Purchasing Problems at Monarch

[wingspar]

I’ve never built before. Always used Dells since 1994. Never a problem, but I’ve decided to take the plunge into the AMD world, but decided to have my new system built for me rather than tackle it myself. I have taken heat for this decision many times. I’ve been doing the research on components since late November. Most components were rather easy decision, but the motherboard and memory were where I spent a lot of time on. My final components for this build are the ones in my signature.

 

I made the decision a long time ago to have the system put together by Monarch Computers, and received plenty of help picking out components in the Monarch Forums, but most help came from elsewhere. Final motherboard decision help came from right here at DFI-Street. Anyway, this thread isn’t about components, it’s about Monarchs horrible online purchasing system. I’ve clicked the buy it now button twice, only to get this Unable to authorize payment: Order Rejected and it goes on to say Please do not contact us regarding this matter.

 

Monarch has an credit card authorization e-form that you can request by creating a “Quote” of the components you want. Problem arises when the shipping charge is doubled for using the credit card authorization e-form rather than ordering online. They say they can’t offer the cheaper shipping unless the system is ordered online. Well, their wonky software won’t let me order online. Both times I clicked the “buy it now” button, there was an automatic hold on my credit cards for just under $1600. Monarch claims that they don’t put that hold there, the bank does. The bank says Monarch put the hold there, and they tell me that there is nothing wrong with either of my credit cards, and that they both should have worked. It takes 72 hours for the hold to clear. Neither Monarch or my bank will take responsibility for the holds, but I’ve had $1600 held for 72 hours that I couldn’t touch during the 72 hour hold twice now.

 

I’m not alone here either. Spending time in Monarchs Forums will find many others that have gone thru or are going thru the credit card authorization e-form, and it’s working for them. I guess I’m ranting here, but I’d like to go around the sales department, but there is no contact info on their web page for anything but sales and tech support. The extra shipping charge won’t kill me, but it’s a principle thing here, and I refuse to pay it. I should be two weeks into the build, but here I am still battling with Monarch cause their online ordering software may have a few bugs in it. Has anyone here gone thru this with Monarch? I guess I’m looking for suggestions on how to get around the sales people.

[arklab]

I was very impressed with Monarch when I bought my CPU - 5 star.

 

However some of there policies are extream, but VERY understandable.

A lot of merchants were almost put out of business by rip-off artists.

 

There policies are just to protect against that, and run an operation as cheeply as possible.

They clearly then pass at least some of that on to us as low prices.

 

Personally I hate the requirement to be home when a package is delivered.

Since I work that means I have to stop at the UPS depot on my way home from work.

 

So unless the price is enough below Newegg, I generally shop there.

 

But if you don't like the policy (or don't bother to read it first) -

 

if you (arklab) don't have anything helpful to post, and only want to post insults, please go somewhere else as we don't tolerate such crapping here.

 

Angry_Games :mad:

[Slingn]

Monarch has been great for me. Never had a credit card issue. For only $49 bucks ( i know its gone up lately) they assemble and test all the parts you pick out. they have very nice hi end parts and their prices are as good as new egg for the most part. As with anyplace, you may find some higher, but some are lower as well.

[old_geekster]

Thanks for your post.

 

This has helped me determine who I am not going to buy from, when I purchase the system in my sig.

 

This will be my first build and I want it to be good. Fighting with e-tailers is not my idea of fun!

 

I will make my purchases from "The EGG".

[wingspar]

Thank you Angry. I appreciate your edit.

 

old_geekster... My post was not meant to be negative against Monarch, nor should it affect your decision to buy from Monarch or not. Monarch is very successful business that offers options no other online builder does. I’ve seen more positive things about Monarch than negative. My problems lies with their online ordering software, and the fact that they force one to use more expensive shipping if not ordered online. I did tons of research, reading all of Monarch’s policies , and making sure I met them all well before I pressed the buy it now button. So far, the experience has been frustrating. All I want to do is order what I want and still have the option for the cheaper shipping. Everything I’ve seen from Monarch speaks volumes of good things about them. Monarch employees are active and very helpful in their online forum, so I wouldn’t use my experience as a guideline as to order or not order from Monarch. I’m not alone or unique in my experience with Monarch. Their policies about credit cards are much stricter than I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen their reasons for it, but I think it costs them more business from honest people than the policy saves them from people who are trying to get something for nothing. If I’m not able to resolve the extra shipping cost issue, it just may push me to build myself. I costed the parts at Newegg as a comparison before trying to order at Monarch, and they came to around $86 cheaper, but to me it’s worth $86 to have my system put together right.

 

Newegg is currently out of the DFI LanParty NF4 Ultra-D.

[Squid1]

Monarch claims that they don’t put that hold there, the bank does.

 

I have a number of nags that make me not buy on Monarch, but one thing is absolutey clear: Monarch lies on the phone. This has been reported many, many times on hardware forums. Just calling them twice about the same thing comes up with different excuses.

 

Here on dfi-street I remember quite a few threads about the Expert board and that Monarch claimed they would not sell then-current Expert boards and sent them all back to DFI (because of problems reported with the board) when all they wanted is cover their butt after selling an item as in-stock that wasn't in-stock.

[wingspar]

I have a number of nags that make me not buy on Monarch,

Did you have credit card issues or have to use their online “credit card authorization form” and be forced into higher shipping costs? That is really the kind of info I am looking for here. How people resolved those types of issues with Monarch, if they were able to resolve them at all.

[Squid1]

Did you have credit card issues or have to use their online “credit card authorization form” and be forced into higher shipping costs? That is really the kind of info I am looking for here. How people resolved those types of issues with Monarch, if they were able to resolve them at all.

 

No, I don't like that they make fedex require a signature even though I have a signature waiver on file with Fedex. What more do they want? If it gets stolen it's my problem. What do these people think I do when Fedex shows up? Ding, ding, ding we have a winner - I am at work earning the money I bought their stuff with in first place. Idiots.

 

All OEM CPUs I have ever received from Monarch have huge fingerprints on top. That means that the person handling the chips also must have touched the pins. That explains why so many people see bent pins on Monarch OEM CPUs. It is also a problem with static electricity discharge. You are not supposed to touch the PINs, period.

 

Last but not least I bet my "late" DC Opteron 170 week 0530 was a customer return. Not only did it have fingerprints no end, it had the slight discoloring or change of texture on the IHS that you get when the CPU is warm. Not to mention is is the lowest clocking 0530 Opteron 170 in the world.

 

Luckily low clocks only for high volts. I can run it 2500 MHz with less than default volts so it makes an excellent server chip

[wingspar]

No, I don't like that they make fedex require a signature even though I have a signature waiver on file with Fedex. What more do they want? If it gets stolen it's my problem. What do these people think I do when Fedex shows up? Ding, ding, ding we have a winner - I am at work earning the money I bought their stuff with in first place. Idiots.

 

I used to have all packages sent to my work place. There was always someone there to receive packages, and in the rare occasion that a signature was needed, they signed for them, then depending on the size of the package, it would either end up on my desk, or they would call me, and I’d walk down and pick it up. Pretty darn convenient if you work at a place that is allowed.

 

I’m retired now, and as long as I know the day Fedex is going to show up, I will plan to be home. Actually it’s comforting to know they just won’t leave it on my front porch, even tho it may be fine there, I’d rather it wasn’t left there, and I understand Monarchs reason for the signatures, so for me, it’s not a problem. If you just can’t be there when they deliver, and I know that’s the case for many, then I would also consider having to be there to sign for it a problem.

[fariss]

My only experience w/ Monarch wasn't very good either. An "In Stock" item took 5 weeks to get delivered. As noted in another post the telephone customer service agents all told a different story.

I won't buy there again.

[Squid1]

I used to have all packages sent to my work place. There was always someone there to receive packages, and in the rare occasion that a signature was needed, they signed for them, then depending on the size of the package, it would either end up on my desk, or they would call me, and Id walk down and pick it up. Pretty darn convenient if you work at a place that is allowed.

 

Im retired now, and as long as I know the day Fedex is going to show up, I will plan to be home. Actually its comforting to know they just wont leave it on my front porch, even tho it may be fine there,[...]

 

Well, but I made a decision that I prefer that packages are left home rather than sending them to the office. And after making the decision I signed a waiver to Fedex. Now Monrach comes in and overrides that decision. What kind of business of theirs is that?

 

Besides, Monarch does not ship to addresses that are not the credit card registered address. While you can register an alternate shipping address with your credit card company this can turn out difficult. The first person I talked to at my credit card company was insisting there is no such concept and she could only temporarily change my credit card address. Right.

 

You see since the online shops do not tell me in advance whether they override the signature waiver or not I cannot safely ship to the office. Because while the office itself is safe, the area around our building is not. If packages without signature requirement are left downstairs they are stolen, that happened to a number of people here. All hail Cambridge, MA.

[wingspar]

Well, but I made a decision that I prefer that packages are left home rather than sending them to the office. And after making the decision I signed a waiver to Fedex. Now Monrach comes in and overrides that decision. What kind of business of theirs is that?

 

Monarch explains that policy on their website somewhere. I’ve seen it, but can’t find it now. Shipping to work worked very well for me for an awful lot of years, but many people work places they just can’t have stuff shipped to, and that could cause problems for many. Since you are paying for the shipping, and you are on file at Fedex to leave packages without signatures, it would seem that would be how it was handled, but actually you may be paying for the shipping, but it is Monarch that is in the end dealing with Fedex and paying Fedex, so the choice to override and require a signature is probably their choice.

 

Besides, Monarch does not ship to addresses that are not the credit card registered address. While you can register an alternate shipping address with your credit card company this can turn out difficult. The first person I talked to at my credit card company was insisting there is no such concept and she could only temporarily change my credit card address. Right.

 

That has been the biggest and only pain in the rear end wind maker (so far) I’ve had in dealing with Monarch. They and the bank say two different things. I’m currently going thru Monarchs online credit card authorization process where they manually check my card since their online software won’t accept my cards, or tell either Monarch, me, or my bank why it won’t work. If for some reason this doesn’t work, I’ll walk away from Monarch for good, and build the dang thing myself. If I have to go thru this every time I order something from Monarch, I’ll move on to the Egg and ZipZoomFly.