I sell cigarettes, cigars, wraps, and etc. to stores. Ive seen posts from people that work for the companies themselves. But I deal with what happens from State to store, proof http://imgur.com/YbDeTVH. AMA!

Can we stop with the how do you feel about dealing death questions? I can't answer each one.

I am an employee, I don't roll them, I don't light them for people and I don't sell to people. No I don't want my kids smoking, Yes I hope this business fizzles out, no I'm not proud, I'm not ashamed either. This is the only way I know how to make a living right now.

Comments: 1586 • Responses: 78  • Date: 

manhattan4373 karma

How much has the rise in popularity of e-cigs impacted your business?

pspitbull579 karma

We sell e cigs as well so it goes from one end to the other

Yes_im_highh244 karma

Do you smoke yourself?

pspitbull364 karma

Unfortunately I do. It's harder to quit also, whenever I try throwing away a pack, I end up "shorting" a customer a carton and bringing it back the next day

my_dog_is_cool54 karma

Could you explain what you mean? As in you give your customer one less carton than they pay for and keep it for yourself?

pspitbull83 karma

I bring it to them the next day lol, I can't give them a carton with a pack missing because my hands where shaky lol

Radiqueer40 karma

As somebody who does smoke and has a serious problem like this, do you feel any guilt about supplying other people with the means to have the same?

Not a troll question, I've legitimately wondered about that for a while.

pspitbull110 karma

I'm sure there's guilt in me, I honestly wish cigarettes would die out.

common_s3nse15 karma

What job do you want to do when cigarettes die out??

pspitbull54 karma

something in logistics

Droconian214 karma

If your state allowed it, would you start growing marijuana?

pspitbull486 karma

I'm in NJ, I'm hoping to be one of the first wholesalers of it when it becomes fully legal.

culunulu102 karma

I believe NJ has a weird thing where you have to 19 to purchase cigarettes. Has this led to a problem of people assuming they can purchase at 18? Do you often have to turn people down?

pspitbull123 karma

I sell to stores, but we try and educate them, it's caused a big confusion when it first became a 19yr old thing, but now people know

Droconian19 karma

Where in NJ? What district?

pspitbull37 karma

mostly within the 287, but I go down to Sandy hook as well

chockfulloffeels136 karma

Do you sell dokha?

pspitbull158 karma

haha not a lot of people know what that is, but no we don't.

effin_dead_again126 karma

Were you the guy that sold all the cigarettes to Sebastian Bach in Trailer Park Boys season 7?

pspitbull43 karma

lmao

PlayingNiceToday123 karma

How big of a deal is counterfeit cigarettes?

pspitbull234 karma

It is insane, selling counterfeit cigarettes or out of state cigarettes is a federal crime. You might as well be selling crack lol

doesntakethehighroad67 karma

How often do you think the average consumer unknowingly ends up buying counterfeit cigarettes?

pspitbull163 karma

smokers know, we can taste the difference.

dfrazier8186 karma

WTF is a counterfeit cigarette? Honestly never heard of this. People growing their own and selling?

pspitbull94 karma

There's just like you get counterfeit sports jerseys, there's counterfeit cigarettes, made with lower standards and packaged as regular brands, the biggest one being counterfeited is Newport.

Also there's out of state cigarettes, people run down to VA purchase cigarettes for around 30 a carton sell in NJ NY for 50/60 easy, essentially making 10x times the profit we do.

I know someone who got arrested for out of state cigarette distribution, they went so far as to put his 13 and 14 year old kids on house arrest, with the ankle bracelets.

Nunwithagun91 karma

Is there any way to get original Djarum clove cigarettes in the us? Please say yes.

pspitbull64 karma

No, I'm sure you've seen the cigars, they just have a higher tobacco content.

Mamertine87 karma

Do you have a back up career plan as more people stop smoking?

pspitbull165 karma

I've worked logistics most of my life. I'm currently trying to go to school for logistics management, to have that degree in the future. Logistics management is a well paying job, but 10 years experience gets you no higher then driving a forklift without a degree.

Nixplosion273 karma

Its funny because that works the other way too. A degree with no experience in anything lands you on a forklift ... source: have a degree. Drive a forklift

pspitbull124 karma

Take my Upvote, can't half ass anything today.

rgb00354 karma

Can confirm.

Have degree, drive forklift as well

pspitbull29 karma

I used to be on forks and clamps

RhysIsFused25 karma

I have no degree and got run over by a forklift so...

pspitbull30 karma

Take my Upvote, because I got my foot run over by a forklift, well it was the tip of my shoe but I didn't like the guy and wanted a reason to hit him.

motorboatmcgee76 karma

I am a liquor wholesaler and this is very interesting to me. How did you end up in this profession?

pspitbull103 karma

My bestfriend owns a chain of 711 convenience stores, he got me the job.

Phiarmage138 karma

At first I thought you were saying he owned 711 different convenience stores.... That's an awful lot.

pspitbull33 karma

lol

Inishative53 karma

would you sell tomacco?

pspitbull40 karma

Doh!

krash8753 karma

Where do you see the tobacco business in 10, 25, and 50 years?

pspitbull179 karma

I'm hoping it's dead in 10 years, I have 2 little kids I don't want them making the same mistake as me, In reality it might take longer then 10 to die out

______DEADPOOL______11 karma

What are you going to do if it's dead in 10 years?

pspitbull67 karma

Either selling ecigs and marijuana, or hopefully logistics management.

Noodle_Leg50 karma

I don't know if you're proof is enough, by the looks of the amount of the cigarettes you may just be my aunt

pspitbull17 karma

haha, it's a mid day picture most of the stuff is gone, and it's just 1 corner

beardedlemon48 karma

What is the difference in a nice cigar tobacco and tobacco that is in, say, a Newport?

pspitbull28 karma

It all comes down to the mixture I believe.

PlayingNiceToday44 karma

Do different stores get different pricing on cigarettes based on their contracts with the tobacco companies?

Ie if you promise only to sell Marlboro and have signage up just for Marlboro, do you get a discount?

pspitbull44 karma

There is a state minimum we are allowed to sell to stores. They however can get manufacturer kick backs per carton if under contract. kickback varies based on the percentage of shelf space their brands are visible in.

DeathAndRebirth43 karma

what are the most profitable cigs?

pspitbull49 karma

The No Name brands, I'd say eon smoke, and the hookah pens ... logic and blue is tight margin

WallyWinthrop39 karma

Can I bum a smoke?

pspitbull41 karma

I never say no to smokers.

chardwick36 karma

Can you hook a brother up with some coupons for grizzly?

pspitbull32 karma

Hahaha, you have to find the sales reps, they usually promote by 711s convenience stores like that, rarely by mom and pop stores.

Pokeman_Master25 karma

Does anyone ever yell "CANCER MERCHANT!" at you?

pspitbull24 karma

lol yes

canadianhousecoat23 karma

Is all Cuban tobacco really illegal in the states?

pspitbull26 karma

As far as I know

hideisalive20 karma

Why did tobacco production leave Maryland? The Amish grow a lot of it, what's up with that?

pspitbull22 karma

I'm in NJ, and I really don't have an answer for that.

CaptainCunnigulis20 karma

how much money do you make a year before taxes?

pspitbull23 karma

I'm a step under the company owners, they make the real money.

sanderson2214 karma

what range can a wholesaler make?

pspitbull32 karma

It's ranges, I know someone clearing 2k a day working alone. Yes a day.

sanderson2211 karma

How do you even start in the wholesale business? Like how do you even find this? You can see from the outside how it seems difficult. How much startup do you need?

pspitbull8 karma

Start up is the difficult part because customers usually need bill to bill, you end up covering their overhead with tobacco. We have hundreds of thousands of due bills out. So startup cash is a must.

Also most customers here have their wholesaler who they've dealt with for years, difficult to get their business.

You have to do a federal background check to recieve a wholesalers license to make your business legit.

glubby19 karma

How do you deal with all the different tax jurisdictions? In Illinois there are at least three different tax zones that I know of and the price differs greatly between them.

pspitbull31 karma

NJ it's easy, the cigarettes are taxed by the state, about 4 dollars a pack (guys that's that little stamp on the bottom of a pack, that cost 4 dollars God dammit). On other tobacco it's 30% tacked onto cost, invoices show the tax collected and that in turn is sent to the state.

We as a wholesaler do not "charge" tax but really we collect it for the state.

Hexodus17 karma

What's the most drastic thing someone was willing to do/barter for a pack of smokes?

pspitbull41 karma

lol, I'm not allowed to sell to people, only to stores with tax I.D.s and cigarette licenses

A-A-RONBURGUNDY14 karma

Do you deliver to the sellers? Any armed robberies or similar attempts?

pspitbull39 karma

Our warehouse was robbed over a weekend, they got away with over 200k in merchandise.

Ollesan17 karma

I'm assuming you were able to recover? How do you even deal with that kind of loss? Insurance, police investigation?

pspitbull31 karma

Yes insurance and police, also recently we had someone try to sell 100 Cartons at 35$ a pop to 1 of our clients lol, the client called us we called the police. The guy was stupid he wasn't trying to sell high volume cigarettes but rather store PREbooked Cartons which are rare.

Ollesan9 karma

I didn't know counterfeit cigarettes were such a big deal. What are PREbooked cartons?

pspitbull10 karma

PREbooked cartons for example are dollar off packs, we get cases and the manufacturer tells us X amount for this store Y amount for that store, we don't recieve extras just what is going to each store. And the amount is low, 1-10 per store depending on there volume.

stafa13 karma

In your experience, what is the best brand to buy for an e-cig ?

Shigfu47 karma

check out /r/electronic_cigarette/ , lots of helpful people there that can get you started. As someone who quit smoking with them in 2011 there are lots of options now that we didn't have when I took them up.

pspitbull20 karma

Thank you for that, I just subscribed and will be sure to take a look.

pspitbull21 karma

I'm trying to start smoking them, but it's all about personal preference. If you're asking what's the best seller with us its logic.

leTharki12 karma

What is your moral stand on selling such harmful things for a living ?

pspitbull79 karma

Society as a whole is starting to shun cigarettes. I'm not out there selling to children nor would I. Would I rather be working somewhere else, of course. Will it pay me enough with my lack of a higher education, I've tried and that's a no.

JettenuatoR12 karma

Do Any of your relatives/friends etc. criticise you and your business?

If so, is it a big deal to you?

pspitbull27 karma

We joke a lot, they say I kill people selling cigarettes, I tell them I save lives getting weed rolling utensils out. They ask for 10$ Cartons cause they're paying 8$ a pack, then I tell them it costs me 70$ a carton and they ask who gets all the money, uncle Sam.

Dozyrascal10 karma

[deleted]

pspitbull17 karma

E cigs and the like, the profit is a lot better. Cigarettes is when its about volume.

NukeSat10 karma

Do you ever feel like punching the preachy, mettlesome, anti-tobacco busy-bodies?

pspitbull10 karma

Freedom of speech is not only for the things you want to hear, I'm Ok with them speaking. But I speak back and when they get loud/violent I know I've won, it feels good.

nihlecho9 karma

How long does it take to go from seed to harvestable plant? I have been thinking about growing a few tobacco plants for myself in my backyard and was wondering if a summer is enough to mature them.

pspitbull21 karma

As I said I handle from state to store. I receive and deliver finished product.

mcgillycuddy4128 karma

What are your thoughts on the emerging Marijuana industry? Do you think major players like Phillip-Morris will get involved at some point? Have you considered it (assuming it eventually becomes legal)? Any thoughts as to whether or not it will follow the same business model as tobacco?

pspitbull15 karma

Phillip Morris and Newport where late to the Ecig party, I think they won't make that same mistake twice. I'm hoping that it follows the same suite as tobacco, and I'm gearing up to branch off from my company and sell it for myself by myself. My current owners would not touch the stuff, they wouldn't even sell melatonin brownies because they implied marijuana!

mcgillycuddy4128 karma

Once the big tobacco players get involved, do you think the lobbying/money they have will give it the fast track to recreational use?

pspitbull19 karma

Have you seen those shopped pictures of Marlboro packs into marijuana packs, maybe they're secretly starting. 😶

Phreshzilla7 karma

Do you support or oppose the legalization movement of Marijuana?

pspitbull13 karma

I'm not a marijuana smoker, but I support it because I know a lot of people that do, and they're not the stains on society they're made out to be. I have 0 problems with anyones choices and believe they should be free to choose, so long as they're responsible for any downfall and consequences of their actions.

sidepocket137 karma

I roll my own cigarettes for penny's on the dollar. Why can I get the materials to do it myself so cheap compared to buying a pack or carton?

Yung__Lean16 karma

Money.

People are lazy, the companies can raise the prices.

pspitbull20 karma

What he said

duminacan7 karma

I used to put the state tax stamps on cigarettes, at my current job. The picture you submitted as proof, made my ocd kick in when I noticed that you have Mavericks in the marlboro good box (3840).

pspitbull5 karma

haha that's going to a store it's his order, we use the empty boxes to pack the orders in.

Pka1524 karma

Hook it up with the wraps! ! ! Also do you know what the wraps are used for ?

pspitbull3 karma

of course I do.

Matchman084 karma

Do you sell nicotine gum too?

pspitbull5 karma

No we don't sell that.

OKDokeComputer4 karma

Why can't I just go somewhere and buy a single cigarette? That would be so beneficial to me and a lot of people.

pspitbull13 karma

You can if you know the right places lol, but can you imagine the cost increase on having to individually wrap, barcode, and stamp each cigarette?

Popensquat3 karma

What's the craziest story you have for us that happened to you?

pspitbull5 karma

haha nothing crazy yet lol, although I have been witness to several bum fights while working. Have the tail end of one on potato quality video.

RCirca962 karma

What is your wierdest customer experience?

pspitbull4 karma

There are customers that live in their stores ... I've walked in on this guy with his wife sleeping on a mattress behind the counter ...

adventurous_moose2 karma

Are you seeing a big trend towards smokeless? I know a lot of people (myself included) who have ditched the cigs for dip, nasal snuff, etc.

pspitbull3 karma

It's doesn't seem that big on the wholesale level.

ROORomiR2 karma

Do you only sell dry tobacco or does your company also supply hookah retail as well? If not how do you feel about hookah's and the tobaccos used with a hookah?

pspitbull5 karma

In our part of NJ there were major players in the hookah side before they became popular, if our customers need it we know where to get it but we're not big with hookah products.

souldeux2 karma

Do you work for a specific company, or are you like a "smoker broker" selling this stuff independently and sourcing through multiple vendors?

How'd you get into this?

pspitbull2 karma

My bestfriend owns a chain of 711s, one of the owners was by him one day saying he was stressed searching for someone trustworthy/reliable 6 years ago. I was unemployed and in trouble and my friend told him look no more.

shutupkait2 karma

How do you feel about electronic cigarettes?

pspitbull4 karma

I'm trying to start smoking them

MississippianFoxx1 karma

How many tobacco products do you think you've sold to date?

pspitbull1 karma

haha, too many to count.

BenignSpaghettiGod1 karma

What brand do you smoke?

pspitbull1 karma

I was with Newport but recently switched to Marlboro

1994GTR1 karma

Do you sell shisha? If so hook me up with wholesale pricing!

pspitbull1 karma

lol, now do you mean imasal or Egyptian shisha

UllrSkis1 karma

That "proof" is less than one of our twice a week shipments at the gas station I used to work at. Do you deliver to Bumfuck Egypt?

pspitbull1 karma

Every store is different lol some get 20 Cartons some get a hundred, some get 300. That was just the corner behind me.

boonanaman5561 karma

How's the cigar market? I've looked into getting into them from the taste/artful aspect and less for the nicotine rush. Are people shying away from cigars as much as they are cigarettes?

pspitbull1 karma

The cigar market is niche, we don't do too much on that end so I couldn't really tell how that market is doing.

Greystoke1337-6 karma

How does it feel to be worst that Hitler ?

jk, I'm a smoker.

pspitbull30 karma

Worse then Hitler!!??!! Do you know how many lives I've saved!!!!! I deliver the wraps people smoke their weed in to calm down and not go on a killing spree!!!!!

StopRuiningRapMTV-12 karma

Yes, I've heard you deliver that line on 20/20, but enough dancing. What are you going to do when your son turns 18? C'mon, Mr. pspitbull. On his 18th birthday will you share a cigarette with him? Will you spend a lovely afternoon -- like one of your ludicrous cigarette advertisements? You seem to have to have a lot to say about how we should raise our children. What of your own? What are you going to do when he turns 18?

pspitbull1 karma

I have 2 daughters, I answered previously that I hope the cigarette business dies out before they're at that age.

Jorgitotorres-29 karma

How does it feel distributing something that can kill people?

pspitbull25 karma

Cars can kill people. You don't see car salesman checking to see how well people drive before selling them one.

Honestly though, this is just a job. I'm not happy with it, I'm not angry with it. People want to commit subconscious suicide that's their choice. I'm just trying to get to the next day. I will say this though I am happier business is moving to the ecigg side and less on the tobacco.