"Been using cigars international for 10-15 years. Got a gift card from my father for Christmas one year, tried them out, and very pleasantly surprised to say the least. Prices were more than competitive, selection,reviews,customer service, ease of usage, all awesome. It was always like a trip to your local cigar shop, unique in the world of Internet / catalog ordering, like no other. All returns, easily done, even if a cigar was smoked and not satisfied, return it and move on. There have been changes lately, over last few years last year being remarkably worse by far. When placing an order, often times freebies offered if a dollar amount or certain brand offered spiffs even was a cool thing. Each time, I never took for granted, as going into the site, laying ones eyes on the spiff offered made assigning a dollar amount easily done. I had a grill brush I purchased, as a chef, I was very impressed, until realizing not in worst way possible. My son was eating a burger, only to end up with 7-9 steel bristles from the brush in the roof of his mouth and rear of his throat. Scary, yes. When I notified CI on this, no real interest was shown and total lack of empathy at compassion, other than, I'll get back to you. After 2weeks of phone tag, I was asked to detail and explain the incident, I did, 3 times. Finally after finally putting my foot down, I got the brush credited back, and was rudely told, that's all I'm going to get. Well honestly, from my first call, all I wanted was to get awareness of this product and each call, made it clear that I wanted to send this brush back, and to get it looked at, and possibly pulled from inventory to avoid anyone else getting injured. I ,not even once, suggested,made comment too, asked for reimbursement on medical, or spoke with or even said I was speaking with an attourney.
Next problem, Xikar products. I purchased an amount that made myself eligible to receive an x4-xikar cutter, all accessories,lighters ect, with me are always xikar. Got the cutter,then got 2-more identical cutters as gifts from friends and family, all HC series cigars logo's. They saw this cutter,used it,seen and heard me talking it up, especially the lifetime warranty. Finding same cutter in the xikar cutter section of CI website, $39 was cost of it. It fell apart, then second one fell apart. Contacted xikar,returned the cutters to xikar, as I've done other times in the past, getting them returned to me, with a letter saying the ones produced for CI, warranty doesn't carry, no warranty after 30-60 days. Contact CI, and since one was found that I purchased, it was replaced, and other one,at that time and since another one broke as well, out of three cutters, one replaced, and told it is what it is. No where on the site was anything shown,mentioned or pointed out that was a xikar product other than a lifetime warranty by xikar. That's misrepresentation and out right lie to be clear here. Then told only one replaced is one with the history of my account attached. Why would I lie about that? Xikar didn't lie about that. Then purchase price is same as other xikar cutters, supposeably thevsame warranty as nothing else was shown. The two others I have that are useless, could only have come from CI, as all others are warrantied. I stopped purchasing for a long while, but with the size of the company, they could care less. At a small cigar store I go to, anything defective is replaced, no questions, and the vendor issues credit to the shop, that's business one on one, to secure space for displaying products. But CI being a billion dollar company, to tell me that the vendor relationship is not as good as a small shop, I don't think so. I have an order pending currently. This is HC cigars, where I got my cutters from, but offering a xikar lighter for each bundle purchase, is that too a xikar-CI fake warrantied lighter like the cutters?? It will not mean **** to them if I do not order, but as like with the cutters, it is not mentioned about a xikar non warranties item, in the offer, or the full price option that is listed in the accessories section. I may and hope to hear back on this, but too, I'm not holding my breath. I'm a 50 year old disabled man, who is in line for a heart transplant, yes I smoke cigars, but with no other true pleasant pleasure, I like a cigar, a good cigar. What is disappointing and infuriating, is the feeling of being had and made a fool of. I'd rather be told, I need $39, then to play me as a stupid man never telling differences. I'm not alone here in my feelings"
"I have ordered from them many times. Had a few very minor issues with 1 or 2 orders that were quickly corrected with a phone call. I felt the customer service was more than accommodating but I have the tendency to be polite and treat whoever I’m speaking with like a person. A little courtesy goes a long way. I had an item missing from the order and they promptly apologized and shipped what was missing, and another time I forgot to add a 25% off coupon to my $200 and with a kind request (even after it had shipped) they refunded me the difference. Everything arrives packed well and I have never got anything crappy unless I was just being a cheapskate. The Po’Boy Sampler is a garbage sampler of no-name 1$ "Don Bubba - It’s-A-Boy" cigars that I will give away at poker night to those who don’t know any better... everything else I have gotten from the Gentleman’s Deuce and other TopTier samplers have been awesome and a fraction of retail. They always arrive fresh and many time with freebies. Complainers can always go to the local shop and pay 4x’s more I I have found CI to be a gem of a resource to the everyday smoker."
"Plastic taste when burning cigar and they wouldn't replace because the wrapper was removed"
"They do have he cheapest cigars and you may find some gems. However many sticks are dry. Don’t plan on smoking right away as you’ll have to try to save them. I would also avoid heavy body cigars as you will not be able to restore the taste. "
"Cigars International is a horrible company. I purchased a bundle of 20 cigars. When I received them, about half of the bundle was no good. They burned horribly...no draw, etc. I wrote the company and they blew me off. Their customer service was rude and did not care. I will never buy cigars from them again. There are better companies online. "
"My order exceeded $1800.00, I inquired about specials that may include free cutters or punches or ashtrays ... I was told they could give me nothing extra... zero. For an $1800 order they should have at least thrown in 2 punches and 3 cutters. Rude and ridiculous. If I was the owner of CI, I would flip out that an order was cancelled for $10.00 of gratis cutters.
Customer service needs to improve. Don't act like you are doing me the favor of taking my money. Sad"
"I've ordered from this company twice and I have received my orders in less than 3 days both times. Great prices and fresh products."
"I bought 2 boxes of premium cigars. They arrived a week later and I had to leave them in my humidor for a week to be able to smoke them. I then noticed another cigar website who offered the same exact cigars for $60 less a box! I called CI to see if they would match the price for my next order and they responded that they do not price match with that company. No problem, I ordered 2 boxes from them, saved $120 and got them in 2 days! My new go to place..BNB Tobacco."
"I placed an order with Cigars International and selected next day delivery. When I received a shipping conformation the shipping was changed to 5 to 7 day delivery. This is the second time in a row this has occurred. I spoke to customer service and was told I selected the 5 to 7 day delivery. The last shipment I ensured I selected the fastest delivery due to the fact I live in Florida and have the possibility of Hurricane Irma hitting Florida. Customer service told me it was my fault and they have never had a problem with shipping in the past. She said I was the first to have this problem. "
"They screwed up with the software change and **** off everyone but I just had a wonderful experience with customer support and they responded very quickly and took great care of me."
"Slow processing and shipping. Absolutely no customer service, they just don't respond and don't seem to care about their customers. They just ignore your requests and then delete the correspondence. Plenty of other places to buy online, thankfully. "
"When I tried to order online, web site said "credit card can not be authorized, try another one" I tried another one, same thing. Then when I checked my credit cards, I see both my cards were already charged! Then I called them. I got on hold for at least 20 mintues to speak with somebody. They said they have no idea what's going on and ask my credit card information. I gave it to them. And then in 24 hours I got another 7 charges from them. I called them again. Got on hold for 20 minutes. Customer service said my order was cancelled already and they have no idea why. Then later I got an email from them saying they need to verify something so I should call them. I called them. They put me on hold for another 25 minutes to speak to somebody. Then they ask my credit card's last 4 digit. They said order will be released next day. Then I got another 2 transaction from them. Next day when I checked the web site my order was cancelled. I got nearly $3,500 charged from them for cigars! They just ****. DO NOT EVER NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM. THERE ARE BETTER AND TRUSTABLE WEB SITES! "
"CI is messed up right now... badly. My last three orders got hung up in limbo. They do not answers questions on line in a timely matters (weeks without contact). If you call them prepare to wait on hold for an hour. BBB rates them as F. Shop elsewhere. "
"Shipping is Hit or Miss, Cigars Fairly Dried-Out. Still fairly inexpensive, but you get what you pay for.
Customer Service is not what it used to be either - no replies to any queries."
"Prior to placing my order, I spend around 1 hour on hold and spoke with Chris of the call center. He assured me the refund WILL be immediately refunded after being processed, or he will be able to take off the $6.99 if he could catch the order in time. The catalog I received and online showed I should receive FREE shipping, and due to your website error, it didn't go through. I also left a message on this form showing my concern about not being offered a coupon code or voucher for the 1 hour delay. The representative Chris couldn't even offer free matched which leaves me a NOT satisfied customer! I requested a response and heard nothing back. I've been a customer for years and no longer will use or recommend this rip off company."