Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux • Hacker News Board

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#51

Post by eropple » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:29 PM UTC

Symmetry wrote: post #28

xxiao wrote: post #20

could it be somehow the linux display driver damaged that screen? while I use linux but I do think newegg has a point. A policy is a policy and newegg can not verify all those 100+ linux distro on the market.

Generally speaking you don't want a screen to break no matter what signals you put into it. It would really suck if a virus could actually destroy your computer.

True, but hardware failures are known to happen due to Linux misbehavior (yes, even today--it might happen with mainstream OSes but I've never heard about it).

I agree that ideally the hardware should be robust about it, but from a practical perspective it's a lot easier for a niche OS to fix their bugs than to get manufacturers to test those corner cases.

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#52

Post by km3k » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:34 PM UTC

papsosouid wrote: post #42

DanielStraight wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Why is "we made a mistake, we're offering to fix it" not enough? What more could they say? Do you want the name of the rep who made the mistake? Do you want them fired? Neither one of these seems remotely reasonable, but I'm not sure what else you could want. It was a simple human error. Customer service agent was wrong about the policy. It happens.

>Why is "we made a mistake, we're offering to fix it" not enough? Because I don't want to have to waste my time trying to drum up media attention when it happens to me. >What more could they say? Explain how this mistake happened in the first place, and what they are doing to prevent it from happening again. It doesn't help me that I may be able to publicly shame them into giving me an RMA. I want to know that I will…

>Who says it isn't policy to reject RMAs when another OS has been installed, and they only back down if someone creates a scene?

This is a valid concern. Their policy for return shipping is that the customer pays for return shipping on an RMA unless you ask a customer service agent for a free shipping label. If you ask, you get it, without any special requirements.

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#53

Post by s_baby » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:34 PM UTC

rfrey wrote: post #6

It's a remarkable (to me) number of comments to the OP saying they're glad Newegg refunded the money and apologized, but they would still never buy from them. Seems to me like Newegg acted quickly and unambiguously. The flip side of the "punish bad behaviour" coin is "reward correct behaviour". Maybe it was, as many commenters are suggesting, just the public shaming that got Newegg to act, but maybe not... in any eve…

>in any event, it's not helpful to provide disincentives for companies to own up to mistakes.

This is why the 99%( particularly left ) have trouble creating political capital. The rabble of the mob doesn't always provide rational incentives.

As a counterpoint, Jews are able to swing states like Florida by block vote even though they represent a minority.

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#54

Post by kamjam » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:36 PM UTC

billswift wrote: post #34

pcopley wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doing the wrong thing (completely ignoring Norma) Clearly Newegg is in one of the middle categories. Personally, I think as long as customers are taken care of it doesn't so much matter what the decision making behind it is.

I agree that the main point is customer service, not some abstract right thing, but waiting until they scream loud enough is not properly taking care of customers.

But what if that customer HAD to scream loud in order to to get things put right? If the customer rep truly believed that was the policy (whether is was or not) and you keep batting emails back and forth to them... they will not budge. So you have to go above their heads... I don't know the whole/original story but if it was me then I would have kicked up a fuss with Newegg and demanded a telephone call from a manager.

However, it (hopefully) means that everyone at Newegg is now aware of the correct policy and that we will not have this issue again. It also hopefully means that if there are similar issues in the future then clarification is sought before refusing a customer OR it is dealt with by someone more senior.

I don't think a one off incident where they put right should be looked upon so negatively... imagine someone judging humans in the same manner!

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#55

Post by sourc3 » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:43 PM UTC

I had a similar experience with Newegg. I bought one of these shiny 13" uber-thin laptops from them about a year ago. The wireless card on that machine is useless (due to aluminum casing apparently). Exchanging with another model was almost impossible and I had to literally argue with a bunch of people on the phone to get the RMA. Not sure if I ever would buy anything from them again. Amazon on the other hand has been the best experience for me so far. Prime + Amazon, and the only thing I buy in person are groceries.

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#56

Post by prezjordan » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:50 PM UTC

sourc3 wrote: post #55

I had a similar experience with Newegg. I bought one of these shiny 13" uber-thin laptops from them about a year ago. The wireless card on that machine is useless (due to aluminum casing apparently). Exchanging with another model was almost impossible and I had to literally argue with a bunch of people on the phone to get the RMA. Not sure if I ever would buy anything from them again. Amazon on the other hand has bee…

Freshdirect!

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#57

Post by larrys » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 6:51 PM UTC

steve8918 wrote: post #21

rfrey wrote: post #6

It's a remarkable (to me) number of comments to the OP saying they're glad Newegg refunded the money and apologized, but they would still never buy from them. Seems to me like Newegg acted quickly and unambiguously. The flip side of the "punish bad behaviour" coin is "reward correct behaviour". Maybe it was, as many commenters are suggesting, just the public shaming that got Newegg to act, but maybe not... in any eve…

What they need is a post-mortem and a transparent analysis of the situation posted on their website, similar to what Heroku did with their outage. If they can show that the reason why this occurred was because of a break in a process, and this process was fixed, then I wouldn't have any problems with Newegg. If the refund was a one-off situation to quiet the public outcry, and they don't care about fixing their gener…

"then I wouldn't have any problems with Newegg."

You sound like the person threatening to not fly an particular airline because of the surly behavior of the ticketing agent. Fact is you will fly the airline if the price is significantly cheaper than what competitors are offering or the schedule works for you etc.

Companies are in the business of making money. They don't need you they need everyone. The effect this will have on newegg is nominal.

News flash: In order to give low prices something has to give. While there may be a few outlier exceptions you can't be all things to all people. Price quality speed pick any two. It's not just a cliche.

HN readers seem to be very polarized in how they view things. Things are good or bad. Either you bogu to their every needs or they make a big fuss and want to be catered to.

Lastly, Heroku and newegg are two different companies catering to two different markets and customers although there is overlap.

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#58

Post by Semaphor » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 7:01 PM UTC

Can someone clear this up for me? I'll quickly write what I understood:

A single person had Problems with an RMA because of Linux while everyone else is wondering why they never have problems getting and RMA after installing Linux. Signs lead to believe that it is a couple of bad apples at Newegg that are simply stupid/malicious.

Newegg says of course we do RMA for Linux and people talk about how Newegg changed their stance.

Now I can see how Consumerist maybe helped Norma. Maybe escalating it up the chain to the the point where you got an actual thinking human being might have worked as well, maybe that's hard to do, I don't know. But does't this whole thing seem to be totally blown out of proportions?

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#59

Post by colanderman » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 7:01 PM UTC

papsosouid wrote: post #42

DanielStraight wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Why is "we made a mistake, we're offering to fix it" not enough? What more could they say? Do you want the name of the rep who made the mistake? Do you want them fired? Neither one of these seems remotely reasonable, but I'm not sure what else you could want. It was a simple human error. Customer service agent was wrong about the policy. It happens.

>Why is "we made a mistake, we're offering to fix it" not enough? Because I don't want to have to waste my time trying to drum up media attention when it happens to me. >What more could they say? Explain how this mistake happened in the first place, and what they are doing to prevent it from happening again. It doesn't help me that I may be able to publicly shame them into giving me an RMA. I want to know that I will…

> Because I don't want to have to waste my time trying to drum up media attention when it happens to me.

You could just e-mail customer service with a link to this article.

Re: Newegg: No, We'll Totally Take Returns After You Install Linux

#60

Post by papsosouid » Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 7:03 PM UTC

eropple wrote: post #47

papsosouid wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Why is "we made a mistake, we're offering to fix it" not enough? Because I don't want to have to waste my time trying to drum up media attention when it happens to me. >What more could they say? Explain how this mistake happened in the first place, and what they are doing to prevent it from happening again. It doesn't help me that I may be able to publicly shame them into giving me an RMA. I want to know that I will…

>It was a simple human error. Customer service agent was wrong about the policy How do you know this? Personally, I know this because they've never given me a word of trouble on an RMA when I've done this, and Newegg's record is so staggeringly positive that I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. It feels like you're making a mountain out of a molehill here (it sort of reads like you have an axe to grind…

>It feels like you're making a mountain out of a molehill here (it sort of reads like you have an axe to grind about them, but I'm not going to accuse you of it without proof)

That is an accusation, trying to backhandedly hide it behind "I'm not going to do exactly what I am doing right now" is just as disingenuous as people who say things like "not to be a dick, but ..." as they proceed to be a dick.

>but as far as I'm concerned, Newegg has the credibility to leave it at "we screwed up, it's fixed" unless it reoccurs.

That's wonderful for you. How does it follow then that everyone else should also just accept your belief in them on blind faith? The question was "why is this not good enough?". I explained why. Your personal lack of concern is not relevant, given that the question is addressed to people who are concerned. Your opinion does not negate others' and no amount of random people saying "I like them still" will address the actual concerns I pointed out.