RMA Rejected-End User Damage

[Kamel]

I used Newegg exclusively pretty much from 2000 to 2008 or so. At that time their pricing, and policies began to change and I gradually moved away from them.

That's basically my exact same story. I think I moved away in 2009 though, when I tried to cancel and re-purchase a TV due to having an incorrect billing info the payment was stuck. When I went to re-purchase, it had risen almost $200 in price. I ask newegg support to take care of the problem (just knowing that I wouldn't have any problems doing so). After arguing with the overseas rep, I demanded a manager who gave me the same answer.

Needless to say, I went elsewhere for the TV and am glad I did. We ended up getting an LG TV from amazon, and the entire experience was wonderful. This actually marks the beginning of me using Amazon (I think I used them like once before that time).

I wrote an unfavorable review for them on resellerratings.com (where I was originally introduced to newegg back around 2000). I got contacted by an American rep who was amazing. He gave me a substantial credit to use as I pleased, and in return I updated my review.

I then continued to have trouble with newegg, and am no longer willing to give them any more "chances" to get their crap together. I realized the only reason they offered me a credit was basically to buy their way out of a bad review. I am a man of principle, I can't be bribed.

It's one thing to be genuinely sorry and realize something just didn't go right and try to do the right thing by offering some sort of credit etc. It's another thing entirely to not give a crap about what happened and just try to buy your way out of bad reviews.

 

[larrymoencurly]

Is there any way you can borrow a newer CPU that's compatible with the motherboard?

Assuming the plastic cover for the CPU socket was reinstalled carefully after the CPU was removed, here's what actually happened with the return: a NewEgg inspector removed the cover wrong and bent some pins. If that's not true, then NewEgg will gladly show your friend the video of that employee doing the job properly, and many companies do video their employees who handle orders and returns. Did your friend mention in his review at NewEgg.com or in their EggXpert.com forums?

Your friend should file a written "billing error" complaint to the credit card issuer and mail (via US Postal Service) it to the special address for billing problems (delivery anywhere else will not necessarily protect his rights, contrary to what the card issuer may say), preferrably before paying the bill. He should say he "does not accept" the product and that he's "worked in good faith" with the merchant. All those quoted terms should be mentioned because apparently they have special legal meanings. The card issuer is responsible for making your friend's bill correct, even if he provides no proof (it should be provided anyway, but the card issuer cannot demand it as a condition for investigation), even if they can't collect from the merchant (actually they always can because merchant accounts always require setting up a contingency fund). It's not unusual for card issuers to botch the investigation and reject the claim. Phoning them usually reverses their decision, but written, mailed complaints can always be refiled. It also doesn't hurt to complain to BBB.org, the California attorney general, ResellersRated.com, Yelp, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.

 

[Nebulous]

Well I received my mini ITX board/cpu & case. Upon careful inspection everything is perfect. Built and running perfectly so no problems to report.
Looks like I keep my winning streak

Hope you get this problem resolved dylskee. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

[EarthDog]

Thank you for your useful contribution to this thread, I appreciate your apparent well thought out reply.

Apologies... I should have explained why I posted that.

I understand your plight, but, going to the BBB when you have no proof that when you sent the board back not damaged, is interesting. I have dealt with the BBB from both sides of the coin, and unless newegg rolls over because "its the BBB" that is your only chance to get it back since it is your word against theirs. I have to imagine that newegg people are not damaging boards they receive. Although maybe it was an accident at newegg and the person that did it did not fess up, who knows. On the flip side, perhaps you missed seeing the bent pins? How bad were they? Don't they usually send a picture showing the damage? Was it obvious?

Like Janus said, take pics before you send it off. I have never been burned by newegg, but I make damn well sure that I snap pics before I send anything off. I have pics of all my FS items (more than in the thread) even just because I don't want to get screwed. For every honest person out in the world, there are two people trying to get one over on companies, so please understand where they are coming from too.

That said, contact the newegg rep on here and see if he will help. From what I have seen, reasonable claims get handled with a positive outcome, so that is the direction I would go (and would have went before the BBB).

I am sorry this happened, and good luck getting this resolved.

 

[dylskee]

Well the BBB was absolutely no help at all, Newegg claims I bent the pins so that's it........ Newegg saved $80.00 from a 12 year LOYAL customer, hope it was worth it because I'll never spend another dime with them! And I build at least two computers a month. I just built 5 last month alone for the company I work for. Luckily I'm a firm believer of Karma and Newegg will not survive with antics like this for very long.

 

[sobe]

Might be worth attempting to get ahold of the NewEgg rep here on the forums.

 

[Kamel]

Well the BBB was absolutely no help at all, Newegg claims I bent the pins so that's it........ Newegg saved $80.00 from a 12 year LOYAL customer, hope it was worth it because I'll never spend another dime with them! And I build at least two computers a month. I just built 5 last month alone for the company I work for. Luckily I'm a firm believer of Karma and Newegg will not survive with antics like this for very long.

I recommend rating them poorly in official vendor review places... This will both help others be warned about the practices of the company, and they may contact you to make it right once you've done that.

 

[EarthDog]

Might be worth attempting to get ahold of the NewEgg rep here on the forums.

No doubt.. that was mentioned a couple times in this thread...

 

[Robert17]

Having read all the posts, I'll chime in.

Not to comment on who's right or wrong, just this observation. I've read, and seen, that etailers are taking over commerce, brick and mortar stores have no future, etc. It's this kind of story that makes me think otherwise. Whereas it's easy to have a customer service rep sitting in an office thousands of miles from the action, dispensing RMAs or Go-aways without having any skin in the game, it's much more costly from every perspective to actually meet your customers, interact with them, eyeball them. And yet it seems that the B&M stores hang on. Want to guess why, and at extra expense?

It is a fact (don't bother to argue with me on this as you'll be wasting your time) that ultimately people do business with people that they like. And it's much easier to like someone that you physically encounter than a disembodied voice on a phone. Not to say phone people are unlikeable, just that all the dynamics of interaction in person are much stronger and add legitimacy to a relationship than otherwise. It's also easier to dislike someone you physically interact with. Body language is a big deal in your discernment and judgement of other people whether you realize it or not.

If you have an RMA and you walk into a store in person to discuss it there is an entirely different circumstance that a phone call and UPS can't match. Maybe you still won't get an exchange or refund but the chances that your efforts will pay off are substantially higher than over the phone. And a B&M cares if you come back, and tells your friends to join you. Etailers not so much. With an etailer it is simply numbers. B&M, you might see them in church, the grocery, or your kid's little league game. It's personal.

 

[dylskee]

I recommend rating them poorly in official vendor review places... This will both help others be warned about the practices of the company, and they may contact you to make it right once you've done that.

I've done that, reseller ratings.

No doubt.. that was mentioned a couple times in this thread...

I don't think it's useful to contact him, the BBB wasn't able to help me so I'm sure he'll have no luck either. He hasn't been logged on in over a month and hasn't contributed to the forum for over a year, don't think he'd be much help here. Plus, the damage has been done, giving me a refund at this point will accomplish nothing. Thanks for all your replies though, very much apprciated!

 

[EarthDog]

Try him is all we are saying. He logged in and helped someone via PM a month ago because of a thread on here.

 

[sobe]

Try him is all we are saying. He logged in and helped someone via PM a month ago because of a thread on here.

This, because you might be surprised how getting ahold of a forum rep can help things.

The RMA'ing of bent cpu pins is like a hallmark for NewEgg over the past few years, but as has been mentioned previously, you have to take pictures from unboxing, you just have to make it a habit.

If they refuse, lawyer up with pics/video and get more than you deserve out of their poor practice.

Just an option, as you DID pay for something that was not as advertised, so false advertising in an essence of things. (Assuming you have pictures/video)



Just as a reminder, this is why I choose Amazon over NewEgg most of the time, Amazon does not hassle the customer over things such as bent cpu pins.

 

[dylskee]

Well, after my last email to Newegg's customer support explaining I was going to video the unpacking of the damaged motherboard, place an older sandy bridge cpu in the "damaged" motherboard and record the miraculous booting of the board and post it EVERYWHERE! (Looks like they forgot to bend the pins before sending it back) The friend of mine I built the computer for got a phone call telling him to return the board when it arrives and gave him a refund. They actually had the gall to try to offer him a store credit! He laughed and said "thanks, but no thanks!"

Anyway, I'm done with Newegg and I'm seeing a lot of other people following suit for similar reasons. If they continue treating honest people like this they will be a thing of the past sooner than later......