Posted: 3/9/2006 12:53:14 PM EDT
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Based on overwhelmingly positive feedback in my earlier thread on the topic, I went ahead Monday and ordered a laptop from Newegg.com. Now, I am living in Virginia right now on a temporary basis until I get my wife moved out here from our house in Texas, so all of our bills --including credit cards-- are still going to Texas. When I attempted to order, the website said that if my billing address and shipping address were different, I had to call my credit card issuer and have my billing address added to my record as an 'authorized' address. Part of their order verification process in this case involves calling the customer's credit card and making sure the shipping address is 'authorized'. I have done a lot of online ordering, much of it while I was away from home, including some while in Egypt and Iraq, even some very expensive things. No company has ever insisted on such a thing before. I went ahead and called my bank and explained what I needed, had them put my shipping address in my customer record and had them note that Newegg would be calling to verify the address. The lady at my bank said that this was no problem. Yesterday I got an email from Newegg saying that they had attempted to verify my shipping address and were unable to do so, so my order would not go forward. I called my bank AGAIN and checked that they had added the address. They had. I asked them if there was a record of anyone calling to verify the address. There wasn't. I asked if they could add the shipping address as an alternate address for the cardholder. They did. I then called Newegg and asked them why they were unable to verify my address since my bank had both on file. Of course, all I could get was some generic customer service chick who could only tell me that order verification had been unsuccessful. Well, no shit. I asked if I could wait on hold while SHE called the bank. No, that's not her department. I asked her what percentage of customer service calls were for this sort of thing, based on their unique demand for shipping address being on file with the customer's credit card company. She estimated approximately 80%. She said that she would keep my record up on her screen and have order verification try again, then call me back immediately. I said great, and gave her my work number. A half hour later she called me back and said that order verification had failed again. I told her to cancel the order and that I would get the laptop from another source. I told her that customer service was worth money to me, and that I would get the laptop from another company, one that wouldn't put me through this kind of rigamarole. I told her I had complied with Newegg's unique request and had made sure my bank had all the information necessary to get this done, but Newegg still refused to sell me a laptop. She apologized and asked if I would wait on hold while she tried to get someone to try AGAIN. I said sure. After another very pleasant wait on hold, she said that my order was verified. I asked if it was unreasonable of me to expect them to get me the laptop I ordered on Monday by Friday and she said that she would get it shipped that day and upgrade me to FedEx second day. Results: A LOT of time on hold with both my bank and Newegg.  An understandable but in the end idiotic order verification policy.  A very frustrating experience.  A dedicated customer service girl named Kim.  A laptop *supposedly* in transit. 
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It sounds like you just got some doofus checking your order, or maybe its just because its your first order. I have placed many orders from them that shipped to different states, and have never had an issue as long as the address is on record with bank. Also, since they are a tech/online only store, I have found that they respond to email much more thoroughly than calls. Before they reply to your email they will check with the department in charge of your request and get their input, better than being placed on hold. Hopefully you get your laptop soon, and enjoy it. |
They're the only company I've ever dealt with that demands that, and it's a pain in the balls. Even when I complied with their demand, they still fucked it up. The CS chick even admitted that most of their CS issues are related to that one aspect of ordering with them. |
Care to name them? I've bought watches, electronics, gun parts, ammunition, no end of tactical gear, CDs, DVDs, books, flowers, clothes, fairly expensive sunglasses and other items online, with all deliveries going to an address other than my billing address, and never before been asked to do this. I'd like to hear of any other companies who do this. |
This happened with me on my computer order from them as well. First order took about 3 days for them to "verify" everything. I've made several orders since then, processed in less than 3 hours, from click to ship. No shit. Newegg rocks. |
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I've ordered complete sets of components for 3 of my own systems and one that I built for my dad. Never had a problem, always delivered in a timely fashion, and nbo matter how complicated the orders have been they get them right. Not sure what Newegg yous guys are ordering through, but the one I call is top notch...
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I've VERY OCCASIONALLY run across the same thing, when ordering stuff for my wife's house in Nashville. I cannot remember what companies (or even what purchasees) it was, but I remember it happening once or twice. However, in those cases, it was just a simple matter of calling in the order - as opposed to just doing it on-line - but never of needing to get my bank to do anything. You've got more patience than me. The second it would have involved calling my bank or credit card to change things, I would have given up.  Hope the laptop arrives without problems.
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I ordered something yesterday and went with normal Fedex shipping and it was here today... Had it happen a few times before too. They are a really fast company. They do this because they do an ENORMOUS volume of sales. They started with a single distrobution center about 6 years ago. They are upto 3 now and I think they are building a fourth. Tour newegg |
You weren't there in the office with me. I got a little *irritated* at the second phone call with Newegg. I may even have said something to the effect that if I was a prisoner in Abu Ghraib, what they were doing to me would get them investigated by Amnesty International... |
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| If you want to check where you order is at with NewEgg log back on to their website and look up your order history. It will show you what stage your order is at and give you the tracking information after it has shipped. NewEgg is awesome when it comes to getting orders processed and shipped out. I have ran into the same problem that you had with other electronic companies. It's a pain but it's to cut down fraud. If it was going to be shipped to your billing address there wouldn't have been any issues. |
Almost every reputable computer company does it. CDW, Mwave, Newegg, ZipZoomFly... Newegg is still the best place for computer parts, period. |
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It explains all of this stuff when your ordering, so it shouldn't be that big of a surprise it even has "order processing steps" to keep you up to date on where exactly the order is at internally at newegg. As soon as you get it hashed out on your first order, all the other orders you do will be VERY quick. Newegg is probably one of the fastest "net" purchases companies I've ever used. |
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Anandtech recently toured the Newegg facility. Explaining some large metal crates in the processing center, Newegg's VP said:
Just one more reason why I like Newegg. |
| I ordered a video card from them last month. I was a new customer and when I got to the part of the order where it says about adding a different address to my card, I called the CC company and told them that I wanted to add an autherized address to my account. This was around 10pm on Sun night. Newegg confirmed my order that night and shipped it the next morning |
Yes but it is true. They ARE watching out for your interests here. Your address is in Texas, and someone claiming to be you is trying to order an expensive item on one of your credit cards, and have it delivered half way across the country. Instead of being a bitch you should be thankful that they are being so cautious. If you had wanted to avoid the problem, you could have just bought a money order or bank check and had that overnighted to them. ~ |
Well, noplace I've ordered from --ever-- has insisted on it, until now. And Amazon.com doesn't do it. I've bought from them multiple times, and had deliveries made to Kirkuk, Baghdad and Tikrit, Iraq as well as Virginia and Pennsylvania, with a billing address in Texas, and have never been asked to do this before. |
I'm not a bitch. I'm relating my customer service problems with a well-regarded internet retailer. Edit: Instead of calling you what you obviously are, I'll just note for the record that any coward can talk like you do when you're not betting your dental health on the outcome. |
You're an artist with the english language, Jarhead.  Glad your laptop arrived okay. |