Newegg is trying to cover their ass here but the reality is they have been buying from suppliers or their suppliers have been buying from suppliers outside the ordinary and approved supply chain. It's scary to think NewEgg (or their suppliers) has been buying outside the normal channels and potentially exposing all their clients to stolen or fake goods.
Indeed. Disturbing is this.
Makes me wonder how many XP Pro OEMs that Newegg sells are fake. Remember the reports of grey-market HDs being sold by Newegg as "OEM/bulk", that had no mfg warranty when checked at the web site?
Well, is anyone surprised by this at all? VL and rahvin bring up a good point, that Newegg sources their parts from wherever and whomever gives them a good price, supply chain be damned.
Ever wonder why in the same parts category, be it video cards, memory, motherboards, etc., that there are parts that have one return policy and others, seemingly exactly the same--even from the same manufacturer---that have another return policy?
To wit:
Newegg's Standard 30-Day Return Policy:
- Return for refund within: 30 days
- Return for replacement within: 30 days
Newegg's Limited Replacement Only 30-Day Return Policy:
- Return for refund within: non-refundable
- Return for replacement within: 30 days
This policy difference is all over the place for item after item....such as memory that's returnable for refund or replacement and memory that isn't refundable. Same for monitors and many other products. Video cards that are able to be returned for refund and those that aren't....just replacement.
Heck, they've even got products that are returnable for refund but NOT for replacement. Or the Manufacturer Warranty Only: "You cannot return the item to us for any reason, no returns, no refunds. Any problems with the product, go to the manufacturer" return policy.
Don't know about you, but when I buy memory, monitor, motherboard, whatever from Fry's, MicroCenter, etc., I damn sure can return for replacement or refund most anything I've bought there. (Open box items are sometimes restricted and some parts are replacement only.)
True, there are time restrictions (typically 7-15 days) and opened software or DVDs/CDs are just replacement only (as is with any store--online or B&M), but Newegg has made return categorization a fine art.
But grey marketing has been a long "tradition" of online selling, going waaaay back in electronics, esp. high(er) end stereo components and cameras. And of course, this practice still happens but these items can be weeded out by the warranty provided, if one is provided at all, by the seller. Things like "We provide our own warranty in lieu of manufacturer's warranties" is a sure sign you're buying grey marketed items....
Even seen bicycles get grey marketed. Cannondale has a huge batch of their bikes show up in Costco quite a while ago.....they were destined for Asia but got diverted by an unscrupulous buyer and they ended up in Costco. Initially Cannondale refused warranty service on them....but relented for the customers. Still blasted Costco for it, though.
So, it wouldn't surprise me one iota that Newegg sources from anyone and everyone, authorized or not. Price is Newegg's driving force and sometimes the result isn't always expected.