Newegg Terrible and Frustrating Return Policy Loses a Long Time Customer Internet

Let me add my complaint to the long litany of posts about Newegg's terrible customer service and return policy that is both deceptive and draconian.

First off, some quick background: I have been shopping at Newegg for about 6 years.  I build systems and have spent about $15,000 on the website.  I have never returned an item before and have done nothing except put money in their pocket.  And I did all this despite the same products available on websites like Amazon for the same or better prices because I had a relationship with Newegg and wanted to preserve it.

This June, I ordered over $7,000 of system parts from Newegg.  Included in the order was a power supply (PSU) that was defective and simply wouldn't turn on even when plugged in.  After testing it and finding it busted, I requested and received an RMA from Newegg.

In the meantime, because I needed to build the system quickly, I ordered an identical PSU from Newegg, expecting to be refunded on the first purchase and not have any problem.  I received the second PSU before I had even gotten around to boxing up and shipping back the first one.  I installed it and it turned on, but the system was experiencing constant random reboots.  Having never had a problem with a PSU before and having received a defective one the first time, I thought it must be something else with the build and decided to do some further testing/give it a chance.  

In the meantime I shipped the first PSU back, practically untouched, with all original cables, manuals, you name it, in its retail box.

I received an e-mail from Newegg a few days later telling me that they were rejecting my return because the PSU wasn't in "its original retail box."  I had no idea what they were talking about; the PSU was absolutely in the correct box and was untouched and undamaged.  Newegg later suggested that it might have been the retail box from the SECOND PSU that I had accidentally switched...even though they were *exactly* the same product, that the "different UPC code" meant they would just straight out deny the return.

I was incredibly annoyed that the return of a $375 product would be held up and blocked over not even something as stupid as a missing box, but literally the wrong UPC code on an IDENTICAL box.  Nevertheless, so strong was my desire to have a relationship with Newegg that I decided to just chalk it up to the 'cost of doing business' and ignore it.

Fast forward to this month, when I finally had enough of the constant restarts and power outages on the system.  I had initially resisted replacing the PSU (again) cause I couldn't believe I would have receieved two defective products in a row.  But after running out of options, I bought another PSU on Amazon and switched it in.  It worked perfectly and I haven't had a problem since.  I then tried to RMA the 2nd-defective Newegg PSU, and was told that because we were past 30 days from the time I ordered it, I was out of luck.

To sum it up -- I ordered TWO defective parts from Newegg, and had one return rejected because of a box UPC code, and the other because I was past the pathetically short time limit.  Total cost to me was $800.

I called Newegg today to see if they would work with me in any way to help make me whole on the situation; whether a store credit, partial or full, an extended RMA, anything.  I was not expecting them to cut me a check for $800 but I hoped that a valued customer who has spent thousands and thousands of dollars would at least be worth working with.

I was wrong.  I spoke to a woman in customer service who was reasonably polite but completely unhelpful.  She told me that Newegg would do NOTHING to assist me, and actually suggested that I try to resell the defective PSUs on Craigslist, and, as a kicker, IF I WAS SUCCESSFUL, they would look into giving me a $25 discount on a future order.  I told them I realized I could have RMAed the products sooner, but compare their ridiculous and burdensome return policy with somewhere like Amazon where I can return any product, in any condition, for a full and instant refund NO QUESTIONS ASKED.  Why would I *EVER* shop on Newegg again when they wouldn't work with me?

No dice.  I was told there was absolutely nothing they would even consider doing and to have fun listing broken PSUs on eBay and Craigslist.

Quite frankly their behavior in this matter was disgusting.  For a company to so carelessly throw away a long-time, valued, and paying customer tells you all you need to know about them.  I look forward to a rebuttal telling me to send my order details to wecare@newegg.com.  No, Newegg, you don't.