Goodbye FSUSA thanks for the memories

[Mr. P]

First off I would like to say thanks to David, Pamela and the entire staff at FSUSA. This is the best group of people that anyone can deal with and they have some of the best juices that I have ever tasted.

I have been a die hard FSUSA fan for more then a year now but ever since the credit card fiasco at the end of last year I feel that FSUSA has totally abandoned its internet base in favor of their lounge customers. Even the traffic here in the forums have dropped off and it is more about the games and less about their juices.

I totally love the Purecig and American Spirit juices but since they no longer offer sales and discounts, at least to their internet customers, I have had to move into the DIY arena for my juices. Still hoping they will some day offer those juices in a pre-mix concentrate for the DIYer.

I wish you all the best of luck, I just can't keep spending over $100 a month for my favorite juices anymore as all I ever buy are the big bottles and without the sales it's just too big of a hole in my pocket.

Thanks again.

 

[mauisun]

Pamela and I wish you would stay but understand if you wish to leave. We have never changed our prices since the beginning. even though pg/vg has doubled in cost along with the other ingredients. We offer extremely good pricing for what we create. We don't charge extra for having to deal with govenment agencies and the like to bring the best quality juices that you can trust to your home.
We, like you, have bills, worries and concerns. We are not rich by any means and with 7 kids our financial situation is just like most folks. We also have employees who have families of their own and they rely on us to get their bills paid too.
When i first got into this industry a 30ml bottle was running 30 bucks and you could not trust the source. That speaks for itself in my opinion.
It's unfair to both Pam and I to sit back and say because our ecf forum is not super busy that we don't care. Most of our internet business is not from ecf at all. We do love our family on here as over the years alot of these folks have become family.
In the end you can go cheap and trust your health to the great unknown, or stick with us and we will have sales when our own financial situation allows it...
David & Pam

 

[Elphaba13]

I'm so sorry to see you go, Mr P.

I hope that you will keep checking in and consider coming back some day.

Love

Elpha

 

[vaporgalinfla]

Mr. P - We'll miss you! I hope that you'll reconsider.

 

[Sandiej02]

First off I would like to say thanks to David, Pamela and the entire staff at FSUSA. This is the best group of people that anyone can deal with and they have some of the best juices that I have ever tasted.

I have been a die hard FSUSA fan for more then a year now but ever since the credit card fiasco at the end of last year I feel that FSUSA has totally abandoned its internet base in favor of their lounge customers. Even the traffic here in the forums have dropped off and it is more about the games and less about their juices.

I totally love the Purecig and American Spirit juices but since they no longer offer sales and discounts, at least to their internet customers, I have had to move into the DIY arena for my juices. Still hoping they will some day offer those juices in a pre-mix concentrate for the DIYer.

I wish you all the best of luck, I just can't keep spending over $100 a month for my favorite juices anymore as all I ever buy are the big bottles and without the sales it's just too big of a hole in my pocket.

Thanks again.

I feel exactly as you do. Unfortunately, I personally know several people who have gone to different vendors for this very reason. I was a "die-hard" FSUSA fan as well, but have watched how drastically things have changed (and I'm not the only one whose noticed it).

One small example is - on my last order with FSUSA I put a note in the comment section requesting a small sample of a certain juice (stating I wanted to make sure I liked it before ordering a large bottle). I only received a note back on my invoice stating that they don't give samples anymore, and that I could "purchase" a sample from their website. VERY disappointing ... and of course, I didn't "order" a sample (nor a large bottle due to that).

After years in the Advertising/Marketing business (Director) I know how important the "little things" are (such as samples and sales or discount codes) to clients ... and those little things lead to larger sales, increased revenue and long-time, dedicated customers. Perhaps FSUSA doesn't realize that it isn't "only" your product that makes you "special" or successful. It isn't simple the "juice". Or perhaps their priorities changed, and internet sales DID take a "back seat" to the lounge. That's how it appears anyway. I imagine it could be difficult juggling both at times, but most of us "juggle" at various points in our lives without changing "who we are" to begin with.

My intentions are not to put FSUSA "down" or to be "mean" ... I'm just stating what I believe many are thinking. There's now several vendors out there that have EXCELLENT juice, send samples, have weekly specials, low (or free) shipping, etc. Their juice is wonderful, and high quality. And yes ... I DO realize FSUSA have bills and children - most of us do. Some struggle more than others. I'm sure there's a lot of customers that have to save every penny just so they can purchase their juice and supplies. They NEED the sales and discount codes.

Again, I can't stress enough that it's not only the "juice" that counts ... it's also the feeling of loyalty you give your customers. Customers won't continue being loyal forever, if you don't offer "loyalty" to them.

For when the sales stop ... when the samples cease ... when the little discount code is taken away ... you somehow just feel the "loyalty" of your vendor has "left the building", as they say. And some customers will be forced to go elsewhere ... simply due to their finances.

In closing (finally), perhaps FSUSA simply forgot "what made them great" to begin with. Hopefully one day ... they'll remember.

 

[evilfrog]

FSUSA is actually the cheapest supplier (per ml) I've bought from. Buy the big bottles of what you love and you'll save a lot of money! Sure DIY is cheaper, but try making your own HopScotch! It's HARD!
$40 for 120ml is a REALLY good deal on high quality pre-mixed liquid. Sure, I like sales and samples, but I also like getting my HopScotch at a cheap price when sales aren't happening.

I guess I'm not really sure what you guys are looking for??

 

[Sandiej02]

FSUSA is actually the cheapest supplier (per ml) I've bought from. Buy the big bottles of what you love and you'll save a lot of money! Sure DIY is cheaper, but try making your own HopScotch! It's HARD!
$40 for 120ml is a REALLY good deal on high quality pre-mixed liquid. Sure, I like sales and samples, but I also like getting my HopScotch at a cheap price when sales aren't happening.

I guess I'm not really sure what you guys are looking for??

Hi Evilfrog. I'm definitely not a "DIY". Ha,ha. I agree with you that FSUSA has decent prices, and good juice ... they always have. The point I was trying to make was "how they've changed" ... and that's what "made them great" to begin with. NO sales ... NO samples ... NO little discount code ... equals NO customer appreciation/loyalty. All these things make a difference to many people. And in today's market, and with the competition of internet vendors, that matters.

There are several vendors where you can purchase 30ml for $10. Their juice is high quality juice as well. For example: I recently purchased 60ml of EXCELLENT juice for $21 ... that was WITH shipping. In addition to the 60ml, I received a free sample PLUS a FREE 15ml of juice (of my choice) for referring someone to them. That's a total of nearly 80ml of juice for $21 ... total. Now THAT'S a good deal. That's good business. Not only did this vendor gain two new customers, but I can guarantee you they'll gain many, many more dedicated ones. Don't get me wrong, I realize you won't receive 80ml every time you order for this price ... but the opportunity is there. The Customer Appreciation is there. GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE: SALES, INCENTIVES, SAMPLES, GREAT PRODUCT, CUSTOMER APPRECIATION.

I'm glad if you're happy with FSUSA. I guess I'm just hopeful that one day, FSUSA will go "back to the good ole' days" ... and remember why and how they achieved what they have. You ask what we're looking for? I guess that's what it is.

One last thing, I believe that when a vendor states that customers are "like family" ... please. Either don't say that, or start "treating your customers like family". Don't take away everything that helps them - everything that "makes a difference" to so many. For if you do ... you become "just another business" and nothing special anymore.


PS. I think I've made my point ... this is my last posting on this. "Vape Happy", as they say.

 

[PoliticallyIncorrect]

I'm glad if you're happy with FSUSA. I guess I'm just hopeful that one day, FSUSA will go "back to the good ole' days" ... and remember why and how they achieved what they have. You ask what we're looking for? I guess that's what it is.

I remember the early, heady days myself: sales every Friday of at least 25%, sometimes 50%. And a 3ml sample with every order, something I looked forward to.

A snake in the Eden slithered through one day, in the form of a mass exodus by several sales associates in one fell swoop and a rumor of deliberate quality-control violations—and worse—sitting at the core of the matter. In the background, three court decisions ostensibly pulling the FDA on a short leash, limiting its options from outright ban to mere regulation. Then the plug on sales, discount code and free samples was pulled.

That FSUSA built a customer base by dangling a carrot on the end of a stick is obvious—and something I have no problem with, anymore than I demonize McDonalds for its $.99 double cheeseburgers. The question we'll all have to answer for ourselves is the reason the carrot was yanked out of sight and reach, not so long ago.

Were they operating at or near a loss, in the sale-every-Friday days? Perhaps. But if so, on what capital was the vaping lounge built? Was it that they'd built the structure they'd envisioned and saw no longer the need for carrots? Perhaps.

Was it that draconian regulation of e-liquid manufacturing by the FDA is imminent, and that pulling in the sales and samples is not unlike a turtle pulling in all four extremities and hunkering down to weather the storm? More than likely.

We can't see their bottom line, nor know the truth of past alleged improprieties, nor are privy to their vision of a future business model. Here's something I'm sure of: their current incarnation of Cam-Blend is worth the $40 for a 120ml bottle, straight up.

 

[mistere372002]

I usually don't get involved I'm flaming, but I have to stick up fir FSUSA. It's not about marketing the free samples, discounts. Why are others giving away the boat? They don't understand the long run of it. FSUSA obviously does. So the others are under cutting competition to steal customers away. FSUSA is in my home town. And ill support them till they close the doors. But internet sales will suffer with the rising cost of fuel. Frieght is a killer. The forum suffers from? Yeah silly games. But that's a sign that the products are not worth complaining about or how to make a premix vapable. I say good luck flamers. See you later!


Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk

 

[mauisun]

Basically it's simpe econimics 101. Give away the farm constantly & go broke.
Pam and I do the best we can under the economic circumstances. I am sure there are plenty of mom and pop stores out there giving away all they can to gain customers.
Bottom line is we won't go bankrupt to appease those who desire we give away the farm to retain loyalty. Our business ethics have never changed. Our love our our customers will never change. Our tireless work ethic will never change. And our constant pursuit of perfection with juices will never change.
Everyone needs to take a hard look at what regulations that are coming from the Federal Government. We have. We have spent countless thousands of dollars with our legal folks to stay ahead of the same regulations most folks know nothing about. The day is rapidly coming where internet sales of e-juice are going to be regulated the same as any and all tobacco products. Hence, they are going to be banned altogether. The fda is going to regulate the crap out of ecigs. Do the research, we have. There are already laws on the books regulating the interstate sales of tobacco products. Try explaining to your insurance company the nicotine in your body is not from analog cigarettes and see what they say to you.
In the end we offer a high quality product for an extremely good price.
Those who would come here and accuse us of not caring about our customers anymore because we don't constantly have sales and give away tons of juice for free really don't quite seem to get it about the business end of things.
I, and Pam, have posted many times about the economic realities of running this type of business. We have been accused of so many vile things by some of the members of this forum. None of them warranted and none of them fair.
Not that it is anyone's business, at all, but the vast majority of our sales are not even in this country. We cater to the world, not just the U.S.
We will have sales when we can afford to have them. We still give free samples out in various orders. We never stopped doing that and never will. At the end of the day it comes down to the juice. When regulations do come, and they are coming like a freight train, very few e-juice suppliers are going to survive it. FreedomSmokeUSA will be one of the ones who survives due to our dilligence and constant pursuit of perfection. And our strict adherence to what regulationos are already in place, and the ones coming very soon.
David & Pamela