Would you take a hit for the team?

[MasterGuns]

I have a question that has been bugging me lately.
So we have all heard "duck and cover" about the PACT act, how it's unfair and stupid and another shameless attempt by the U.S. government to dig into our pockets and blahblahblah.
We also know that while some stores have come and gone, there are still stores out there which are selling General Snus.
So here is my question, and it's really only for those who live reasonably close to these vendors and like General: Would you take the hit NOW and pay nearly twice as much a can for General products?
Lets think of the outcome here.
Those fridges are tiny, most of us have a larger stash in our houses. So, how much impact would one regular who buys, say, three cans a week (hypothetically speaking) have? Well, not a lot, but say that same person is "preaching the snus gospel" as I've heard said. Say that person, rather than saying "go online because it's cheaper" were to direct people they were preaching to towards that store which sold General snus? Say that person turns several of his/her friends on to snus and they all become regulars. Well, demand increases, range of products expands, and when the snus apocalypse comes, well, that little General fridge will still be there, rather than having been chucked out the door because the snus just didn't sell. For me, those people I preached to have pretty much locked onto camel snus, and most of them double-bag, while one portion of General would do it for them. So General over Camel would make better financial sense for them.

So would you, or could you, take that hit? I've been asking myself this question since I'm going to need to stock up on General soon. There are two shops near me which sell it (I hope). I plan on getting a roll of Original and perhaps a roll of Wintergreen. I have been debating this in my mind since I know it would be FAR more expensive to purchase from my local tobacconist. But...do I want them to stay there as insurance if, indeed, the snus apocalypse comes? Would it be worth the financial hit now?
What's my fellow snus/General enthusiasts opinions? What would YOU do? Lemme know your thoughts.

[lxskllr]

I'm not crazy about SM products for the most part. Ettan and Grov are favorites, but General in particular is fairly far down in my ranking.

If I enjoyed General, and a shop near me sold it, I think I'd try to work out an arrangement with the shop owner. These are typically small businesses, so they should be approachable. I'd consider taking a hit at a reasonable rate. Maybe $4 per tin in roll quantities($40 total+tax)? That should give the store owner a reasonable profit, and you get the convenience of local shopping, and supporting the little guy in this age of big box stores.

[sagedil]

2 1/2 hours North is the closest (Richmond), And I don't use General.


But if I did,, and there was someone hear selling, then of course I would havce been buying 2 at least a week from him since day one. I a a big picture guy. I am saving HUGE money from the days I smoked. I have no need to save every penny, happy to share some around helping any vendor helping out.


I still make an order a quarter from Buysnus, paying them more than I have to. But I want them to stay around!!!

[sheilalynn]

Nobody around here sells anything but Camel, and that's only in the convenience stores. I plan on hitting a tobacco shop on Tuesday and giving it a shot to get them to stock Discreet. Maybe that would get them going on other snus too. The only other tobacco shop doesn't stock anything but cigars and a few tins of Camel too. It's really pathetic up here in the northeast as far as shops go.

[artsnus]

It's interesting - I see a lot of discussions in regards to how to help SM market their products here, I see the questions asked on J&M board...They do not appear overwhelmingly enthusiastic about answering those questions and there is really no good information why there are only certain brands available in US cigar store.
I am sure they would love to break through on the US market, but there is probably a reason why things are they way they are.
I think things have a way of sorting themselves out.

[MasterGuns]

I think the reason we haven't heard much from J&M on the subject is simply because they're not allowed to talk about it. This isn't tobacco specific either, every company likes to play their marketing close to the chest. Honestly I think SM is struggling because no one recognizes the brand. Sure they hold the rights to lots of cigar enthusiasts favorites, and are the parent company to Pinkerton, the guys who make Red Man chew and dip, but no one knows anything about General aside from those who already snus. Hopefully that will change.
EDIT: And you're right, things will work out, one way or the other. I'm sure the Scotch enthusiasts of the 20's were quaking as much as some of us are now about PACT, if not more so. They still got their drink, though, through Canadian smugglers. Likewise we will get our snus somehow.
I think it's funny that this is meant to STOP tobacco smuggling (a conjured idea at best, buying and shipping online is legal therefor NOT smuggling), when really it's just going to encourage it.

[tom502]

I know I repeat myself, and I don't know if it will happen, but I still think SM needs to figure out a way to not need refrigeration, and lengthen shelf life, like maybe seal the product in a foil bag, and place these cans alongside Redman, and have coupons for a free General can attached to them. Having these at local retail stores like this would knock the price down, and increase availability. Now they may not get all their types on the shelf right away, but maybe original or wintergreen.

[MasterGuns]

You're right about the coupon thing, but I really don't think altering their production process for the US market is really an option for SM. In a perfect world, maybe. But they should definitely offer coupons of some sort. Not sure why they haven't tried that.

[MasterGuns]

So I was just told by a friend that he was able to get snus at a local Tinder Box for 4.50 a can after tax. I called the store, and it looks like they're actually selling the stuff pretty well. So it looks like (for me at least) the hit wont be a hard one to take.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I would think the Smart Money would be on Some of us Becoming Dealers or Distibuters of SM and others. I am sure business to Business shipments are still legal. the whole cottage Business model

Just a thought.

[synic]

Sure, I'd take the hit, if I could.

Even before I learned about law regarding internet tobacco sales in Utah, I visited two different tobacco stores and had them order me rolls of General White Portion. Sure, they're $40 a piece, but that extra $10 is well spent if they continue to stock snus.

[geeeeoffff]

i took the hit today.

Today i had to visit redmond,WA and since there was a store selling general nearby i decided to give it a go. I visited "The Tobacco Patch" they had their snus fridge prominently displayed on the countertop and they charged a hefty 8 bucks a can. Before today i only had experience with camel snus, so i decided to opt for mini portions. very good, maybe a little stronger than camel.

I asked about what other kinds they had, they didn't seem very well stocked. They were out of mini original, but they did have mini mint. The price was kind of steep compared to online, but compared to Camel it was a downright bargain.

[Roo]

I work a block away from the Tobacco Patch in Pioneer Square. Pass it several times a day, and occasionally go in for cigars. I have never purchased snus from them for two reasons: I usually have plenty, and it costs $8 per can here in King County, at least downtown. And I don't like General that much, save for ES los. But I have talked to the guy a few times about it, and he says they place a new order every week -- that's how fast they are selling it. He mentioned lots of Skandos come in for their fix, and plenty of other folks too. I'm always surprised at how much snus gets sold when I ask at the two shops downtown that sell General, and also even when I ask convenience store clerks about Camel SNUS. But for now, it's way too spendy for me. One of these days I'll surely forget to bring snus to work and head there first thing in the morning though.

[VBSnus]

I've been buying a ton online (made the switch today to buysnus), but I have also bought at least 8 cans of General from my local cigar shop (in 3 weeks). I also urged them to get Onyx in, as it may help their sales a bit (they've gotten a lot of requests for it but didn't know what it was).

For my part, I'm hoping to point anyone I see using Camel crap at them so they can get more business out of it. They also sell great cigars and still have smoking in the shop, which is always great.

$3.50 - $4 a can is what it goes for now. I gotta say, if they carried some of the other stuff like RL, Catch, Grov, I might think about paying $8 a can locally to keep it going. But for General? $4 a can is probably my max.

They've been selling snus for a few years now, so hopefully they won't stop any time soon.

[TBD]

If snus is going to catch on in the US they need the prices to be close or lower than Skoal/Copenhagen. Anyone looking to switch is NOT going to pay more than they would for dip. I can get Cope here for $3.75 a can. $4.50 a can for General is OK for me, but anyone who hasn't built a love of Swedish snus will not choose a $4.50 can over a known $3.75 can.