FAQ

How long have you guys been in business?

We have been online since 1998, making us one of the original, and longest running online cigar retailers.

Are you fully licensed, with a current tobacco permit?

Yes we are.  We have a valid and up to date OTP License and Tax Permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Taxation.  This may be verified at the VA Dept of Taxation website.

Can you ship cigars to my country?

We ship to virtually every country in the world, on a regular basis.  There are a handful of exceptions, for obvious reasons.  But chances are yours is not one of them!  We do ask customers to respect the import regulations for their country, and it is your responsability to be aware of your local regulations regarding the importation of tobacco products.

Is there a minimum order?

No. Note too that there’s no maximum order either!

What about my privacy?

We do not share or grant access to customer data to any party or entity outside our company. See our Privacy Statement for a detailed summary of our privacy policies

Can I use a Hotmail or Yahoo email address when placing an order?

For new international customers, we highly recommend that you use a business email address to place your first order.  Using a free, non-tracable email service such as Hotmail, or Yahoo accounts on an international order, from a first time customer, may require additional security checks by our staff and there is a strong possibility of rejection of the order.

What if I’m not satisfied with my order?

We have a 100% product satisfaction guarantee.  This has been in place since our founding in 1998. Simply stated, if you’re not happy with any product, please contact us by phone or e-mail and we will make the situation right with you. We also accept returns due to product issues for 30 days for a 100% refund of the cost of the item/s.

You ship cigars to most countries.  What is the shipping time for cigars shipped internationally?

We ship via the postal service, so don’t guarantee a specific delivery time.  But typical delivery time on cigars shipped overseas is 10 business days, and for cigars shipped to Canada it is typically about 7-8 days. With our International cigar service via the Postal Service, delivery times do vary, and delivery time also obviously depends on the destination country and their customs clearance and local delivery times.  Although these times are typical and longer delivery times are rare, we do request customer monitor tracking and give it 20 days before reporting a delivery issue.

I’m travelling and want cigars delivered to my hotel.  Can you arrange this?

Of course.  We ship to hotels every day.  Just place your order as normal, using your hotel address as the delivery address, and just tell us your arrival and departure dates in the”Comments” section of checkout.  We’ll then target to have your package delivered the day before your arrival, so you may pick-up as you check in!  We mark packages with your name and “Hold for Guest” so there’s no confusion with the hotel staff when they receive it.

What is your policy on returns?

You may return any cigars within 30 days, for any reason for a full refund of the cost of the product.  Further, we’ll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of an error on our part, such as you receiving damaged cigars or an incorrect item (a very rare occurance!).  This policy does not apply to refused deliveries.  If you refuse delivery of the product, a 100% refund of the cost of the product is provided once the product is returned to us, verifiable by the tracking number provided.

What about taxes and duty?

Customers should be aware that this is a possibility.  Of course anytime any item is shipped internationally there is a possibility of tax & duty fees.  Often packages clear with no issues, but when one is taxed, we do not cover any tax or duty applied by your local customs.  This is the customer responsability. 

In what currency are your prices?

Our prices are in US$.

How can I pay?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and BitPay.  If you have none of of these options available to you, please contact us to arrange an alternative.

How will charges appear on my credit card statement?

Your charges will appear as “Absolute Ci – VA”

How are the cigars packaged?  Will they be damaged en route?

First, just about all non-Cuban cigars are individually protected by a cello wrapper, inside a cigar box which is itself cello-wrapped.  For full box orders, we wrap the box to protect it, then pack it securely into a sturdy cardboard shipping box.  The shipping box is heavily sealed with packing tape.  Loose cigars, 5 packs and cigar samplers are placed into air-tight ziplock bags with a Boveda HumiPak included so as to maintain proper humidity.  These packs are good for weeks, and your cigars are guaranteed to arrive fresh and in perfect condition.  With thousands of shipments going out each year to all corners of the world, we virtually never have any issues with damage or quality.  But when we do, we have a very simple solution – we’re happy to re-ship your order to you, at our cost.  No hassle, no debates, no problem.

Will I get a tracking number once I place my order?

Yes, you will get a tracking number as soon as we have processed and shipped your order. Please note that International orders may take 1-2 days to process,  please allow this amount of time before you inquire about your tracking information and order status. 

I only received part of my order.  Where’s the rest?

You’ll get it in a day or two more.  On international orders, we sometimes split large or multiple-box orders into multiple packages and shipments, for security reasons.  You should see a small paper slip in your package pointing this out, to put you at ease.  So sit tight for a day or two, and you’ll soon see the rest of your order arrive safely.

Do you sell Cuban cigars?

No.  Current US law does not allow us to do so. But, maybe some day!

Where can I see Reviews of your service and Testimonials from your customers in my country?

In a number of places.  First, we’ve collected just some of them on our site on our Testimonials page.  Yes, they’re all good & glowingly positive.  Do we get complaints from time to time?  Yes and we take pride in making it right with those customers, every time.  Are we going to post those comments on our site? No!  Anyway here are a few comments: https://www.absolutecigars.com/testimonials

Second, a collection of customer Social Media posts, screenshots to prove authenticity:
https://www.pinterest.com/absolutecigars/absolute-cigars-testimonials/

“Wow, I saw a terrific review of you guys and your excellent service!” & “Wow, I saw a horrible review of you guys and your terrible service!”

Do we do a terrific job?  Yes!  Do we make mistakes? Yes!  Do we respond to all emails, inquiries and phone calls immediately?  We try to, yes!  Do we occasionally miss one?  Yes!

 
Guys, we’re a small retailer.  Happy to have kept it small all these years and proud to have served thousands, on a personal level, with quality cigars at a fair price, and backed up our full satisfaction guarantee.  Many long-standing regulars have our staff personal cell phone numbers.  No customer is ever short changed, or cheated in any way.  We offer a remedy for any instance where we’ve fallen short of our guarantee or terms of service.  You’ll literally not find one fair example where we did not live up to what we offer in terms of service or product, and then not made it right with the customer after being alerted.  If you have an example, ok, we want to know, and we want to fix it.  Please pass it on!: info @ absolutecigars.com!
 

What if I have more questions?

Contacting us by email is best.  Or by phone or over social media, anytime.  We’re always pleased to assist!