I recently visited TaoBao to look at Puer pricing but ended up weeping at what little makes it to the West. I couldnt find my old link on another computer so I started over with this.
That line under the second green arrow reads from left to right sheng,shu,artisan.
I need an artisan 1kg calabash like this:
Jim
So - does anyone know the criteria by which various vendors decide what to offer on-line? Is it the the high end, the low end, the ones with greatest margin, prettiest labels, what's left over after native collectors and dealers cream off the best, names well known in the West that aren't necessarily of top quality, the best price-to-value ratio, or what?
And how might these criteria compare with those relevant to TaoBao, Skip4tea, and others?
Curious-
DM
I think Puer sold stateside has to be the result of somebody or a relative shopping directly in China. There is no variety in the commercial channel besides CNNP ZhongCha. The last time I talked to Peter at Red Blossom in SF over the summer he was going back for his second 100kg. He hadnt even made available the first 100kg he got the year before. I havent seen what he has but I think there would be a method to the madness. Locally the franchisee Chinese tea shoppe where we have the PPP has a great selection of 2005 from smaller factories ie no Menghai and only one XiaGuan tuo. You can tell that came from the franchisor doing the purchasing that year. If I was still in the market Id snarf up the 2005 at basically $50 each because next year it meets the seminal five year beenchmark. When I was in the market Id buy a minimum of kg each versus a scattershot of one of everything. Nothing worse than running out and knowing it cant be replaced. So what Ive seen buying in bulk seems to be part of the strategy from wholesale which would limit the choices.
Jim
PS TaoBao is the reference standard in the sense youre going to pay alot more. I hadnt heard of Skip4Tea, very interesting selling Puer on consignment.
On Feb 16, 4:15 pm, DogMa wrote:
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