Newegg Catch 22

[mgburroughs]

Newegg sucks!
Last saturday my Macbook pro died and I decided to buy a new one. Went on Newegg, picked the model I wanted, used the same AMEX card that I have used for 100 previous purchases, and zoomed off the order.
Amex called a little while later to verify the transaction, $2600.
Because I REALLY need the laptop I called this morning to verify everything was OK. They asked me a bunch of questions and said all was OK.
6 hours later they sent me an order cancellation. They said they couldn't verify the payment. I called AMEX and all is OK. There is also a $2600 hold on my account from Newegg.
The cancellation notice told me that the order was dead and I have to start over.
So I put the order in again and they said the card is declined. Yup, it's the $2600 hold they already have on my account.
Now I'm stuck. No laptop, no order, $2600 hold and no response from Newegg.
Shop somewhere else.

 

[madhatter256]

Happened to me before, give it a day for it to process. Next time, just go to your local apple store.

 

[pcgamer4life]

Your order was cancelled due to (presumably) AMEX's mistake (since, after all, they are the ones verifying your payment, regardless of what they told you), you can't expect the hold to clear up instantaneously..

 

[mgburroughs]

No need to throw AMEX under the bus. They approved the charge after calling me on Saturday night to verify. They also bent over backwards to help me.
The real mess is Newegg. Very complicated verification protocols. There is a basic attitude that you are a criminal trying to rip them off until you prove otherwise.
After 7 calls (REALLY) to various managers at Newegg, including one who wouldn't even talk to me, I finally got them to acknowledge the $2600 hold. Then I told them to ship me my computer or release the hold. More stalling ensued.
I got AMEX on a conference call with Newegg and Newegg finally released the hold.
Then, I called MacMall and ordered the same computer from them for $50 less.
Verification went smoothly and my computer shipped within hours. I will receive it tomorrow. Then they called me to let me know the shipment had gone and thanked me for my business.
The difference between Newegg and MacMall was like night and day. One sincerely appreciated my business while the other behaved like a corporate giant that doesn't give a crap about the customer.
I thought you all should know.

 

[freakdiablo]

...Newegg is a corporate giant that doesn't give a crap about the customer, that's why they lost a sale due to verification procedures that are in place to protect both parties involved, including the customer, right? I've made several large ($1000+) purchases from newegg, and had one or two similar situations similar to this one, and I'm sorry, but they've been on the credit card side and not neweggs side. I've been a loyal newegg customer, and because of their helpful CS I will continue to be one. Sorry you had trouble, but I'm not about to drop them for a company I've never heard of.

 

[wagex]

i buy stuff from there almost weekly, never had any issues with either business nor personal accounts.

i mean it sucks that this happened to you, but if they didnt have these safe guards in place and some stranger grabbed your card and went on newegg and bought themselves a new mac... would you not be just as upset and furious? id imagine so.

half dozen one way 6 another.

 

[thobel]

i buy stuff from there almost weekly, never had any issues with either business nor personal accounts.

i mean it sucks that this happened to you, but if they didnt have these safe guards in place and some stranger grabbed your card and went on newegg and bought themselves a new mac... would you not be just as upset and furious? id imagine so.

half dozen one way 6 another.

agreed I have spent tens of thousands with them and my biggest complaint was an RMA right after Christmas took a few days longer then normal

 

[mgburroughs]

I'm not upset about the security protocols. But I have been a Newegg customer for many hears and have built at least 10 gaming and workstation computers buying stuff from them and using the same AMEX card.Most of those orders were routine and everything was fine. Probably spent $20,000+
My problem was the total lack of accountability when things got messed up. They just made me feel like they didn't care. They kept blaming AMEX until I put them on a conference call and then their attitude changed.
In my opinion its not what happens during routine business that matters. Its about helping the customer when things get screwed up.
Make your own choices.
I just offered my experience to all of you to inform, not judge.
Certainly Newegg is a good company. They need some critical feedback so they can improve.
Cause you're only as good as your last mistake.

 

[pcgamer4life]

No need to throw AMEX under the bus. They approved the charge after calling me on Saturday night to verify. They also bent over backwards to help me.
The real mess is Newegg. Very complicated verification protocols. There is a basic attitude that you are a criminal trying to rip them off until you prove otherwise.
After 7 calls (REALLY) to various managers at Newegg, including one who wouldn't even talk to me, I finally got them to acknowledge the $2600 hold. Then I told them to ship me my computer or release the hold. More stalling ensued.
I got AMEX on a conference call with Newegg and Newegg finally released the hold.
Then, I called MacMall and ordered the same computer from them for $50 less.
Verification went smoothly and my computer shipped within hours. I will receive it tomorrow. Then they called me to let me know the shipment had gone and thanked me for my business.
The difference between Newegg and MacMall was like night and day. One sincerely appreciated my business while the other behaved like a corporate giant that doesn't give a crap about the customer.
I thought you all should know.

I wasn't "throwing AMEX under the bus," I was just saying that the verification is done on AMEX's end, not Newegg's. If the verification failed, it was more than likely AMEX's mistake, even if they told you on the phone that it wasn't. Obviously it could have been handled by Newegg more eloquently, but that doesn't change the fact that in Newegg's eyes, your purchase was denied by the credit card company.. that throws up a red flag and of course they're going to be a little hesitant in just shipping your order or releasing the hold. If some Joe-Blow CSR took your first call and said "Oh, sorry about that, I'll just go ahead and ship your order," chances are he'd get canned when the hold got lifted. They've got to cover their asses to prevent losses, and if that means inconveniencing a single customer for a couple hours, then I don't think they (or any company) would hesitate to do it.

Glad you got it all straightened out though!

 

[Contra]

Next time, just go to your local apple store.

areed

 

[bob4933]

Interesting first post. Any chance he's affiliated with this "macmall" place?

 

[mgburroughs]

I wasn't "throwing AMEX under the bus," I was just saying that the verification is done on AMEX's end, not Newegg's. If the verification failed, it was more than likely AMEX's mistake, even if they told you on the phone that it wasn't. Obviously it could have been handled by Newegg more eloquently, but that doesn't change the fact that in Newegg's eyes, your purchase was denied by the credit card company.. that throws up a red flag and of course they're going to be a little hesitant in just shipping your order or releasing the hold. If some Joe-Blow CSR took your first call and said "Oh, sorry about that, I'll just go ahead and ship your order," chances are he'd get canned when the hold got lifted. They've got to cover their asses to prevent losses, and if that means inconveniencing a single customer for a couple hours, then I don't think they (or any company) would hesitate to do it.

Glad you got it all straightened out though!

You are correct. I suspect that AMEX was part of the delay. The difference is they went out of their way to quickly help me. Amazing service. (I've been a member since 1982).
Newegg, in stark contrast made me FEEL like they didn't care. I can respect them being careful about $2600 computers. But after they CANCELLED the order, they just couldn't be bothered with releasing the hold. When there was no risk and no open order, they just left me hanging. Their attitude was "just wait a FEW DAYS, and the hold will drop off".
Problem is, I needed that MACBOOK yesterday. I desperately needed the hold released. It only took 5 phone calls and AMEX intervening to get that done.
All Newegg ever needed to do was call AMEX Authorizations and give them the cancellation code. They couldn't be bothered until I forced the issue.

 

[mgburroughs]

Interesting first post. Any chance he's affiliated with this "macmall" place?

Ouch! Thanks for the nice welcome.
I just wanted you to know my experience.
I work in the Custom Wheel industry in Florida.

 

[machausta]

Interesting first post. Any chance he's affiliated with this "macmall" place?

I hate to break it to you guys, but macmall has been around longer than newegg

2001 vs 1987 (as a part of PC Mall)

 

[bob4933]

Ouch! Thanks for the nice welcome.
I just wanted you to know my experience.
I work in the Custom Wheel industry in Florida.

I know who you are. I've bought some 997 rims from you before if you are who I think you are.


Just seemed like a strange first post is all. Newegg is pretty solid at customer service; although I wouldn't discount your experience, its just not likely to happen much. I would chalk it up to you having a bad experience, not really worth slamming newegg

I hate to break it to you guys, but macmall has been around longer than newegg

2001 vs 1987 (as a part of PC Mall)

Sarcasm my friend lol.

 

[mgburroughs]

Overall, I agree that Newegg does a good job.
They really screwed the pooch on this one and I think they deserve the criticism.
Just my two cents.

I did sell you the wheels. Hope you enjoyed them.

 

[bob4933]

Overall, I agree that Newegg does a good job.
They really screwed the pooch on this one and I think they deserve the criticism.
Just my two cents.

I did sell you the wheels. Hope you enjoyed them.

Haha small world Shame you were under such a time crunch, I have no doubt newegg would have fixed it and nabbed you a better price too.

 

[machausta]

Sarcasm my friend lol.

Yesterday must have been an off day for me...

 

[m715]

Interesting first post. Any chance he's affiliated with this "macmall" place?

Sarcasm my friend lol.

I didn't catch the sarcasm either...I was going to post a more detailed reply till I saw your reply

Early on I was a mac person so in some of my student positions at the university we would buy a lot from MacMall, they were a very good company then...haven't bought anything from them in years now...

In general I have had very good customer service with newegg, they have fixed pretty much all the problems I had, sometimes it would take contacting them 2 or 3 times but they would make it right in the end.

I have had credit card authorization problems with them, usually it take a couple of days for the charges to drop off. Back when I was deal shopping this resulted in me missing a few deals because of the problems from both newegg's side and the credit cards side...this could be very frustrating...