MONARCH POLL

[michaels39]

An unofficial poll to get some idea of how good(or bad)Monarch really is at building custom systems.This does not pertain to build time,barebones,seperate components,ect.,but only to their ability to deliver reliable systems that actually work,out of the box.Simply put,based on your experience,would you buy another system from Monarch?

[poopeyhed2]

Since this is ResellerRatings you might want to look them up. Here is their rating. There's plenty of literature there for you to read.

I know you said only about systems, but based on their performance for me from the parts and combos they're a high quality merchant.

[Ballast]

Monarch polls don't fair well here.You may have noticed by now this is a Monarch fanboy site. If you say something bad about them,they'll hook you up,else your just another customer.
Heres my review before( its moved).
http://www.resellerratings.com/forum...hlight=monarch (Stay away from Monarch!)

[michaels39]

I've been looking for quite a while for a place to build a custom system.It's frustrating,because either they're exorbitantly overpriced,or have terrible ratings(or both!).Others have good ratings and reasonable prices,but have a very limited selection of components.Monarch had very good ratings,prices,and selection when I first started looking,but really seems to have slipped.The pattern you described, with problems with an order being ignored until a customer begins complaining in a public forum,seems to be happening more and more often.With the money a custom system cost these days,I need to see a real effort to improve this.They will tell you the increase in complaints about faulty systems you see here and in their own forum are only a small percentage of the number of systems they sell,but without any information of what that number is,how can you be sure?If it weren't for the inclusion of ratings based on the parts selling end of their business,their rating could quite different.

[smooth1_1]

I am mixed on Monarch. As far as their systems go... I bought just a mobo, processor and RAM, assembled and tested. It works fine. I
was told that to get that processor in a reasonable amount of time, I would have to go to resellerratings and put in a good review here. "S" actually checked, had me revise my review, then helped me out. So I did, got my stuff, it works fine, and came back here and changed my review. My review is here: http://www.resellerratings.com/selle...#comment155785

They can make mistakes just like every other company, and will have a problem here and there with hardware like everyone else on the planet, but the main problem that recurred on their reviews was people ordering things that their site said was in stock, then being told it was no longer in stock. Then in, in many cases, in comes "S" who calls from his cell phone from home during his dinner time, just to show you how important you are. This is his job, which he does a decent job at, to make you feel better. If he can't or won't help, a mention of this site will help sometimes to get that last perk to make you satisfied, or they will try to fry you if you put something bad on here about them. I was fine with most of the transaction, until he asked me to post positive ratings in exchange for service. That put into question ALL of the good reviews on the site. I'm sure not all of them are bad, and some ppl probably aren't bothered by "S" asking them to post something good here when he helps them out, but he asked me to post positive here, then he would make sure he reserved a processor for me. I changed my review here after I completed my order to tell what happened, then "S" called me and told me my review was being forwarded to their legal dept. AND I was blacklisted from buying from them again! Funny thing is, I had actually planned on buying my next multi thousand dollar system from them! Oh well, there are plenty of companies vying for my dollars. I think they put them together decent, just call to make sure what you want is in stock, and if there's a problem, try and talk to "S" (I'm not allowed to say his name, just check the other post in this thread), and he will probably help. Hope he changed his tactics to get good reviews on this site.

[michaels39]

This is the sort of thing that concerns me,it's not the first time I've heard of Monarch more or less extorting good reviews in return for service that should be given automatically.It really puts their ratings into question.Can I really trust $2000+ of my hard earned money to a company that uses such tactics?

[teengeek88]

i build my own systems so i have no first hand experience, but i have heard alot of good things about ABS Computers from a few people who have purchased from them.

www.abs.com

[Ballast]

Think maybe you should forward this to the BBB. I have never been put through so much crap with a purchase from ANY on line retailer. People tend to give Tiger Direct a poor rating but I can tell you that I've orderd from Tiger(as well as others) from 1994 without any incident. Monarch is the ONLY store ,computer or other wise, I have had a hassel with...

[michaels39]

After watching this company for the last few months,there's just no way I'd feel comfortable investing my money with them.The complaints in their own forums by dissatisfied customers have risen,their ratings have steadily dropped,and their prices have gone up.Their build fee has increased and they've doubled their warranty charges in the last month alone.What kind of company responds to complaints of faulty systems and poor support by raising the cost of extended coverage twice in one month?Doesn't sound as if they themselves have much confidence in their own products.

[Archangel00]

I've had my first and LAST experience EVER in recent days with Monarch. I wouldn't buy ice water from them in hell if they were the only place selling it.