduled program
Guru Master of the Minions

Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a department of our government!

Gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-lagunga." - Carl Spackler

Education is important, cigars are importanter!

I like long walks, especially when they're taken by people who annoy me





05Venturer

QuoteCfickter - 12/3/2015  8:23 PM

Now back to our regularly scheduled program

OR
Kent
 Guru of Cynicism & Cigars

"Pump the brakes; you take your shirt off but leave your sunglasses on?" "What sort of backwards !@#$ing pageantry is that?" "You going to fight with those shades or play pokerstars.com?"

StogieDad

These retailer forums were meant to be revisited and update experiences.  Good on you Francis for sharing.

I actually just ordered a box of Dunhill Heritage from them.  Had the best price by far, shipped quick, fairly uneventful and easy.  They did try and call me twice for some unknown reason, as everything had already shipped.
"I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form."
-- Winston Churchill

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices, have very few virtues."
-- Abraham Lincoln

"I call this turf 'n' turf. It's a 16 oz T-bone and a 24 oz porterhouse. Also, whiskey and a cigar. I am going to consume all of this at the same time because I am a free American."
-- Ron Swanson

bmac7754

QuoteStogieDad - 12/3/2015  10:20 PM  These retailer forums were meant to be revisited and update experiences.  Good on you Francis for sharing.  I actually just ordered a box of Dunhill Heritage from them.  Had the best price by far, shipped quick, fairly uneventful and easy.  They did try and call me twice for some unknown reason, as everything had already shipped.

 ..They do their annoying phone calls trying to sucker you into their cigar of the month club.  I had a buddy get suckered into it and it was the worst cigar of the month club I've seen yet.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Mark Twain




okieeagle

So, as a participant of said cigar of the month club, I can tell you that most of the cigars that are delivered are of quite good quality.  I check the prices, and reviews of those cigars  and on average, at least 4 of the cigars have received quite good reviews, and usually have an individual price that pretty much adds up to more than the monthly cost of the club.  The 5th stick, most of the time is an average one, and sometimes yes, it's a dud, but quite honestly, with the good ones that I've received, it's worth it.

Happy Smoking,

okieeagle
"I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke every last one of 'em." - Ron White

MT21

I've only ordered from them a couple of times and EVERY time I would receive relentless phone calls from them.  I should have typed in the phone number for CI or Cigar.com or some other internet sales provider.  

I don't need their business.  There are enough web sites to order from without getting all the harassment.
"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment."

Gurkha free zone.




Cfickter

Quoteokieeagle - 12/3/2015  11:52 PM  So, as a participant of said cigar of the month club, I can tell you that most of the cigars that are delivered are of quite good quality.  I check the prices, and reviews of those cigars  and on average, at least 4 of the cigars have received quite good reviews, and usually have an individual price that pretty much adds up to more than the monthly cost of the club.  The 5th stick, most of the time is an average one, and sometimes yes, it's a dud, but quite honestly, with the good ones that I've received, it's worth it.  Happy Smoking,  okieeagle

 I think that the COM program has its place, but IMO they should really wow you.  Nothing in the image that Thompson shows for their COM program, and I understand that is it only meant to be representative, would make me want to join.  they are average to below average sticks
Look at the program at Cigar Federation.  Yes, it is $10/Mo more but they show you not only what you are getting but what they sent out over the past 18 month. 

Guru Master of the Minions

Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a department of our government!

Gunga galunga ... gunga, gunga-lagunga." - Carl Spackler

Education is important, cigars are importanter!

I like long walks, especially when they're taken by people who annoy me





05Venturer

#37
QuoteStogieDad - 12/3/2015  9:20 PM

These retailer forums were meant to be revisited and update experiences.  Good on you Francis for sharing.
.

Agreed
A Resurrection can be a good thing.
Kent
 Guru of Cynicism & Cigars

"Pump the brakes; you take your shirt off but leave your sunglasses on?" "What sort of backwards !@#$ing pageantry is that?" "You going to fight with those shades or play pokerstars.com?"

millarddj

QuoteCfickter - 12/4/2015  8:39 AM

 I think that the COM program has its place, but IMO they should really wow you.  Nothing in the image that Thompson shows for their COM program, and I understand that is it only meant to be representative, would make me want to join.  they are average to below average sticks
Look at the program at Cigar Federation.  Yes, it is $10/Mo more but they show you not only what you are getting but what they sent out over the past 18 month. 


Chuck, do you recommend CF's Cigar-of-the-month program? Their sticks are markedly better than what I've seen in reviews from other sites (including Thompson), and I've been tempted by it.

I have never ordered directly from Thompson, but I have purchased off of their auction site a couple of times. Unfortunately, the sticks I got from those transactions (both) were quite dry and obviously not well-stored, so I resolved not to use that service anymore. I have been tempted by Thompson's (the core site) prices a few times. I will probably give them a shot sooner or later just to test the waters.

Though I gotta say, I'm pretty much a devoted Famous customer at this point.  :biggrin:
Ex Fumo Dare Lucem

ninfiction

Don't do it, even if by chance they have a lower price on a cigar, it won't be much lower and no worth the hassle of the phone calls. I've heard it's very difficult to quit the CotM club once you join and they have your cc info.

I was tempted to join CF's club, but I find myself buying a lot of those cigars already since I tend to lean heavily towards boutique brands instead of General or Altadis. And like Chuck said, they don't hide what they've sent in the past and almost every month is easily worth cost of the club.

My dad has been getting the Thompson club for several years, he likes it, but at the same time even though he's been smoking for decades he doesn't know much of anything about brands other than General and Altadis, but I am slowly converting him.
This is not the admin you're looking for...

okieeagle

#40
QuoteCfickter - 12/4/2015  5:39 AM

Quoteokieeagle - 12/3/2015  11:52 PM  So, as a participant of said cigar of the month club, I can tell you that most of the cigars that are delivered are of quite good quality.  I check the prices, and reviews of those cigars  and on average, at least 4 of the cigars have received quite good reviews, and usually have an individual price that pretty much adds up to more than the monthly cost of the club.  The 5th stick, most of the time is an average one, and sometimes yes, it's a dud, but quite honestly, with the good ones that I've received, it's worth it.  Happy Smoking,  okieeagle

 I think that the COM program has its place, but IMO they should really wow you.  Nothing in the image that Thompson shows for their COM program, and I understand that is it only meant to be representative, would make me want to join.  they are average to below average sticks
Look at the program at Cigar Federation.  Yes, it is $10/Mo more but they show you not only what you are getting but what they sent out over the past 18 month. 


To be honest, I get a gem almost every month.  I mean some really good cigars that I wish I was more of a geek because I'd be writing them down and probably buying them in multiples.  If I wasn't thoroughly pleased with the club, I'd have stopped long ago.  On the other hand, I will check out the CF club.  Thanks for that info.

Cheers and Happy Smoking,

okieeagle
"I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke every last one of 'em." - Ron White


   
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