What's the deal with all these 20 count boxes?

[BlackDog]

I'd say that the manufacturers are trying to maintain a price point that they think fits their product. Many are reluctant to let their products be perceived as too expensive. Since people are tightening their financial belts these days, and are senstitive to increasing prices, cigars are easy to cut from the budget when they're perceived to be too expensive. So rather than let their product break, say, the $80 mark due to increasing costs and SCHIP, they reduce the number of sticks per box to stay below that "barrier" number.