We know our customers are anxiously awaiting word on how the PACT Act is going to affect delivery of their vapor orders. We have been working diligently to find solutions and are finally ready to provide an update.
For those who don't know, the PACT Act was snuck through on page 5,136 of the so-called coronavirus relief bill in December of 2020. It is best described by its nickname, the "vape mail ban." The bill prohibits the mailing of vape products to customers through the United States Postal Service (USPS), adds crushingly intricate, frequent and voluminous reporting requirements which represent a nearly insurmountable burden to small and medium sized businesses, and adds sales and delivery requirements that will greatly increase the cost of vaping. The new law is extremely broad and states, "...or any other substance to the user".
Like many other vape companies, SAVEURVAPE had initially hoped that FedEx, UPS and other private carriers would step in to keep vapor order deliveries flowing. However, FedEx quickly backed out voluntarily, announcing that the company would no longer ship vapor products due to the onerous reporting requirements and restrictions imposed by the PACT Act. Unfortunately, UPS has now followed suit as has DHL and all other major and feasible carriers.
We will be announcing full details of the program as soon as we have them. Even though we anticipate that we will be able to continue to ship, there will undoubtedly be some zip codes that will be excluded, at least initially. Shipping costs will almost certainly go up. Adult I.D. with signature on delivery will be required for every order, which means an adult will have to plan to be available when the order is delivered. Moreover, the first few months of PACT Act compliance will undoubtedly be a bit of a bumpy rode to navigate.
We urge our customers to plan ahead. Plan for possible temporary delivery interruptions. Plan for an increase in shipping costs. Stock up now so that you can get through any bumpy transition period without running out of vapor products.
The PACT Act was clearly designed to stop the vape industry. It is difficult to over state the drain on vapor companies that this act represents. Companies will be forced to hire a full time individual(s) or outsource to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars per year just to keep up with the onerous and complex monthly reporting requirements. Many companies are also facing complex state and local tax and delivery requirements that most online stores are just not built to comply with. For many vapor companies, these challenges will be too great. We expect many companies are going to be put out of business by the PACT Act.
Make no mistake, that was the intention. This Act was meant to destroy an industry and for no good reason. USPS has for years offered adult signature verification on delivery for $6.70 with any order. Nothing is gained by forcing e-vapor companies through these ridiculous hoops. Moreover, the extremely short period granted for companies to figure out how to comply was clearly intended to force as many as possible to give up.
While exact details are coming soon, we can say this now: SAVEURVAPE will continue to work towards the goal line. We haven't given up in over a decade and this won't be the one to force us to. Thank you for your years of loyalty and trust.