A Reddit user identified as a co-owner of PC Plug, a New York-based computer repair and custom gaming PC retail store, says the business ordered an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X processor through Amazon and received a box with no CPU inside. After requesting and receiving a refund, they ordered a replacement CPU with next-day delivery, only to again receive a retail box containing no processor.
Both incidents were traced to a third-party seller called "The Tech Group," whose listing was fulfilled by Amazon and had generally positive ratings. The buyer suspects those ratings may be fake, though a Reddit commenter said they had previously purchased from the seller without problems.
The co-owner told Tom's Hardware that the store sources about 90% of its hardware inventory through Amazon, spending roughly $10,000 a month, and that this was the first time they had received a product with no hardware inside — and it happened twice within three days. They noted that over the past five years, packages arriving damaged or missing components has happened around 10 times.
The store says it records every unboxing for documentation purposes and has security camera footage showing both Amazon packages being opened to reveal only empty CPU boxes. According to Tom's Hardware, the two Ryzen 5 9600X orders "slipped through the cracks" since the store normally buys directly from Amazon or manufacturers on the platform. The co-owner also expressed concern that public attention on the incident could put the store's Amazon Business account at risk, given how much of the business depends on it.
Tom's Hardware noted a similar recent case in which a Reddit user ordered a lightly used Ryzen 9 9900X3D from Amazon Warehouse but instead received an older Ryzen 9 3900X, a 2019 processor worth far less than the item ordered. Both outlets advise buyers to purchase from reputable, verified sellers and to record unboxings as evidence in case of missing or incorrect items.