Cigars with barcodes

CAcigarguy007

I get some cigars that have barcodes on them (retail ready I assume) while most do not. Why is that? I never really thought to ask. I'm assuming these are factory provided (since they are perfectly applied and I'm sure the stores don't stick them on). B&M's usually always have them while the vast majority of stuff I buy online dose not. Anyone know why this is?

BigT06

I wanna say that cigars that are packaged for sale as singles typically have them far more often than box purchases or 5 packs.

xmacro

I doubt that; I think it's the retail that does it. Why should the factory incur the cost of paper, ink, and application when they can offload the cost onto a retail business?

lcpleel

xmacro:

I doubt that; I think it's the retail that does it. Why should the factory incur the cost of paper, ink, and application when they can offload the cost onto a retail business?

I've purchased sealed boxes from b&m's with the barcode on it while the same cigar purchased online did not have the barcode.

Lasabar

I think it depends on the manufacturer... I've purchased cigars that have a barcode that resembles the actual bands and and is from the factory, not the B&M... I believe it's just an added bonus for the stores to keep things easy, or I've kinda noticed the barcodes on newer blends over the past years, so maybe they try to make it as easy as hell to sell individually for the newer cigars so the can get the word out and people can later buy boxes.

CAcigarguy007

lcpleel:

xmacro:

I doubt that; I think it's the retail that does it. Why should the factory incur the cost of paper, ink, and application when they can offload the cost onto a retail business?

I've purchased sealed boxes from b&m's with the barcode on it while the same cigar purchased online did not have the barcode.

This was my concern, I read somewhere were they were saying that online retailers pass of seconds as firsts and that it was for this reason that the price cuts were so steep (besides taxes and mark ups through the chain). I'm not buying that but am not totally discounting that as a whole either. Most of my San Lotanos have barcodes but some of them do not. On the contrary, all of my Cusanos (59 rare cameroon and sun grown LXI's) closeouts that I got recently have had barcodes. It is kinda odd. The basis of the argument was that B&M's get better superior first products while mega online dealers sometimes get lessor quality banded seconds. I enjoy the heck out of my sticks barcode or no barcode but this just got me thinking about the whole barcode situation as a whole and why they exist on some stock and not others.