Since I'm not a subscriber, I can only get it this way:
forums.anandtech.com link
Yes, I've read it. What is happening is that people are getting obviously used items. But people are still having problems with non-working mobos resolved. It is still extra hassle and expense, so that doesn't make sending out used items as new all right.
I have not personally got better service from newegg than elsewhere, although the Fedex shipping is sometimes amazingly fast. I'd say they were OK, but I have gotten as good or better treatment elsewhere.
In one order I received a wrong item: a heatsink instead of a CDROM. They did not charge me a restocking fee to return it, but they did not reimburse me for shipping it back as I asked. They say on their site, they do not reimburse return shipping. Going through the RMA process added two weeks to getting the CDROM.
I returned a refurb that was slightly flakey at first and then quit working, an MSI K7N2 Delta-ILSR. I don't fault newegg at all for that. But I was out the return shipping. Since it is newegg's policy to just cancel the order with credit if they don't have a replacement in stock, they didn't let me have another refurb. It took 18 days from the time I asked for the RMA to time they officially said the order was cancelled with credit. This mobo came with every one of the large number of accessories, so it could have been a great deal. But 25 days after I ordered I was $9 lighter and without a mobo.
A few weeks later, refurbs of the DFI NFII LANparty appeared at newegg. At $120, it was kind of high unless some of the accessories were there. I took a chance and lost. Just as they specify, it had zero accessories. No FrontX box, no round cables, no SATA cable and power adapter, no firewire bracket obviously. No mobo manual, no RAID manual, no software CD, no unique backplate. It was in an obsolete VIA P4 mobo box, so I thought it was the wrong mobo too for a while. Fortunately the mobo performs like an absolute jewel. Thanks to DFI for that. It was not much of a deal though. Neweggs statement that these are sold below their cost has to be an hyperbolic exageration. I could have gotten a new, full newegg guarantee, ASUS Nforce2 deluxe mobo with every accessory for about the same price.
Anyway, newegg has not left me hanging, or very many people, if any, and I wouldn't rule out buying from them. There are reasons to think something has changed at newegg, though.