A wiki buying Guide

I'm sorry about the little hiatus with my posts but I came across a very interesting buying guide for online cigarettes stores.
http://tobacco.wikia.com/wiki/Purchasing_cigarettes_online?venotify=created
Let me know what you think?

After reviewing a few online cigarette stores I feel that it might be prudent to mention the benefits of buying cigarettes from an online retailer. The most obvious reason would be cost. I have purchased generic cigarettes at my local gas station for $4-$7 a pack, or roughly 40-70 dollars a carton. in the last few months I haven't paid that since I've started purchasing cigarettes online. I haven't paid anything north of $40 a carton. That 40 dollars though instead of buying me a barely smokable generic cigarette, I purchased Winstons and Camels (and they were actually closer $30).
Here's a little anecdote; my father, a retired Vet on fixed income, hasn't smoked a premium cigarette in close to two decades. The first time I got him a carton of Camel cigarettes, he smiled (not a very expressive dude, my old man) he poured us a couple of bourbons, took out a pack, offered me one and took one himself. Upon first drag he closed his eyes, cocked his head back a bit, exhaled, turned the lit cigarette and looked at the ashy ember at the end of the cigarette and muttered, "Wow I forgot what a good smoke these damn things were." My Dad is a down to earth, blue collar man that enjoys and more importantly appreciates the little things in life, and to able to afford one of these little luxuries although insignificant for most really makes a difference for my father.
Its not just offer us smokers a lower price on generic cigarettes but unbelievably affordable alternative from buying our favorite brands locally. I know my father appreciates it and I'm sure your family and friends will too!

Review of Best Man cigs

So every time I get a pack of new cigarettes I peel back the shrink wrap, pull off the foil flap and see the pristine white tips of the filters. Its quite an experience and a ritual for a smoker, so much so that some time we don't even realize. When I got my carton of Best Man I was treated to a shrink wrapped box of cigarettes in a perfect row in impeccable condition. I took out a single pack, partook in the ritual of opening it, and lit up. It was a surprisingly good smoke, it was surprisingly fresh and very satisfying. Now what really got me was the fact that this specific cigarette was just around 2 dollars and a bit a pack. I was honestly surprised because last time I was strapped for cash and bought a pack of cigarettes for double that at a local gas station, the cigarettes were of very low quality. The paper was full of pinholes and discolored, the tobacco had various impurities and it crackled loudly as I smoked them.
The Best Man cigarettes could easily pass as premium cigarette sans the premium price. It was like buying a Porsche for the price of a Honda. Or getting a dozen donuts for the price of one, OK I think I made the point that these cigarette offer great bang for the buck! I even gave some to my father-in-law just to get a different perspective, and he was very impressed with the product also in his exact words "Its a d@#$ good smoke for a d@#$ good price" couldn't have put it more eloquently myself.

As easy as 123smoke!

The search for a creditable online cigarette store can be quite daunting. To search endless pages of reviews, google the same terms over and over again until you find enough information about the company. Speak to endless people on the phone trying to discern their credibility. To be honest with you I really didn't go through that process this time. It was actually recommended to me by one of the readers of this very blog, this is the letter I received (I've omitted any personal references for privacy's sake):

Hey Mark!
Thanks a lot for all the information regarding the various cigarette websites and reviews of the cigarettes they offer. I've got another one for you to review: 123smoke.com how I came upon it is a completely ridiculous story. Usually whoever notices that we (me and my wife) are running low on cigarettes we place an order. My wife couldn't remember the website I usually order on and so she pulled up my bookmarks that I had used during my own research and used the first website on the list which just happened to be 123smoke.com, she placed an order and then a few weeks later we received our cigarettes. After looking at the packaging the cigs came in I noticed that something wasn't the same as the last three time I had ordered, I asked my wife where she ordered from and she said something 'smoke'. Ok I said to myself maybe they changed their packaging and moved on. Once we received everything a day or two later a really pleasant young man called me asking if my entire order came in and asked when I might be ready to place a new order. I told him to place it today even just to be on the safe side. I repeated this another few times got a call placed the new order easy-peasy. One day my guy called me, asking if everything was OK and I confirmed receiving everything, and actually told him the shipping had been a little bit quicker! I went to check my order on the website I was ordering on though and found nothing! No record of the previous orders, items purchased or anything. So I called my customer service guy and he said 'no you should be able to see your most recent order on your account the moment we placed it.' I look again nothing. I had been getting the cigarettes I was ordering so I know that the orders where going through. Finally after about half hour my c.s. guy patiently running through all the scenarios. Finally through amazing insight he says 'Sir what website are you looking at? Are you're sure that it 123smoke.com?' I was not on 123smoke.com, but I was confused. 
-So the last few orders I placed had been 123smoke.com?
-Yes sir, is there some sort of problem?
-Um yeah how did we place our orders?
-Well sir it looks as though your first order with our company was placed online and then the consequent orders we placed over the telephone.
-Hmmm ok well thanks
-Thank you sir, have a great day.
The mystery continued I kept getting my cigarettes and I actually noticed that the price was a little bit better than it was before, then it came to me. 
-Honey? Could you come for a moment over here and show me were you found the website you placed our order on a few months ago?
Right as rain she walked up to the computer pulled up the bookmarks menu and clicked on the very first link: 123smoke.com, mystery solved! Since then I've been ordering without snag I speak with my c.s. person and he informs me of any discounts or promotions that may be running at the time of my order. Pleased as punch even if it was placed by mistake initially!

So if it worked for my reader so well by mistake, I thought I'd give it a try. I followed the usual process: one carton of the most affordable brand available. The customer service was very pleasant and helpful when they called me to confirm delivery, the shipping time was very reasonable better than most I'd say definitely a secure company to do business with! 

Golden Gate Review

As I mentioned in my last review I decided to try the Golden Gate Cigarette. The Golden Gate cigarettes come in a very nice pack, it doesn't look like its cheap low quality counterparts. The cigarettes in the pack seem well made the tobacco is packed well; not too tight and not loose so the the tobacco falls out. The filters are even and the paper seem pristine no pinholes or serious discolorations.
Now let's get down to the nitty gritty, how do they smoke? Well they smoke phenomenally! I was kind of shocked as to how nice these cigarettes are; smooth with a nutty taste, long burning and I never noticed a crackling or popping when I smoke them, which indicates that the tobacco is very high quality and lacks any impurities. Over all this is a shockingly high quality cigarette for the price I would definitely recommend it!

The newest contender

So the next website I tried out was www.cheap-cig.com. I found that the more I move down the list the harder it is to find feedback in accordance to the website services and prices but I did manage to find a few reviews:

• http://www.killerstartups.com/review/cheap-cig-com-online-cigarettes-store/
• http://www.cheapcigarettesshop.com/reviews/cheap-cig/
• http://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cheap-cig.com

Of course even with shining reviews the proof is in the pudding, so I went through the usual paces. I went to website, sent an test email to see response time and called the customer service number to see if an actual human being might be found at the other end of the fiber optic. In my email I asked for a selection of their most affordable cigarettes, average shipping time and customer support number. I was very surprised when later that day I opened up my emails and saw that I already had my response. The list of affordable cigarettes I was sent included Monte Carlo, Viceroy (which I remember from the 70s but have never seen them since), the Best Man (brand which the other website carried also), King brand and Golden Gate cigarettes. I was very happy to find that these smokes where under $20 a carton.

I called the number that was included and after it rang for a while and it went to an automated telephone service, I left a message and browsed the website for a few minutes. After a just 5 minutes I received a call:
"Hello sir, I am calling on behalf of Cheap-cig the online cigarette store, I'm sorry we missed your call but we were busy with other customers. How can I help you today?"
To be honest I was taken aback I really wasn't expecting anyone to call I thought that they just had the automated telephone service to seem legit.
"Well yes! Thanks for calling me back, I just had a few question..."
I asked him the usual questions about the generic brand of cigarettes, the shipping times and the form of payment. The customer service representative was more than happy to answer all my questions even when I misunderstood and kept asking about the brand of the King cigarettes and he kept say 'King sir' because I thought he was referring to the length.

So finally with all my ducks in a row I decided to try the Golden Gate cigarettes which the customer service agent assured me is a very quality affordable brand of cigarette that is very popular amongst their customers. This website also accepts e-check like the previous one I reviewed. I was surprised to find out that the e-check is such a secure form of payment that the U.S. government uses it for payroll, payment of fines and government loans. So I placed my order and waited for about three weeks. When the cigarettes arrived I open the very well sealed package to reveal the immaculate packs of cigarettes inside. I have to say that the C.S. agent wasn't lying this was a phenomenal cigarette for the price. I actually gave a few of my family and friends a pack of two and they really enjoyed them also!

So overall this a nice cigarette for the price, the service was good and the shipping was comparable to the previous website I reviewed. Very pleased overall another winner for the list.

Best Man brand cigarette Review

So as promised here is my review of the Best Man cigarette brand.

I had ordered them at www.paylessmoke.com at just under $18. I chose the full flavor version because as I mentioned on a previous post if I can't smoke them I'd give them to my father-in-law that's not very picky when it comes to his cigarettes (but almost always smokes full flavor). I have to say off the bat that these cigs tasted surprisingly good for something that costs just under $2 a pack! I have smoked some generic brand cigarettes before that were so dry and harsh that I couldn't even get through the first cigarette. The tobacco was well packed and the paper seemed flawless, no pin-holes or discoloration. They burn slowly and consistently without any crackling or popping (which usually indicates low quality tobacco with a lot of stems and pieces that don't burn well).

This was such a high quality generic I would go as far as comparing it to a lower end premium cigarette such as a Pall Mall or a Winston. It probably not be comparable to super premium smokes such as Camel and Marlboro though. If you looking for the best bang for your buck I'd definitely recommend these. The price is good they taste good, aren't too harsh and burn nice and slow.

Although not a huge factor I found the pack design to be reminiscent of Parliament cigarettes, so its nice and subtle I mention this because I know that matters for some people that may be bothered by a cigarette pack that looks strange or too gaudy.   

My first online purchase experience Paylessmoke

So after visiting multiple review websites and reading through hundreds of reviews I found this one www.paylessmoke.com to seem pretty consistently positive. I first sent an email asking for their cheapest cigarettes which they promptly replied to (that was a good sign off the bat) and informed me that the Best Man brand was priced at $17.99 a carton, I then called them asking about the process, which the individual that I spoke to was more than happy to help me out with. I tried to get as much information as possible and here's a little snippet of that Q and A session (were CS is customer service)

Me-So what are the cheapest cigarettes you carry? 
CS-We carry many different brands of affordable cigarettes sir, but our most affordable would be the Best Man brand that we sell: the single carton package for $17.99, but if you purchase a six carton package the price per carton drops down to $15.66.
Me-Wow! that's a really nice price, does it compare to anything a little bit more well known?
CS-Well sir some of our customers compare them to Basic brand cigarettes and some to the Seneca brand, generally they're comparable to higher quality generic brands.
Me-So how do you guys charge me?
CS-We only use electronic check as a measure against fraud
Me-What do mean a measure against fraud?
CS-Well sir to use an electronic check fraudulently the person using it must duplicate multiple information exactly, such as shipping address the multiple numbers that pertaining to the check, even if the name is misspelled the bank will not allow the charge to go through.

Well that's reassuring I thought. I was pretty well covered information wise at this point and then I remembered:

Me-How long will it take for me to receive the cigarettes
CS-It usually take between ten to twenty-one working days depending on your local postal service.

OK so the shipping time wasn't great but the price definatley came as a counterweight to the delivery period. As the person I spoke to mentioned, the charged showed up on my bank statement in a few days and then the waiting game began. Surprisingly the waiting period wasn't as long as it sounded when the customer service agent said it.  I was pleasantly surprised that the package was sent registered mail (which was mentioned during our conversation but forgot about it) my postal worker brought me the package I signed for it and ran inside like a five year old on Christmas morning. I opened up the package and took out the carton of cigarettes.

Something noteworthy here is that a few day after I received my cigarettes a customer service agent contacted me to see if I had received everything alright, if I had tried the cigarettes and enjoyed them, I informed him that I received everything fine and that I was surprised by the quality of the Best Mans. The customer service agent also informed me of the current offers running on the website which I really appreciated.

My next blog will be a concise review of the Best Man cigarettes. Stay tuned for further reviews and experiences.

A smoking adventure with Mark Inker

  

 

 
  I'm a smoker, so is my wife, my sister, my father-in-law, my mother, my boss and some of my co-workers. Why do I mention this? Well because for a while every time I sat and spoke with anyone of these fellow smokers that I am also very close to, we always winced and whined about the price of cigarettes. It came to the point were if you are a pack a day smoker in Springfield, Illinois (that's where me and my loved ones are from by the way) it would cost you $70 dollars a week to keep smoking. That's $280 dollars a month, $3360 a year. I just couldn't afford it, we tried quitting but it just didn't work so we had to find an alternative.
  
   I started off on a crusade to find my and my loved ones favorite brands (respectively) at a logical price. I created this blog as I thought my results might be beneficial for other fellow smokers out there, so here you go.

   My first attempt at saving some money on cigs was to drive to Indiana to purchase my smokes, which although they sell for about half the price it also takes about three hours to get to the state line. So I was saving cig money and putting it into my gas tank, after doing some math I found that driving to Indiana actually cost more overall than buying locally, so that was the end of the Indiana connection. I later found out it is actually illegal to carry more than a couple of cartons (its roughly defined as what can be deemed personal use) across state lines. Due to the fact that I was purchasing for friends and family I was usually caring upwards of 16 to 20 cartons, so I was basically bootlegging cigarettes without even knowing it for a few months.

    So after mistakenly dabbling in the illegal distribution of cigarettes I decided to take my crusade online. After multiple nights of searching reviews and websites, calling customer service lines and sending emails I would find a website that I felt relatively comfortable ordering with. The way I ordered initially though to test out the services was; I opened a separate checking account with online access so I can transfer only the specific amount of money needed for the purchase (in case any of them tried to charge more than the amount) and then I placed an order for one carton of their cheapest stuff (which my father-in-law smokes happily anyway) checked the payment method, most website accept credit card or e-check (which is just a regular check that is processed online). Finally I would see how long it would take the cigarettes to arrive, what condition they came in and if they were smokable (if anything that should be a given if your buying cigarettes, but to me and my father-inlaw's coughing chagrin its not).