It really irritates me when companies charge crazy high fees to APO/FPO addresses.  It doesn't cost them anymore to send it here than it does to CA or NY.  And then when they NEVER allow you to take advantage of free or reduced shipping promotions just makes it even worse.  I don't think the military should be excluded from those benefits- we're away from our families, our country- throw us a bone.  I doubt any one of those companies will go broke offering us the same deal stateside people get. 

I sent a complaint off to one of my favorite online stores- where I've been a loyal customer for 12 years (6 while overseas) who has just changed their policy and got this retarded response...

Our current shipping methods were selected to ensure delivery within our posted timeframes while keeping shipping fees down for our customers while shipping costs continue to rise. Our new "Rush" shipping option will typically deliver within 3-9 business days for AK, HI, APO/FPOs and US Territories. Unfortunately we can no longer offer our standard shipping method for these addresses. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

C'mon, really?  You're making me buy RUSH shipping so my order will get delivered within your little charted timeline? It's the freaking MPS SYSTEM!  There is no RUSH and you can't promise me it will get here any faster than with standard shipping.  Maybe if I can get them to guarantee the time, I'll get it refunded, lol.

Just irritates me all around.  Give us a break over here.

Ditto that. There's no rhyme or reason to some of the policies. I buy from Amazon all the time, but once in a while they say a product can't be shipped to APO/FPO. Recently, it was these little $0.89 three-prong electrical adapters. Gimme a break, can't ship to FPO? They fit in a padded envelope!

Tivo just started shipping to FPO, but they won't bill to a credit card that has an FPO mailing address. How bizarre is that? Why do they even care about the billing address? It's an American card issued by an American bank and you won't bill to it?

I guess in the big scheme of things this is small potatoes. I just get spun up cuz it's so unnecessary and in general I think it's caused by ignorance and/or laziness, neither of which I tolerate with much forbearance.

Here's a thought... Why don't we band together and lobby these organizations who can't get their act together. We'll single out one company at a time to gang up on. All of us agree to email them about their failure to support American service members who are fighting for their country, and explain in the most patient terms possible that FPO is NOT A FREAKIN' FOREIGN ADDRESS!!! It's a domestic address which costs domestic postage.

I nominate Tirani's company as the starting point. Anyone else onboard with this?

Not that it would help them ripping off people on shipping cost.

But one time we was trying to order an item and they said they cannot ship that item to APO. Contacted customer service and they said the problem is they cant send that item to Korea. Told them we was in Japan and they sent us the item.

Not sure all companies would work with people like this but it has worked.

Just last week I setup an APOBox account.

Newegg wanted $120 to ship a few parts and a printer to my FPO address. By switching it over to APOBox, NewEgg's shipping cost dropped to $17. With the $51 dollars that APOBox tacked on for their part, it still ended up being cheaper than shipping direct.

I like APOBox. Whatever that website is that has the SUPER COOL C130 on the front. Man that's an awesome plane. I digress.

I've used them for three or four years and they're good. It was mostly Mac stuff, but it got here pretty quick!

And one time I ordered a BUNCHA goodies for my students. I ordered it from this old timey candy store and they emailed that it would cost 60 bucks to ship. I thought that was a ripoff!

I googled and found a zip code in San Francisco. I then went back and reordered EVERYTHING and put that zip code in. Know what? It still cost the same. Shipping trillions of pounds of candy is expensive. Heh heh.

That's what I recommend. You find a zip code in SF and re-enter everything and see how much different it is. That's what Stars and Stripes did to WalMart and Target and others, and that's how they knew military folks were getting ripped off so much.

Maybe if you email them back and say "look, dummies, it costs 15 bucks to ship to SF. That's all it costs you and that's all it will cost you to ship to FPO. The military PAYS THE REST OF THE WAY."

And yeah, if that fails, somebody start a website of COMPANIES THAT HATE THE US MILITARY.

That'll get them to change their ways STAT.

I ordered my brother the new XBox 360 from WalMart in 2005, when they first came out. I did the nerdy pre-order thing and they sent me an email that said they couldn't ship it--not for months later. I wrote them back and explained the APO AE was MILITARY and they better be nice to military.

He got it just before November. SWEEEEET!

Aah, I hadn't noticed Walmart changed. Toys R Us was really bad about that too... I'd put in a VA zip code, it'd cost $5 to ship then put in the APO zip and it'd triple! I'm glad Stars and Stripes called them out on that and they fixed it.

In the case of Gymboree and the stupid repsonse, it's complete BS. The dumb lady said it was ensure speedy delivery, but if you read their shipping policy they tell you it will take up to 20 days and the can not guarantee timely delivery to APO/FPO. I guess I was just more irritated I can't ever take advantage of the free shipping deals. I usually shop at places that offer that. I shop online often so one way I save money is use good shipping deals.

WalMart changed only AFTER Stars and Stripes and countless military folks emailed them.

I really like the idea of a website, something like Companies that Dislike the US Military.

If I knew web design, I'd fire that sucker up!

Reminds me of something from three years ago. I don't know if the company is still around, but their website shut down just hours after it went public. It's kinda similar in that it shows a company that refuses to ship to APO, although for entirely different reasons!

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/apo.asp

Anyone have a link to the S&S article? I'd like to submit a few more businesses for review.

Set up some sorta COMPANIES THAT HATE THE US MILITARY and you'll make the cover of every internet news site in the world.

For a few minutes.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?...icle=66827

Does anyone have any reviews on using the Ship to APO service or APO box address?I was online searching for customers reviews before I use the service. I did see some BBB complaints about never receiving packages. Thanks for your input

See this link:

http://www.japanbases.com/forums/aft/893.aspx

Describes Ship it Apo..

I'm still waiting on fabric I ordered online with Jo-Anns since November. The stuff I bought from Wal-Mart just arrived this week, and I ordered that stuff back in December.

Ridiculous

I completely agree. I won't patronize stores that have additional charges for FPOs. But I don't mind paying shipping charges in general. I try to shop smaller retailers and I realize how much shipping can eat into their profits. I am having good luck with smaller companies shipping here. Bob's Red Mill, Penzey Spices, and Nicki's Diapers all charged for shipping but two of the companies contacted us to lower their shipping rates because they were able to use the military flat rate discount.

I'm relieved to hear someone else's Walmart order took forever. If I had known our order would take more than a month, I would have 1) paid twice as much at Amazon or 2) had my husband buy our daughter's tank tops when he went back to the states for training.

I have ordered from Amazon several times since my arrival. All but one thing arrived in a timely (8-10 days) manner except one. Amazon gave me my money back immediately after I emailed them. There has been one thing that would not ship here so I ordered it from another site. That arrived in about a week. I just ordered from Old Navy day before yesterday and they say it shipped today. We shall see how long it takes to get here.

I've used Shipitapo since 2004.  Great site and decent service.  Their turn around varies depending on the time of year (specifically in November/December).  I have used them mostly for Apple products before the Exchange started carrying a better selection of goods, as well as for my bicycle.  With the exception of heavy and oversized items I have averaged between $10 and $15 in delivery/processing fees per transaction.

I have found the following to be timely & no extra charges:
  Amazon
  Newegg
  Gearxs
  Sierra Trading Post
  Target

I like APO box shipping but I try to reserve it for more significant purchases since you often end up paying shipping twice. They have such a fast turn around! I had ordered on item on the 5th of Feb and received it the 11th. I've never received anything that fast over here. Never once have I had a problem with APO box shipping!

Posted By primatemom on 03-09-2012 5:50 AM
I have found the following to be timely & no extra charges:
  Amazon
  Newegg
  Gearxs
  Sierra Trading Post
  Target

Newegg is a huge ripoff for shipping to APO.

Thanks guys! great info...

I make it a point to send any company that won't ship to an APO address a letter or email pointing out how unAmerican it is and I let them know that I will take my business elsewhere forever. If they make me feel like a second class citizen, I can make them feel like the lazy unAmerican business that they are.

Posted By RoboCat on 03-08-2012 9:41 PM
I'm still waiting on fabric I ordered online with Jo-Anns since November. 

Yeah, I gave up on them for the same reason. Their customer service will keep telling you "20 to 30 days" even when it's been months. I understand that customer service reps have a "script" that they have to use in responding, but that doesn't make the customer feel like they've been helped.

The smaller online craft stores get my business now. Much faster shipping & better service. (Better quality, too.) I find it interesting that the small businesses seem more interested in maintaining good relations with military customers, when the large companies are more in the public eye for criticism.