BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
I know a lot of Cocooners shop at Frys and I don't want to spread massive panic (this isn't comparable to the swine flu 
), but I do want to place a warning when purchasing Fry's memory.
I recently made a purchase of four sticks of 2GB Crucial memory. You know the drill, you have to get the paperwork at the computer parts aisle, then you give that paperwork to the cashier upon checkout, who then gives it to a person in the 'cage' behind the checkout area, who then gives the memory to the cashier who then stuffs it in your bag. It's the same process when purchasing a CPU.
Well, I had a lot of stuff to check out at the time and didn't notice the memory packaging right away. When I did look, all four sticks were opened and taped back together. Some blister packages even had the top part cut off with scissors (the area where they tell you the brand and type of memory).
After further investigation and queries to management, it turns out that these sticks were indeed RETURNS whose packages were simply taped up and placed back into the "new" bin in the store's memory cage area. Turns out this is actually the store's policy! All the memory in their cage stock of the type I was purchasing were opened and taped back up, all to be sold as 'new'.
Usually Fry's will place a "previously returned" sticker on merchandise AND discount it so the person knows they are taking a risk. Of course, one can always return memory and CPU's but you have only 15 days to do so (even on "used" items). I also found Fry's return policy/method to be very liberal and friendly.
Anyway, I did only keep a couple of sticks that tested fine with memtest, but the point I'm making is to closely EXAMINE your packages brought out from the cage before making the final purchase. Also, after politely bringing this point to management's attention, they were willing to discount the purchase of the memory, since they were 'returns'.
I’m now wondering how they actually handle CPU returns…
), but I do want to place a warning when purchasing Fry's memory.I recently made a purchase of four sticks of 2GB Crucial memory. You know the drill, you have to get the paperwork at the computer parts aisle, then you give that paperwork to the cashier upon checkout, who then gives it to a person in the 'cage' behind the checkout area, who then gives the memory to the cashier who then stuffs it in your bag. It's the same process when purchasing a CPU.
Well, I had a lot of stuff to check out at the time and didn't notice the memory packaging right away. When I did look, all four sticks were opened and taped back together. Some blister packages even had the top part cut off with scissors (the area where they tell you the brand and type of memory).
After further investigation and queries to management, it turns out that these sticks were indeed RETURNS whose packages were simply taped up and placed back into the "new" bin in the store's memory cage area. Turns out this is actually the store's policy! All the memory in their cage stock of the type I was purchasing were opened and taped back up, all to be sold as 'new'.
Usually Fry's will place a "previously returned" sticker on merchandise AND discount it so the person knows they are taking a risk. Of course, one can always return memory and CPU's but you have only 15 days to do so (even on "used" items). I also found Fry's return policy/method to be very liberal and friendly.
Anyway, I did only keep a couple of sticks that tested fine with memtest, but the point I'm making is to closely EXAMINE your packages brought out from the cage before making the final purchase. Also, after politely bringing this point to management's attention, they were willing to discount the purchase of the memory, since they were 'returns'.
I’m now wondering how they actually handle CPU returns…
