Cigar Bid vs Cigar Auctioneer
[updated 2/7/2018]
When it comes to online cigar shops, consumers have a lot of options (ranked here!). But when it comes to cigar auction sites, there are two options: Cigar Bid and Cigar Auctioneer.
Of course, the question then is: which is better? The short answer is that Cigar Auctioneer is currently the better choice by far. Though both websites have great selection and similar shipping rates, Cigar Bid has had serious issues delivering cigars that are properly humidified. Their customer service as well is quite lacking, with many users reporting that after receiving incorrect orders or damaged cigars, the Cigar Bid team was nearly impossible to reach and unresponsive.
With that being said, below is a more exhaustive breakdown of the differences in features, quality, shipping, and more of the two major cigar auction websites. I look at a few factors:
- Features
- Selection
- Prices
- Product Quality
- Shipping
- User experience
- Customer service rating
Features – too close to call
First, let’s go over the most basic differences. Cigar Auctioneer has three types of auctions: one item/one winner, multiple items/multiple winners, and multiple items/one winner.
Cigar Bid has those categories as well, and also has “Quick Buy” and “Freefall.” Freefall lots are displayed with prices decreasing, live—I am actually not sure how much value these provide. Quick Buy lots are discounted packs of cigars that can be purchased for a slightly higher—though still highly discounted—rate on the spot.
One advantage I see with Cigar Auctioneer on the features side is the lot history function, which allows you to see the past, present and future lots for a particular brand—perfect if you know exactly what you want and have the patience to wait and be notified. This is a big plus for me. So on this category, the two websites tie.
Selection – Cigar Auctioneer
There’s no quick answer here. Both have good selection, though I think Cigar Auctioneer has more mainstream brands than Cigar Bid does. As a fan of Davidoff cigars, I did notice that Cigar Auctioneer has more from that brand, but from what I’ve seen both sites have different product on display at different times. Cigar Auctioneer wins on this category.
Prices – Cigar Auctioneer
Prices on Cigar Bid, though good, tend to be a bit higher simply because it seems to be the leader in auctions by volume. It’s pretty simple: if more people are bidding, the bids will go higher, as some have reported. On the other hand, Cigar Auctioneer sets a higher minimum bid price.
Product Quality – Cigar Auctioneer
This is one area where Cigar Bid quite unfortunately falls behind. In the probably half dozen orders I’ve received from Cigar Bid, I’ve often had cigars that were underhumidified or cracked. It’s one thing to get a great deal on cigars and get what you ordered. It’s something else entirely to order cigars for cheap and then find out later they might have been cheap because they were improperly handled!
I’ve never had this issue with Cigar Auctioneer. They win the product quality category easily.
Shipping – Tie
Cigar Bid and Cigar Auctioneer are fairly close here. Regardless of what website you are using, it is important to get multiple items shipped in the same box to save on shipping costs.
User Experience – Cigar Bid
I’ve got to say, as much as I like Cigar Auctioneer in terms of quality and selection, I really hate the look and feel of their website. Cigar Bid does a great job of advertising the great deals that they have, and their daily newsletter does a good job of describing new products that go on sale. Cigar Bid wins this category easily.
Customer Service Rating – Cigar Auctioneer
Cigar Bid has had issues selling cigars that they don’t have—where the user wins the auction and is later notified that the cigar isn’t available (this happened to me twice). It’s a frustrating situation, and has been documented by other users.
In fact, Cigars International (the parent company for Cigar Bid), has had a truly awful couple of years. With technology issues and customers receiving incorrect orders and then not having the order corrected, they’ve really dug themselves into a hole that they will have a hard time getting out of. Cigar Auctioneer on the other hand has great ratings with users and I can’t find any consistent negative reviews online.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Cigar Auctioneer is the site I recommend to use for cigar auctions. They carry more of the brands that I enjoy, and make it easier for me to track when my favorite brands come on sale. I also know that the quality of the product will be consistently great, and that if I have an issue, I’ll have Famous Smoke Shop‘s customer service there if I have any issues.
Only note to the Cigar Auctioneer team: at least make those product photos bigger… please!
4 Killer Tips for Winning Online Cigar Auctions
October 17, 2017 @ 8:54 am
[…] now you’ve registered with a cigar auction site, chosen a lot and placed your first bid. The thrill of competition is coursing through your veins. […]
June 27, 2020 @ 11:47 am
I checked out cigar auctioneer… Was not impressed with the selection or the pricing!… I have had very good luck with cigar bid though!
July 8, 2020 @ 11:03 am
Cigar bid is fine as long as you don’t have a problem and need to deal with their customer disservice. The the walls come crashing down!
September 8, 2020 @ 11:15 pm
I miss ThompsonCigarAuction. I NEVER had an issue with customer service and contacted them once or twice. Quick remedies and good cigars/ prices.
I followed my account over from TCA. Maybe I’ll try auctioneer as well. I don’t mind bouncing back and forth between sites for deals.
….. hmmm…. my humi has room for some moar.
If I order too much .. I just kick it up to, two cigars a day.
September 28, 2020 @ 6:22 pm
cigarauctioneer get your order wrong at least 25% of the time. then, you can call their ‘customer service” and get educated by a minimum wage moron (angie with a condescending attitude) that “a box of perdomo lot 23 natural,, connecticut and sun grown are all the same. it doesn’t matter what the box sent says”.
October 1, 2020 @ 9:03 pm
I’ve been patronizing Cigarbids for a long time. Overall I’ve had a good experience but customer service is awful period. I’ve been having an issue for the past two weeks and they won’t respond. I’ve also had to wait for them to correct wrong orders. They have caught me at a time when I am definitely open to trying something new. Too bad for them because I spend a lot of money on sticks.
June 22, 2023 @ 7:54 pm
I don’t care what site company your trying to fix an issue with. Call them and set on hold smoke a nice cigar liquid refreshment of your choice until they answer. Cigarbid walmart etc always takes care of you.
October 26, 2020 @ 9:46 pm
CigarBid was doing a great job for the last 8 years or so, and their customer service was very good, up until the dreaded “C” virus hit. I buy a good number of cigars and the vast majority from C-Bid. I’ve had only one, or maybe two, cases where I received cigars that were overly dry, and never any damaged ones. I received the wrong merchandise on one single occasion ( a five pack of maduro wrapped cigars when I bid on Connecticut wrapped), and one order maybe four years ago missing a five pack I had ‘won’ … and for which they sent me two of the item to make it right. C-Bid’s ‘minimum’ bids are significantly lower than Auctioneer’s, and I’ve made some great buys on C-Bid for significantly less than Auctioneer’s starting prices on identical items. Sorry, but I do not understand the basis for Mr. Clock’s article at all.
March 4, 2024 @ 6:35 pm
Been using for 10+ years and spend over $1k a year. Had 1/2 a dozen or so issues, always addressed quickly. I always store my smokes in the humidor for months prior to smoking them. I buy singles, 5 packs, samplers, boxes & specials. I do, however, get the occasional bad cigar…….it happens! Overall, I give CIGARBID a 5 STAR rating. You know what you are getting and it is consistent. I will continue to use them!
December 19, 2020 @ 3:24 pm
I have had great success with Cigarbid. I haven’t experienced the under humidified cigars as mentioned in the article. I did have a shipping issue, wrong item shipped. I received my package on a Friday evening. I called customer service first thing Monday morning and received the correction two days later on Wedneday afternoon
March 4, 2024 @ 6:34 pm
Been using for 10+ years and spend over $1k a year. Had 1/2 a dozen or so issues, always addressed quickly. I always store my smokes in the humidor for months prior to smoking them. I buy singles, 5 packs, samplers, boxes & specials. I do, however, get the occasional bad cigar…….it happens! Overall, I give CIGARBID a 5 STAR rating. You know what you are getting and it is consistent. I will continue to use them!