Online retailers

[Pi rules]

What are your experiences with online retailers? (I took this from what I nearly posted in another thread).

Newegg.com:
There was some conflicting information on their site (which I found while looking at refurb. motherboards) so I e-mailed them and got a very rude response just about calling me an idiot. I sent a polite e-mail back and got another rude response. Another time, someone tried to steal the credit card # I used after I requested an RMA (long story, but I think my case fan didn't have enough resistance and blew around 3 PSUs). The RMAs took months until I insisted on returning the entire case. I also e-mailed the webmaster about a product description that described a completely different product and didn't get an e-mail back acknowledging it or anything. They did fix it, though.

On the other hand, my multiple other transactions with Newegg went fairly well, especially when they used FedEx. Fast processing, cheap prices, good interface, usually good staff...

Edit: I also got the price lowered on something that I purchased when it went off sale (due to complications the order it took a while).

Zipzoomfly:
Not bad. Their free shipping never took the full 5-7 days it said, and I once got 2 day on two items for only $1.99! I haven't experienced anything with their tech. support, so I cannot comment on that. Their prices are usually a bit higher than Newegg's, but with the free shipping they can be a few $ cheaper.

Amazon.com:
Fairly good. They offer a ton of different items. Their processing time could be a bit faster, though. No tech. support experiences either.

[PeteF]

What are your experiences with online retailers?

Since I mostly deal with software solutions, I don't do a great deal
of retail or re-seller purchasing. Here's my short list.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/
They postal mail catalogs regularly and have a pretty
good selection online. Prices are just ok.


http://www.buy.com/
Great prices & selection and quick delivery.

---pete---

[mylanta]

Amazon.com:
Fairly good. They offer a ton of different items. Their processing time could be a bit faster, though. No tech. support experiences either.
yeah they offer a ton of stuff, but most of it will be shipped from Tiger Direct and even Staples is cheaper than those guys. Tiger Direct makes a lot of money on freight, probably more than they do on the item.

[casey]

Since we are listing who we like:

Newegg
Fry's/Outpost
Chief Value

Not quite as good

Geeks
Buy.com
Monarch

[photolady]

My favorites:
Newegg
er, favorite. :D

I do order some from my wholesale supplier but only certain items as I have a 30 day leeway to pay for it. ;)

I have bought from buy.com and never had a problem with them but that was before I was building computers. I bought my Epson 1270 and my HP PhotoSmart film scanner from there. Some paper products also from them. But that was as I said, many moons ago.

The Geeks, nada, never, not going there.

Monarh?? Never heard of them.

TigerDirect, another nada never going there. Amazon, same as the last two. About the only thing I would even consider buying from Amazon would be nature books.

[mylanta]

Newegg is the best. 3B Tech is OK as well

[photolady]

3B Tech? Where is that?

[mylanta]

Good for cases and especially hard drive prices
http://3btech.net/index.html

[Pi rules]

How's eBay? I don't like their rating system. It's too much of a "give me a good rating and I'll give you one" thing. Many "eBay stores" have a policy where if you give them negative feedback, your "warranty" (probably useless anyway) is gone and they'll give you negative feedback. They can afford 1+ negative reviews (since I'm sure many have multiple accounts and "buy" things from each other and give themselves perfect reviews) but many people cannot afford even one bad rating or nobody will sell or buy from them.

[mylanta]

Here is one more also good at hard drive prices....

http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/productdetails?id=7218&srccode=PW

[mylanta]

How's eBay? I don't like their rating system. It's too much of a "give me a good rating and I'll give you one" thing. Many "eBay stores" have a policy where if you give them negative feedback, your "warranty" (probably useless anyway) is gone and they'll give you negative feedback. They can afford 1+ negative reviews (since I'm sure many have multiple accounts and "buy" things from each other and give themselves perfect reviews) but many people cannot afford even one bad rating or nobody will sell or buy from them.

I probably buy more on eBay than anywhere...cpu's are usually over priced but everything else you can save on. Used cpu's also are priced great but the trick to ebay is read the seller's feedback and check freight pricing before bidding, you won't go wrong if you do that. I have 900+ trades and never been swindled.

[Pi rules]

900 :dizzy: I like the idea of eBay, but there are some people less than reputable. I have a question about it; how can certain software be so cheap? For an example, look at some of the security software where they e-mail you the key. How do you know that the key is legit? I can buy books, hardware, etc., but don't think I could trust the software.

[mylanta]

900 :dizzy: I like the idea of eBay, but there are some people less than reputable. I have a question about it; how can certain software be so cheap? For an example, look at some of the security software where they e-mail you the key. How do you know that the key is legit? I can buy books, hardware, etc., but don't think I could trust the software.

That's where I have bought almost every software program and also copies of XP I own, and no one has ever emailed me a product code either. I forgot to mention that.

[Sam Ceccola]

Pi Rules:

I just read your original post in this thread and I'm surprised with your experience with NewEgg. Within the last 2 weeks, I purchased a scanner from them. It was sent and received within a couple days. There was a problem with it. One phone call to them, got me an RMA. The product was returned. They normally do not pay for return postage but I didn't know that when I asked that question in an email to them. I then received a phone call and they gave me a credit on my credit card. Very nice to deal with.

[Pi rules]

I was shocked too. The majority of my experience with Newegg was great; that's why I keep going there for computer parts.

[Guest110]

Amazon.co.uk is excellent.. in the 5 years i have shopped with them i have never ever had a problem