Bad Experience With Newegg

[Pedersen]

Mods, I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum. Please move it for me if I screwed up.

This is a long post, and includes a transcript. I ordered more memory for my computer a week ago from Newegg. I don't have it, and I'm not happy about not having it. Here's the details.

On Tue, Jul 31, I ordered more memory from Newegg. It was shipped on Wed, Aug 1, from the Edison, NJ warehouse. UPS received it, and on Thu, Aug 2, marked it as out for delivery.

At this point is where things go awry. If I follow the link from newegg's tracking email, it was being delivered from the UPS facility in Mount Olive, NJ. If, on the other hand, I go to ups.com and enter the tracking number, I get told it is being delivered from the Budd Lake, NJ facility.

The package has remained in that state since. When I called on Friday, I was told that the package had not arrived at the facility the person was in (I neglected to ask where she was, I only know that she was not at the call center, but was at the local facility that was supposed to be handling my package), and so was not on the truck for delivery. However, I should get it on Monday.

On Monday, I received a different order from a different company (a board game I had ordered), but no package from Newegg. On contacting UPS, and explaining the issue, I was told the package was likely lost, and I should file a claim with the shipper. I attempted to do so, but was informed by one of Newegg's CSRs (via live chat) that, until the shipping day had closed, no claim could be filed.

I received an email from that same CSR late Monday night asking me if I had received the product, and if not if I would like refund or replacement. I replied, asking for replacement as I had not received it.

With no confirmation of any sort today, I again contacted Newegg. A second Newegg CSR (via live chat, see the transcript below), informed me that no claim existed, and no action was being taken. She filed a claim for me, and then informed me it would be 7-10 business days before the claim would be resolved, and then another 2-5 days business days before the memory would be shipped. That means I will be waiting at least two weeks to receive the memory I ordered, and could be up to four (three weeks to ship, and another week to arrive if it ships from California via UPS Ground).

I need the memory this week. Not having it is hurting my ability to get work done. I'm not sure what my next step should be, but I don't think I will be buying this from Newegg. And I'm not sure what will happen with future purchases. My faith in Newegg's customer service, and willingness to make things right, has been shaken. Worse, since Newegg has such an excellent customer service reputation, this came as a severe blow to me. I want to buy from Newegg, but the reputation has been tarnished. And I'm not sure what it will take to fix it.

Note: I'm not asking for anything from Newegg, or from UPS. As far as I'm concerned, the order is gone. I'm not getting the memory, and I am getting a refund. I just want to know how I can believe in their customer service again, in light of what I have just been told.


Newegg CSR: Hi, my name is Newegg CSR. How may I help you?
Michael Pedersen: Hi there. I just need to find out if my claim was filed, and what I need to do to somehow get the RAM I had ordered.
Newegg CSR: I'd be happy to help you with that. May I please have a moment to look into this for you?
Michael Pedersen: sure
Newegg CSR: Thank you very much for holding, Michael. I show that the claim has not been filed.
Michael Pedersen: Okay. Do I just file the claim via the online web form? And how/when will I be able to get the RAM?
Newegg CSR: I do apologize, but I also show that there is no RMA for you.
Michael Pedersen: no, not RMA, RAM. memory.
Newegg CSR: Could you please let me know your concerns in detail?
Michael Pedersen: I ordered memory for my computer. It was handed over to UPS. UPS appears to have lost the package. I still need the memory. How do I get this memory as rapidly as possible at this point?
Newegg CSR: Thank you very much for the information. In this case, I have sent a request to our related department to look into this issue. You will be updated the moment we receive any feedback from them.
Michael Pedersen: Should I still be filing a claim through the online web form?
Newegg CSR: If the UPS lost your package, we will file a claim on your behalf. Did you call the UPS to verify this issue please?
Michael Pedersen: I did so yesterday. They told me yesterday to call, but Abby informed me that I could not file the claim until today.
Newegg CSR: One moment please...
Newegg CSR: Thank you very much for your patience. In your case, we will file a claim on your behalf. Would you like a refund or a replacement?
Michael Pedersen: replacement. I still need the memory.
Newegg CSR: Thank you very much for the information. Could you please confirm your current shipping address with me?
Pedersen: <redacted>
Newegg CSR: Thank you very much for the information. We have submitted a claim for the missing package on your behalf. Please allow 7-10 business days for this claim to process. We will then issue a replacement per your request when the claim is closed. Thank you for your cooperation and again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Pedersen: Wait, I'm going to have to wait another two weeks?
Pedersen: Two weeks before I will have what I've paid for?
Newegg CSR: Please kindly note that it takes us 7-10 business days to investigate this issue. It takes additional 2-5 business days to ship out the replacement item.
Pedersen: Then please change to a refund.
Pedersen: I now have to submit a new order in order to get this memory. I need it *this* week, not in three.
Newegg CSR: Ok , I have changes it into a refund for you.
Pedersen: And this is a distinct black mark against newegg for me. I have shopped with your company for somewhere near to a decade, and always been happy. UPS lost my package, but newegg has just lost some of my confidence.
Newegg CSR: I do understand your concerns and I sincerely apologize again for the trouble this may have caused you.
Newegg CSR: Please rest assured that I have forwarded this issue to our upper management to consider.
Pedersen: In turn, I am forwarding to the internet. I'm going to have to look at other options. I'm trying very hard not to be a jerk, but it's difficult. I've seen Newegg take excellent care of customers with problems, and now that I've had one, I feel like the care given has amounted to "bummer. sucks to be you."
Pedersen: If they wish to talk to me, they have my information. Right now, I'm just being abusive, and I need to stop that. Unless there is more you need to say, I'm going to close this window.
Newegg CSR: I humbly apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and I do understand your feelings. I would be frustrated too if I were you.
Newegg CSR: Is there anything else I can help you with today?
Pedersen: Negative. Thank you for your time.

[rose_metal_nz]

I think you have a valid concern there, but I will just point out one tiny thing from my own perspective if that's OK? - it looks to me like the timeframes given are generic "worst case scenarios". In most cases, issues are fixed well within the given timeframes, which are deliberately set wider than needed to cover for "what-ifs". I still think you've done right & I really hope they get this sorted for you. All the best.

[Pedersen]

Absolutely, and (with the permission of the mods), I'd like to say that this is one time that failing to see the suck is acceptable. I'm wondering if I'm overreacting here. I do know that a fair amount is emotional, and I'm not sure how much that's clouding my judgement.

[rose_metal_nz]

Oh, I can *definitely* see the suck here
Just thought that it being a stressful situation I'd put my 2 cents in & hope it helps you. I know what it's like when anything messes with my baby-err computer

[csquared]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you should go read up on "FOB Origin". Per the terms of the contract of sale and in accordance with the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), Newegg has no legal obligation to do anything for you. Title to the product, and the risks associated with it, were transfered to you when the package was handed to UPS. They could have told you "Contact UPS. It's your problem not ours."

Something to remember when buying expensive items online. Many of these companies DO NOT provide additional insurance over UPS's and FedEx's normal rates. You could be out hundreds or thousands of dollars if the package is lost in transit. The seller is not responsible.

It sucks, but that is the law.

[Pedersen]

Something here does not jive. If I were to file a dispute with the credit card company, they'd take the money from Newegg, not me, and not UPS.

Of course, I'm also not asking what their legal obligations are. I'm asking if a company like Newegg, which has a damned near sterling reputation for customer service, did wrong here wrt to that reputation. What they have to do, legally, and what they have to do to protect their reputation, are very different things.

[yeahwhatev]

The "Jive" is responsibility. Newegg is not responsible for errors on UPS's side. They still owe you the money, or the equipment, but you agreed to their terms on buying. Is it bad customer service to wait ten days to "investigate"? Yes. But with the scammers and idiots of the world, it's probably needed.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

It sucks, but that is the law.

If it is the law, no company I know of - or purchase from - follows that. I've had some things delayed or lost in the mail, and the company always either A) offered to refund/discount - in case of late rather than lost item - or B) send a replacement.

They probably get their money back from UPS though, my BF works there and every delayed or lost package costs UPS a TON of money, even if they are the slowest, cheapest service of shipping.

[Pedersen]

The "Jive" is responsibility. Newegg is not responsible for errors on UPS's side. They still owe you the money, or the equipment, but you agreed to their terms on buying. Is it bad customer service to wait ten days to "investigate"? Yes. But with the scammers and idiots of the world, it's probably needed.

And how did I handle that aspect?

I received an email from that same CSR late Monday night asking me if I had received the product, and if not if I would like refund or replacement. I replied, asking for replacement as I had not received it.

With no confirmation of any sort today, I again contacted Newegg. A second Newegg CSR (via live chat, see the transcript below), informed me that no claim existed, and no action was being taken. She filed a claim for me, and then informed me it would be 7-10 business days before the claim would be resolved, and then another 2-5 days business days before the memory would be shipped. That means I will be waiting at least two weeks to receive the memory I ordered, and could be up to four (three weeks to ship, and another week to arrive if it ships from California via UPS Ground).

<snip>

Note: I'm not asking for anything from Newegg, or from UPS. As far as I'm concerned, the order is gone. I'm not getting the memory, and I am getting a refund. I just want to know how I can believe in their customer service again, in light of what I have just been told.

<snip>

Pedersen: And this is a distinct black mark against newegg for me. I have shopped with your company for somewhere near to a decade, and always been happy. UPS lost my package, but newegg has just lost some of my confidence.

I placed the blame squarely where it belongs: on UPS. The parts where Newegg failed were in the fail to follow through on my reply yesterday, and in telling me today that I would have to wait, under best conditions, two weeks from today to get what I needed this week (last week would have been better, but I didn't pay for that, so that's my fault).

I don't think I'm being unreasonable, I really don't. Maybe I am, but saying "the law only requires X, so anything better than that is them being nice" won't sway me. Maybe I'm even a huge entitlement whore. I don't know. But the law is the minimal standard, in my book. I expected better from them.

[KiaKat]

We've had similar things happen at my store. Package goes missing, package gets smashed and returned, etc.

Our procedure is as follows: As soon as the package is "lost" (i.e. we call the shipping company and confirm they can't find the package) a direct replacement is sent out. WE then issue a claim to the shipping company, for the loss, and recoup our expenses that way (including, usually, the cost of the re-shipping). Only once has it been such a horrid experience that the customer was beyond pissed - and that was partially my fault for not understanding what exactly was going on, but I didn't come into the situation until halfway through, and the whole thing was a clusterfuck to start with.

[csquared]

If it is the law, no company I know of - or purchase from - follows that. I've had some things delayed or lost in the mail, and the company always either A) offered to refund/discount - in case of late rather than lost item - or B) send a replacement.

That is Customer Service. It is the merchant's prerogative, not a requirement.

The question I would ask is "Are they following their document policy?"

If you don't agree with the policy, don't shop with them. Once you have bought from them, you HAVE agreed to the policy.

And I have to ask, does NO=RUDE?

Peds is pissed. I would be too. Peds was polite in voicing his displeasure. I think it was well handled (as long as we are getting the whole story ). And now he is exercising his prerogative of sharing his experience with those who will listen. If you agree with him, don't shop at Newegg. If you disagree with him, feel free to shop there. Got to love the free market.

[Merriweather]

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a major company to try to go a step farther than they have to, in the name of good customer service, when a customer has a real problem and is polite (and doesn't have a history of complaints). In this case, I think it would be good for business for the company to simply send out a replacement immediately, using a quicker than normal method of shipping (overnite, or at least two-day shipping).

Granted, they take a risk that it could be a scam, but we aren't talking about asking for a full computer system or wide screen TV, just memory, which is a relatively low-cost item. What they risk losing if the original turns up or it's a scam is outweighted by enhancing their reputation.

Though they've done nothing wrong, IMO, they could have done better.

[42_42_42]

Based on what you posted, Peds, it looks to me like they've filed a claim with UPS on your behalf and are waiting for that to be resolved before determining what they'll do for you. Which is completely out of my experience with ordering anything online from any company. In the interest in keeping the customer happy (and thus, keeping the customer), every company I've ever had this sort of thing happen with, has immediately shipped a replacement. Whatever claim or reimbursement they worked out with the shipper wasn't something I had to worry about. Honestly, that is what makes the best business sense, not what you've experienced, because, as you have done, you're much more likely to lose not only the customer with the problem, but anyone the disgruntled customer knows.

[Pedersen]

The question I would ask is "Are they following their document policy?"

Unknown. Mainly because no policy was cited to me. I was told this was what would be done. Is it their policy? Probably. Has it ever bitten me before? No, not that I am aware of. Could I have screwed up? Certainly.

If you don't agree with the policy, don't shop with them. Once you have bought from them, you HAVE agreed to the policy.

The experiences I have had with with them in the past, and the experiences of so many others in the past, have been so good that one negative incident stands out in stark contrast.

Compare it to visiting a fast food burger joint. The experience is mundane, so if you get someone waiting on you who looks bored, who doesn't seem to care if you buy anything or not, or even is plainly unhappy at your being there, it's not going to stand out to you. Within a few days, it will be forgotten, or at best just as "huh. not great experience. Oh well."

On the other hand, you go out for a sit down meal, fine dining, everybody loves the place, and you get treated as if you are annoyance to the waitstaff. That experience will stand out more than the exact same treatment at the fast food place, because your expectations are so much higher.

When I go and order something from not-Newegg, I expect less than stellar service. If it takes two days to ship, it's the cost of doing business with a company I don't know. If the people are annoyed when I eventually call, same thing. When I go to Newegg, I'm going there (in part) because their customer service is just that good. I expect that if I have a problem they will do everything possible to correct it.

In this case, I expected them to send the memory to me, and take care of the whole UPS issue, and I'd still have the memory within the next few days. I'd have been happy, and gotten what I expected. Non-story.

And I have to ask, does NO=RUDE?

Since I've not said they were rude, and nobody else appears to have done so either, I'm not sure where this comes from. Is it rude? No. Is it poor customer service to say "sucks to be you. We'll get things sorted in the next 2 to 3 weeks" ? Pretty sure that's a yes. And that means that, in this case, "no" = "poor customer service".

Peds is pissed. I would be too. Peds was polite in voicing his displeasure. I think it was well handled (as long as we are getting the whole story ).

You have as much as I can provide. There was no emailed transcript of the chat, and I didn't realize it before I lost yesterday's transcript.

And now he is exercising his prerogative of sharing his experience with those who will listen. If you agree with him, don't shop at Newegg. If you disagree with him, feel free to shop there. Got to love the free market.

Funny thing is that I want to shop at Newegg again. The problem is that their reputation is now tarnished. Last week, I had no worries. I'd pay whatever Newegg said I should, and I'd like it, because I knew they'd take care of me in the event of a problem. That's no longer true. And that might be enough to make them into "just another electronics website".

Though they've done nothing wrong, IMO, they could have done better.

That's it in a nutshell. Nothing immoral has happened. Nothing illegal has happened. They've done what they said they would. They just didn't do what I expected they would, based on their reputation.

Based on what you posted, Peds, it looks to me like they've filed a claim with UPS on your behalf and are waiting for that to be resolved before determining what they'll do for you. Which is completely out of my experience with ordering anything online from any company. In the interest in keeping the customer happy (and thus, keeping the customer), every company I've ever had this sort of thing happen with, has immediately shipped a replacement. Whatever claim or reimbursement they worked out with the shipper wasn't something I had to worry about. Honestly, that is what makes the best business sense, not what you've experienced, because, as you have done, you're much more likely to lose not only the customer with the problem, but anyone the disgruntled customer knows.

I'm not actively seeking to harm them. My major reason for posting is to find out if I'm just being a jerk and didn't know it. So far, I don't think I am.

[MoonCat]

I don't think you're being a jerk. A company's reputation is gold. And they use it to bring in new customers and to keep current ones. Their reputation is that they go above and beyond, and in this case, they didn't live up to the reputation that they, themselves, have put out there in the public eye.

If you ordered something that was basically a toy, something for entertainment, you might not have minded waiting for a replacement. But you ordered something important that you need to get your work done, so this wasn't a good time for them to fall down on customer service. By saying they have to investigate it first, they're implying that you might not be telling the truth. After all, what are they going to ask? --Hey UPS, did you, in fact, deliver this item?-- And while it's unfortunate that there are many scammers in the world, you have a decade of being a good customer on file. And as someone else said, this wasn't a big-ticket item. They should have given you the benefit of the doubt and sent out a replacement immediately, then filed a claim with UPS. Win-Win.