The premium cigar industry, much like other industries, is constantly evolving as  marketplace trends change. These trends often force cigar makers to go outside their comfort zones on such decisions as wrapper type,  sizes, pricing and even where the cigar should be rolled. In this month’s edition of the Retailer Corner we are going to discuss the recent trend toward higher priced cigars, and whether or not retailers should be more open-minded about bringing them into their store’s product portfolio.   For several years the $8-$10 industry price range was growing and expanding as manufacturers found this is the pricing “sweet spot”  for adult cigar smokers. While that price range still has the largest customer base,  it is not growing  in sales compared to  cigars over $15. This high price segment has seen a tremendous amount of growth these last three years, and, as a result, manufacturers are developing brands to take advantage of this growing demand.   It’s important for retailers to be open-minded about bringing in higher priced brands, without overextending themselves. Before bringing in a cigar that retails at $15+, poll your regular customers to see if they have an interest. If the economic demographics of your geographic area dictate that most of your customers are looking for cigars under $8, then you might conclude these higher priced brands won’t turn well on your shelf.   If you do bring in a selection of these higher priced brands, consider four things: First, decrease the number of facings you purchase of these brands. If you normally bring in three or four facings of a new brand, it would be more prudent to only bring in two sizes of the brand. Second, focus your purchasing on the sizes that sell best with your customers. Third, don’t overextend yourself by buying multiple back-up boxes. Instead, start off with maybe only two boxes of each size. Lastly, it’s important to protect these cigars from store theft. Every retail store deals with theft, so be prepared to place your higher priced brands in areas where you can best watch and protect them.   Santa Clara Cigars has a vast selection of higher-priced brands that have proven to be successful for our retailer partners. Some of the brands that sell well at these higher prices are Montecristo Pilotico Pepe Mendez, Arturo Fuente Lost City Opus X, Ashton ESG, Partagas 160 Signature Series and Don Carlos God of Fire. To learn more about these brands, and other higher priced brands, be sure to check out https://www.santaclaracigars.com. We hope you found this month’s edition of the Retailer Corner helpful in your buying decisions.