Is it normal to have to pay to ship a RMA'ed item back to the e-tailer?

[yllus]

While I've been around forever online, I've generally stayed away from smaller online retailers because it's often a better deal to buy retail (but using a hot deal).

A week ago I bought a power supply unit (PSU) from NCIX.com, and it was dead on arrival. Crap. Call them up and they authorize me a RMA, but say that I have to pay the non-refundable shipping fee back to them - which is $15 or so for a $35 item. While I realize due to their terms of sale I have no recourse, I was wondering if this is the case with all of the major mid-sized online retailers? I'll stick to the big retailers if so if that's true.

Boo-urns.

 

[BigJ]

I know that's how it is with Newegg.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Yes.

 

[DorkBoy]

Yes

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Note: it is also normal, NOT to have to pay them to ship the replacement.

The RMA process is really a loss on both ends.

 

[SuperToilet]

Originally posted by: DorkBoy
Yes

 

[yllus]

Well damn. I realize that they're often just resellers and it's their fault that the item is DOA as much as it is mine, but that really bites. I guess I'll stick to big companies and their more generous terms of sale.

 

[dartworth]

Will the PS fit in a USPS flat rate box?

 

[homercles337]

I had to send TWO mobos back to newegg once and managed to get them to credit me with the charges. You just have to use the old, "i really think your company is great, but ... "

 

[DaveSimmons]

It's true for a lot of big etailers as well. Big or small, you usually pay the shipping back then they pay the shipping of the replacement to you.

Sometimes for something cheap but heavy (like a $20 case) they might tell you to just keep / throw away the defective one instead of shipping it back.

 

[HonkeyDonk]

$15 to ship a PSU?

try fedex ground or UPS ground, i bet it'll be no more than $6-7

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: dartworth
Will the PS fit in a USPS flat rate box?

The fat USPS flatrate box is pretty big, and should fit any consumer PSU.