
While my wallet was already open, I pulled out my Cigamate business card and casually handed it to the manager with my cash. I introduced myself and said, “I represent Cigamate, the uniquely designed portable outdoor standing ashtray. It’s becoming popular with the cigar smoking community because they are eco-friendly, have a compact design and they have bigger holes to deposit ashes and to accommodate larger cigar butts.
At this point, the manager was very interested and asked if I had a Cigamate I could show him. Now, I don’t typically drive around toting portable outdoor ashtrays, but that day I happened to have one with me to drop at a friend’s house. He saw the outdoor portable ashtray in action at a Father’s Day backyard barbecue and wanted one for his patio too.
I grabbed the Cigamate from my car and headed back into the store to give the manager a demonstration of how it operates and how simple and easy it is to collect cigar and cigarette ashes and waste. Just as I was finishing, another customer walked into the store and overheard me talking about the outdoor ash receptacle. Without any invitation, he jumped into the conversation, and what ensued was quite comical.
Customer: [As he pays for his items] "How much does that cost?"
Customer: "What's it made of? Will it burn or catch fire?"
Me: "Only use it outside." [I point to the words on the Cigamate’s base that says ‘For Outdoor Use Only’] "It’s safe, won’t crack and is weather resistant. It has been fire tested, meeting American Society for Testing and Materials D (ASTM D) requirements."
Customer: "I have an old one at home and I wanted to buy a new one. The outdoor standing ashtrays out there are all so expensive, like $50-60 dollars each. And, those aren’t even portable like this one."
Me: "Absolutely. These outdoor ash receptacles typically cost about $20 less than competitors, and we offer free U.S. shipping."
Customer: [He thinks momentarily] "Yeah, I'll take it!"
Me: "Great, thank you." [I hand him the Cigamate, he gives me the money and walks out of the store]
Me to Manager: "I swear that was not set up, I have never seen that guy before in my life! That was just really good timing!"
Manager: [Chuckling] "Don't worry, I know that guy. He comes in here a lot."
Me: "Oh okay, good, because that looked like it could have been a well thought out scam -- like the things you see on TV."
