EVGA isn't honoring the new prices of these GPUs. Instead forcing us to step up to a inflated price for a card we could just buy for hundreds of dollars cheaper on this very website. 
 
This is especially egregious considering they made sure we paid the higher prices for step-up GPUs when the prices went up. 
 
I waited in queue for over a year to step up to a 3080 ftw3. Every time I'd check the website I was told my final price was around $550. When I finally got out of the queue, out of nowhere this price shot up to $700. They told me there's nothing they could do about it. Clearly there's something they could do, but only if it means keeping affordable cards out of the step-up queue I guess. 

Remember that EVGA is subject to price increases due to increase cost(s) in any GPU chips from NVIDIA, cost increases of semiconductors, labor, transportation, warehousing, and insurance. 

the_Scarlet_one

justice5150
EVGA isn't honoring the new prices of these GPUs. Instead forcing us to step up to a inflated price for a card we could just buy for hundreds of dollars cheaper on this very website. 
 
This is especially egregious considering they made sure we paid the higher prices for step-up GPUs when the prices went up. 
 
I waited in queue for over a year to step up to a 3080 ftw3. Every time I'd check the website I was told my final price was around $550. When I finally got out of the queue, out of nowhere this price shot up to $700. They told me there's nothing they could do about it. Clearly there's something they could do, but only if it means keeping affordable cards out of the step-up queue I guess. 

You would need to show the math. What did you buy to step up from, how much did you pay for the original product, and how much were taxes?

You have given no context so far, so what users have is just a complaint with nothing to go off of.

I'm not really sure what you need context with but I will try. The listed base price for GPUs on the step up page are hundreds of dollars more expensive than what the GPUs are retailing for on the EVGA online store.
For example, the EVGA RTX 3080 12GB FTW3 Ultra (12G-P5-4877-KL) can be purchased for $999 on EVGA's store. However, the base price for stepping up to this GPU is priced at $1299. The price of the original GPU that's being "stepped up" doesn't matter here. 
My current card is an EVGA RTX 3060 Ti XC Gaming (08G-P5-3663-KR) so I can step up to 3 cards, the aforementioned 3080 12GB being one of them. The other two are: 
- EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming (12G-P5-3967-KR) | Base price: $1299 Step up price: $1429
- EVGA RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming (08G-P5-3797-KL) | Base price: $759 Step up price: $829
 
The point of my post was to express frustration that EVGA applied price increases to step ups when GPU prices went up (again, this is understandable). However, when prices drop they aren't reversing them for step ups, only for the EVGA online store.
 
My 3rd short paragraph referenced my experience with the step up queue last year, and provides an example of how they raised prices for both store GPUs and step up GPUs. The details are below:
 
I was stepping up from an RTX 2060 KO (06G-P4-2066-KR) to the RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra Gaming (10G-P5-3897-KL). The step up price breakdown stayed the same throughout the entire queue process: The base price for the new card was $809, and with my 2060 price applied ($309.99) and taxes and shipping applied, the card came out to $535 total. When I got out of the queue a year later after checking on it every 5 days, the price breakdown changed. The base price of the 3080 went from $809 to $889. So my total price went from $535 to $658.58 after shipping ($14.06) and taxes ($64.52).
 
Again, I understand why this happened and know it was unavoidable. My frustration isn't with the fact that GPU prices went up. 
 
The point of my post was to express frustration that such price increases applied to step ups, however price decreases are not applying. 

justice5150

I'm not really sure what you need context with but I will try. The listed base price for GPUs on the step up page are hundreds of dollars more expensive than what the GPUs are retailing for on the EVGA online store.
For example, the EVGA RTX 3080 12GB FTW3 Ultra (12G-P5-4877-KL) can be purchased for $999 on EVGA's store. However, the base price for stepping up to this GPU is priced at $1299. The price of the original GPU that's being "stepped up" doesn't matter here. 
My current card is an EVGA RTX 3060 Ti XC Gaming (08G-P5-3663-KR) so I can step up to 3 cards, the aforementioned 3080 12GB being one of them. The other two are: 
- EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming (12G-P5-3967-KR) | Base price: $1299 Step up price: $1429
- EVGA RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming (08G-P5-3797-KL) | Base price: $759 Step up price: $829
 
The point of my post was to express frustration that EVGA applied price increases to step ups when GPU prices went up (again, this is understandable). However, when prices drop they aren't reversing them for step ups, only for the EVGA online store.
 
My 3rd short paragraph referenced my experience with the step up queue last year, and provides an example of how they raised prices for both store GPUs and step up GPUs. The details are below:
 
I was stepping up from an RTX 2060 KO (06G-P4-2066-KR) to the RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra Gaming (10G-P5-3897-KL). The step up price breakdown stayed the same throughout the entire queue process: The base price for the new card was $809, and with my 2060 price applied ($309.99) and taxes and shipping applied, the card came out to $535 total. When I got out of the queue a year later after checking on it every 5 days, the price breakdown changed. The base price of the 3080 went from $809 to $889. So my total price went from $535 to $658.58 after shipping ($14.06) and taxes ($64.52).
 
Again, I understand why this happened and know it was unavoidable. My frustration isn't with the fact that GPU prices went up. 
 
The point of my post was to express frustration that such price increases applied to step ups, however price decreases are not applying. 

I understand and sympathize with you, you are using terms EVGA does not use.
You are saying "Base Price" while EVGA goes by "MSRP"  The MSRP has not changed on any of their cards.
Even though the 3080 FTW 12gb is selling right now for 999$ that is not the "MSRP"price.
It is a sale/instant discount price and that price probably will change at some point.
EVGA has never  offered step-up with any discounts. In fact if you got a discount when you bought the
2060 or any card being stepped up from, you lose that discount.
That includes if you were to use some ones associate code, instant discount or rebate.
 
In their defense about the tariffs and price increases, they did wait as long as they could.
I was lucky enough to get in a 3080FTW KR right before the increase. 
But I did lose the associate code discount I had used on the 2080s GPU
 
Don't forget EVGA is going to buy back you used GPU for what you paid for it max MSRP minus any discount you got and any taxes you paid.
As far as taxes, they are now charging full tax on the stepped up card, no longer just the difference in price.
 
As said before, do the math and see what you can sell your old card for.
Is it better to do a private sale and just buy the new card with the instant rebate or step-up.

Good luck with what ever you do.
 

the_Scarlet_one

justice5150

Spoiler

I'm not really sure what you need context with but I will try. The listed base price for GPUs on the step up page are hundreds of dollars more expensive than what the GPUs are retailing for on the EVGA online store.
For example, the EVGA RTX 3080 12GB FTW3 Ultra (12G-P5-4877-KL) can be purchased for $999 on EVGA's store. However, the base price for stepping up to this GPU is priced at $1299. The price of the original GPU that's being "stepped up" doesn't matter here. 
My current card is an EVGA RTX 3060 Ti XC Gaming (08G-P5-3663-KR) so I can step up to 3 cards, the aforementioned 3080 12GB being one of them. The other two are: 
- EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming (12G-P5-3967-KR) | Base price: $1299 Step up price: $1429
- EVGA RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming (08G-P5-3797-KL) | Base price: $759 Step up price: $829
 
The point of my post was to express frustration that EVGA applied price increases to step ups when GPU prices went up (again, this is understandable). However, when prices drop they aren't reversing them for step ups, only for the EVGA online store.
 
My 3rd short paragraph referenced my experience with the step up queue last year, and provides an example of how they raised prices for both store GPUs and step up GPUs. The details are below:
 
I was stepping up from an RTX 2060 KO (06G-P4-2066-KR) to the RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra Gaming (10G-P5-3897-KL). The step up price breakdown stayed the same throughout the entire queue process: The base price for the new card was $809, and with my 2060 price applied ($309.99) and taxes and shipping applied, the card came out to $535 total. When I got out of the queue a year later after checking on it every 5 days, the price breakdown changed. The base price of the 3080 went from $809 to $889. So my total price went from $535 to $658.58 after shipping ($14.06) and taxes ($64.52).
 
Again, I understand why this happened and know it was unavoidable. My frustration isn't with the fact that GPU prices went up. 

close

 
The point of my post was to express frustration that such price increases applied to step ups, however price decreases are not applying. 

Bill1024 did a pretty good job explaining above, so I won’t repeat his entire post. The step up is a promotion, and you are comparing promotional prices to MSRP. You are expecting one thing that is clearly clearly defined, and I fully understand that can be frustrating, but “ The EVGA Step-Up cannot be combined with any other promotions or coupons.” A rebate is a promotion, and does not apply to MSRP pricing for stepup.

And yes, context will always help people understand what you are talking about versus what people are assuming you are talking about. Vague assumptions are never good, context is always good.

When talking about no promotions can be combined or used on Step-Up, that even includes EVGA Bucks.

Ninjavanish7
I tried calling customer support to see if they could do something and they said that it was a promotion and not actual msrp.

It's a game. EVGA has been playing along in a similar game with Best Buy for many years. Business is business. EVGA will do what is in its best interest; unfortunately.

You also have to take in consideration they are buying back your used GPU for what you paid for it up to MSRP
Who else under normal circumstances will buy your used GPU for what they can go buy a new one?

So just sell your GPU on eBay or Craigslist and buy the newer model outright

Look at the step up as a convenience without dealing with eBay

I suppose people want EVGA to buy their used hardware for what they paid plus give them discounts and rebates on the new product.
Sure that’s a good business decision.

the_Scarlet_one
Bill1024 did a pretty good job explaining above, so I won’t repeat his entire post. The step up is a promotion, and you are comparing promotional prices to MSRP. You are expecting one thing that is clearly clearly defined, and I fully understand that can be frustrating, but “ The EVGA Step-Up cannot be combined with any other promotions or coupons.” A rebate is a promotion, and does not apply to MSRP pricing for stepup.

And yes, context will always help people understand what you are talking about versus what people are assuming you are talking about. Vague assumptions are never good, context is always good.

Its just a shady way for EVGA to getting around the new lower MSRP for the people doing step up by calling it a promotion or instant rebate.  Its not really a promotion if the price is equal to or higher than the MSRP of similar cards from other manufacturers.  
 

Ninjavanish7
I share your frustration. I recently purchased a 3070 ti through EVGA and wanted to step up since the prices have come down on their own website. I tried calling customer support to see if they could do something and they said that it was a promotion and not actual msrp.

 
EVGA makes step up customers pay more in total than new customers.  For example, Asus, MSI, Zotac and Gigabyte have all lowered their MSRP on RTX 3090 cards, in some cases by several hundred dollars, to be the same or lower than the current $1799.99 price of the EVGA RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra.  EVGA is calling their new lower price a promotion instead of a new lower MSRP as the other manufacturers are doing.
 
I went through this very recently with a step up from one of my cards to a 3090.  I'm better off getting the EVGA 3090 FTW3 Ultra card from Newegg and selling my old card because not only does Newegg have the same price as EVGA's new MSRP aka promotion, but Newegg also throws in a free EVGA 280mm AIO and charges less for shipping.  Other manufactures are also offering discounts and bundles because inventory of 3090s has increased and demand has dropped.  MSI is bundling 1000 watt 80+ gold power supplies with their 3090 cards of offering a $100 rebate if you don't want the power supply.  Aorus/Gigabyte and Zotac are selling 3090s with custom waterblocks for the same price as air cooled EVGA 3090 cards.  Asus has lowered the MSRP of the high demand/limited production all white 3090 Strix to $1899.99 and event hat card is in stock and available for purchase at multiple retailers.  I'm actually better off getting a card form another manufacturer through Newegg or another retailer than through EVGA with current pricing and promotions.
 
I expected EVGA to honor the new lower MSRP in the step up.  Its not really a promotion if the price is equal to or higher than the MSRP of similar cards from other manufacturers and the "promotion" price is available for an extended period of time to new customers.  I know what the policy says, but its a shady way to get around the new lower pricing and make step up customers pay more.  All that kind of behavior is going to do is drive customers away from EVGA and toward other manufacturers.
 

the_Scarlet_one
It’s simple, don’t use programs that aren’t needed, and read the program rules before assuming how it will work.

EVGA could do the right thing and live up to their customer service expectations and treat loyal customers the same as new customers.  It looks bad when EVGA does sneaky and underhanded things to get around a new lower MSRP by not calling it a MSRP.  The "promotion" prices just match the new lower MSRP on RTX 3000 series cards with similar specs from other manufacturers. 

EVGA Step-Up
 
rules seem very clear to me
 
the Step-Up promotion, is a nice option & one that no other Mfg offers.

I empathize with OP.  I don't think some people are appreciating the fact that there's no actual incentive to the 'step up' program.  If EVGA is offering a rebate and free shipping, it should be obviously be available to the "ELITE" members who are stepping up. 
 
Even if there's no rebate, the fact that ELITE members have to pay for standard shipping on a step up is just wrong in general.