diff --git a/components/dashboard/ChatDetail.tsx b/components/dashboard/ChatDetail.tsx
index bf69a43..1eb2637 100644
--- a/components/dashboard/ChatDetail.tsx
+++ b/components/dashboard/ChatDetail.tsx
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export default function ChatDetail({ chatId }: { chatId: string }) {
         }
       });
       
-      const response = await authAxios.get(`/api/chats/${chatId}`);
+      const response = await authAxios.get(`/chats/${chatId}`);
       setChat(response.data);
       setLoading(false);
     } catch (error) {
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export default function ChatDetail({ chatId }: { chatId: string }) {
         }
       });
       
-      await authAxios.post(`/api/chats/${chatId}/message`, {
+      await authAxios.post(`/chats/${chatId}/message`, {
         content: message
       });
       
diff --git a/components/dashboard/ChatList.tsx b/components/dashboard/ChatList.tsx
index 112482e..6eff509 100644
--- a/components/dashboard/ChatList.tsx
+++ b/components/dashboard/ChatList.tsx
@@ -54,9 +54,17 @@ export default function ChatList() {
           }
         });
 
-        // First, get vendor info using the /api/auth/me endpoint
+        // First, get vendor info using the /auth/me endpoint
         const vendorResponse = await authAxios.get('/auth/me');
-        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data._id;
+        
+        // Access correct property - the vendor ID is in vendor._id
+        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data.vendor?._id;
+        
+        if (!vendorId) {
+          console.error("Vendor ID not found in profile response:", vendorResponse.data);
+          toast.error("Could not retrieve vendor information");
+          return;
+        }
         
         // Fetch vendor's stores using storefront endpoint
         const storesResponse = await authAxios.get(`/storefront`);
@@ -99,11 +107,19 @@ export default function ChatList() {
         });
         
         // Get vendor ID from profile
-        const vendorResponse = await authAxios.get('/api/auth/me');
-        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data._id;
+        const vendorResponse = await authAxios.get('/auth/me');
+        
+        // Access correct property - the vendor ID is in vendor._id
+        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data.vendor?._id;
+        
+        if (!vendorId) {
+          console.error("Vendor ID not found in profile response:", vendorResponse.data);
+          toast.error("Could not retrieve vendor information");
+          return;
+        }
         
         // Fetch chats
-        const chatsResponse = await authAxios.get(`/api/chats/vendor/${vendorId}`);
+        const chatsResponse = await authAxios.get(`/chats/vendor/${vendorId}`);
         
         // Filter chats by selected store
         const filteredChats = chatsResponse.data.filter(
@@ -113,7 +129,7 @@ export default function ChatList() {
         setChats(filteredChats);
         
         // Fetch unread counts
-        const unreadResponse = await authAxios.get(`/api/chats/vendor/${vendorId}/unread`);
+        const unreadResponse = await authAxios.get(`/chats/vendor/${vendorId}/unread`);
         setUnreadCounts(unreadResponse.data);
       } catch (error) {
         console.error("Error fetching chats:", error);
diff --git a/components/dashboard/ChatNotifications.tsx b/components/dashboard/ChatNotifications.tsx
index c17a640..753b48c 100644
--- a/components/dashboard/ChatNotifications.tsx
+++ b/components/dashboard/ChatNotifications.tsx
@@ -40,11 +40,16 @@ export default function ChatNotifications() {
           }
         });
         
+        // Get vendor info from profile endpoint - removing /api prefix
         const vendorResponse = await authAxios.get('/auth/me');
-
-        console.log(vendorResponse.data.vendor._id);
-
-        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data.vendor._id;
+        
+        // Access correct property - the vendor ID is in vendor._id
+        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data.vendor?._id;
+        
+        if (!vendorId) {
+          console.error("Vendor ID not found in profile response:", vendorResponse.data);
+          return;
+        }
         
         const response = await authAxios.get(`/chats/vendor/${vendorId}/unread`);
         setUnreadCounts(response.data);
@@ -56,11 +61,11 @@ export default function ChatNotifications() {
             // Create a simplified metadata object with just needed info
             const metadata: Record<string, { buyerId: string }> = {};
             
-            // Fetch each chat to get buyer IDs
+            // Fetch each chat to get buyer IDs - removing /api prefix
             await Promise.all(
               chatIds.map(async (chatId) => {
                 try {
-                  const chatResponse = await authAxios.get(`/api/chats/${chatId}`);
+                  const chatResponse = await authAxios.get(`/chats/${chatId}`);
                   metadata[chatId] = {
                     buyerId: chatResponse.data.buyerId,
                   };
diff --git a/components/dashboard/NewChatForm.tsx b/components/dashboard/NewChatForm.tsx
index e536e9b..eda29ec 100644
--- a/components/dashboard/NewChatForm.tsx
+++ b/components/dashboard/NewChatForm.tsx
@@ -24,16 +24,14 @@ export default function NewChatForm() {
   useEffect(() => {
     const fetchVendorStores = async () => {
       try {
-        // Get auth token from cookies
         const authToken = getCookie("Authorization");
         
         if (!authToken) {
-          toast.error("You need to be logged in");
+          toast.error("You must be logged in to start a chat");
           router.push("/auth/login");
           return;
         }
         
-        // Set up axios with the auth token
         const authAxios = axios.create({
           baseURL: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL,
           headers: {
@@ -41,16 +39,24 @@ export default function NewChatForm() {
           }
         });
         
-        // Get vendor ID from profile
-        const vendorResponse = await authAxios.get('/api/auth/me');
-        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data._id;
+        // Get vendor profile first
+        const vendorResponse = await authAxios.get('/auth/me');
         
-        // Fetch vendor's stores using storefront endpoint
-        const response = await authAxios.get(`/api/storefront`);
-        setVendorStores(response.data);
+        // Extract vendor ID properly
+        const vendorId = vendorResponse.data.vendor?._id;
         
-        if (response.data.length > 0) {
-          setSelectedStore(response.data[0]._id);
+        if (!vendorId) {
+          console.error("Vendor ID not found in profile response:", vendorResponse.data);
+          toast.error("Could not retrieve vendor information");
+          return;
+        }
+        
+        // Fetch stores
+        const storesResponse = await authAxios.get(`/storefront`);
+        setVendorStores(storesResponse.data);
+        
+        if (storesResponse.data.length > 0) {
+          setSelectedStore(storesResponse.data[0]._id);
         }
       } catch (error) {
         console.error("Error fetching stores:", error);
@@ -59,7 +65,7 @@ export default function NewChatForm() {
     };
     
     fetchVendorStores();
-  }, [router]);
+  }, []);
   
   const handleBackClick = () => {
     router.push("/dashboard/chats");