Military Experiences

[wskprice]

I should have checked these reviews before I ordered from Best Buy.  Item ordered 29 Jan 2011, and guess what, as of 10 Mar 2011, the item has not made it to me!  Improved shipping from Best Buy has made me Best Cry!!!!!   I will give one more week before I ask for a full refund and order elsewhere...this is my last and only time to order via Best Buy while I am stationed overseas!

[Batangeno]

Just like you, I fell for that ad banner stating improved shipping to APO/FPO addresses.  I guess they left the part out that it was only improved up to the port in NJ.  After that, they wash their hands clean of the order and leave us service members that are overseas at the mercy of the poor excuse of a company that they chose to partner with for shipping overseas.  It took my order 44 days to arrive, unacceptable in this day and age.

[darkcmf]

Just wanted to square the two of you away on the APO/FPO shipping procedures.

With 20+ years time in the Army, I've had plenty of time overseas.  The items are shipped via whatever method (USPS, FedEX, UPS) to the APO/FPO in NY or San Francisco.  From there, it is in the hands of the military postal service.  It can be shipped immediately if there is space available on a vehicle/vessel that is headed that way, or it may sit for days or weeks until space is available.

Delays in APO/FPO shipping have absolutely nothing at all to do with the company that you buy from, the USPS, or whoever else may have been paid to ship it to the APO/FPO.

On a side note, when shipping to APO/FPO - NEVER pay for expedited shipping.  That only guarantees that it goes to the APO/FPO office faster.  There is no way that any agency or store can guarantee expedited shipping to an APO/FPO address.

While I'm not personally happy with some changes in Best Buy's corporate leadership/customer service standards, the issue that you guys are addressing here is not one that they can be held accountable for. 

Getting mad at Best Buy over this is like running outside and beating your head against the brick wall because your power went out in the house.  When it's all said and done, there is nothing the house can do about it, and you're going to wind up with a killer headache.

[Batangeno]

I totally agree with you dark.  The problem is, it seems that it is a common theme out of NJ, that big ticket items take way too long to arrive to said APOs and FPOs.  I have had no problems with other companies that I have ordered from that are lesser names than BB, Amazon, Tiger Direct, New egg ,etc, and their orders take no longer than 10 business days to get to my APO address.  I would chalk it up as an isolated incident, but it doesn't seem to be the case.  Either way I am not going to do business with BB.com as long as I am overseas.  There are many alternatives to buying electronics for overseas customers.