How can the vendors help

[lowwkeyy]

A lot of us back home are grateful for the service and are curious to know how can we help you get. What you need resolve issues you might be having . 95% of the vendors here do give a damn about service and support and understand there might be specials needs that we don't fully understand . Help us , let us know how we can get issues resolved for you .

mods sorry if this post is out of line

 

[newplague]

Hi and thanks for this post. The one thing that I find annoying when I'm ordering stuff online is that a vendor doesn't have APO options when filling out your ship and billing info. A lot of places seem to have it in there but I have ran into some that don't. The wait time to get something shipped APO is bad enough. Please don't make me search around for someone who will actually ship it. Sorry for the mini rant. Amazon won't ship electronics and junk APO.

 

[SonOfAries]

A good idea may be to get in as a vendor for AAFES since they have access to all the bases!!! https://partners.aafes.com/

 

[SonOfAries]

Also a bulk juice option would be good, buying 30 ml at a time gets expensive and usually run out before it gets here. Same with atomizers, batteries, cartridges, etc.

 

[rolygate]

@Lowwkeyy
No problems Sir, this type of post is just fine, no issues at all. Sounds like a good idea.

The reason we started this forum is to help solve any problems if possible.

 

[Valsacar]

Hi and thanks for this post. The one thing that I find annoying when I'm ordering stuff online is that a vendor doesn't have APO options when filling out your ship and billing info. A lot of places seem to have it in there but I have ran into some that don't. The wait time to get something shipped APO is bad enough. Please don't make me search around for someone who will actually ship it. Sorry for the mini rant. Amazon won't ship electronics and junk APO.

I ranted about this a while back but got very little response. There is really NO reason to use those stupid drop down lists for state, I'm pretty sure any adult that is capable of owning a credit card and ordering online is smart enough to know the 2 digit abbreviation for their state. If you can't just make it a 2 character box, make sure AP/AE/AA/etc are options!

 

[lowwkeyy]

hmm , Im not sure how to correct this on my site but i know , comment box is a solve all for most issues. tell me in the notes and it will happen.

ill attempt to find a solution for my shop and report back soon

aafes main office is right down the road from me, My guys have been working on getting something going for months now. It is in process ( might never see daylight) now

james at dfwvapor .com or the contactus is a good way to contact us via email. I'll do what I can to take silly issues like ship to addresses be resolved

if you have any "tricks to sending stuff" please let us know. If there is a way to save shipping time or money I don't think anyone would mind doing something different.

no issues with damaged products due to packaging ? sand,snow, thieft ect.

pre modded hardware needs ( lights out colors ect)

I'm liking the suggestions i have seen so far and have the "in process" rubber stamp out now!

 

[Rothman]

I have never had any issues with shipping. Most vendors that ship to APO addresses ship with flat rate priority boxes, that cuts down dramatically on the shipping time. The way it works is, if you just send the package at a standard shipping rate, it becomes space available once the military recieves it. Basically, "oh, there's no room to ship it in this plane." and then "well, still no room. We'll send it next time." which eventually becomes "where the F is my stuff! I ordered it 2 months ago!!!" Whereas, priority makes the plane the first time every time.

 

[Kimerpuff]

I had a customer with a lost APO package, when picking up his next order at the mail room there he had the clerk look for anything else. Low and behold, his lost package was sitting there for sometime It may be a good idea when you know somethings coming, to check here n there and have them look.

 

[Lightgeoduck]

I hate when that happens darn mail rooms


One thing to keep in mind, as far as APOs go, is that even though it is considered 'domestic' the supplier may still have to hand carry it to the post office since filling out a customs form is still required. So, with that being said the majority (not all ) of the suppliers have the carrier pick up at the place of business and already have the "postage mark'' on there package. If you come across a vendor that doesn't have AA/AE/AP as an option you could always drop them a line stating your situation and I am sure they are willing to work something out.

Or if you have faith.. make your order place Apo as your city and NY instead of AE, CA instead of AP, (not sure) for AA, and add in the comment box asking to change it to the desired abbreviation (I haven't had issues doing it either way)


LGD

 

[chopsuey1562]

Ive really never had any problems with the packaging. I was surprised V4L shipped my stuff to an APO in the flat rate envelope and there was no damage to my surprise. Most places I have seen have AE/AP/AA as the state option and if you can usually the company puts a link that says "Shipping to APO/NPO?" and its a link to instructions on how to set it up which makes things very easy. The shipping times is what really kills it as Rothman said.

 

[oldsoldier]

hmm , Im not sure how to correct this on my site but i know , comment box is a solve all for most issues. tell me in the notes and it will happen.

ill attempt to find a solution for my shop and report back soon

aafes main office is right down the road from me, My guys have been working on getting something going for months now. It is in process ( might never see daylight) now

james at dfwvapor .com or the contactus is a good way to contact us via email. I'll do what I can to take silly issues like ship to addresses be resolved

if you have any "tricks to sending stuff" please let us know. If there is a way to save shipping time or money I don't think anyone would mind doing something different.

no issues with damaged products due to packaging ? sand,snow, thieft ect.

pre modded hardware needs ( lights out colors ect)

I'm liking the suggestions i have seen so far and have the "in process" rubber stamp out now!

Lowwkeyy, another thing to consider is make triple sure you correctly fill out the customs declaration and double-bag your e-liquids. The reason I say this is even though I'm retired a few years I'm a vet of Grenada, Panama , Desert Shield/Storm, a couple tours in Honduras, 3 tours in the Balkans, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and numerous TDY's. Customs declarations can become a problem and if e-liquid leaks out of the package there is a very good chance EOD will blow up your package in an attempt to 'Disarm an IED'.

AFN used to run commercials all the time about never touching a package that was wet/greasy/has exposed wires sticking out of it, call the EOD guys and evacuate. Sounds Paranoid uh? but trust me if you've ever seen a IED go off you'd be paranoid too

 

[lorikay13]

I'm not sure if I am allowed to post here or not.....so if not.....mod feel free to delete.

We have no problem shipping to APO. In fact.....we go out of our way to make sure you get your packages. I'm betting that almost all the suppliers listed here at ECF are the same way. One thing that would help is for service persons to email us first.....and give us a heads up. We (my particular company) use automated shipping/labeling software. Something that I have seen happen with APO addresses...the customer enters all the correct information in their order......BUT....the stamps software does not match the USPS database......when this happens the USPS takes priority....and the label is printed with what the USPS thinks should be the correct address...usually this means the box number is deleted from the label.

I can't tell you how terrible this makes us feel....when we get an email a month after the order is placed saying someone in the field has not received their order. Or we receive a package returned to our warehouse that never even left the sorting facility in NY. And we have no way of contacting the serviceman/woman who placed the order.

I have no doubt that whatever product you choose....99.9% of the ECF vendors will bend over backwards to see that our military customers receive their orders as fast as possible. Give us a heads up so we can hand label your orders....hopefully this will help.

Thank you for your service....and Welcome Home......to all of you who have never heard that.

 

[capecodjim]

Are there vendors who offer a military discount?

Maybe a discount could be offered depending on the shipping address so civilians could get the discount if they're sending it to someone at a military destination.

 

[ECV's]

I ship APO, and for free! AND give Military discounts! If you know your battery number (510/901 and such) I can give you most everything you may be looking for. I don't have a lot of juices listed on my website, an email to me creates the flavor you are looking for. I have already sold on 3 airforce bases (Tyndall, Eglin and Hurlburt) and am looking into dealing with AAFES. There is a lot of paperwork, on line that is, that has to be done. Not only that, but they are waiting for the O.K. from the FDA.------- I'm holding my breath!

I have a brick and mortor store on Panama City Beach, FL. if you are close by. If not, contact me for the website, or email me for requests. ---- If I am permitted to post here that is.....!!

 

[The Greybush]

Currently in Afghanistan here and the problem I am having is that the internet sucks. When I get through the site to checkout and it gets redirected to the https:// for the checkout it stops. Dont know if the venders can help that or not, probably due to system admin over here blocking what we go to. Also If you put in a blurb for soldiers who can order through your site to APO AE if they have to use a state to put in NY, that is where the hub is for the APO AE mail and we get it fine. I have noticed that a lot of venders do offer discounts and that is greatly appreciated. Like I said my problem is checkout. I do not wish to put in credit card information over the local internet we can get for our personal computers because it runs off of their cellular network. Hope this helps some of you guys out.

 

[Rothman]

Currently in Afghanistan here and the problem I am having is that the internet sucks. When I get through the site to checkout and it gets redirected to the https:// for the checkout it stops. Dont know if the venders can help that or not, probably due to system admin over here blocking what we go to. Also If you put in a blurb for soldiers who can order through your site to APO AE if they have to use a state to put in NY, that is where the hub is for the APO AE mail and we get it fine. I have noticed that a lot of venders do offer discounts and that is greatly appreciated. Like I said my problem is checkout. I do not wish to put in credit card information over the local internet we can get for our personal computers because it runs off of their cellular network. Hope this helps some of you guys out.

Not sure if it will work or not but try using a proxy server when you check out to avoid the comm block. May or may not work depending on how crafty your comm guys are.

 

[Unspokenzero]

Not sure if it will work or not but try using a proxy server when you check out to avoid the comm block. May or may not work depending on how crafty your comm guys are.

the issue is the ISP may be "filtering" SSL connections. There is a company called Edge City Networks that specializes in reasonably price internet service for military deployed. They have pretty good customer service also all the equipment is provided from the company. (I am in now way affilited with this company just trying to help a fellow service memeber out.)

For the vendors, I have not ordered from any yet. I wish I could provide you with feedback. I do know from living overseas it is very helpful when websites post on the checkout weather they ship to APO/FPO, it is so much more helpful than getting to putting in credit card info and then being told I can't do this because they don't ship to APO/FPO.

 

[1stGenRex]

A tip when buying from stores that don't have an AE or AP option.

For AE, choose NY as the state (the processing center is in Bethpage NY for those, according my my delivery confirmation data)

For AP, select the state as CA. In the shipping notes, type in your full (correct) address, but even if the label is sent to FPO, NY, you'll end up getting it. I've had to do this with a couple vendors.

One suggestion for the vendors would be to make sure packages sent to an APO / FPO get shipped out via Priority and NOT first class. First class takes FOR EVER to get here, we're talking the difference between 6 days (fastest I've ever gotten something here) and over 30 days. Yeah sometimes, stuff that's shipped priority still takes longer, but it's my understanding that first class is processed and sent differently than priority mail.

 

[Saint57]

If you are active military, first, THANK YOU. I don't care why you came into the military, the fact that you are there commands respect. We will ship all APO/FPO orders free of charge. Everything on the site is 50% off except starter kits which are 25% off. If you want bulk just ask. (see address below) The easiest way for you guys (and gals) to order would be to simply call us toll free at 1-800-BIG-VAPE. I am seriously not looking to profit from the greatest fighting force in the world. Note: An easy way to send all of the APO/FPO information is to register using your state side address and use the comment section on the order for the APO/FPO address. You can contact us via email at military[AT]Vapesales[DOT]com. I might already have modified the ship-to to accommodate before you read this.
Godspeed.