Thompson Cigar
Thompson Cigar is a US-based private e-commerce retailer founded in 1926 selling 2,100+ cigar brands and accessories through thompsoncigar.com, serving US retail consumers across premium, budget, flavored, and machine-made segments via subscription and one-time purchase models.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1926
- HeadquartersBethlehem, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Thompson Cigar does
Thompson Cigar is a US-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of cigars, cigarillos, and smoking accessories, operating privately from its website thompsoncigar.com. The company was founded in 1926 and is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026 (firmographic records conflict, citing 1915, but the 100th-anniversary reference establishes 1926 as the operating history). Its catalog spans 2,100+ cigar brands and 1,660+ individual products, covering handmade premium cigars (Arturo Fuente, Cohiba, Padron, Davidoff, Montecristo, ACID), 90+ rated selections, machine-made cigarillos (Swisher Sweets, Backwoods, Phillies, Dutch Masters), flavored cigars, tinned cigarillos, and accessories (humidors, lighters, cutters, Boveda humidity control). The portfolio is anchored by 136 exclusive products and proprietary house brands — Thompson Dominican, Thompson Nicaragua, Cuban Delights, Cuban Mistakes, and Victor Sinclair variants — developed through collaborations with Gurkha, Alec Bradley, and Rocky Patel.
The storefront is built on Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly Demandware), with standard e-commerce merchandising tools: filtering by price, profile, wrapper, country, and shape, alongside editorial curation (Top Cigars of 2025, PCA Trade Show 2026, Cigar 101 content). Phone ordering via 1-800-237-2559 and a traditional mail-order catalog option supplement the digital checkout. The technology stack is otherwise standard retail e-commerce with no disclosed AI, data, or proprietary technology investment beyond the storefront itself.
Thompson Cigar monetizes through one-time product sales supplemented by four recurring-revenue programs: Subscribe & Save (20% recurring discount on eligible cigars), Convenience Club (member discounts), Seasonal 5-Pack Club (quarterly themed 5-packs), and Value 15 Club (discounted 15-packs). Pricing is promotional and tiered, with frequent deep-discount campaigns (25-70% off), first-time email signup incentives (15% off via SMOKE25), tiered 5-Pack Fever discounts ($33.98 to $25.96 per pack), and free shipping above $125. Customer segments span individual cigar enthusiasts, budget-conscious daily smokers, premium collectors, flavored cigar buyers, and machine-made cigar users — all retail consumers, with no enterprise or B2B exposure. The company operates exclusively in the US domestic market, restricting sales to consumers aged 21 and over.
Thompson Cigar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thompson Cigar
- Legal name
- Thompson Cigar
- Website
- https://thompsoncigar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1926
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Thompson Cigar is a US-based private e-commerce retailer founded in 1926 selling 2,100+ cigar brands and accessories through thompsoncigar.com, serving US retail consumers across premium, budget, flavored, and machine-made segments via subscription and one-time purchase models.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thompson Cigar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cigar Retail
- NAICS
- Tobacco, Electronic Cigarette, and Other Smoking Supplies Retailers (459991)
- SIC
- Retail-Miscellaneous Retail (5900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cigar & Premium Tobacco Retail (CRANADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Tobacco & Nicotine Specialty Shops (Tobacconists) (CRANADAE)
Keywords
Where Thompson Cigar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethlehem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Thompson Cigar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Cigars: Thompson Cigar generates revenue primarily through direct sales of cigars, cigarillos, and smoking accessories. They offer various pack sizes (individual, 5-packs, boxes, samplers) and operate both a regular retail business and an outlet section for discounted/overrun products.
- Subscribe & Save Program: Subscription-based program offering 20% discount on recurring orders of eligible cigars, providing predictable recurring revenue from loyal customers.
- Convenience Club: Membership-style program offering discounts and benefits on regular purchases, generating recurring customer engagement and revenue.
- Promotional Programs: Time-limited promotional offers including Big Brand Box Bonanza, Maduro Meltdown, Weekly Specials, and seasonal deals drive volume purchases and clearance of inventory.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Regular Retail Pricing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscribe & Save Program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Convenience Club |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 5-Pack Fever Tiered Discounts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk/Box Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Thompson Cigar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thompson Cigar is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that sells a wide range of premium handmade cigars, machine-made cigars, cigarillos, and smoking accessories through thompsoncigar.com. The company carries over 2,100 brand options and 1,667+ cigar products, including its own exclusive house-brand lines (Thompson Dominican, Thompson Nicaragua, Victor Sinclair, Cuban Delights) and 136+ exclusive blends developed with manufacturers like ACID, Gurkha, Alec Bradley, and Rocky Patel. Customers can purchase individual cigars, 5-packs, boxes, curated samplers, flavored cigars, and accessories (humidors, lighters, cutters, Boveda humidity control).
Product overview
Thompson Cigar is an e-commerce retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of tobacco products centered around cigars. The core offering includes handmade premium cigars from over 200 international brands (Arturo Fuente, Cohiba, ACID, Padron, Montecristo, Oliva, Macanudo, Romeo y Julieta, Rocky Patel, and many others) and machine-made cigars/cigarillos (Swisher Sweets, Backwoods, Phillies). The business model combines direct sales of manufacturer products with exclusive house-brand lines sold exclusively at Thompson Cigar (Thompson Dominican, Cuban Mistakes, Victor Sinclair varieties). Supporting products include curated sampler packs (5-Pack Fever tiered discount program, You-Build-It samplers, Double Down and Triple Up samplers), flavored cigars, tinned cigarillos, and a full range of smoking accessories (humidors, lighters, cutters, Boveda humidity control). Value programs include Subscribe & Save (20% subscription discounts), Convenience Club, Seasonal 5-Pack Club, and Value 15 Club. The company also maintains a focus on 90+ rated premium cigars and exclusive blends not available elsewhere.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Thompson Dominican: House brand Dominican Republic cigars
- Thompson Nicaragua
- Thompson Explorer Flavors
- Thompson Uniques
- Thompson Filtered Cigars
- Thompson Rum Twist
Products and services
- Cigars (Handmade)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,100 cigar brands available from one retailer
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Thompson Cigar
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Thompson Cigar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Thompson Cigar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Thompson Cigar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Swisher International: Large mass-market tobacco manufacturer (Swisher Sweets, Dutch Masters, Phillies, Backwoods) that also operates direct distribution. A key supplier and partial competitor in the machine-made/cigarillo segment carried heavily by Thompson.
- Davidoff of Geneva (since 1911): Premium global tobacco brand with branded retail lounges and online store. Sells many of the same premium SKUs carried by Thompson and represents a higher-end competitive overlap and potential supplier/partner dynamic.
Direct peers
- Cigars International: Largest U.S. online cigar retailer with comparable catalog breadth, deep discount pricing, sampler programs, and email-driven acquisition. Closest direct competitor to Thompson Cigar across assortment, price positioning, and target customer.
- Famous Smoke Shop: Long-running online and mail-order cigar retailer offering handmade cigars, samplers, and accessories at competitive prices. Overlaps directly with Thompson on assortment, customer base, and the cigar club/subscription model.
- Atlantic Cigar Company: Online cigar retailer focused on sampler packs and discounted premium cigars. Comparable to Thompson's sampler/5-Pack Fever programs and value-oriented customer segments.
- Holt's Cigar Company: Family-owned online cigar retailer with a broad catalog of premium handmade cigars, club programs, and accessories. Overlaps with Thompson on assortment, club subscriptions, and heritage positioning.
- JR Cigars: Discount-oriented online cigar retailer with one of the largest catalogs and walk-in/warehouse retail locations. Direct competitor to Thompson in e-commerce pricing, sampler programs, and exclusive house blends.
- Cigar.com (Cigar Bid): Online cigar retailer specializing in discounted and auction-style cigar sales. Competes with Thompson on price-driven customer acquisition and bulk/box deals for budget-conscious cigar smokers.
- Best Cigar Prices: Discount online cigar retailer offering competitive box and bundle pricing. Direct competitor to Thompson's Everyday Smokes, Cheap Bundles, and Boxes Under $50 offerings.
Emerging players
- Cigar Auctioneer: Online auction platform for collectible and rare cigars targeting enthusiast and premium buyers. Adjacent emerging competitor for the high-end collector segment of Thompson's Top Shelf/90+ Rated inventory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Thompson Cigar social profiles
Digital presenceThompson Cigar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thompson Cigar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Thompson Cigar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thompson Cigar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thompson Cigar
What does Thompson Cigar do?
Thompson Cigar is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that sells a wide range of premium handmade cigars, machine-made cigars, cigarillos, and smoking accessories through thompsoncigar.com. The company carries over 2,100 brand options and 1,667+ cigar products, including its own exclusive house-brand lines (Thompson Dominican, Thompson Nicaragua, Victor Sinclair, Cuban Delights) and 136+ exclusive blends developed with manufacturers like ACID, Gurkha, Alec Bradley, and Rocky Patel. Customers can purchase individual cigars, 5-packs, boxes, curated samplers, flavored cigars, and accessories (humidors, lighters, cutters, Boveda humidity control).
Is Thompson Cigar a public or private company?
Thompson Cigar is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Thompson Cigar founded?
Thompson Cigar was founded in 1926. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Thompson Cigar based?
Thompson Cigar is headquartered in Bethlehem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Thompson Cigar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Cigars are the primary driver. The others are subscribe & Save Program, convenience Club and promotional Programs.
Who are Thompson Cigar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Swisher International and Davidoff of Geneva (since 1911). Direct peers are Cigars International, Famous Smoke Shop, Atlantic Cigar Company, Holt's Cigar Company, JR Cigars, Cigar.com (Cigar Bid) and Best Cigar Prices. Cigar Auctioneer is listed as an emerging player.
Does Thompson Cigar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thompson Cigar.
What industry is Thompson Cigar in?
Thompson Cigar's product category is Cigar Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANADAB, Cigar & Premium Tobacco Retail, with a secondary code of CRANADAE, Tobacco & Nicotine Specialty Shops (Tobacconists). Its NAICS code is 459991 and its SIC code is 5900.