Newegg.com

[Geoff]

I like newegg.com and bought an lcd flat screen and tv thru them. I like
the customer reveiws especially. However, I also wondered if it is a good
way to manipulate customers. I mean, reviews are not posted right away (it
is not like usenet). I assume they go thru some process and if newegg
wanted to push certain products, they could let a lot of good reviews go
thru and other products, not have many reviews or post mostly bad reviews.

Does anyone have any inside information?

-g

 

[John Doe]

I like newegg.com and bought an lcd flat screen and tv thru them.
I like the customer reveiws especially. However, I also wondered
if it is a good way to manipulate customers. I mean, reviews are
not posted right away (it is not like usenet). I assume they go
thru some process and if newegg wanted to push certain products,
they could let a lot of good reviews go thru and other products,
not have many reviews or post mostly bad reviews.

That's certainly a most interesting theory. Too many of the reviews
look rosy to me. Still, since they sell products that many other
stores also sell, you can find reviews. Looking on USENET is another
way to go.

 

[Wilson]

I posted a review for two things I bought there. Never saw the review after
checking back 24 hours later. Surely it turned up after that? But I never
checked because I did not care that much.

Also, every major hardware you buy is probably going to have reviews
elsewhere on the net. I have found google to be very helpful in that regard.
So if it is a major purpose and you are worried, go google your product.

 

[Chris Hill]

I like newegg.com and bought an lcd flat screen and tv thru them. I like
the customer reveiws especially. However, I also wondered if it is a good
way to manipulate customers. I mean, reviews are not posted right away (it
is not like usenet). I assume they go thru some process and if newegg
wanted to push certain products, they could let a lot of good reviews go
thru and other products, not have many reviews or post mostly bad reviews.

I used to like them more than I do now. I bought an item with a
manufacturer's rebate that the manufacturer decided to avoid paying;
newegg gave no help. I didn't expect much, but I got less than that.
I also think some of their prices are a bit high and I won't buy any
of the rebate stuff anymore. Parts prices on mwave seem better to me,
of course they don't do the shipping deals. I guess I just don't find
the deal business to be all that compelling anymore.

 

[ToolPackinMama]

I've been doing business with New Egg for years. They have always been
very good to me.

They do publish negative reviews, as well as positive ones.

New Egg isn't always the cheapest, but in my experience they are more
solidly reliable than many other vendors. Plus they offer more choices
than many other vendors. I have always been able to get satisfaction:
if I don't like a product they have always been very good about
exchanges and refunds.

 

[Jan Alter]

It seems that I've run across negative reviews for their products when
reading through most items. Unfortunately the bad review writers are often
so pissed they don't write very objectively. Things such as, 'This board was
DOA. It sucks!' So something like that doesn't carry much weight with this
reader and I would have a tendency to discount it if the other eight reviews
are favorable.
Still, I would rather have the option of reading someone's opinion to
get some information than have nothing at all if I have no or little
information about the item myself.
In the past three years I've ordered from Newegg almost 150 times (I buy
a lot of parts for my school) and I've returned items probably three times.
Usually they have competitive prices and every once and awhile a good deal.
They've been a decent company to deal, just as mwave has been.

 

[Andy Axnot]

I like newegg.com and bought an lcd flat screen and tv thru them. I like
the customer reveiws especially. However, I also wondered if it is a good
way to manipulate customers. I mean, reviews are not posted right away (it
is not like usenet). I assume they go thru some process and if newegg
wanted to push certain products, they could let a lot of good reviews go
thru and other products, not have many reviews or post mostly bad reviews.

Does anyone have any inside information?

-g

I like NewEgg a lot and have bought most of my computer stuff from them
for a few years now. Over those years I've had only 2 small problems,
neither of which was NewEgg's fault. One was the fault of FedEx, the
other due to Asus's changing the specs on something I bought so that what
was delivered didn't include everything I ordered.

NewEgg offered to help in both cases and I took them up on the delivery
problem. The other I just let go.

They are a business, though, not a non-profit do-good agency

I critically, but honestly and fairly, reviewed several items I bought and
those reviews were never posted. I think my vote counted though. They
are upfront about what they will post, not everything makes it.

OTOH, some products that I liked and wanted to buy again were dropped from
their lineup. Not enough profit margin? I don't know. I am concerned
that they will start trying to squeeze a little more profit out of their
sales and start increasing prices and cutting back on customer service.

Shipping prices have gone up a bit but I don't think that the current
default UPS shipping is as good as FedEx was. FedEx is still available,
of course, just costs too much.

Andy

 

[Geoff]

I critically, but honestly and fairly, reviewed several items I bought and

those reviews were never posted.

That is very key to me. It could be they just never got around to posting
it but . . .

.. . . it could also be that some products have many good reviews and those
reviews are never posted and vice versa in order to push certain products.

-g

 

[Blinky the Shark]

I've been doing business with New Egg for years. They have
always been very good to me.

They do publish negative reviews, as well as positive ones.

New Egg isn't always the cheapest, but in my experience they are
more solidly reliable than many other vendors. Plus they offer
more choices than many other vendors. I have always been able
to get satisfaction: if I don't like a product they have always
been very good about exchanges and refunds.

One of the things I've bought from them was a mobo. I was impressed
with that whole section of the website, in terms of organization and
amount of clearly stated data about the various units. Information
rules; NE does it well.

 

[Hackworth]

That is very key to me. It could be they just never got around to posting
it but . . .

. . . it could also be that some products have many good reviews and those
reviews are never posted and vice versa in order to push certain products.

I've gotten negative stuff posted. I think there are two key things to keep
in mind if you want a negative posted: 1.) You have to praise NewEgg in
some way--the usual "NewEgg rocks" will do--even if you zing the product,
and 2.) Try to sound objective about the product in question and don't rant
and rave like a lunatic.

 

[Hackworth]

I used to like them more than I do now. I bought an item with a
manufacturer's rebate that the manufacturer decided to avoid paying;
newegg gave no help. I didn't expect much, but I got less than that.
I also think some of their prices are a bit high and I won't buy any
of the rebate stuff anymore. Parts prices on mwave seem better to me,
of course they don't do the shipping deals. I guess I just don't find
the deal business to be all that compelling anymore.

Rebates blow and I hate them. Since about 1990 through, say, 2002, I used
to order lots of stuff from TigerDirect. I've bought almost nothing from
them lately, however, and prefer to buy much of my stuff through NewEgg and
sometimes NewEgg's sister company ChiefValue. The reason? The prices that
TigerDirect posts for most of their products are never the "real" prices;
they always have the tell-tale asterisk next to the price so that when you
read the fine print, you see that the figure quoted is the "price after $xx
mail-in rebate."

I despise rebates because even big-name manufacturers can "forget" about
your rebate submission or they look for the smallest excuse or even lie
about your submission so that they don't have to pay you. It's just a big
scam, IMHO. Plus, there's the major hassle of having to complete and mail a
rebate request. I hate that! Either offer a so-called "instant rebate" or
just sell the damned thing at the "real" price... sell it as low as you can
yet still make a profit and just be up-front about it.

I wrote to TigerDirect twice explaining why customers like me don't like
them and will never buy any items where a mail-in rebate is involved. I
never even got the courtesy of an auto-generated reply. When I noticed that
NewEgg was starting last summer to offer a few items having mail-in rebate
offers, I sent them an email explaining why I don't like rebates and about
my opinion of TigerDirect; some "important big-shot guy" from NewEgg sent me
a personal reply thanking me for my "valuable input" and gave me a $25
coupon code for my next order... which I promptly used.

So... to this day I do not buy any items at TigerDirect that do not reflect
the real price (which means that I order virtually nothing from them
anymore). I just won't be bothered with a mail-in rebate hassle.
Furthermore, whenever I see that tell-tale asterisk next to the quoted
price, I automatically go to PriceWatch or Froogle and search for a company
that's selling it at the real price... *without* the hassle of a rebate
application.

 

[Chris Hill]

Rebates blow and I hate them. Since about 1990 through, say, 2002, I used
to order lots of stuff from TigerDirect. I've bought almost nothing from
them lately, however, and prefer to buy much of my stuff through NewEgg and
sometimes NewEgg's sister company ChiefValue. The reason? The prices that
TigerDirect posts for most of their products are never the "real" prices;
they always have the tell-tale asterisk next to the price so that when you
read the fine print, you see that the figure quoted is the "price after $xx
mail-in rebate."

I despise rebates because even big-name manufacturers can "forget" about
your rebate submission or they look for the smallest excuse or even lie
about your submission so that they don't have to pay you. It's just a big
scam, IMHO. Plus, there's the major hassle of having to complete and mail a
rebate request. I hate that! Either offer a so-called "instant rebate" or
just sell the damned thing at the "real" price... sell it as low as you can
yet still make a profit and just be up-front about it.

I wrote to TigerDirect twice explaining why customers like me don't like
them and will never buy any items where a mail-in rebate is involved. I
never even got the courtesy of an auto-generated reply. When I noticed that
NewEgg was starting last summer to offer a few items having mail-in rebate
offers, I sent them an email explaining why I don't like rebates and about
my opinion of TigerDirect; some "important big-shot guy" from NewEgg sent me
a personal reply thanking me for my "valuable input" and gave me a $25
coupon code for my next order... which I promptly used.

So... to this day I do not buy any items at TigerDirect that do not reflect
the real price (which means that I order virtually nothing from them
anymore). I just won't be bothered with a mail-in rebate hassle.
Furthermore, whenever I see that tell-tale asterisk next to the quoted
price, I automatically go to PriceWatch or Froogle and search for a company
that's selling it at the real price... *without* the hassle of a rebate
application.

Agreed. I learned my lesson as well. No rebates except at Staples
where their easy rebates actually work. I have had good luck with
newegg in the past. I bought a case from a well-known manufacturer
(better than most of the junk I bought) that had drive rails. The guy
who bent the drive cage into the U-shape must've been asleep, though,
because it was bent backwards and the drive rails ended up on the
outside. Newegg sent me another one that was the same way and finally
gave me my money back including the money to ship both bad cases back
to them. I still like them, but mwave's prices seem better of late
and I don't have to sweat over which product has the shipping deal on
it.

 

[Tony]

I like newegg.com and bought an lcd flat screen and tv thru them. I like
the customer reveiws especially. However, I also wondered if it is a good
way to manipulate customers. I mean, reviews are not posted right away (it
is not like usenet). I assume they go thru some process and if newegg
wanted to push certain products, they could let a lot of good reviews go
thru and other products, not have many reviews or post mostly bad reviews.

Does anyone have any inside information?

-g

I don't think Newegg does enough blocking of review-posts.

Far too many 'reviews' posted that are not actually reviews, but go
like this example... "Hey, Newegg rocks.. Does anyone know if this
comes with a blue faceplate?!"

On the other hand, they seem to do curious edits like "I tried L**x"
I got this card when it was $*****, with the instant $*** rebate, it
was great!!"

Tony!

 

[John Doe]

I don't think Newegg does enough blocking of review-posts.
Far too many 'reviews' posted that are not actually reviews, but go
like this example... "Hey, Newegg rocks.. Does anyone know if this
comes with a blue faceplate?!"

Something I've noticed in other reviews that would be very useful is
the length of time the reviewer has owned the device, right at the top
of the review.

Instead of:
"It's awesome! It should arrive tomorrow!"

 

[ToolPackinMama]

I wrote to TigerDirect twice explaining why customers like me don't like
them and will never buy any items where a mail-in rebate is involved. I
never even got the courtesy of an auto-generated reply. When I noticed that
NewEgg was starting last summer to offer a few items having mail-in rebate
offers, I sent them an email explaining why I don't like rebates and about
my opinion of TigerDirect; some "important big-shot guy" from NewEgg sent me
a personal reply thanking me for my "valuable input" and gave me a $25
coupon code for my next order... which I promptly used.

That's the kind of thing New Egg will do. I complained one time when
the cheap power-supply that came with a new case crapped out, and a NE
rep took personal responsibility for making me happy. I was offered an
equivalent replacement PS and free expedited shipping to solve that problem.

 

[Andy Axnot]

I've gotten negative stuff posted. I think there are two key things to keep
in mind if you want a negative posted: 1.) You have to praise NewEgg in
some way--the usual "NewEgg rocks" will do--even if you zing the product,
and 2.) Try to sound objective about the product in question and don't rant
and rave like a lunatic.

It's definitely problematic getting negative comments posted. Another
thing some people try is giving the product 5 stars or eggs, and then
criticizing the product. I used to wonder about these, thinking the
reviewers didn't understand the rating scale. All of this distorts the
ratings and makes them less useful, though I always read them.

Andy

 

[John Doe]

I do not buy a product without knowing the price first. Whenever I
see a mail-in rebate, I simply look elsewhere. The fine print in
mail in rebates makes perfectly clear that your submission can be
ignored, and I have experienced that (a ZOOM dial-up modem alleged
$20 rebate). You go to the trouble of submitting a rebate form and
waiting, then you find out you aren't getting the rebate therefore
you got ripped off on the price too.

Maybe mail-in rebates are a scam to prevent returns. Since you have
to wait for months, you won't be allowed to return the product.

 

[Bob M]

I like newegg.com and bought an lcd flat screen and tv thru them. I like
the customer reveiws especially. However, I also wondered if it is a good
way to manipulate customers. I mean, reviews are not posted right away (it
is not like usenet). I assume they go thru some process and if newegg
wanted to push certain products, they could let a lot of good reviews go
thru and other products, not have many reviews or post mostly bad reviews.

Does anyone have any inside information?

-g

Yes Newegg does manipulate the reviews. I wrote a review about an LCD
monitor I bought from them last year. The review was not 100% favorable.
After I submitted the review, I got a call from someone in Newegg's
customer service. I was told that my review would not be published. I
was asked to edit the review to a 100% positive review which I refused
to do. I then went to Resellerrating.com and wrote a review about Newegg
listing this information. Resellerrating refused to post my review.
There was no profanity used or anything else that would normally be
grounds for rejection. I then asked Resellerratings if they were "in
bed" together with Newegg with their reviews. I was then threatened with
a lawsuit by someone who claimed to be the president of Resellerratings
if I ever mentioned this information on the web.
I just offer this info to you people out there so you know that the
reviews are censored. I still buy from Newegg but I don't read their
reviews. And I also avoid Resellerratings at all costs.

Bob

 

[Mickey4Paws]

I just offer this info to you people out there so you know that the
reviews are censored. I still buy from Newegg but I don't read their
reviews. And I also avoid Resellerratings at all costs.

Bob

I always thought they were probably just posting the favorable reviews.
I mean you can look at some product you know is low quality, such as a
cheap power supply, and see raving reviews. I do like buying from
Newegg and have had good experiences, but like you, I don't pay
attention to the reviews.

 

[JAD]

I heard newegg was sold and is under new management..6 months or so ago.