News Here's Why EVGA Charges Scalper Pricing for Advanced GPU RMA Requests

[Admin]

According to a new report, you'll have to pay a deposit equivalent to the price of a scalped graphics card to receive an Advanced RMA from EVGA.

Here's Why EVGA Charges Scalper Pricing for Advanced GPU RMA Requests : Read more

 

[Uilleam]

I avoid EVGA products.

I buy from companies who don't require proof of purchase and go off of the serial number.

ASUS and MSI are two that come to mind who don't require POP.

That being said, ASUS also requires a deposit if you want advanced replacement. Not sure about MSI but I'd guess they require the same thing.

 

[digitalgriffin]

Proof of purchase is easy. If you buy it retail, tape the receipt to the box and put it in your parts closet
Otherwise everything will be in order history (amazon/newegg/B&HPhoto) or email

The only people worried about POP are those who were dumb enough to buy from scalpers (sales from unauthorized vendors can results in denial of claim from some card mfg.)

Given how desperate people are to make an unethical buck these days, EVGA's Advanced RMA policy is a reasonable one.

 

[10tacle]

I avoid EVGA products. I buy from companies who don't require proof of purchase and go off of the serial number. ASUS and MSI are two that come to mind who don't require POP.

I've been building PCs for nearly 25 year and in the few times I've actually had a warranty hardware failure, I've still had to provide POP along with the SN#. This was from both local mom & pop hardware computer stores to the big E-tech stores like NewEgg. As mentioned above, EVGA restricts their authorized vendors to a select few and for good reason: years ago fraudulent resellers would sell older Nvidia GPUs and brand them as a higher level and/or newer GPU. People only caught the counterfeit cards when checking GPU-Z stats.

If you are upset that EVGA clamped down on validating your GPU and purchase with a POP for a warranty claim, then you are not the clientele they are wanting to do business with anyway. No offense. That's not the main reason I have only been buying EVGA video cards since the mid '00s after having several Nvidia AIB brand GPUs (ASUS and MSI being two of them). Their support has always been supreme over other AIB video card if something goes south...IF you play by their rules. Something nobody should be afraid of if a legitimate buyer from a legitimate vendor.

 

[urbanman2004]

I avoid EVGA products.

I buy from companies who don't require proof of purchase and go off of the serial number.

ASUS and MSI are two that come to mind who don't require POP.

That being said, ASUS also requires a deposit if you want advanced replacement. Not sure about MSI but I'd guess they require the same thing.

Your reasoning for avoiding EVGA products is flawed... I've been buying EVGA products since 2007 and I remember there was a time when they wouldn't even offer RMAs on purchases made on eBay but they've since changed their tune around 2015, but still I know plenty of manufacturers who require the consumer to present a receipt or proof of purchase of some sort to honor a warranty... If you've never tried to RMA a CPU through Intel then your sentiment is laughable.

 

[-Fran-]

Maybe I'm a lucky one, but I've never had to RMA anything from Sapphire or Asus. This is over the span of 20 years and buying non-trivial amounts of PC parts from them.

And I'll agree with the article and general sentiment: it's unfortunate, but reasonable to request this. I wish I could say "give the clients the benefit of the doubt", but we all know better by now. This being said, this means if you can't pay it, then keep a backup GPU just in case your EVGA suddenly combusts Hindenburg style 😀

Regards.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

I avoid EVGA products.

I buy from companies who don't require proof of purchase and go off of the serial number.

ASUS and MSI are two that come to mind who don't require POP.

That being said, ASUS also requires a deposit if you want advanced replacement. Not sure about MSI but I'd guess they require the same thing.

Why is that exactly are you a scalper yourself?

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I think this sounds reasonable especially in this environment. I would probably pass on the advanced RMA and just wait for them to receive my faulty GPU. All the GPU's I have purchased have been EVGA. I prefer to buy them from Amazon because I don't get charged shipping which EVGA does although that may have changed recently.

 

[spongiemaster]

Proof of purchase is easy. If you buy it retail, tape the receipt to the box and put it in your parts closet
Otherwise everything will be in order history (amazon/newegg/B&HPhoto) or email

The only people worried about POP are those who were dumb enough to buy from scalpers (sales from unauthorized vendors can results in denial of claim from some card mfg.)

Given how desperate people are to make an unethical buck these days, EVGA's Advanced RMA policy is a reasonable one.

If it's an EVGA product, you should register it immediately on their website after purchasing it. You can submit POP during that process and never worry about having to find it later.

Scalper's price deposit sucks, but is completely justifiable given the current market environment.

 

[10tacle]

If it's an EVGA product, you should register it immediately on their website after purchasing it. You can submit POP during that process and never worry about having to find it later.

I do that for every piece of hardware from any manufacturer put into a new build like the one I just finished last weekend (or home entertainment purchase like TV and stereo receiver).

Why take any chance on making your life more difficult by not just taking care of registration/POP submittalthat takes no more than a few minutes at most? I just find it a best practice for your hard earned money should a piece of hardware go south (and if you buy enough of it over the years you will eventually draw the short straw at least once if not multiple times like me).

 

[C0BRA]

I avoid EVGA products.

I buy from companies who don't require proof of purchase and go off of the serial number.

ASUS and MSI are two that come to mind who don't require POP.

That being said, ASUS also requires a deposit if you want advanced replacement. Not sure about MSI but I'd guess they require the same thing.

I have used EVGA since the mid to early 2,000's. I only get their cards. I have found them to be one of the best supporting hardware companies with one of the best warranties. I have been in IT for 26 plus years. They are one of the few I trust.

 

[waltc3]

IMO, standard RMA is the only way to fly. You ship them the card and they ship you a replacement. $0 deposit required. The Advance RMA thing is a gimmick, and like the article says, there are always people willing to cheat and even steal if they can get away with it--so EVGA is simply doing the prudent thing. Some people's money is burning a hole in their pockets and they have no patience to speak of and want everything done "yesterday" if possible. These people will gladly pay the scalper deposit.

The better-quality GPUs will not fail--since 1995 I've owned well over a dozen GPUs (2d & 3d) and in all of that time I have yet to have one fail which I had to RMA. Never owned an EVGA product, out of all of them. However, as this particular failure had to do with a design flaw in these GPUs, EVGA should be able to determine exactly which GPUs have the flaw--right down to id'ing them all by serial #. That means they know exactly who purchased them. Under the circumstances, however, I can't see how EVGA might avoid the scalper deposit for those who want the new cards ASAP without following the normal RMA process.

I don't have any objection to the advance-shipment deposit! And when GPU production returns to normal (as CPU production seems to have done for AMD of late) then the scalper deposits will cease.