If you go back to the original post.... there could be validity in it.
Say for example a cigar Mfg like Torano who makes cigars for others is commissioned to make a "line" for one of the online guys. Figure the price may come into play there. Lesser value materials used because of the price point demanded. Always wondered what the relationship in the wholesale price was ... Labor vs material costs.
Conversely, the concept of "brand" is pretty important to most manufacturers. Their name is on the darn things. To purposely make a product that varies in quality by where you buy it does not make much sense and is hard to believe from a business owners perspective. Different cigar name band etc sure, but not the identical cigar.
Most cigars are not purchased directly from the manufacturers but through distributors. These distributors are typically the ones setting price points and determining physically which cigars go where.
Maybe the OP just prefers the flavors over humidification provides in most B&M's vs cigars from a home humidor.
