I’ve had two shopping experiences with Newegg.com in the last 11 months. My first purchase was over $700 in computer parts to build a raging colossus of a machine to rip through code, graphics, and the Internet 14 times faster than my previous metal box. As I mentioned last week, I ordered some laptop memory from them and regretted using NewEgg again.

In December, I paid for 3-day shipping so that it would arrive before my wife’s office closed for a couple of days around Christmas. When I checked the shipping information after getting an e-mail confirmation that it had been shipped, the page said that the shipping information had not been received yet. I figured that the package had missed the scan and was on its way. Bad figuring on my part. It still hadn’t left yet. Two days later, it was picked up by UPS and scheduled to arrive even after her office was empty. We had to go hunt down the UPS depot on the day after Christmas to find out where it was because they didn’t attempt delivery knowing the offices were closed. We had to wait until the following Monday to get my parts, and my week off from work was more than half over, all because it didn’t leave their building when it should have.

Fast forward to this month. On the 11th, I paid an extra $2.99 for priority processing, used free 3-7 business day shipping, ordered before lunchtime, and expected the memory to leave their hands when I received an e-mail around 5pm saying that my purchase had shipped. Once again, no tracking information was ready. Three days later, still no tracking information. I got on Live Chat and they said that happens. I waited through the weekend, and finally got information that it had left Memphis on the 13th and was still in the vicinity at 11pm the next day. I got on Live Chat again, and they said it will arrive in the mail because DHL takes it to the post office for them, and USPS must already have it.

I nicely read them the riot act in the chat that it doesn’t make a darn bit of difference if you pay extra for priority processing and that it was a scam. They said that it will still arrive within 7 business days (which it did), but I stood my ground on the principle that you expect better service time if you pay extra money. If it was going to arrive in 7 business days anyway, they just stole my $3! I got my processing money refunded, but I still had to wait until the 19th for something Tigerdirect.com would have had to me in 3 business days without any contact or extra money.