3 months of trying to get a gpu and 9 months of waiting are finally over. Step 1: 2/8 Step 2: 11/8

I registered my 3080FTW3 Ultra 10G-P5-3897-BR on 7/11/21 for RMA.  I received the stepup email 10/20/21, paid that same night within an hour.  They received my 3080 10/22/21 and my replacement was shipped the same day.  Received it the next day 10/23/21, though I live about 30 mins from HQ so that may be why shipping was so quick.

UPS just dropped off the 3080 step up! Thought this day would never come!

Well Step two of five now waiting on approval got the email, applied for step-up February 26th 2021, Step 2 awaiting approval is 15 November 2021.
How long does approval normally take these days? Would be nice to run out eastern time before the UPS or FedEx store closes and ship it out.
Just got it paid now waiting on a I guess return RMA # Email. Guess I have to wait to ship them my card.
Got my card out today on 11/16/2021, so here is hoping it gets there and does not go MIA....

EVGA Step-Up RMA Request - Step 5 of 5

Step 2/5. Original purchase 2/25/21. S2 - 4, 11/15/21.

I also got a step 2 notification for a GPU registered on the 25th of February.  Waiting on step 3 now.  

Step up step 2 received today, 11/15. Original Registration was 3/12/2021 at 10:21 AM PST

I was absolutely shocked to get my notify emails today:

Updated:
Step 1 - May 13 2021
Step 2 - Nov 15 2021
Step 3 - Nov 15 2021
Step 4 - Nov 15 2021
Step 5 - Shipped to EVGA Nov 16, marked received Nov 19 by EVGA. Estimate ship to customer Nov 24

I was a bit worried when I read here that February, March, and May registrations were getting step 2 and that I had not received an email yet....so I checked my step up status and it gave me the option to submit payment!
 
Step 1 - March 10 2021 for my 3060
Step 2 - Not found in email
Step 3 - Not found in email
Step 4 - November 16 2021 immediately after submitting payment.
Step 5 - Pending
 
Check your step up status if you think you were supposed to get an email and don't see one!
For those of you wondering about the cost, the price went up on my step up page, I think it was quoted at 879.99 for the 3080 when I first registered and of coarse I knew that there were price increases on the card over the months, new price for a 3080 shows 919.99, I owed 611.78 to step up my 3060 to the 3080. Here is the breakdown I got:
 
New Product - $919.99
Original Product - $389.99

Step-Up Cost - $530.00

Shipping Cost + $10.48

Tax + $71.30

Total - $611.78
 
Here are a few more numbers for from the original purchase for fun and knowledge. 3060 12G-P5-3657-KR numbers
 
Subtotal - $389.99
Tax + $30.22
Shipping Cost + $13.35
10 year warranty - $40
Total - $433.56
 
That gives me a Grand Total of  1085.35 to get the 3080
 
This will be the most I have ever spent on a single computer part, previous personal record was my water cooled 980ti at  719.99 before tax.

DJ405
I was a bit worried when I read here that February, March, and May registrations were getting step 2 and that I had not received an email yet....so I checked my step up status and it gave me the option to submit payment!
 
Step 1 - March 10 2021 for my 3060
Step 2 - Not found in email
Step 3 - Not found in email
Step 4 - November 16 2021 immediately after submitting payment.
Step 5 - Pending
 
Check your step up status if you think you were supposed to get an email and don't see one!
For those of you wondering about the cost, the price went up on my step up page, I think it was quoted at 879.99 for the 3080 when I first registered and of coarse I knew that there were price increases on the card over the months, new price for a 3080 shows 919.99, I owed 611.78 to step up my 3060 to the 3080. Here is the breakdown I got:
 
New Product - $919.99
Original Product - $389.99

Step-Up Cost - $530.00

Shipping Cost + $10.48

Tax + $71.30

Total - $611.78

Here are a few more numbers for from the original purchase for fun and knowledge. 3060 12G-P5-3657-KR numbers

Subtotal - $389.99
Tax + $30.22
Shipping Cost + $13.35
10 year warranty - $40
Total - $433.56

That gives me a Grand Total of  1085.35 to get the 3080

This will be the most I have ever spent on a single computer part, previous personal record was my water cooled 980ti at  719.99 before tax.

Isnt the price supposed to be locked in?  There is also price increase for XC gaming to $419   shouldnt that offset it?
Its making no sense for me.