My Horrible Return Experience with Newegg

[aleader]

I've been buying from them since 2011. I recently bought a monitor, DIDN'T OPEN IT as I changed my mind, and returned it to them at my expense (cost me $60 to ship it back to Ontario, plus I lost the original $10 shipping). I have NEVER returned anything to them before.

I get the return invoice today and here they charged me a $90 restocking fee because they said I opened it!!! What a load of absolute BS!! The box had a small piece of tape holding it closed, that's it. I even taped over that with my shipping label just to be sure it couldn't be tampered with. I chatted with their support, they wouldn't budge. They said I needed to 'prove' that it was unopened. They could easily just slice the tape and say I opened it. What a bush-league joke.

After this experience I will NEVER buy anything from them again. Only Costco, Memory Express, Canada Computers, or Amazon. I've never had any issues returning things to any of them. What a bad taste this leaves in my mouth.

 

[Captante]

I even taped over that with my shipping label just to be sure it couldn't be tampered with

I suspect we have discovered the root of your problem.

Next time don't do that.


EDIT: And I've returned 100's of things to Newegg (including a few recently) with zero issues.

 

[BoomerD]

I only use Newegg for information nowadays. since they became 100% Chinese owned...I've stopped giving them my business.

 

[Captante]

I only use Newegg for information nowadays. since they became 100% Chinese owned...I've stopped giving them my business.

While I understand completely where you're coming from, excluding (effectively) Chinese company's from my "buying list" would make buying nearly anything electronic/computer related pretty tough.

And I've been treated well by Newegg price and CS-wise personally no matter who owns them. (plenty of horror-stories though)

The only slight "loyalty/edge" I give beyond price these days is for local stores ... which for me means Best Buy or Staples!

 

[BoomerD]

While I understand completely where you're coming from, excluding (effectively) Chinese company's from my "buying list" would make buying nearly anything electronic/computer related pretty tough.

And I've been treated well by Newegg price and CS-wise personally no matter who owns them. (plenty of horror-stories though)

The only slight "edge" I give beyond price these days is for local stores... which for me means Best Buy.

yeah, as a devout "China Hater," it pisses me off beyond words that anything I want to buy that is electronics-related will be Made in China. No getting around it. Hell, even most things that are "Made in America" at least contain parts/components/materials that were Made in China.

 

[aleader]

I suspect we have discovered the root of your problem.

Next time don't do that.


EDIT: And I've returned 100's of things to Newegg (including a few recently) with zero issues.

Next time don't do what? It was clear packing tape and you could still see and manipulate the little 3 inch piece of tape that was the only thing holding the box closed on a 34" ultrawide monitor. The shipping label wasn't covering it, the tape was. I guess I misspoke.

Solution, don't buy from Newegg again, and be very wary of buying anything online that I may later return or have issues with (i.e. monitors). Newegg is batting 0% with my one return in over 10 years. It ended up costing me $160 to return it. That's bullsh*t.

For comparison, Costco is batting 100% over the last 35 years, same with Amazon (which I hate buying from). I bought my current monitor from Costco and KNOW that I will never have an issue if I needed to return it. I'm a little surprised by the number of people that swoop in to defend the companies when they screw over customers. You could be next...

 

[aleader]

I only use Newegg for information nowadays. since they became 100% Chinese owned...I've stopped giving them my business.

I didn't realize that, thanks. If even a few people read my posts (here and now 9 other much more populated forums I've posted to) and think twice about buying from them, I'll feel a little better. Seriously, don't they know the old adage about keeping an irate customer happy, especially now that it's so easy to spread my bad experience? $90 is worth it to them? Bush-league.

 

[Captante]

the little 3 inch FACTORY-SEAL

Fixed.

(and the above can happen if you tape over it)


To be fair there's a reason I don't buy stuff like big TV's/monitors or anything else very bulky and expensive online. B&M only unless all returns are free.

 

[UsandThem]

I've had a few issues with Newegg over the years, and although sometimes I had to put in extra work dealing with some of their mistakes, they've eventually fixed it. For example, once I was told to go pound sand by their CS, but that changed once I left a bad review for them (maybe the Google reviews, can't remember which one now). This was when I bought a GPU, it came defective and they had no inventory to replace it with (this was during the mining boom of 2017-2018 timeframe). They then charged me $80 for the crappy software from AMD that came free with a GPU purchase (I never used any of it, but is was not returnable).

That said, it's possible the tape was broken/came loose in shipment back to them.

 

[Muse]

To be fair there's a reason I don't buy stuff like big TV's/monitors or anything else very bulky and expensive online. B&M only unless all returns are free.

Last monitors I bought were around 3 years ago. 3 of them. One I kept, it was through Rakuten, and a lot of other people got in on that and it was delivered and OK. Before that I bought a different make and model (off brand Chinese) off Walmart.com and the box was damaged and I was queasy to open it, so I brought it to a Walmart store, unopened box to return during the Xmas rush and they insisted on opening the box and inspecting the contents... while every one was waiting behind me. They refused to refund me but gave me store credit. I didn't argue. Eventually got goods out of them although someone or something leaked my credit out of my account. That I wouldn't stand for and insisted they resupply my credit.

I bought the same monitor off Newegg, a 40" 4K. When I got it, I set it up and it had a major screen defect. I arranged for a return, it was picked up from my house, IIRC. I got my CC reimbursed.

I bought the same monitor as the Rakuten one (2 of them, TCL 4K 43" Roku TV/monitors) from Costco, picked them off a pallet and took them home in my car. I'd vowed to not buy a monitor online again. Costco was the perfect place to get it, I could pick it off the pallet, inspect the box and if there was any issue bring it back for a full refund. They have a time limit to do that these days, it's not indefinite, but it's solid. Plus they give you an automatic extended warranty. It was last year's model and discounted, but had the exact same features as the current model, so it was a no brainer.

 

[MrSquished]

Haven't used them in years and years. Happened to use them a few times in the last year, including a TCL 6 series tv this January. Good service. TV delivered well too

 

[Captante]

Last monitors I bought were around 3 years ago. 3 of them. One I kept, it was through Rakuten, and a lot of other people got in on that and it was delivered and OK. Before that I bought a different make and model (off brand Chinese) off Walmart.com and the box was damaged and I was queasy to open it, so I brought it to a Walmart store, unopened box to return during the Xmas rush and they insisted on opening the box and inspecting the contents... while every one was waiting behind me. They refused to refund me but gave me store credit. I didn't argue. Eventually got goods out of them although someone or something leaked my credit out of my account. That I wouldn't stand for and insisted they resupply my credit.

I bought the same monitor off Newegg, a 40" 4K. When I got it, I set it up and it had a major screen defect. I arranged for a return, it was picked up from my house, IIRC. I got my CC reimbursed.

I bought the same monitor as the Rakuten one (2 of them, TCL 4K 43" Roku TV/monitors) from Costco, picked them off a pallet and took them home in my car. I'd vowed to not buy a monitor online again. Costco was the perfect place to get it, I could pick it off the pallet, inspect the box and if there was any issue bring it back for a full refund. They have a time limit to do that these days, it's not indefinite, but it's solid. Plus they give you an automatic extended warranty. It was last year's model and discounted, but had the exact same features as the current model, so it was a no brainer.

I really have been trying to avoid saying directly that I feel the OP has perhaps left out a few pertinent details of his "interaction" with Newegg CS? (oh crap guess I just did!)




Combine those aforementioned "neglected details" (read: being rude) with taping over the factory seal thus ensuring that when the shipping guy in the warehouse ripped off OP's tape/label that seal came off with it making it appear he had been less than truthful....

I would bet good money this is exactly what happened.

 

[purbeast0]

Does newegg still charge you $3 for them to maybe ship your item a little early?

I haven't used them since probably 2005.

 

[BoomerD]

I ordered a Samsung 24" monitor from Newegg about 10 years ago. Their webpage stated "3 year warranty," but when I received it, it only had a 1 year warranty. So...I contacted Newegg, explained the situation, sent a screenshot of their webpage and a photo of the Samsung "1 year warranty" printing on the box. Gave them the choice between paying return shipping and refunding my purchase in whole...or providing me with a 3 year extended warranty that was at least as good as the Samsung factory warranty.
They opted for the return.
I went to Best Buy to price match a Dell monitor with Newegg, and not only did they offer to beat Newegg's price (by about $5 IIRC,) they threw in a 3 year geek squad warranty as a deal sweetener.
I'm still using that Dell monitor today.

 

[Captante]

Does newegg still charge you $3 for them to maybe ship your item a little early?

I haven't used them since probably 2005.

Not that I've noticed any time recently.

I ordered a Samsung 24" monitor from Newegg about 10 years ago. Their webpage stated "3 year warranty," but when I received it, it only had a 1 year warranty. So...I contacted Newegg, explained the situation, sent a screenshot of their webpage and a photo of the Samsung "1 year warranty" printing on the box. Gave them the choice between paying return shipping and refunding my purchase in whole...or providing me with a 3 year extended warranty that was at least as good as the Samsung factory warranty.
They opted for the return.
I went to Best Buy to price match a Dell monitor with Newegg, and not only did they offer to beat Newegg's price (by about $5 IIRC,) they threw in a 3 year geek squad warranty as a deal sweetener.
I'm still using that Dell monitor today.

Unfortunately it looks like Newegg is no longer on the "Price-Match" list for Best Buy unless you live locally to a pickup center.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Does newegg still charge you $3 for them to maybe ship your item a little early?

I haven't used them since probably 2005.

Same, I used them back in the day for making 3k+ purchases of new PC builds and plenty of other upgrades when I used to game growing up.

I haven't ordered anything from them in quite some time. Pricing is subpar. Service and shipping is obviously slow and with fees galore.

Some companies learn and others go down the shitter.


As far as monitors, I've been buying mine through Dell, their monitors are all absolutely solid and I've had zero issues with them over the many years - including stuff like dead pixels.

 

[aleader]

Fixed.

(and the above can happen if you tape over it)

To be fair there's a reason I don't buy stuff like big TV's/monitors or anything else very bulky and expensive online. B&M only unless all returns are free.

Actually I asked my son and he confirms I didn't tape over the original tape, I taped around it (on either side), thinking foolishly I guess that it would be better to seal the box up a little better than it was just so I wouldn't get screwed over, and/or the tape came loose in the return shipping. The shipping label was on the FRONT of the box, the tape just stretched over the top where it opens.

Bottom line, they won't get any more of my thousands of dollars of business because they want to fight me over $90. Great business model. I think it's one of the first things we learned in my first marketing class: don't ever screw over a long-time customer for such a petty amount. They will tell at least 10 other people of their bad experience, and that was way before internet posting was a thing. Now I can reach potentially thousands instantly.

From here on, I only buy online from retailers that have physical stores that I can return to, or Amazon as a last resort as they have never screwed me over either. Admittedly, I've been moving that way anyways as I'd rather support jobs in my own community, however little is left of those. Thank you Newegg for sealing the deal.

 

[BoomerD]

I kind of miss the days when "Newegg Guy" used to peruse the forums helping people when they had problems like this.

 

[Captante]

As far as monitors, I've been buying mine through Dell

Same here at least in terms of brand ... my current Dell 32 inch gaming was actually purchased through Best Buy.

As mentioned previously however, I have had zero problems with Newegg. There's just less of a "personal" feel when dealing with them these days.

 

[Captante]

Actually I asked my son and he confirms I didn't tape over the original tape, I taped around it (on either side), thinking foolishly I guess that it would be better to seal the box up a little better than it was just so I wouldn't get screwed over, and/or the tape came loose in the return shipping. The shipping label was on the FRONT of the box, the tape just stretched over the top where it opens.

Bottom line, they won't get any more of my thousands of dollars of business because they want to fight me over $90. Great business model. I think it's one of the first things we learned in my first marketing class: don't ever screw over a long-time customer for such a petty amount. They will tell at least 10 other people of their bad experience, and that was way before internet posting was a thing. Now I can reach potentially thousands instantly.

From here on, I only buy online from retailers that have physical stores that I can return to, or Amazon as a last resort as they have never screwed me over either. Admittedly, I've been moving that way anyways as I'd rather support jobs in my own community, however little is left of those. Thank you Newegg for sealing the deal.

Seriously I'm sorry you got screwed regardless of who is at fault.

I do agree about Amazon CS being far better in terms of getting a real live human who can actually DO something to assist BUT again I've never had any major issue with Newegg that they didn't immediately fix either. (over close to 1500 orders)

The only real suggestion I can make is that moving forward take pictures of everything with your phone. (a date-stamped shot of that factory-seal intact prior to shipment would sure be handy about now no?)

 

[Sukhoi]

Newegg is a bad place to buy a monitor because they require you to have something like 6 dead pixels to get a refund.

 

[Muse]

Newegg is a bad place to buy a monitor because they require you to have something like 6 dead pixels to get a refund.

Wow! I think I'm going to get any new monitors from Costco, as long as they have what I want. Can return, AFAIK for no reason at all in a 90 day window. They also provide an extended warranty. Plus I can pick it right off the pallet. The less handling by middle men the better. I don't want a UPS driver, Amazon warehouseman, etc. tossing my monitor box around. If I buy it at Costco I may be the only person who's ever laid a hand on the box (unless a human does when the pallet is loaded, where... in China?).

 

[Sukhoi]

Wow! I think I'm going to get any new monitors from Costco, as long as they have what I want. Can return, AFAIK for no reason at all in a 90 day window. They also provide an extended warranty. Plus I can pick it right off the pallet. The less handling by middle men the better. I don't want a UPS driver, Amazon warehouseman, etc. tossing my monitor box around. If I buy it at Costco I may be the only person who's ever laid a hand on the box (unless a human does when the pallet is loaded, where... in China?).

Ah I just checked and they got rid of the policy last summer. https://kb.newegg.com/knowledge-base/dead-pixels/ That must have resulted from a whole lot of complaints.

 

[Baked]

The fact that you intentionally taped over the manufacturer tape probably made them very suspicious that you may have done that to cover up your tempering with the manufacturer's tape.

 

[otho11]

They are a step above TigerDirect, but my expectations are low for NewEgg these days. They have good inventory all things considered, but I anticipate dealing with the manufacturer for problems.