Newegg's illegal return practices

[Leanora]

On 31July I bought a new vega 64 gpu card from Newegg. 

AMD in all it's wisdom launched a promo bundle within the week of purchase ( https://www.amd.com/en/gaming/raise-the-game ) 

I thought to myself 'let's check if newegg can give me a code for the bundle since it's within a week of purchase.'  You never know right. 

The request was made over chat and to my good fortune, they agreed to provide me with a code. 

Alas the good fortune only lasted for a couple of minutes. I am sad to say that it was not possible for them to provide a promo code after all. 

 

When I then requested a return form I was told that it was not possible due to a system error. 

I however could send the card back and I'd be charged 78,50 restocking fees. 

Now for you Americans this is normal practices.  The downside is that I am from Europe, and here it's against the law to charge those. 

During the chat conversation the connection broke up multiple times. 

To my surprise I received an email informing me that the support guy would see if an exception could be made and get back to me on the restocking fees.

 

2 weeks of waiting and multiple reminders but alas no answer came forth. 

 

Today I contacted chat support again. 

I was informed that there was no note attached to my order number ( no case created at all ). 

 

Again I was told it was not possible to provide a promo code.

 

As for returning the product, I was informed that it was outside the 2 weeks window. Sure that was the case by today's date, not by the date on which the request was made. 

 

Secondly they wanted me to pay 25% exception fee ( a return of 75% ) 

After many times repeating that this was against EU law and since Newegg is selling to or within the EU it's business is under EU law. In the end the offer was made to drop the exception fee but the restocking fee was again on the table. 

 

The final offer was a 20% restocking fee upon return. 

 

The moral of the story you ask? 

 

Unless you want to be treated as an American consumer, DO NOT shop at Newegg. Your national and ( in my case ) European laws means nothing to them!

 

Some interesting reading:

 

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083&qid=1403274218893

 

[FIXXX]

There's a good reason EU people prefer to buy within the EU when it comes to expensive things.

[TheGlenlivet]

3 minutes ago, FIXXX said:

There's a good reason EU people prefer to buy within the EU when it comes to expensive things.

Yeah, the Atlantic Ocean.

[Leanora]

2 minutes ago, SnowWolf370 said:

So you're whining about EU laws not meaning anything towards a US company?...

 

Ehhh.. What did you expect?

 

2 minutes ago, FIXXX said:

There's a good reason EU people prefer to buy within the EU when it comes to expensive things.

Well what can I say?  Lesson learned. 

I've been shopping online with American, Canadian and even the occasional Chinese company for years now. 

This is actually the first time that I have issues with something.  Hell I've received great support and full returns from 2 different Chinese companies. 

 

But like i said, lesson learned, not buying anything anymore from Newegg nor the US. 

[Origami Cactus]

 

On 21/8/2018 at 8:35 PM, Marko Fowles said:

 

Well what can I say?  Lesson learned. 

I've been shopping online with American, Canadian and even the occasional Chinese company for years now. 

This is actually the first time that I have issues with something.  Hell I've received great support and full returns from 2 different Chinese companies. 

 

But like i said, lesson learned, not buying anything anymore from Newegg nor the US. 

Just buy from amazon.de and you are good.

[TheGlenlivet]

Honestly, Newegg isn't that great even if you ARE in the US...

At least not as good as AMAZON.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

15 minutes ago, Marko Fowles said:

(...)

 

While it is cautionary to know the hurdles involved if you were to return a product for legitimate reasons, it is worth noting that you bought a GPU under no promotion, and as long as you received the GPU you bought as described, it would be a success story. As per your account, Neewegg was willing to fulfill their part, it was you who wanted to alter the deal.

 

9 minutes ago, SnowWolf370 said:

So you're whining about EU laws not meaning anything towards a US company?...

 

Ehhh.. What did you expect?

That's not how it works.

[TheKDub]

3 minutes ago, TheGlenlivet said:

Honestly, Newegg isn't that great even if you ARE in the US...

At least not as good as AMAZON.

Agreed. Their support is slow as snails and as useful as a brick in the US as well.

[Leanora]

12 minutes ago, SnowWolf370 said:

< Lot's of good stuff >

Yup, but since they are selling to European countries they are under European ( consumer ) law. 

If they do not want to deal with snotty Europeans or their laws then don't sell to Europeans. 

 

That's how it works. 

 

As for me being horrible, yeah let's start with the previous support agent that ignores emails for 2 weeks and did not create a case or leave any notes. 

 

Also, I am not THAT horrible. 

 

 

5 minutes ago, SnowWolf370 said:

I'd like you to explain or link to how it works then.

The explanation is in the OP, click on the 2 links.

In short;  Europeans are entitled for full refunds within 2 weeks or purchase. 

The reason for a refund request does not matter. 

The only thing that can change this on this type of product is me ( deliberately? )  damaging it. 

 

 

 

 

[alwaysbechowder]

20 minutes ago, SnowWolf370 said:

I'd like you to explain or link to how it works then.

It's a bit confusing, so super simplistically companies who do business inside a country's borders must abide by the laws of that country as well as the laws of the country they're headquartered in. 

 

For instance, Smith and Wesson can't sell hand guns in the UK because that would be against UK law, even though they are a US company. 

[Leanora]

43 minutes ago, SpaceGhostC2C said:

While it is cautionary to know the hurdles involved if you were to return a product for legitimate reasons, it is worth noting that you bought a GPU under no promotion, and as long as you received the GPU you bought as described, it would be a success story. As per your account, Neewegg was willing to fulfill their part, it was you who wanted to alter the deal.

 

That's not how it works.

I agree with you on the promotion part, I was not entitled to it.

The problem is the return policy of theirs. 

I am entitled to return it within 2 weeks of purchase, this is a so called 'cooling off' period that comes with online purchases. 

They are required to refund me in full incl shipping costs , not charge me a restocking fee. 

 

BTW, you do not have this entitlement if you were to buy something in a brick and mortar store. 

 

Sure online stores can be cheaper because they have less overhead but they do require to deal with some annoying consumer rights that traditional stores don't have.

It's simply the cost of doing business and thus should be calculated in the selling price, not being pocketed as extra profits. 

 

Edit:

Also note that Newegg is part of the promo when it comes to N-America. Hence to offer of treating me as a US consumer and provide the promo code or a EU consumer and provide full refund.

Now it's me being a EU consumer for the promo code while being a US consumer for the refund. Pick one, not do both only half. 

[SpaceGhostC2C]

On 8/21/2018 at 12:46 PM, SnowWolf370 said:

I'd like you to explain or link to how it works then.

When you travel to the US, you don't get to say "I'm European, so I don't abide by your laws". Similarly, when a company makes business in a certain country, it is bound by the laws of the country in which it operates. Volkswagen doesn't get to say "oh, we're German, it doesn't really matter whether we faked emissions in the US or not". You can also ask Google's, Microsoft's, or Apple's legal department whether being an American company means you can ignore EU law...

 

If you buy something in the US, take it back to Europe, and then ask the retailer in the US to follow EU regulations, that's a different story, of course they're not bound by it. But if a firm is operating as a retailer (whether online or physical) in the EU, serving EU customers directly, then it is bound by EU laws as much as any other retailer, regardless of the firm's HQ location. You can also check how it is not always possible to buy from an online retailer in another country, depending on whether they deem it profitable to act as a retailer in your country.

 

On 8/21/2018 at 1:20 PM, Marko Fowles said:

I agree with you on the promotion part, I was not entitled to it.

The problem is the return policy of theirs. 

I am entitled to return it within 2 weeks of purchase, this is a so called 'cooling off' period that comes with online purchases. 

They are required to refund me in full incl shipping costs , not charge me a restocking fee. 

Certainly, if we abstract from the reasons, the return experience itself sounds rather bad. I'd like to know how it would have gone in case of a DOA, though.

[Leanora]

3 minutes ago, SpaceGhostC2C said:

Certainly, if we abstract from the reasons, the return experience itself sounds rather bad. I'd like to know how it would have gone in case of a DOA, though.

That is what I am afraid of yeah. I actually mentioned that with the previous support agent, the one that would get back to me but kept silent for 2 weeks. 

Maybe that's the answer, ignore it till it goes away? 

It'll be interesting to know but that's something that has to go on someone's else dime. I learned my lesson 

[robocopper]

This is just terrible customer service...

[JoostinOnline]

Nothing illegal happened.  You just did something really stupid (ordering outside your country, and spending money on a Vega 64).

 

Just resell the Vega 64.

[Leanora]

3 hours ago, JoostinOnline said:

Nothing illegal happened.  You just did something really stupid (ordering outside your country, and spending money on a Vega 64).

 

Just resell the Vega 64.

Sure, keep on pretending that there are no consumer laws for European countries. 

[JoostinOnline]

Just now, Marko Fowles said:

Sure, keep on pretending that there are no consumer laws for European countries. 

You didn't buy it from Europe though. Newegg is an American company.

 

[Leanora]

7 minutes ago, JoostinOnline said:

You didn't buy it from Europe though. Newegg is an American company.

 

That means nothing and if you actually believe that then you know nothing about how international laws work. 

Do some research before you share your opinion. 

[JoostinOnline]

7 minutes ago, Marko Fowles said:

That means nothing and if you actually believe that then you know nothing about how international laws work. 

Do some research before you share your opinion. 

Grow up and take responsibility for your actions.

[Leanora]

4 hours ago, JoostinOnline said:

Grow up and take responsibility for your actions.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083&qid=1403274218893

 

You're welcome.

 

[JoostinOnline]

2 minutes ago, Marko Fowles said:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083&qid=1403274218893

 

You're welcome.

 

Yeah, for stores in Europe.  Newegg is in the US.

 

It's like I'm talking to 9-year-old brick wall though, so I'm not going to keep entertaining this.

[Leanora]

.

[KingCobra484]

Your purchase from a US company is subject to US consumer protection law regardless of where the product is being shipped to. US law includes restocking fees and suchlike, EU law doesn't. Since you bought the product from a US company, you have thereby accepted that your purchase is subject to US consumer protection law. Thus the company isn't at fault here. 

[Angel102]

On 03/09/2018 at 5:58 PM, JoostinOnline said:

Yeah, for stores in Europe.  Newegg is in the US.

 

It's like I'm talking to 9-year-old brick wall though, so I'm not going to keep entertaining this.

If a company sells an item to a customer in Europe, then they must abide by EU consumer rights and import law when shipping to that country in the EU, otherwise they should have declined the sale to begin with.

 

It's really not complicated. Just like some websites now refuse traffic from EU countries as a result of recent GDPR laws implemented by the EU.

[imreloadin]

So let me get this straight...you bought a Vega 64 from Newegg. A week later you noticed that AMD was offering a promo code for 3 free games and decided to see if Newegg would be generous enough to provide you with the promo code even though you purchased it outside of the promotional time period. So what exactly is wrong with the Vega 64 that makes you want to return it? Also what day was it that you contacted them about the promo code and then when you contacted them again requesting the refund?