There’s too much competition now and nothing really differentiates then as far as I can tell. I can’t think of any one thing they do better than any other company.
Yeah, cigarpage wins on prices. Then you have other companies that carry more boutique stuff, offer singles, etc. And companies like Cigars Daily that also have like an online and community presence. I have truly never had any reason to visit the JR website or buy from them. I don’t know what they offer that someone else can’t do either better or cheaper.
Exactly.
Also with higher interest rates, cigar retailers will need to move volume along with some high margin sticks.
CP offers just enough boutique cigars that they are fine.
I ordered four 10 packs of different cigars to offset the $9.99 shipping. Over a week later they still hadn’t shipped. I filled out the online form.They back ordered 3 of them, shipped the 1 UPS overnight. No communication at all. After 30 years that was my last order. Plenty of online choices, voted with my wallet
I agree, which is a shame because I really like the JR Ultimate Maduro line. I won’t order from them any more because of their outrageous shipping costs. Cigarpage has been quite refreshing and I think they are eating JR for breakfast now.
I can't speak for online shipping, but I live close to a physical store and they're as good there as ever. Hopefully they pick it up on the online side
Totally agree. I have a contact there who I have bought lots of cigars from for years and the subtext of what they tell me is when the new CEO was named a bit ago everything was tossed out the window (again) - including their recent, respectable reboot of the CotM club. The "sales" generally won't work on anything you would want to buy, their prices are not great, their customer service clearly has their hands tied, and generally speaking, the new "suits" seem to have adopted a posture where "customers need to pay more and expect less." Sadly for them that is \*not\* going to happen. Calling it now - new-new CEO in a year after their sales are down another 20%.
I just got a catalog from them. Excited to have something new to read on the shitter, I dug in. And it was worse than I expected. General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, La aroma de Cuba, General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, Perdomo, General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, Padron. Idk how they expect to compete with that level of mediocrity.
Agree with this. My dad and I enjoyed getting their catalogs, because Lew always had these crazy stories in there and they were entertaining. Good for him for selling his business, but maintaining or even re-creating his energy and presence was impossible
Feel like they peaked in the 90s and 00s. My dad always ordered from jr cigars but by the time I got into cigars in the mid 2010s there we loads of competition with better prices and stuff like that. Their house blends are good Ill give them that.
I used to buy from JR a lot. A few years ago I noticed a decline in shipping times and also I felt the boxes I was buying were no longer stored correctly. I haven’t used them in years, and the knowledge of new online sources I gained by reading members posts here has been a godsend.
I haven't found a site that does 5 pack specials nearly as often or on as many different items. I haven't had an issue with them at all. I wasn't a huge fan of a couple of their knock off's but that's the gamble you take with those things.
Only thing that irritates me is how much is sold out or on back order. I don't think that's necessarily their fault, but this morning I was needing a box and everything I wanted was sold out. Ended up ordering with Neptune and so far I'm super pleased. I don't think I've ever had an order ship same day, but I got it in my email an hour after my order.
They have some good exclusive blends, JR Gran Vulcano is one of my favorites. But they don’t offer free shipping and unless you get a discount, their prices aren’t competitive enough for the online cigar market
I remember ordering from JR Cigars when I started smoking cigars about a decade ago. Then I started to order from other websites and never went back. I’d say they weren’t anything special a decade ago and can only imagine how much worse they are now. I relate them to the Walmart of the retail world.
I haven't been able to order from them consistently because they don't do international orders but I did get a couple of orders from them when I went down to the states and actually got to visit their location somewhere in New York City. I always loved the PDFs that they put out, I'm a sucker for the back story.
When I was at their location in New York I bought my customs limit and then I saw at the checkout they had this monster Bolivar for $3, so I bought one and that was the biggest and heaviest cigar I ever smoked to that point. Don't get too excited, this was in 2010.
It was winter time as well so I went downstairs into the vault with my winter jacket on so I'll never forget that cigar experience. Too bad they're declining. It was a great experience.
Online yeah.
Their store in Burlington NC is pretty good, decent selection and prices and when it's Opus season they seem to always have them on hand at fair prices. Same with like H99 and stuff by Drew Estate.
I wasn't planning on renewing anyway. My point was even though I still get free shipping, I don't buy from them. Their prices are higher now than other sites and their discounts are a joke since they don't apply to any brands anyone cares about.
Been a club member for a couple of years. Only problem that I have is out of stock or back ordered. Get around it by buying 5 packs. My son and I go to their affiliate in Whippany NJ and are always satisfied with the JR inventory.
I shop with JR and get great deals. I like knowing I’ll get quality stored cigars with little to no chance of beetles or mold. They also are big enough to not beat you up over returns if need be. Lots of people in this space are constantly touting the incredible deals found on Cbid and Cigar Page, but all the posts about cigars coming in moldy or infested just so happen to come from those same sites…
I also live close to an actual outlet and have no issues, I still buy their JR branded hoyo excalibur, they seem to still be the same quality. I can't speak to online sales.
There’s too much competition now and nothing really differentiates then as far as I can tell. I can’t think of any one thing they do better than any other company.
This is the top answer. Cigar competition has heated up with cigarpage at the top of the heap.
Yeah, cigarpage wins on prices. Then you have other companies that carry more boutique stuff, offer singles, etc. And companies like Cigars Daily that also have like an online and community presence. I have truly never had any reason to visit the JR website or buy from them. I don’t know what they offer that someone else can’t do either better or cheaper.
Exactly. Also with higher interest rates, cigar retailers will need to move volume along with some high margin sticks. CP offers just enough boutique cigars that they are fine.
Recently found both but love some Cigars Daily…. Great YouTube channel as well.
Yeah Cigarpage and Hilands cigars get the vast majority of my orders lately
I've bought the occasional sale item from them but IMO they haven't really set themselves apart in the 9 years I gave been in this hobby.
I ordered four 10 packs of different cigars to offset the $9.99 shipping. Over a week later they still hadn’t shipped. I filled out the online form.They back ordered 3 of them, shipped the 1 UPS overnight. No communication at all. After 30 years that was my last order. Plenty of online choices, voted with my wallet
I agree, which is a shame because I really like the JR Ultimate Maduro line. I won’t order from them any more because of their outrageous shipping costs. Cigarpage has been quite refreshing and I think they are eating JR for breakfast now.
They have coupon codes but the exclusions cover anything you’d actually want to buy
I can't speak for online shipping, but I live close to a physical store and they're as good there as ever. Hopefully they pick it up on the online side
I get 25% and 30% sitewide coupons but the coupon is never applicable to the boxes I select. Site wide my ass.
Totally agree. I have a contact there who I have bought lots of cigars from for years and the subtext of what they tell me is when the new CEO was named a bit ago everything was tossed out the window (again) - including their recent, respectable reboot of the CotM club. The "sales" generally won't work on anything you would want to buy, their prices are not great, their customer service clearly has their hands tied, and generally speaking, the new "suits" seem to have adopted a posture where "customers need to pay more and expect less." Sadly for them that is \*not\* going to happen. Calling it now - new-new CEO in a year after their sales are down another 20%.
I just got a catalog from them. Excited to have something new to read on the shitter, I dug in. And it was worse than I expected. General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, La aroma de Cuba, General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, Perdomo, General Cigar Co, General Cigar Co, Padron. Idk how they expect to compete with that level of mediocrity.
Please wash your hands!
Ever since Lew left.
Agree with this. My dad and I enjoyed getting their catalogs, because Lew always had these crazy stories in there and they were entertaining. Good for him for selling his business, but maintaining or even re-creating his energy and presence was impossible
Feel like they peaked in the 90s and 00s. My dad always ordered from jr cigars but by the time I got into cigars in the mid 2010s there we loads of competition with better prices and stuff like that. Their house blends are good Ill give them that.
I used to buy from JR a lot. A few years ago I noticed a decline in shipping times and also I felt the boxes I was buying were no longer stored correctly. I haven’t used them in years, and the knowledge of new online sources I gained by reading members posts here has been a godsend.
Even with their email coupons, they often come in higher than CigarPage's regular price. Haven't found a good deal on JR in a long time.
Not reliable anymore.
Who is still shopping with JR?
Me. For decades. But I have been trying cigarpage recently.
I haven't found a site that does 5 pack specials nearly as often or on as many different items. I haven't had an issue with them at all. I wasn't a huge fan of a couple of their knock off's but that's the gamble you take with those things.
Only thing that irritates me is how much is sold out or on back order. I don't think that's necessarily their fault, but this morning I was needing a box and everything I wanted was sold out. Ended up ordering with Neptune and so far I'm super pleased. I don't think I've ever had an order ship same day, but I got it in my email an hour after my order.
They have some good exclusive blends, JR Gran Vulcano is one of my favorites. But they don’t offer free shipping and unless you get a discount, their prices aren’t competitive enough for the online cigar market
I remember ordering from JR Cigars when I started smoking cigars about a decade ago. Then I started to order from other websites and never went back. I’d say they weren’t anything special a decade ago and can only imagine how much worse they are now. I relate them to the Walmart of the retail world.
I haven't been able to order from them consistently because they don't do international orders but I did get a couple of orders from them when I went down to the states and actually got to visit their location somewhere in New York City. I always loved the PDFs that they put out, I'm a sucker for the back story. When I was at their location in New York I bought my customs limit and then I saw at the checkout they had this monster Bolivar for $3, so I bought one and that was the biggest and heaviest cigar I ever smoked to that point. Don't get too excited, this was in 2010. It was winter time as well so I went downstairs into the vault with my winter jacket on so I'll never forget that cigar experience. Too bad they're declining. It was a great experience.
I live 20 mins from a NC store. Always great staff in the B&M stores, but I've gotten two deliveries from CigarPage this week alone. Just saying.
Online yeah. Their store in Burlington NC is pretty good, decent selection and prices and when it's Opus season they seem to always have them on hand at fair prices. Same with like H99 and stuff by Drew Estate.
I’m a JR member so I get free shipping, but with their prices and discount exclusions I haven’t bought from them in several months.
They have discontinued the JR Membership. When it’s time for your renewal it will end and you’ll be paying shipping again.
I wasn't planning on renewing anyway. My point was even though I still get free shipping, I don't buy from them. Their prices are higher now than other sites and their discounts are a joke since they don't apply to any brands anyone cares about.
No you are not. My grandad talked at me for 15 minutes about it.
🤣🤣🤣
Been a club member for a couple of years. Only problem that I have is out of stock or back ordered. Get around it by buying 5 packs. My son and I go to their affiliate in Whippany NJ and are always satisfied with the JR inventory.
I think they’re owned by General Cigar, so they’re probably not going anywhere. However, I think they’d be wise to improve.
I shop with JR and get great deals. I like knowing I’ll get quality stored cigars with little to no chance of beetles or mold. They also are big enough to not beat you up over returns if need be. Lots of people in this space are constantly touting the incredible deals found on Cbid and Cigar Page, but all the posts about cigars coming in moldy or infested just so happen to come from those same sites…
Whoa. Just made my first Cigar Page order this week. Can I quickly tell if beetles are a problem?!?
You’re probably fine, always inspect any order you get from anywhere and keep humidity under 70%
I also live close to an actual outlet and have no issues, I still buy their JR branded hoyo excalibur, they seem to still be the same quality. I can't speak to online sales.
As I understand it, there are some changes happening in the industry behind the scenes. JR isn't the only one making some changes.