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So you've got your eye on that graphics card on Newegg that's priced $100 less than on Amazon. But hold on—is Newegg actually legit? Should you trust them with your money?
If you've found Newegg while searching for tech deals, you're definitely not the only one. This retailer has been operating for over twenty years and serves millions of people. Like any big marketplace though, it's got both five-star reviews and total nightmare stories.
Quick answer? Yes, Newegg is legitimate. But there's some stuff you really need to understand before hitting that buy button. We'll cover everything here—the upsides, the downsides, and those "wish I'd known that earlier" moments—so you can decide if Newegg is right for your next purchase.
Newegg started in 2001 with Fred Chang, who had just immigrated from Taiwan. Launched during the dot-com crash, the name was meant to symbolize fresh hope for online shopping when internet businesses were tanking left and right.
Today they're publicly traded (NASDAQ: NEGG) with more than 40 million users. Based in Diamond Bar, California, they focus on PC hardware, electronics, gaming stuff and tech products. Reaching a total revenue of around $1.24 billion in 2024, they’ve become a serious player in online tech retail.
PC builders, gamers and tech nerds love Newegg for its huge selection of computer parts. So yeah, it’s a totally real company with decades of history, but that doesn’t mean it’s flawless.
So why not just buy from Amazon? Valid question. Here's the thing—Newegg isn't trying to sell you everything under the sun. Their only focus is technology.
Amazon sells toilet paper, furniture, books, you name it. Newegg just sells tech and electronics, and because of this focus, they have a better selection on niche items like motherboards and specific GPUs. Sometimes the prices are better too, but always compare to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
One cool feature is their PC builder tools that help you make sure all your components are compatible. Obviously Amazon doesn't offer this, and for someone building a serious gaming rig these tools are genuinely helpful.
Like Amazon, Newegg operates as both a direct seller and a marketplace. The marketplace part is an important detail and we'll get into this next.
Just like Amazon, Newegg allows third-party sellers to list products on their platform. Newegg Marketplace started in 2011 and now hosts a ton of different sellers. When you shop on Newegg, you could be buying from Newegg itself or it could be from some random seller using their platform.
This really matters because most of the problems we see with Newegg involve third-party sellers, not Newegg directly. Here’s how to tell who's selling:
Newegg rates marketplace sellers from 1–5 eggs, like a star rating system with 5 being the best. Check these before buying and be careful with anything under 4 eggs. There’s Marketplace Purchase Protection on eligible purchases from third-party sellers if anything gets to you damaged, doesn't show up, or is just completely different from the listing.
The smart move is to stick with "sold and shipped by Newegg" items whenever possible.
Lots of long-time customers love Newegg and have shopped there for years without problems. They like the competitive prices, big tech selection, and usually fast shipping when items are in stock.
When everything goes smoothly, which it does for most, Newegg delivers exactly what you need: the right product, at a decent price, with quick delivery.
Here's where it gets messy. Some review sites give Newegg ratings as low as 1.8 stars, which is pretty harsh. Here’s what people complain about:
People with smooth experiences rarely leave reviews. But someone who had a nightmare experience is likely to write an essay about it.
But there is definitely a pattern suggesting that problem resolution at Newegg can be frustrating. Customer service quality seems inconsistent. They're less flexible than Amazon when issues pop up.
Also remember—many complaints trace back to marketplace sellers, not Newegg itself. Goes back to that earlier point about checking who's selling.
This is huge. Newegg's return policy is way stricter than Amazon's.
You get just 15 days to return most stuff. Amazon gives you 30. If you're someone who takes a while to test products or forgets about returns, this will hurt.
Other things to watch out for:
There's history here too. In 2022, tech YouTuber Nexus made a video about Newegg refusing to refund an unopened motherboard he returned. It got over a million views and Newegg had to apologize and change their policies. This shows you how touchy this issue has been.
The lesson is not to assume Newegg returns work like Amazon when it comes to returns. Read the fine print and make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
Follow these guidelines when it comes to shopping with Newegg and you’ll be fine:
These steps don't guarantee perfection every time, but they will reduce your risk and give you some ammo in case you need to defend a claim.
After everything we've covered, should you actually shop there? Depends on what you're buying and what matters to you.
Newegg has been around for 20+ years, they're publicly traded, and millions shop there successfully—so there’s no question about their legitimacy. But it works best for people who know tech, can decide quickly, and understand the marketplace model.
Be prepared for them to be less forgiving than Amazon when problems happen. For certain tech purchases, though, especially PC parts, the selection for sure makes it worth dealing with them. Just go in with realistic expectations. Use the tips on this page, research every purchase, and you should be fine.
Nope, Newegg was founded in California in 2001. A Chinese tech company called Hangzhou Liaison Interactive did buy a majority stake in 2016, but Newegg still operates from California and trades on the NASDAQ as a U.S. company.
Newegg doesn't intentionally sell counterfeits. But some customers have gotten items that seemed used when they were supposed to be new. The bigger risk is marketplace sellers where quality control varies a lot. There have been a few cases of fake products from third-party sellers. Buy directly from Newegg or from sellers with 4–5 egg ratings to reduce this risk.
Contact customer service immediately with your order number and tracking info. For marketplace orders, the Purchase Protection might cover you for reimbursement. For Newegg direct orders, they should investigate and either resend the item or refund you. If they won't help and you paid by credit card, dispute the charge with your card company.
For PC components specifically, Newegg often has advantages. Wider selection of specialized parts, better compatibility tools, sometimes better prices. But Amazon has better customer service, more generous returns (30 vs 15 days), and Prime shipping. Know exactly what you need? Newegg's probably better. Want flexibility and peace of mind? Amazon's safer.
Varies by item and stock status. Newegg direct usually ships in-stock items within 1–3 business days, with delivery in 3–7 days depending on location and shipping method. Marketplace sellers have their own timelines. Check the estimated delivery on the product page before you buy—some items take way longer to process.