ComplaintsforAdvanced Vape Supply

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 9/13/2021 I purchased a vaporizer kit as a pre-order from Advanced Vape Supply in ******, ** with the expectation of it shipping within ***** days. During that time they had expressed delays and they were acceptable, given it was a pre-order but then the pandemic hit as well as the "chip shortage". Given the extent of the pandemic and the companies continued updates that sounded like very legitimate delays and the NEWS showing the results of product shortage due to the chip shortage it all seemed legitimate. In all of their "blog updates" they claim that they had to make another change and that units will be shipping out soon, always with images of the product almost done. They also state that anyone waiting is able to get a refund. I finally, after a couple years of being conned by the blog updates, asked for a refund. I've been going back and forth with ****** for months now and just like the product, it's an endless thread of broken promises. They keep claiming they will mail a check or call to do a refund to my debit but it seems that it's only told to me so that I go away for a couple weeks.I've been reading online from others and this company is looking more and more like a scam that has many people's money tied up for a non-existent product.I desire the advertised product or full refund. They had sent some parts that are not useful at all without the whole kit. I am willing to send those parts back for the full refund.

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Order# ***** Date of Purchase: March 04, 2021 Payment Status: Paid Fulfillment Status: Unfulfilled Total: $ ****** USD ************ has been misleading people for years about a product that they always say is about a couple months away from launch. They started accepting pre-orders in 2019. In 2021 all of their updates indicated that they were "so close" and "These mods will be released this summer" (* ***************************************************************************** May 26, 2021) after over a year of progress updates and COVID/Supply chain problems they said they were only a few months away from release so I made a pre-order purchase. I WAS okay with waiting. But it's been almost 2 years since then and now they aren't replying to contact.After being teased for over a year, on Jul 5, 2022 I reached out to get a refund and found out that they could only refund my money through Zelle, Venmo, or Cashapp or a Check through the mail. All over their website they say they offer refunds, but once you try to get one you find out that their transaction merchant does not save transaction receipts for longer than 13 months making any refund from beyond that point impossible; so apparently additional methods need to be taken. I declined this, because that would mean I would have to pay to get my own money back, so I gave the project some more time. That turned into another 8 months.On January 12, 2023 I sent a message to AVS asking for a refund.I then gave this message 10 business days before having to retry contact on Jan 26. I gave that message an additional 2 business days before retying contact again, it's now Jan 30. I have NOT received ANY reply. I have NOT been contacted by AVS in any way, shape or form since my message on January 12, 2023.I just want Advanced Vape Supply to refund my money, a total of $ ****** USD through the original card NOT some secondary method(WHICH IS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL ON THEIR WEBSITE).

  Business response

  10/12/2023

  This customer was promptly refunded when he finally got back to us. When he first reached out, we replied with refund options. He ghosted us, the. Out of the blue showed up and claimed we refused to refund him. We reminded him that we were waiting for his reply. He demanded we refund him through his original payment method which is simply not possible and wouldnt be for ANY MERCHANT due to the time since he placed his preorder. He filed this and went on social media despite knowing his check was already in the mail. He has since cashed it. No merchant service holds card info longer than 13 months by law. *****, *****, and cashapp are all instant and free to use unlike his claims. He chose to be mailed a check which takes much longer, and also free despite him saying it costs money. You guys should already know how these services work as well as it is common knowledge that theyre free to use. 

  Customer response

  10/26/2023

  
  Complaint: 18955238
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  I have received refund BUT Companys response is blatantly lying about the months long process it took to get a response and/or a refund. It took them 10 months to respond to this when the company gets notified immediately AND gets 30 days to respond prior to it being made public 
  In the previous year (July 2022) I asked for refund and was told I cant get one from payment method. I was offered 3rd party method. I waited an additional 6 months for their product to be completed, because their website updates indicated they were supposed to be shipping soon. AFAIK that product still hasnt shipped. 
  THEN on January 12th of this year I asked for a refund. 
  7 business days later I messaged them again and waited 2 hours before submitting this. 
  On MAY 16th I finally got their previous response again; that they couldnt directly refund my purchase they had to 3rd party it. I told them my issues with that methodology and then requested a check be mailed to me instead.
  ON MAY 23rd I was told that the owner was already briefed about the situation a week prior to that and that I would be mailed a check.
  ON JUNE 21st I was told that it was assumed the check had already been sent and that it would be double checked again.
  
  
  Being at my **** end, months deep into a company that feels like theyre dodging me(responses take weeks), I decide to search the internet for answers.
  I tried joining their discord channel to figure out what might be going on. I made a post asking about the refund process and if anyone else is having a hard time getting in contact. I get immediately banned. 
  In frustration I go to Reddit and make a post to see if anyone else has experienced this. This is when a tertiary AVS family member accused me of lying for clout. Somewhere along the lines the post was removed. 
  
  
  ON JULY 19th, the day from above, I was told that paper checks being mailed out as a refund method was rare and that it took time to work out BUT that it was confirmed to have already been mailed out. 
  AFAIR, I received the check on the 21st of July. I live 2 states over, 3-5 day delivery if that. 
  
  
  190 days to recieve refund. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩