My views on Newegg and customers editing reviews

[kg2k]

This is partly a response to the thread "ResellerRatings Update" but it's also off topic so I thought I would put it in it's own thread so as to not divert that thread any more.

I wanted to make myself a little clearer here and share the reason why I might be biased and have a possible vendetta, as was pointed out. I honestly can’t figure out if I have a vendetta or just too much free time on my hands, probably a combination of both. Most people probably know I was referring to Newegg anyway so I figured I would go ahead and share my story. I was personally unhappy with the service I received from Newegg. Not devastatingly unhappy but unhappy nonetheless. I have made several parts purchases over the last year and a half to two years and never had any problems. I wouldn’t rate that as outstanding, just what you should generally expect from an online retailer. The same thing I had always gotten from places like Buy.com, Amazon.com, JCPenny.com, Computability, etc. On one of my last couple of orders from Newegg I received a Hercules 3D Prophet 4500 video card, this was a home purchase and for home use. The card came in a static bag that wasn’t sealed and looked like it had been returned. Everything worked so it didn’t seem like a problem to me at the time. A couple few weeks later I started noticing noise from my PC, which I initially thought was the front intake fan. It was intermittent so I didn’t realize until much later that the noise was actually coming from the video card, which may be why it wasn’t sealed to begin with. Someone else may have returned it because the fan was making noise. It could also certainly be that the bags they received them in were never sealed with a sticker.

None of this was a big deal to me at all until I was about to place a fairly large order at their site. While I was placing an order already I figured I would add a VGA card fan to my order to replace the fan on the video card. I was surprised to see that even though I was placing a multiple item order already, I would have to pay the full shipping rate for a VGA card fan. If I hadn’t added the fan last I would have never known how much they get you on shipping for the little items. I e-mailed them and I received a standard cut and paste response about shipping charges. I e-mailed them again and expanded on what I was trying to tell them and explained that even on a multiple item order with shipping at $40+, I was still being calculated the full individual shipping charge for small items like thermal paste and that VGA card fan. They apparently didn’t want to hear it and I received what looked like another cut and paste response from them.

Since that was my first experience with their supposed first-rate customer service, I became curious as to why they were so hyped up here at ResellerRatings. I even gave Newegg a very good rating overall but I started reading their comments just about every time I visited the boards here (yes, I have a lot of free time right now). I have read things about people getting motherboards missing parts, not getting refunds, not being able to reach people on the phone, not crediting RMAs, receiving refurbished items that weren’t even tested, etc. However, most of those comments were later edited and some were changed into mostly “fluff” and praise for the company such as “A++++++, Newegg Rox!!” It may very well be a personal vendetta at this point but I don’t think that accurately reflects how a company operates. That is why I suggested disabling the editing of reviews, so we can accurately see how a company operates and if there are problems, how they are handling them. And those companies that provide good customer service all of the time, not just after they get a complaint, get the recognition they deserve.

I still think this site is a great resource as it is. I just personally don’t have any more faith in a 9+ rated company then I do in a 7 rated company. I’m personally not interested in T-shirts or stickers, or getting the right part upgraded to next day shipping after 2 weeks of fighting to get it straightened out. I just want things to go right the first time and the company to be responsive when and if there is a problem. That is my point of view and hopefully I won’t get crucified too harshly for it.

[krohnjw]

Personally, outside of the individual shipping thing, which doesnt happen all the time, but with my last purchase, a case, w PS, and an extra fan I paid full shipping on the fan . Other than that the service, processing and shipping, has always been very fast, unlike Directron and some others I have worked with, and their prices are top notch for most things. I have yet to receive anything that is rebadged, relabeled, or repackaged. Motherboards, cases, Ram, CPU, flash memory all has come exactly as I had expected, unopened and sealed. Their customer service, from my calls, have been friendly and helpful. Although I have never called because of a hardware problem or missing parts, only order mistakes on my part, due to moving and the stored address. By no means am I discrediting what you are saying, merely pointing out that myself, family members, and friends have never had any prolems with the products we have received from newegg. Maybe I have just been incredibly fortunate.....

[John C. Dechon]

As I have said about NewEgg, I am not happy with their lack of pre-sales tech advice and post-sales tech support. As for their shipping charges being cumulative, I have not ordered multiple items so I can't address that, but maybe they want to make a few dollars on shipping like so many other vendors.

I hope not...that's a sorry way to figure shipping charges. They SHOULD put x-number of small items into one box and weigh it...charge for that, not charge as they would for shipping x-number of items boxed separately.

While I have patronized about 15-20 online vendors in the past -- and still use various vendors -- I mainly use NewEgg for two reasons (IF they have the item I want at a good price in the first place): (1) prompt and well-packaged shipping, (2) no-hassle RMA if needed. Other than that, I'm on my own.

But shipping is a sore issue for those of us ordering online. A vendor with low shipping charges -- all else being equal -- gets my attention at Pricewatch. One with high shipping...I keep looking. Of course, some items -- like monitors and sometimes cases -- are best bought locally to AVOID "oppressive" shipping charges!

I think a vendor should make every effort to make shipping charges the LOWEST he can, even if that means the US Post Office Priority Mail (which I prefer for small items that the mailman can fit into my mailbox...no having to be home waiting to sign for it with the UPS or Fedex guy).

USPS Priority Mail for memory, PCI cards, cables, CPUs, fans, and other small lightweight stuff is great, but HARDLY ANY vendors will ship with Priority.

John D.

[bill1971]

John;
Everything you say makes sense, but I don't think it will ever happen. After ordering maybe 30 times from Newegg, I've never
had a problem - No RMA's yet, or suspected returned merchandise
turned around and shipped to me. Everything retail-boxed has
been properly sealed.
As kg says, this should be the norm in the course of any business,
be it an on-line vendor or a B&M store.

I guess, after reading a lot of horror stories as regards many other vendors, a "normal" one,all of a sudden, looks outstanding.

I do agree, and it's been a gripe of mine, that Newegg would do
even more business, if they would give people a break when
ordering multiple items.(Ordered 4 floppy drives,cost $4 each to
ship w/no discount for multiple items).

I will continue to do business w/ Newegg, however, like the majority of folks who frequent this site. . .
With discounts and free shipping,I've bought my last ten monitors
from Dell, where normally you don't have to mess with MIRs.

- Bill

[Cruez]

I had a problem where they shipped me the wrong case......multiple times.....and well....read here.

[screen]

I agree with "kg2k" about not allowing users to edit their feedback about a reseller.

I can think about three possibilities:
(a) The first transaction was good. The reseller should get a good rating.
(b) The first transaction was bad. The reseller corrected it later through RMA or refund process. Since there was a problem with the transaction, the reseller should get an average rating. There can be an additional rating which tells about the resellers effectiveness in handling RMAs/refunds.
(c) The transaction was bad and reseller did not attempt to correct it.

The (a) and (c) possibilities are very clear. Give a full score or a no score. For the situation (b), there will be one good and one bad review from the same person - giving an average rating for the reseller.

Just my 0.02

[kg2k]

I certainly think adding follow up comments should be allowed, I just prefer to see the whole picture rather then having it all just turned into praise. As it stands there is absolutely no way to even tell if comments were edited. A company could sell a bunch of refurbished items as new. Only a small percentage may even recognize that something is suspicious. All the company has to do is “fix” those customers that caught on and reviewed here, and everything seems absolutely wonderful. Meanwhile they have a perfect solution for dumping their refurbished products with minimal risk to their ratings here. I am definitely not saying that any companies are actually doing this intentionally but it seems like they could and get away with it without a whole lot of risk to their rating, as long as they “make it up” to the customer and subtly encourage them to change their review. I just think it’s a little too easy for a company to get out of trouble by offering a small credit or gift and a little nudge.

I also wanted to add that just for the heck of it I went back to Newegg’s site and put in an order for a few things, calculated and then added a VGA card fan and thermal paste and recalculated. I was very pleasantly surprised that I was NOT calculated for the full individual shipping charge like I had been before. Maybe they saw this and actually did something about it? I was half tempted to order from them but I will probably still place my next order with someone else. I don’t want anyone spitting on my motherboard in retribution for my speaking out :P. Anyway, it was nice to see that they may have fixed that issue. I just wished they had communicated to me when I brought the problem up the first time instead of the form letter responses I got with the statement “all shipping prices are per our website and final”. That statement and in fact their whole response read to me like “you don’t like it? Too bad!”

[kg2k]

Cruez, sorry to hear about the problems you had getting that case. Did you finally get it somewhere and if so, where? I am getting ready to build a new PC for my home and right now I am using an Enlight desktop case with hardly any clearance for the CPU fan at all. I need a new case.

[kg2k]

Originally posted by that1guy
[B] They have a small tendancy to misrepresent items. Stores should only sell items that perform as indicated. My 32x rated CDRs won't burn at 32x in my 40x Plextor drive. I've been able to burn at 32x+ about 95% of the time. I don't appreciate the deception by NegEgg or other stores. It is their duty to investigate the items they sell.

I think that is more up to the manufacturer. Even if they were to test media like that, they couldn't possibly test it in all of the different CDRW drives on the market. I read somewhere (can't remember where I saw it) that the Plextor drives had problems with a certain brand of media that worked fine in other drives. It could also be an issue with quality control on a production run at the manufacturer, and only that lot is affected. Maybe you could e-mail the manufacturer of the CDRs and let them know you're having trouble. You never know, maybe they will send you a coupon or something.

[bill1971]

I think that's why "certified" media, like Verbatim Premium, among others, tend to work best, although a little more expensive.
Of course, certified media is a little harder to find, and certified means the disk has been quality-tested, not necessarily its
compatibility with a given burner.

- Bill