Sorry for the non chip post but I need to vent and maybe warn you so you can avoid dealing with this pain in the *** company.

I/O Magic is a manufacturer of various computer peripherals. At the end of May I found there website and purchased a new cd-rw drive from them. Its a slighly out of date model and was on sale for $100.

Several days later I got notice that the drive was shipped and I was given the UPS tracking number. I waited anxiously for my new drive to arrive and a week later I received it. That evening I rushed home to install it.

Installation went without a hitch until i tried to use the drive. The drive responded but the door would not open it appeared to be jammed (I understand that this is not an uncommeon problem)Although I knew tech support would not be able to help me, I called them to find out how to get an RA (or they call them RMA) so that I could return the drive for another one.

The phone was answered by an answering machine. I also sent tech support an email. It took several calls and several days before they contacted me. I expained the problem and they gave me a phone number and extension to call for an RMA.

I then called this number repeatedly over the next couple of weeks (I even got tech support to give me another number), always getting a voice mail message and always leaving a polite message with both my home and work phone numbers. I have never received a response to these calls.

Eventually I found an email address and sent an email, I received a response and shortly thereafter I was given an RMA and advised that a replacement would be shipped 3-5 weeks after the return. I emailed back and indicated that I didn't think a 3-5 week wait was appropriate in light of the several weeks where they didn't even respond to my phone calls.

I received a very pleasant response that said they would agree to ship the replacement as soon as they received the drive. I shipped it back to them by UPS (at my expense) and followed the tracking number until it was received. I then emailed them to point out that they had received the drive. They advised me that they would ship the replacement out. (this was on July 10). When I returned from the convention I expected to find the drive waiting but my roommate told me UPS never came.

I emailed them about this and received a response that said they would have it shipped and I should receive it the next week. Two weeks later no sign of the drive, they don't respond to my emails and my telephone calls are never returned. I remained polite until yesterday when I left a few choice words on there voice mail.

I hope that before making a purchase from their website you consider this situation.

BTW Mike .... since we are discussing a specific seller, I just want you to know that I will be emailing them and pointing them to this thread. Ok not so they can respond but just to annoy them ... but since they don't read their email I guess it won't really matter. Ok it probably won't even bother them since they think so little of their customers.