Never thought I would have a Newegg complaint.

I closed the Live Chat box due to receiving canned responses, one after another. So, I called customer service....here's my story.

10 minutes ago I placed an order on Open Box: AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe MCE ATSC/NTSC/QAM Tuner Card w/MCE Remote & L-P Bracket. for $79.99. They also sell this - Open Box: AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe ATSC/NTSC/QAM TV Tuner Card (White Box)w/L-P Bracket for $72.99. Note the lack of MCE remote on the second.

Being open box, I understand the policy - NO ACCESSORIES. However, I was curious about this still...and a little worried. That is what lead me to contact customer service - first via live chat and then, subsequently, via telephone.

Basically what I have found is that even though these two products are different prices with different contents, the remote and receiver is considered an "accessory"...even when you pay for it. I was told neither include this, even after I explained that both were being sold as different open box packages.

If you look for similar packages (i.e. hardware that comes in retail and OEM packages), you will find others just like this one. In this case, it's a very big difference.

My order was canceled, but I have no hard feelings, I am re-ordering and opting for a retail package without remote. I just think it is worth pointing out that this is a bit of a problem in the online catalog.

Open box does not mean NO accessories, only that the accessories might not be there. By Newegg's definition:

Open Box items have been opened and touched and/or returned. Because they originate from different situations, they may or may not include accessories, documentation or retail packaging.

The fact that they actually list the different accessories include is pretty impressive. By their definition, they could sell both the items you listed for the same price, although one is missing the remote.

Knacko said:

Open box does not mean NO accessories, only that the accessories might not be there. By Newegg's definition:

Open Box items have been opened and touched and/or returned. Because they originate from different situations, they may or may not include accessories, documentation or retail packaging.

The fact that they actually list the different accessories include is pretty impressive. By their definition, they could sell both the items you listed for the same price, although one is missing the remote.

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Another contradiction then because this is listed on the item I ordered...and is what prompted me to call:

Newegg Product Description said:

The pictures shown are from the NEW version of this item. If you purchase this Open box product you will receive an OEM BAREBONE, meaning it is just the item itself. Accessory items are NOT INCLUDED with Open box products. Accessories are shown in the pictures so that customers will know what is missing from the item.

Click to expand...

You may defend this practice all you wish. I prefer not to pay for something I'm not getting.

I understand what you're saying. Basically they want you to pay $5 more for exactly the same thing, although with that extra $5 there is a possibility that you may get the remote. It may or may not be worth the $5 gamble for some people.

I have that same card Jon and so far I've been very happy with it. The Avermedia software is a little buggy, but it works.

benbaked said:

I have that same card Jon and so far I've been very happy with it. The Avermedia software is a little buggy, but it works.

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+1 for Avermedia being buggy. Especially on Vista!

benbaked said:

I understand what you're saying. Basically they want you to pay $5 more for exactly the same thing, although with that extra $5 there is a possibility that you may get the remote. It may or may not be worth the $5 gamble for some people.

I have that same card Jon and so far I've been very happy with it. The Avermedia software is a little buggy, but it works.

Click to expand...

There is no possibility...I spoke to them on the phone and was told, flat out, no remote/receiver.

I ended up canceling again and ordering a HDHomeRun from CyberEStore. Nothing against Newegg, just the HDHR is much better (and QAM works in MCE).

Jon said:

There is no possibility...I spoke to them on the phone and was told, flat out, no remote/receiver.

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Was the CS Rep even in the same state as the warehouse? If the item is listed on their site specifically (probably by someone who actually looked in the box), I'd rely on that more than I would some random phone jockey. He's just trying to cover his butt.

Jon said:

There is no possibility...I spoke to them on the phone and was told, flat out, no remote/receiver.

I ended up canceling again and ordering a HDHomeRun from CyberEStore. Nothing against Newegg, just the HDHR is much better (and QAM works in MCE).

Click to expand...

And the reason that they have to say that it is NOT included is because if they say that it might be there then some people will buy it with the hopes of it being there. And if it isn't, then they will return it again. This results in a lot of extra hassle, paperwork, etc for them.

A good rule of thumb is if you really want all of the accessories of the new retail package, buy a new retail package. If you only care about the main item and anything else that might be in the box (pocket lint, accessories, candy corn, etc) is just gravy at the reduced price point you are paying, then take the chance.

Not worth the time and effort.

As stated already, the product description explains,

The pictures shown are from the NEW version of this item. If you purchase this Open box product you will receive an OEM BAREBONE, meaning it is just the item itself. Accessory items are NOT INCLUDED with Open box products. Accessories are shown in the pictures so that customers will know what is missing from the item.

Click to expand...

Aktunka said:

And the reason that they have to say that it is NOT included is because if they say that it might be there then some people will buy it with the hopes of it being there. And if it isn't, then they will return it again. This results in a lot of extra hassle, paperwork, etc for them.

A good rule of thumb is if you really want all of the accessories of the new retail package, buy a new retail package. If you only care about the main item and anything else that might be in the box (pocket lint, accessories, candy corn, etc) is just gravy at the reduced price point you are paying, then take the chance.

Click to expand...

So you're advocating paying for the "hope" that an item may be included...even when there are specifically two separate items (one that says it is included and one that says it is not) listed? You can either answer "yes" or admit you didn't read the situation.

To each his own.

EDIT/UPDATE:

The listing that "includes" the remote/receiver is being taken off the website since it's not actually included. I guess some of you would have been burned by this. The price of loyalty is steep.

Jon said:

There is no possibility...I spoke to them on the phone and was told, flat out, no remote/receiver.

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Their CS department probably gets that question about open box items all the time, he/she was just giving you their canned response.

There is a possibility that some or all of the accessories are included, it depends on what the previous owner returned in the box.

I've done a number of rep chats with Newegg over the last year. I sometimes get the feeling there are sort of two types, almost as if you're connecting to entirely different worlds - it's wierd. Cometimes they seem to be straight canned robots who can't even reply as a person when you say things like 'Hello, are you have a good evening? Happy Halloween' or whatever. Then tehre are the ones that do seem like actual people and are able to understand what your question or concern is. I can usually tell right away which type I get and just try to reconnect when I get the 'wrong' one I really don't know what's behind this feeling but it's definitely something I can tell after a few sentences.

I didn't get a "canned" response over the phone. I was put on hold for a few minutes and then was told it was not included. The online CS just copy/pasted the same thing I can read on the website.

Doesn't matter...I'm seeing "canned" responses from most everyone in this thread

Jon said:

Doesn't matter...I'm seeing "canned" responses from most everyone in this thread

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It may not be a good idea for me to argue with a mod, but I'd have to disagree with you here. To be honest, I don't know what you're talking about. How are these replies "canned responses"?

Jon said:

Aktunka said:

A good rule of thumb is if you really want all of the accessories of the new retail package, buy a new retail package. If you only care about the main item and anything else that might be in the box (pocket lint, accessories, candy corn, etc) is just gravy at the reduced price point you are paying, then take the chance.

Click to expand...

So you're advocating paying for the "hope" that an item may be included...even when there are specifically two separate items (one that says it is included and one that says it is not) listed? You can either answer "yes" or admit you didn't read the situation.

To each his own.

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I don't see where he said that. To me, it seems like he's saying the opposite: that you shouldn't buy the open box item unless you really don't care about the accessories.

Soichiro said:

It may not be a good idea for me to argue with a mod, but I'd have to disagree with you here. To be honest, I don't know what you're talking about. How are these replies "canned responses"?



I don't see where he said that. To me, it seems like he's saying the opposite: that you shouldn't buy the open box item unless you really don't care about the accessories.

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I give up trying to explain it. Every single one of you have either completely missed the point or are only reading what you want. It was an attempt to make you all aware that there are conflicting product descriptions for what are, otherwise, identical products for sale. The catch was that the prices are different too.

Anyway, to each his own.

Well, I hear you Jon. Even if your posts don't all have smilies at the end .

Newegg's (or any online vendor's) refurb sections are suspect. I doubt very much that any of the refurb stuff is strenuously tested, if they ever test it. It's likely an odds game, the odds being most returns and RMAs are not actually broken (change of mind, hardware conflicts, etc). This means they can resell the returned product knowing most of the products they're reselling actually work, and the few that are actually defective end up coming back to them (again) and THEN maybe they don't resell it. The number of defective products that leave the factory is very small when compared to the overall volume of product created. Manufacturing is a fine science and quality testing for most products is really good. How long they last depends more on the individual parts that make up the product, but overall most items work out of the package.

It's a hassle for the customer but not for the vendor since it's not their time or money being wasted chasing failed component issues. If newegg does not do this they can specifically post this (through their ocforums rep), but I suspect we won't be seeing such a rebuttal. [nor would they really have a way of 'proving' they don't, nor would they think it a matter of enough importance to try... so I digress]

PS - I've received refurb parts and know others who regularly buy refurb parts which included everything from the retail package. The CS reps are trained not to promise or even hint at the promise of receiving anything other than the main item/OEM part. It's a gamble, but so is buying anything refurb.

Jon said:

I give up trying to explain it. Every single one of you have either completely missed the point or are only reading what you want. It was an attempt to make you all aware that there are conflicting product descriptions for what are, otherwise, identical products for sale. The catch was that the prices are different too.

Anyway, to each his own.

Click to expand...

The product descriptions differ because they are two different SKUs, even though they are physically the same card, they are different from an inventory standpoint because one originally comes with the remote and receiver while the other one doesn't. I don't know how newegg sets their open box prices but it's probably done automatically by software that takes a percentage discount off of the retail price, since the tuner card that comes with the remote is more expensive then the remote-less product then it makes sense that the open box version of the one that came with the remote would be more expensive too. I've bought plenty of open-box items from newegg in the past and in my experience whatever accessories the previous owner returned to newegg will be included in the box.

If you buy the cheaper open box item that never originally came with the remote then it's pretty much guaranteed you will not get the remote. However, if you buy the one that originally came with the remote then there is a chance that you will get the remote with the open box - depending on how honest or forgetful the previous owner was.

I understand what you are saying - You don't think its right that they charge an extra $6 for what is, according to their refurb policy on included accessories, the exact same product. The product description advertises it as including the remote control because it originally did. For newer customers who aren't familiar with how newegg does the whole open box thing I can see how this would appear to be dishonest on newegg's part, saying that it includes a part even though they state elsewhere that it does not.

Maybe newegg should change the line on their website to state this:

The pictures shown are from the NEW version of this item. If you purchase this Open box product you may receive only an OEM BAREBONE, meaning it is just the item itself. Accessory items MAY OR MAY NOT BE INCLUDED with Open box products. Accessories are shown in the pictures so that customers will know what is potentially missing from the item.

Click to expand...

I think Rattle hit the nail on the head with his explanation of why there were two different listings.

yep, open box @ newegg is a big risk, sometimes i take that risk, so far so good for me. When you order open box item, expect that item alone, if you order a TV capture card, TV tuner, expect the barebone card, so by that deffinition certain open box item is more dangerous than others. Say a video card, that's actually not bad, it ain't got alot of acessories.

here's my story.

Order a new SATA card for 20~ shipped. it came home DOA, so i wanted a refund, sent the card back, cost me 5 bucks, so total is now 25, after all the restocking fees and what have you, they give me back 12 bucks. Basically i got robed 50% by their rules. Lesson learn, never order small stuff from newegg.

Newegg rep, care to drop in?