Amazon vs. Newegg

Anyone shop both Amazon and Newegg?

I've been shopping with Amazon for over 10 years so I'm use to the way they do business. To be honest, I think they have some of the best customer service going; and I've never had any major issue with stuff bought from them - laptops to CD's to school books.

Anyway getting ready to build/upgrade to new system and can save myself a bit of money by going Newegg's route. Just want to make sure they aren't any return policy/customer service issues, or that items aren't repackaged and sold as new. So...

1- How's their return policy? - With Amazon, for me, if I have an issue they will send me a replacement before sending the defective item back.

2- Most importantly, packaging and condition of items. Some items don't come in sealed boxes, motherboards for example. Are these items received as they should, with all parts? Do they look like they've been "inspected" or "tested"?

3- Any other issues?

Thanks.

I shop both Amazon and NewEgg. Overall, there aren't any major differences. I rarely use the Marketplace vendors on Amazon and then only if they have a high customer review rating (I actually read the reviews rather than use the rating since many of the vendor reviews are actually product reviews). I never use the Marketplace vendors on NewEgg because there is no reliable way to determine how reliable they are.

Some comparisons include:

1. Amazon has free shipping on items shipping from their warehouses on orders $35 and over. NewEgg only has free shipping on selected items.

2. NewEgg usually fills orders within one business day, often on the same day. Amazon takes longer to fill orders, especially when free shipping is involved. Delivery time is usually faster with NewEgg because they ship from one warehouse in CA. Amazon has warehouses all over the U.S. so the time it takes a package to arrive is highly variable.

3. Amazon and NewEgg seem to use about the same care in packaging. I haven't had a problem due to poor packaging nor a problem with missing parts. I had one DVD from Amazon that wouldn't play completely; Amazon immediately replaced it. Both have similar return policies.

4. In AZ, where I live, I have to pay sales taxes on purchases from Amazon because they have a warehouse here. NewEgg is out of CA so I don't have to pay any sales taxes. Your mileage will depend on the State you live in.

5. NewEgg offers extended warranties (for a price) on many products. Amazon does not.

Which one I order electronics from is determined by price, need or desire of an extended warranty, and availability.

Thanks Lady, my thought in red below...

Lady Fitzgerald said:

I shop both Amazon and NewEgg. Overall, there aren't any major differences. I rarely use the Marketplace vendors on Amazon and then only if they have a high customer review rating (I actually read the reviews rather than use the rating since many of the vendor reviews are actually product reviews). I never use the Marketplace vendors on NewEgg because there is no reliable way to determine how reliable they are.

Some comparisons include:

1. Amazon has free shipping on items shipping from their warehouses on orders $35 and over. NewEgg only has free shipping on selected items.

I have Amazon's Prime membership so I get free 2 day shipping.

2. NewEgg usually fills orders within one business day, often on the same day. Amazon takes longer to fill orders, especially when free shipping is involved. Delivery time is usually faster with NewEgg because they ship from one warehouse in CA. Amazon has warehouses all over the U.S. so the time it takes a package to arrive is highly variable.

Haven't had any problem with orders filled here. In fact over the years I'll say I've had basically a 99 percent on time fill rate here.

3. Amazon and NewEgg seem to use about the same care in packaging. I haven't had a problem due to poor packaging nor a problem with missing parts. I had one DVD from Amazon that wouldn't play completely; Amazon immediately replaced it. Both have similar return policies.

That's great to know.

4. In AZ, where I live, I have to pay sales taxes on purchases from Amazon because they have a warehouse here. NewEgg is out of CA so I don't have to pay any sales taxes. Your mileage will depend on the State you live in.

I live in VA where we are now paying taxes. Newegg isn't yet collecting taxes; so in addition to lower prices, taxes are also a factor

5. NewEgg offers extended warranties (for a price) on many products. Amazon does not.

Actually Amazon does, it's usually in a pop-up box.

Which one I order electronics from is determined by price, need or desire of an extended warranty, and availability.

Agree; though I usually opt for customer service as well, and for me, I'm very comfortable with Amazon. However, taxes, and higher prices are making me look at Newegg here.

Thanks, good info

whs said:

One advantage with Newegg is that you don't pay sales tax - except in Cal and I think Tenn. I order from FL which generates sales tax at TigerDirect (because they are in FL).

I love Amazon, and am extremely comfortable with them, but between the taxes and higher prices on certain items, I'll have to look at Newegg for my upcoming build.

Thanks; look like I'll be shopping Newegg for this project.

Peace

sygnus21 said:

Thanks Lady, my thought in red below...

Lady Fitzgerald said:

...1. Amazon has free shipping on items shipping from their warehouses on orders $35 and over. NewEgg only has free shipping on selected items.

I have Amazon's Prime membership so I get free 2 day shipping...

...

Amazon Prime isn't cheap. Last time I checked, it was $80 a year. I just tried to check it out and had to by an e-book to get the details. I don't think so. For $80 dollars a year, I can just be patient and wait for the free shipping (I suspect the delay in shipping with free shipping is to encourage people to get Amazon Prime). The other benefits of Amazon Prime do not interest me.

Lady Fitzgerald said:

...
2. NewEgg usually fills orders within one business day, often on the same day. Amazon takes longer to fill orders, especially when free shipping is involved. Delivery time is usually faster with NewEgg because they ship from one warehouse in CA. Amazon has warehouses all over the U.S. so the time it takes a package to arrive is highly variable.

Haven't had any problem with orders filled here. In fact over the years I'll say I've had basically a 99 percent on time fill rate here...

Amazon usually ships and delivers within the time they estimate but that time has been getting longer. Also, the closer the Amazon warehouse is to me, the longer it takes for them to fill and ship the order. In the past, Amazon would fill and ship all orders in the same time period so that orders being filled and shipped from warehouses closer to me would arrive sooner. Orders from the Phoenix Warehouse would often be delivered the next day. Now, they consistently all take the same amount of time to get delivered. Often, orders being sent from two different warehouses will be filled at different times, with the ones that had to travel the furthest being filled and shipped first.

Adding insult to injury, Amazon recently raised the threshold for free shipping from $25 to $35.

One reason for the difference in our results is you shell out for Amazon Prime and I refuse to be extorted into shelling out for it.

Lady Fitzgerald said:

...5. NewEgg offers extended warranties (for a price) on many products. Amazon does not.

Actually Amazon does, it's usually in a pop-up box.

...

I'm getting blind in my old age!

Well we pay for the services we think benefits us; whether some see that as extortion is a matter of one's perspective.

Anyway being that I'm a college student (an older one but still..) I got Prime for $39 bucks, but even at 80 (79.99) it still would have paid for itself as I use the service a lot.

As for shipping and deliveries, I've not had any issues. And if there are delays, I get e-mails telling me so. Also, Amazon has NO control over the delivery service once it leaves the warehouse, so if UPS, Fed EX, or the post office aren't delivering the items on time, you need to take that up with that delivery service, and let Amazon know.

At any rate I just needed to know how Newegg was. Thanks.

sygnus21 said:

Well we pay for the services we think benefits us; whether some see that as extortion is a matter of one's perspective...

Considering that Amazon didn't used to delay shipments when using non-Prime free shipping, yes, it's extortion.

I think Prime is great value, free next day or £4.99 for next day before 1pm (the one I aways use), some people my want to wait for their stuff but I want mine yesterday.

Mayhap patience comes with old age. Then again, it could be just being cheap. Come to think of it, I am old and cheap. I do have several orders setting at my mail service that I just haven't gotten around to picking up yet so that tells you how impatient I'm not.