Buying online VS buying in physical stores

Buying cigars online or going to a trusted specialist retailer to make your purchase is a personal decision. While there's no single best answer to this question, let's take a look at the advantages of each option in turn.

Buy cigars online

1. 24-hour availability:

   Unlike a real outlet, you don't have to wait foran online cigar store to open its virtual doors. It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You can get your hands on your favorite brands, even during the holiday season and on public holidays. Simply open your Internet browser, navigate to a virtual cigar store, make your payment and receive your parcel by post.

2. A wider range of options

   Another advantage of buying cigars online is the variety of options. Consider the implications of this choice. A traditional tobacconist can only stock as many brands as their warehouse can accommodate. Online shops, on the other hand, are free to list as many as they like, as they are not limited by storage constraints. It's even easier if they offer direct delivery.  In general, online retailers carry more stock than their physical counterparts, so you can expect a better selection. Efficient, high-quality packaging, vacuum packing, meticulous cigar protection and third-party logistics services are essential to a 360° service. By combining these last points with top-quality after-sales service, with personalization worthy of a great cigar house, the customer benefits from the closest relationship to a top-class physical boutique.

3. Attractive offers

   In some cases, the Internet can help you get a better deal on cigars. However, while many local retailers will offer you "buy three packs of cigars, get one free" discounts, many online retailers offer even better deals, such as the chance to earn points on your purchases which you can use to redeem them in the future. Digital tools can also be used to request newsletters, etc., to keep you informed about the latest offers, limited editions and regional editions. 

4. Customer service from the comfort of your home

   Instead of asking you to visit the store to lodge your complaint, virtual cigar stores allow you to express your problems by e-mail, telephone or live chat. Some also offer a knowledge base containing brand-specific descriptions and information, as well as photos and buyer reviews that are equally beneficial to the user.

5. Convenience that suits you

   The vast majority of online companies selling cigars offer fast and sometimes free delivery of ordered items. It is essential to send products quickly to minimize the time they spend in transit and out of their optimum condition. Cigars can be delivered to any location in Switzerland. While same-day delivery is the most convenient option, but the most difficult logistically and supply-wise for retailers, some sellers may ask for an extra two or three days to deliver the items to your home.

In-store purchase of cigars

1. Real-time availability

   Instead of placing an order online and waiting for it to be delivered, you can simply walk into a cigar store and get what you want immediately. Having to put it off until a delivery arrives is a disappointment when the craving hits. Nor will you have to worry about the quality of your cigar deteriorating if it's not shipped in the right condition.

2. Individualized assistance

   Sure, you can talk to a virtual assistant online or even call a customer service center, but that's not necessarily a substitute for talking to an in-store professional who can help you make the best purchase. This is particularly useful if you're new to cigars. The store staff can ask about your personal preferences and steer you towards the cigar that will give you the most enjoyable experience possible. For discerning cigar aficionados, it's the assurance that the person who usually greets and advises, will direct the customer towards the best products, in line with personal tastes, or with products specially selected upstream for the loyal customer. In the luxury sector, it's the attention to detail that makes all the difference. Educated and demanding customers have made it a must and recognize it easily. 

3. Quality control

   Even if a website can provide an image of a cigar, nothing beats actually seeing the cigar and being able to hold and manipulate it in your hands (except during the COVID phase). This can help remove any ambiguity about the cigar's actual size and appearance. When you shop in person, you'll be able to see exactly what you're buying.

4. A link with connoisseurs

   Walking into a real cigar store and mingling with other cigar smokers and enthusiasts is a big part of the appeal. You can look at what other people are buying and ask them for recommendations on their favorite brands.

5. Buying with confidence

   When you transfer your personal information in the digital world, you're always taking a risk. If a website offers data encryption or SSL security, this danger can be considerably reduced. If buying cigars online makes you a little uneasy, visiting a cigar store can give you greater peace of mind. The choice of whether to buy online or in person is entirely up to the buyer. Consider the pros and cons in light of your choices and priorities. If you can't bear the thought of not being able to see, touch, smell and interact with the cigar, buying in person is certainly your best option. But, if you're more the type who prefers the comfort of your sofa, order cigars online now. La Couronne SA & Cigarpassion.com offers its customers the best of both worlds. www.cigarpassion.com - An unrivalled selection of the finest cigars in Switzerland on its website, the largest online sales catalog in Switzerland, on exceptional terroirs: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras. Attractive offers several times a week, a top-quality blog keeping cigar aficionados up to date with cigar industry news, product arrivals, cigar producers, technical tips, quality interviews with charismatic people from the cigar world.  In just a few years, cigarpassion.com's after-sales service has become a benchmark in the industry, and among cigar aficionados from all over the world who have purchased cigars from our online shop. "We take care of the customer La Couronne SA, rue de rive 34, 1260 Nyon. Located on the lakeshore in the famous Rive district, two boutiques specializing in premium cigars and fine spirits now proudly stand before shoppers in search of the world's finest cigars.  The atmosphere is cosy, steeped in history, and filled with tobacco objects, unusual objects, photos, and the laughter and memories of the thousands of customers from all over the world who have been welcomed to these emblematic premises.  Our reception and service staff are people of high human quality, close to our customers, respectful of their work and the family values that La Couronne SA has embodied and represented for over 50 years.  Over the years, many of our customers have become friends, travel companions, people who count and with whom we have thousands of stories to tell, remember and write. The advice is informed, professional and respectful, accompanying customers in their quest for the right cigar at the right time. La Couronne SA is not just a cigar store, it's a human experience, an initiatory journey, a unique atmosphere, a proposal. The selection is phenomenal, with all the best cigars from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Honduras magnificently represented, preserved in optimal, rigorous conditions. It's a treasure hunt that begins when you enter the cigar cellar! The most prestigious brands are present, with products you won't find anywhere else, not even in our online shop cigarpassion.com.  Finally, just five metres from our historic boutique, you'll find our latest addition: La Casa Del Habano - Nyon. A temple dedicated solely to Havana, a selection absolutely unique in Switzerland, limited series, all stamped with the famous LCDH logo, la casa del habano, identifying exclusive products made from tobacco specially selected and aged for this series. Connoisseurs will also find collector's humidors, autographed photos, prestigious spirits, limited series, special vintages, niche producers - the best of the best!  In total, we offer over 320 m² of exhibition and sales space for luxury cigar products. Unique in Switzerland, cigar aficionados can be sure that their trip and visit to our two stores will be well worth their while. Anecdotally, we frequently receive visits from cigar aficionados who have travelled over 1000 kilometers to meet us. In total, our company employs more than 20 people year-round, with an average age of 30, concentrates eight different nationalities, is an employer that has recruited more than 40% of its current workforce over the last five years, thus helping to put quality people back to work with exciting prospects that make the most of their human and technical skills.  With over 1,000 m² of workspace, our company is a leader in the Swiss cigar market, not just in terms of performance or profitability, but also in terms of social cohesion, integration and personal and human development. Our company sees cigars as a product that brings people together, that promotes open-mindedness and freedom of speech, that makes emotional moments magical, unique and rare.  Our ambition is excellence, elegance in gesture and word, in welcome and advice, in after-sales service, in the realization of quality events for quality customers. For all this, we offer you a unique experience in our physical stores and on our digital platforms. www.cigarpassion.com www.la-casa-del-habano-nyon.com  We look forward to welcoming you, Cigarefully yours. Alexis Aazam Zanganeh Owner