AAFES Reviews

One item became untrackable through Innoval and XPO after I got an email it was out for delivery and took 11 days after that email to arrive. The order had to be looked up under my phone number but neither company had any orders attached to my phone number. Aafes wrote up a ticket and assured me I would get a phone call or an email within 24 hours. I waited 48+ hours each time before calling Aafes again for a status update. We did this dance several times.

The second item is supposedly coming via Fragilepak. Although I made sure it was in stock, and specifically chose a color in stock, it took over two weeks to get a shipping notice on July 16th. It is now August 9th and it still isn't here and I have absolutely no idea when if ever it will get here. Don't order anything from Aafes that has to be shipped freight.

I asked for a copy of that death certificate and the location where it was presented. This is also the second time I've dealt with this. I was also declared dead in 1998 at Quantico MC Base. I had to go to a DEERS location with my social security card, birth certificate, and present in person to rectify that time. To date, I have received no promised follow-up to those actions. I went back to Luke BX, again spoke with Mayra and AAFES HQ and no action taken. I've invoked Privacy Act & FOIA, and since those records are about me, I have a perfect right to them. At least, I need to know who is screwing with me.

In the year of 2014 I noticed that AAFES took my past delinquencies on my credit report and reported them on the year of 2014. I tried to dispute this with the credit bureaus and AAFES and got nowhere. How in the world can someone create late payments on a closed account? Currently, AAFES has reported 7 derogatory marks to the credit bureau and has moved them up every year since 2014. When I dispute it with AAFES and the credit bureaus again I keep getting the run around and getting told to wait 7 to 10 years until they fall off but the marks will never fall off when AAFES keeps updating the years on the derogatory marks.

I have called AAFES over 20 times about this.They claim they are reporting accurate information. How is that? Every time I call no one can see my file because of the hard close. I filed a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Claim only to be told "You need a lawyer" and after that claim AAFES took the paid off date and changed it to FEB OF 2020!!!! I also filed a claim with the attorney general office of my state and notified the media. It's ridiculous what these people are doing. I lost mega points on my credit score because of them. If I go to court I have credit reports from 2014-2020 and a statement with the paid off and closed date of December 2013 from AAFES. So if you ever had a Military Star Credit Card I urge you to check your credit report. I'm about to be the first to stand up for all Veterans who are suffering. Boots on ground starting NOW!!!!!

Every time I made a major purchase for my home, I would do it with the PX to save the money. And every time I made a major purchase I would repeat the same process as when I first returned home from Iraq but now, because I never received the star card, I would need to first go through customer service to have them find my star card account, verify my ID and give me the card number so that I could make purchases with it. The same process needed to be followed to make my payments: I had to go into the PX every month, go to Customer service, have them look up my account and verify my ID and then send me to a cashier to collect my monthly payment. It was very tedious and a complete waste of my time. I had called several times all throughout the 10 years I was on active duty and requested that they send me a physical copy of my star card but I never received one while still on Active Duty.

Now, in the middle of 2019, 3 years after separating from the service, out of the blue, a physical copy of my star card shows up at my apartment even though I never gave them my current address or expected to ever use the card again. The delivery of the card was almost exactly 10 years late. I digress though. Now that disabled veterans are allowed base access to use the MWR/PX/Class 6, I have had no issue whatsoever in getting on post to use my star card and have had zero issues dealing with AAFES on the phone, in person, via email, etc. They have been very helpful.

All purchases I have made so far have been with 'standard shipping'. I figure 6 months to a year's wait for standard shipping from a store owned by the US Government is probably exceeding their standards by a long shot. BUT, all of my purchases so far shipped in under 24 hours and arrived in under 1 week from the date of purchase. I give AAFES the 3 stars because of the 10 years of hassle they gave me by not sending me a physical card on active duty. Otherwise they have been pretty good about everything else.

The first call to AAFES customer service, they were very short and rude and told me I had to drive to one of their exchange stores and turn it in there. I spent 2 and a half hours driving to and from the store, and waiting in line just to be told that the customer service agent on the phone was wrong, and they could not accept defective merchandise at the store. At least the folks at the counter was polite. After several more phone calls and emails with Sketchy Customer Service, I finally received an email with a "Call Tag" number. No shipping label or materials, just a number.

When I called to setup a time to pick it up, I was told the ground drivers don't schedule a time, they just schedule a day and I have to be there until they pick it up. Seven and a half hours after I started waiting at 0800, and still no sign of a driver and no email saying they would not be coming. Called the increasingly misnamed Customer Service line for the sixth time, they were flat out unhelpful and rude and said I would have to schedule another day for pickup. No explanation, just that it "is their policy".

I told them I'll schedule a day and leave the package on the doorstep, but after that it is their responsibility. Legally, they did not deliver anything I ordered (I ordered a working laptop), so I'm not obligated to take any significant action to get it to them, and I've already spent about 12 hours getting AAFES to take back the defective item. Needless to say, as this is an $1,050.00 item, I am not happy. Lesson learned AAFES - use Amazon, Best Buy, Tiger Direct, HP, Newegg or even WalMart instead.

Today I contacted the exchange online, and they don't know where it is either. The person I chatted with put in a request for information to the warehouse which will take 24 to 48 business hours. I contacted the local store, and they will not honor the price I paid online for the TVs they have in stock although, I could pay an additional $300 to pick one up today. The person I contacted at the store suggested I call and speak to someone, and that only made things worse. She said that I will have to wait until sometime next week for someone to find the TV that seems to have vanished, and then I will be contacted, and likely wait until sometime after the New Year for the tv. My advice is to avoid "shopmyexchangeonline" especially around the holidays. I hope this review will help keep someone from making the same mistake I did.

After 2 months, I didn’t receive refund, I called to manager Mrs. **, Kathryn and messaged again, they said they send request to refund and I didn’t see any results. I messaged. Mrs. Dorothy ** replied to me that I should check with customer contact center. I called them, she said she didn’t see any credit, I explained for her everything again, unfortunately it seems that nothing new happened. I lost 10% discount on first day without my mistake. This is terrible service.

It's a shame that even when the call is being recorded, some of these customer service representatives behave immaturely. They don't treat veterans or Soldiers with the respect they deserve for serving their country. In retrospect, I should've steered away from this company. Avoid them at all cost and get a credit card through a company that respects veterans such as USAA or Navy Federal Credit Union. THE EXCHANGE has a garbage credit exchange program, and I can't wait to pay my card off; read the fine print before signing up for that credit card. The card has been SNIPPED, and I won't be stepping foot on any of their facilities again.

The letter states that I can make a $69 payment every month until the $2500 balance is paid off so that my husband's wages will not be garnished. So I respond within the week that I will follow the guidelines within the notice and make the payments. I go into the PX here in Germany and make my first payment January 20, 2019. Come February 20, 2019 my husband goes and makes the payment for me again only this time it is done differently. First time it's applied to the actual Star Card as a credit because there is currently no open card it can be applied to. Second time it is done as a TOP payment. So the following day I go to the PX and get it all sorted out. The first one was done wrong and the TOP payment was correct.

So I contact AAFES to have this issue fixed and come to find out none of the payments have been applied or can be found. So I send the payment receipts by fax to Lost Payments department to have this fixed. All the while they're reporting to Credit Bureaus that I am not paying. Then comes March and I was advised by AAFES Customer Service that it may be easier if I make the payments over the phone so that I did. No problem with March Payment but still can't seem to get Jan and Feb payments applied. I call AAFES who tells me I am 2 months behind and that soon my husband's wages will be at risk to be garnished. I contact IG because no one seems to know how to fix this problem. I am then forwarded to ECP and they contact me within 24 hours of my IG complaint.

Payments have been found and applied. Fast forward to April, I contact AAFES over the phone to make a payment and their system is down so they can't take payment over the phone. I go into the PX to make a payment and yet again my payment has been lost. I sent the payment receipts to AAFES email department because PX is closed. A week later still no response. I contacted the ECP department by email again to see if she can help with the problem. I don't understand how they can allow this to happen for 4 months. It's so many hoops to jump through so AAFES can get THEIR DAMN MONEY! No one seems to know how to fix it or what to do. Being on different time zones makes it so difficult to even talk to someone...

The collections department opens close to around the end of the work day here in Germany so now I have to find the time to contact them twice a week all the while making sure my husband is picked up from work, food is on the table and caring for my 3 young children. I've asked them to move the payment out of the collections department and I can set up automatic payments with the Star website so they are still ensured their money. They refuse to do this.. Hell at this point an allotment can be set up from my husband's pay monthly... I am sick of the constant run around and lack of help from AAFES. They are all about the money and in my opinion taking advantage of an already poorly paid service member. They are a monopoly in the military community.

Long story short, they refer your account out to a collection business that administered a $1,540 ‘one time collection fee’ on my $4,200 account balance plus fees, interest & penalties monthly amounting to $90/month. So after paying off $1,900 last spring my balance is $150 shy of $10,000! Remember, my limit was $4,500. There’s no way to catch up, make payments or get ahead when my monthly additions are $90 alone, that’s worse than college loans!

I’m not sure how AAFES is getting away with their total disregard for active duty & veterans nor how they’re allowed to use this collection company to apply disgusting fees they know full well no soldier, airman, seamen, etc. can afford to pay! That enrages me! I take full responsibility for not making my payments as well as my account going into collection status. I want AAFES to take responsibility for maltreatment towards us consumers as well as for these thugs they’ve hired to collect!

Last note? We’re blue collar people yet we haven’t received our tax refund for over 5 years (solely due to this collection company) and our balances are still excessive to the point we’ll never be able to pay them off - this seems unethical & illegal. I wish I knew someone who could help rid all BX & PX’s across America of the parent company who’s ** us all!

Fast forward... I filed a Saint Clair Claim with the IRS to get refunded my Disability Severance pay money that the IRS took out for taxes. Unfortunately, I received a letter in the mail stating that Transworld Systems Inc had taken my entire Disability Severance refund. Neither of these companies gave me the opportunity to re-negotiate a fair settlement for the interest. I’m behind in mortgage and was planning to clean my credit up with the refund money.

I am a single mom of 4. Then almost 2 years ago I lost my house in a fire and was depending on this new tax return since my kids have medical issues, and this company offsets after REFUSAL to respond and settle. Money hungry company. I understand I had a debt. I was trying to settle and make payments and pay it. But thanks to Aafes they refused and sent it to collections to double my account owed and KEEPS ADDING MORE TO IT!!!

On Jan 19 2019, I placed an order online for an item that was on sale, mind you that this item although on sale was not cheap, it was $1,203.00. 4 days, almost 5 days later I receive an email from AAFES stating that my order has been canceled. I call the online customer service and I asked why my order has been canceled and they tell me that the company made a mistake and priced the item incorrectly so I asked why then did it take almost 5 days later to be notified that this order has been canceled.

Without explaining to me why it took them almost 5 days to notify me, they had the nerve to revert straight to their terms and conditions and told me that it states on there that they can cancel items anytime if they choose to. Keep in mind that on the day I ordered this item the funds were already subtracted from my total bank account balance, so for the next 4 almost 5 days I was out $1,203.00. It was very inconvenient, I was being more conservative on my spending within those 4 days.

I ask to speak to a manager and I explain to her what happened and she also reverts to the terms and conditions. Great training on your employee customer service representatives there AAFES, just train them like rude robots. I told them to compensate me for all the trouble and inconvenience and they offer me a 5% off my next order lol, what a bunch of cheap arses. This is a multi bububu-billion dollar company that leeches off soldiers serving in the military. 5%, Really?!? I still can’t get over that.

I have been a loyal customer with AAFES and a MILSTAR card holder for over a decade and this is the treatment I get for mistakes that the company made. I told the manager that I don’t even want their 5% and then she said “okay byyye” and just hung up. This is a manager for customer service? Wow!! Unbelievable. I will never shop with AAFES again. I will not support a company that treats customers and soldiers this way. Seems they are so one sided, it’s their way or the highway.

Needless to say I will be closing my account with these NAZIs. They overprice their items anyways, even without the taxes it’s still a ripoff. Also their website is so ghetto, again, a multi bububu-billion dollar company can’t even manage to set up a proper website. Even though I know they don’t give a crap, they just lost a over a decade loyal customer. Sincerely yours, Sergeant, US Army.

I am still flabbergasted as to why that would be an issue when they can go in and see that the rewards card has not been used in a transaction and that the postal service never got my card to me. I talked to 3 different representatives with the last one telling me she would not override the decision and that I could send an email with the reasons I think I should be re-issued a card. I was also told that the terms and conditions of the rewards program does not align with my issue. The only thing that I can see in the terms and conditions is that they do not replace lost or stolen cards. I do not feel like my card is lost or stolen because I NEVER had the card in my possession. I feel that this is a terrible way to treat your customers, who happen to be current or former service members, and this goes against anything that Military Star represents.

Well today is the 14th and again; heard nothing. Called again and guess what; we are now planned for the 18th. I guess you can imagine that I am furious about it. The shipping company says they don’t deal with discounts or compensation for laundry service and AAFES says they have no influence on the driver part what takes so long. Great, no one cares I guess. I hope this review gets out there and people get aware of this way of doing business. Believe me; the stress and anger is not worth the ‘tax free’ part...

It's been 11 days since it was supposed to ship and the website states it will ship in two. It took 10 years to find a company that is run worse than the VA and the lack of concern on their part is ridiculous. They need to be sued for false advertising stating they care about active duty and veterans. Worst service ever. Stay away from this place at all cost!!!

I replied to let her know that this is not good service to have a customer waiting so long before notifying him or her of a delay. I also expressed how dissatisfied I was with how military customers received such subpar service. I was contacted via phone and told that if I kept the items, I would receive a 10% discount for being inconvenienced. Fast forward to Oct 29th. I still have not received the items, although my account said the items were shipped on October 17th, AND my card was charged with NO DISCOUNT. I once again contacted Mallory and cc'd Ronn that I had not received anything and had not been contacted by anyone for delivery if the items were, indeed, shipped on the 17th.

I got no response from either, and on today, the 31st, I receive and email stating I have been issued a refund, and they are sorry the items did not meet my expectation. How can I return an item if I never received it? What kind of service is this? This is so unprofessional. I am very disappointed to see that the service military exchange customers receive is total garbage. This is unacceptable. Ive been waiting for a sofa and table for over a month for it to be canceled with no regards to how this makes me feel as a customer. No call or anything... I will never order anything from AAFES again!!!

So the lady put me on hold and came back with, "Are you using the refrigerator," I said yes. She then informed me, "We cannot pick it up because you are using it & we can’t give you the $300 dollar discount because you turned it down." This went on for about a hour, then she came back with, "We can give you 10% off your next purchase, then she back with 15% our final offer next purchase. I said no. To this day no one from Military Star has never called me back, I also was told by the customer service today that it’s not their fault no one called me back. I made the called about the problem but they act like I didn’t call enough. Their customer service people are rude & unprofessional and they don’t keep or honor their word. Please be careful dealing with this company.

I speak from my experience. Was in process of getting a loan but because of this card I got denied and have to wait for another 90 days to reapply for a loan to which I should have been approved for but was not due to this card taking my score down from 653 to 615 honestly in a matter of a day... Avoid this card. It's unknown stuff like this that's hurting us Veterans and this card is suppose to Help us not Hurt us. No matter if you are paying it still will make your credit bad, avoid this headache, and I hate to say that.

Also got an email stating that payment was past due... Get this; it was due on April 20th, 2018... Email was sent March 24th, 2018. Let that sink in. E.C.P. is trying to charge us a late fee, because our bank disputed the charge and pulled the payment back, because that was an unauthorized amount that was debited. I sent them the payment confirmation to confirm with the bank, and they were able to see that more than double our payment was illegally taken out of our account. We call them to figure it out, and first person a few days ago tells us to dispute it through our bank and tells us that they have no idea what happened, and claims everything on their end looks fine.

Call again today to have the late fee removed, so I can make the payment, and was told by a manager that "there's no AAFES error". Their claim is I selected minimum payment due, and the payment they took was the minimum due. I did selected minimum due, but what their system changed it to and what I have confirmation of as far as what the minimum due was are two COMPLETELY different amounts by about $70. If you're a fan of your money going to random accounts, and a fan of your payments being changed, then go ahead and sign right up. I can't say that I know anyone who likes their money being messed with. I've emailed proof of the authorized payment amount, so all I can say is this late fee BETTER be removed, or they're going to have charges for theft from that withdrawal brought on them.

I asked if the return and repurchase and delivery could happen prior to Thanksgiving because I was hosting Thanksgiving and had family coming in from out of state. My father who hadnt been back home for the holidays in over 10 years and my son was moving home due to medical conditions. I was advised that they were extremely backed up and the process would be lengthy. This wasn't ok with me but I decided I would address that when contacted by a representative. Thanksgiving came and went and no contact was made by a representative. On 12/13/17 I received an email at 09:30 pm from Jessica ** in the Customer Care Escalation Team stating that I had 2 days to submit pictures of the sectional and damage in order for a call tag to be issued to have the item picked up.

I was not comfortable with not knowing the process, when it would be picked up and when I could order a new one and receive it as Christmas was right around the corner. I called customer service on 12/14/17 and expressed my concern and asked to speak with Jessica ** in the Customer Care Escalation Team. I was told she was not available. I asked to speak to a supervisor and I was connected to a supervisor by the name of Don. I explained my concerns and that I had questions. That prior to sending in pictures and having the pick up process begin I wanted to understand the process because this was now my only couch. He seemed to understand but was unable to answer my questions and stated he would have Jessica ** call me that evening or the following day because she was in a meeting. The next day came and went and I had not heard from anyone.

I was busy with getting ready for Christmas and bringing my son to cardiologists and gastrointestinal doctors. I decided to continue to wait for a call and if not received I would contact them after the holidays. Then on 12/21/17 I received another email at 09:30pm with no signature stating that apparently I was having difficulties sending the pictures and to send them to a different email address. I was livid, but again was going to call after the holidays if no phone call received. I was convinced that someone would call me if they didn't receive a response to make sure I was receiving the emails or in case I had not seen the emails. On 12/30/17, at 09:30 pm on a Saturday night, 2 days before New Years I received another email stating the claim was being closed with no further review. Again, I am livid.

I called Customer Service on 1/2/18 and spoke to a representative and request to be transferred to the Customer Care Escalation Team, they refused. I requested to speak to a supervisor, I was transferred to Josephine. I explained the situation and why I did not send the pictures in, that I had called to get some clarification and to understand the process and that I was promised a return call. She berated me stating that I received emails and I stated I know. I did but why would you close a claim before calling customer. She continued to state I received emails and I told her, "I don't care if you sent a message in the sky, I was promised a call and I expected a call." I had questions and was not comfortable moving forward without understanding the process. I asked her to transfer me to the Customer Care Escalation Team and she refused. I hung up and then called back.

I spoke to a customer service representative and explained the situation again. They supposedly transferred me to the Customer Care Escalation Team and I spoke to a "supervisor" by the name of Mike ** who was extremely rude and condescending. I once again explained the entire situation and he would say things like, "I don't think you want us to exchange the sectional." When I told him that that is not true I just wanted to speak to someone to understand the process because it was my ONLY couch and I wanted to know how long I would be without a couch he said, "Well, what do you think would happen?" I said, "I DONT KNOW. THAT IS WHY I CALLED!" I asked if it was their policy to not call customers to confirm if they even received an email or to give them the courtesy of a call. If it was policy to be so extremely impersonal. He continued to berate me about being contacted by email.

I asked him if he was really a supervisor and why would I be told I would get a phone call and never get one. That I have never known of any customer service person, especially someone in management to be so rude and calloused to a paying customer. He finally explained the process to me in a very rude manner, that after I submit the pictures that is when someone would call me to either offer me a % off of the purchase or to schedule an exchange. I asked him to reopen the claim and he said he would. He confirmed that I would send the pictures in response to the first email. I stated I would. I asked him for the name of the department manager and he provided me with the name of Josie **. I requested her email and he provided it to me. On January 3, 2018 on sent the pictures in response to the email. By January 9th I still had not received a response.

At this time I wrote a letter to the Dallas corporate headquarter and addressed it to Phillip ** the head of Administration. I wrote Josie ** and email and attached a copy of the complaint letter. As of today, 1/12/2018 I still have received no response. I called the customer service number and spoke to a supervisor by the name of Kathy she stated that once a claim is closed it can not be reopened it had to be reported again, once again I am livid and went through explaining the entire issue I have been having, what Mike ** told me and that I have filed a former complaint with their corporate headquarters in Dallas and that letter should almost be there. She put me on hold and asked me to send the pictures again because they did not receive them. I said I would.

After I got off the phone I first went and filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I then submitted the pictures again, cc'd this Josie **, stated that I had filed a formal complaint with BBB and their corporate office and now I am waiting as I complain here on Consumer Affairs. I see that I am good company and not alone with the horrendous customer service I have received. My husband served 20 years honorably with the Seabees in the United States Navy. Being able to shop at the Exchange is supposed to be one of the benefits of service, however it has been more of a headache than a benefit. I doubt I will EVER purchase such a large ticket item from them again.