Newegg 15% restocking fee plus cost of return shipping?

[Chosonman]

I remember when I first started ordering from them they would email you a UPS label for returns. And 15% restocking fee?

I must have place about 100 orders through them. I never realized this until now. They're prices aren't that great either. I'd rather go to my local MicroCenter it's not worth all the hassle anymore.

edit: Newegg has graciously provided me a shipping label for my return item and waived the restocking fee. Thank you Newegg.

 

[RallyMaster]

Because the economy sucks now.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Was the item opened? If so, they have to sell it as open box with a discount. Passing that cost on to you is more than fair.

Even without that it costs them money to put items back into inventory.

Why should I pay higher prices to cover for your buying mistakes?

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Was the item opened? If so, they have to sell it as open box with a discount. Passing that cost on to you is more than fair.

Even without that it costs them money to put items back into inventory.

Why should I pay higher prices to cover for your buying mistakes?

The item was an OEM DVD drive that wasn't compatible with my motherboard. No they don't have to pay for my mistake. I never asked them to. But seeing as how I've been a loyal customer for almost 10 years and that the last time I returned something to them they provided me free shipping and no restocking fee... And seeing as I have other options to do my shopping...

So my question is when/why did they change there return policy and go from my #1 e-tailer to just another e-tailer?

 

[Chosonman]

Why should I pay higher prices to cover for your buying mistakes?

Let's just hope you never have to return anything.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Chosonman

Why should I pay higher prices to cover for your buying mistakes?

Let's just hope you never have to return anything.

If I buy the wrong product and need to return it I'll understand that my mistake costs Newegg money, and that I should pay for it instead of other customers. My mistake, my responsibility.

So my question is when/why did they change there return policy and go from my #1 e-tailer to just another snake in the grass e-tailer?

They still offer excellent customer service, they have just chosen to keep prices low for everyone by not subsidizing mistakes like this with higher prices. Hardly a "snake in the grass" attitiude to take.

If you're afraid of this happening again, you can pay a little extra for every order as "mistake insurance" somewhere else.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Chosonman

Why should I pay higher prices to cover for your buying mistakes?

Let's just hope you never have to return anything.

If I buy the wrong product and need to return it I'll understand that my mistake costs Newegg money, and that I should pay for it instead of other customers. My mistake, my responsibility.

So my question is when/why did they change there return policy and go from my #1 e-tailer to just another snake in the grass e-tailer?

They still offer excellent customer service, they have just chosen to keep prices low for everyone by not subsidizing mistakes like this with higher prices. Hardly a "snake in the grass" attitiude to take.

If you're afraid of this happening again, you can pay a little extra for every order as "mistake insurance" somewhere else.

I've noticed throughout the years their prices keep going up and they're not the lowest by any means. What kept me shopping there was their customer service and their return policy (or what I thought was their return policy.) You make the assumption I don't take the time to think about my order before I place them. Son.... Don't let me have to lecture you on what I do as hobby and as a living...

The other option is to shop somewhere where else... by gosh!

edit: I choose "Snake in the grass" because that's what I think of e-tailers that charge restocking fees. I'm somewhat ok with the idea of paying shipping but what's up with 15%? If I buy something at Target they don't charge restocking fees and their overhead is much higher. It's called good customer service.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
So my question is when/why did they change there return policy and go from my #1 e-tailer to just another snake in the grass e-tailer?

As far as I know, that's always been their policy on opened product.

It's pretty tough for a local store to compete with Newegg. Especially when you consider sales tax (which I don't pay with Newegg), gasoline, and the value of my time. When I drive to my local Fry's Electronics, it takes a minimum of one hour to drive, shop, go through the checkout line. Plus it's $5 in gas and 8% sales tax.

 

[Chosonman]

I'm really not going to sweat it too much. I've been comparing prices with my local MicroCenter and they're virtually identical in price (even after tax and cheaper for Cases since theirs no hefty shipping fee) and I can go there to return something anytime. I'm just a little disjointed that the "Legendary Service Customer Service" that newegg had is no more. I'm not trying to be facetious I mean that sincerely.

edit: I'll probably still stop by and check out the reviews and do my comparisons there.

 

[DaveSimmons]

The cost still has to go somewhere, to other customers if not to you.

FYI, this is standard for online stores:

ZipZoomFly:
All returns must be shipped freight prepaid.
All related fees (shipping & return shipping fees) are NON-REFUNDABLE for all products in all cases.
15% restocking fee applies to all refunds.

Mwave.com:
We offer a 30 day money back guarantee for all products, except memory and processors, which carry a 7 day money back guarantee. All shipping charges are non-refundable.
A 15% restocking fee will be applied to any non-defective products. To request a refund, please visit the following link:

It sounds like buying locally is a good option for you though.

 

[Chosonman]

Dave I think I already made my point. But if you insist on discussing cost why not also consider customer service. If consumers where driven by cost alone how can any business be successful?

 

[DaveSimmons]

There is a balance for that, the customer is not always right.

Stores used to offer very liberal 30-day trials of camcorders and big-screen TVs, but customers abused this by treating this as a free rental option for taping weddings and watching big games.

Newegg and the other parts stores probably have run into something similar: too many returns cost them too much money, so they either had to charge everyone or charge the people making the returns. Even with the restocking fee Newegg probably lost money on your order after paying the wages of the warehouse and customer server workers.

Stores that offer no-questions-asked no-cost returns get the money to pay for their policy one way or another, either by charging more on everything or by counting on a few wildly overpriced items like $20 USB cables.

Newegg does offer great service, just not this freebie that they might have offered 4-5 years ago and found cost them too much. Your other return might even have been a special case, where they would normally have charged but waived the charge for some reason.

Anyway, we can agree to disagree, but I definitely disagree with labelling standard practice as "snake in the grass."

 

[seemingly random]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
I remember when I first started ordering from them they would email you a UPS label for returns. And 15% restocking fee? WTH?

I must have place about 100 orders through them. I never realized this until now. They're prices aren't that great either. I'd rather go to my local MicroCenter it's not worth all the hassle anymore.

Discovered this change in policy and attitude a year ago - when the economy was going gangbusters. I've purchased many items from them over the years. I purchased several items mistakenly (brain fart) and since I was rma'g a couple of other pieces, thought it would be no big deal to stuff the unopened, mis-ordered pieces also. This all went as planned except they charged the restocking fee. I felt like this should be forgiven being a returning customer and the fact that the items were still sealed (I've gotten obviously previously opened product from them but never complained). Through email, they effectively blew me off. Oh well, it's their business. It was only about $30 restocking fee but they've lost ~ $4000 in sales since then. Priorities change. There is no other defense. I don't care if some abuse them - I don't and never have.

So now instead of blindly always going to newegg to buy computer/electronics, I shop around first. I've found several more attractive deals at buy.com and amazon. So, really, I should thank them.

The egg religious fervor has faded.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: Chosonman

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Was the item opened? If so, they have to sell it as open box with a discount. Passing that cost on to you is more than fair.

Even without that it costs them money to put items back into inventory.

Why should I pay higher prices to cover for your buying mistakes?

The item was an OEM DVD drive that wasn't compatible with my motherboard. No they don't have to pay for my mistake. I never asked them to. But seeing as how I've been a loyal customer for almost 10 years and that the last time I returned something to them they provided me free shipping and no restocking fee... And seeing as I have other options to do my shopping...

So my question is when/why did they change there return policy and go from my #1 e-tailer to just another snake in the grass e-tailer?

Someone call the waaaambulance...

When did they "change" their return policy? I don't know exactly, but I know it's somewhere in the neighborhood of when they began business. They just didn't always follow the policy in the past, but a restocking fee was always the policy.

Why not just make it complete and complain that Newegg doesn't ship via FedEx anymore.

 

[Blain]

Why isn't this thread posted in the "I Must Rant" forum?

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Blain

Why isn't this thread posted in the "I Must Rant" forum?

Valid point, Blain. Seems that we have a lot of folks who are separated from reality. Someone has to cover the costs of doing business these days. Shipping is going up almost like healthcare. The world is full of "Cheap Charlies."

 

[JackMDS]

I would see it more beneficial if Ranters spend 50% of their time on Ranting, and the other 50% helping themselves and others to find alternatives.

But I guess it is easer to keep Ranting.

 

[Zepper]

Yup, my mistake - I pay. But lots of people are spoiled by formerly lax enforcement of policies which have been greatly tightened recently. IAC, I often see that the Egg's Open Box items sell for the same or even more than a new one of the same item and they should guarantee that you get all accys with Open Box as their policy is that returns contain ALL original items and packaging. That's is one thing about the Egg that I do despise - the pig-in-a-poke crap shoot on Open Box items. As always, caveat emptor... And I agree that the Egg's prices are unlikely to be the best any more, even from an equally reliable, top-rank reseller.
. Finally, I can't imagine a DVD burner being incompatible with a mobo. About the only sitch where that might be is if it is a SATA burner and the integrated SATA 150 controller doesn't support ATAPI. If that is the case, I'd get an add-on SATA controller that does support ATAPI instead of messing with an RMA as I'd likely come out ahead on cost over return shipping + restocking fee.

.bh.

 

[Old Hippie]

Some of these companies have to be ecstatic when certain individuals don't purchase from them anymore.

With the amount of whining and crying they hear from some customers, I'm sure they'd gladly give them 10.00 to shop somewhere else.

 

[networkman]

So Newegg has a different policy now than you're used to seeing.. so what?!? If you don't like it, shop somewhere else! It's not like Newegg is only place to shop on the internet. For my own needs, I often browse http://www.geeks.com , http://www.pacificgeek.com , http://www.compucycle.net , http://www.deepsurplus.com and numerous others.

If you really don't like it, make sure to leave a comment with their customer support dept and introduce your credit card/bank accout to other vendors.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: networkman
So Newegg has a different policy now than you're used to seeing.. so what?!? If you don't like it, shop somewhere else! It's not like Newegg is only place to shop on the internet. For my own needs, I often browse http://www.geeks.com , http://www.pacificgeek.com , http://www.compucycle.net , http://www.deepsurplus.com and numerous others.

If you really don't like it, make sure to leave a comment with their customer support dept and introduce your credit card/bank accout to other vendors.

:thumbsup:

 

[DaveSimmons]

There's almost no escape (networkman's stores):

Geeks.com:
All sales are final. Return of non-defective product within the first 30 days from date of purchase are subject to a 15% Return Fee.

PacificGeek.com:
Returns:
... (Note all refusals & Non-Defective returns will be subject to a 20% restocking fee).

Compucycle.net:
A 25% restocking fee will be charged on any return without an RMA number, as well as returns due to buyer's remorse, abuse or refusal to take delivery.

DeepSurplus:
Restocking Fee: None, we simply don't feel right about charging our customers to return a perfectly good item.

So far that's only 1 out of 7 I checked that doesn't charge a restocking fee.

This is just to point out that newegg has not been doing anything shady by charging a restocking fee for the last 5? years, it's the standard practice for online computer/parts stores.

 

[Texun]

They have done this for as far back as I can remember. I've been hammered on the 15% restocking fee a number of times - which seems about on par with other suppliers.

 

[Dman877]

I've stuck with the egg over the years because of the user reviews (not always useful but for some things, they can be very handy) and the many pictures they have of all their items. It's annoying as hell to be shopping for a case and not knowing what it looks like from all angles. I haven't bought much lately, nor have I looked at other e-stores but when I used to cross-shop, I found that I always had to go to newegg to see what I wanted to buy, even if it ended up coming from a different place.

As far as newegg's return policy, I've been buying from them since their inception and IIRC they've always had a restocking fee. Maybe you were thinking of a different store? I just consider that the risk involved when you shop online. Pay more at a B&M but have easy return service, or pay less online but get screwed if you have to return it...

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
edit: I choose "Snake in the grass" because that's what I think of e-tailers that charge restocking fees. I'm somewhat ok with the idea of paying shipping but what's up with 15%? If I buy something at Target they don't charge restocking fees and their overhead is much higher. It's called good customer service.

Maybe because only an idiot would compare a Fortune 50 company vs. an smaller online retailer who specializes in one particular segment of the market. Not to mention that Target has thousands of stores and employees who can sort through things at each location to restock something on a shelf easily. How many employees do you think Newegg has? How many locations do they have? How much time should they spend dealing with A-holes like you who waste their time buying and returning products that there is nothing wrong with?

We won't even get into how much time and manhours Newegg has to spend unpacking and sorting UPS boxes, matching them to the return and testing (or sending to the manufacture) each product.

I guess it's all Neweggs fault!!!