A New York computer repair and custom gaming PC shop says it received two empty AMD Ryzen 5 9600X retail boxes from Amazon-linked orders in a span of about three days, according to Tom's Hardware. The outlet reports that PC Plug, a retailer that buys hardware inventory through Amazon, described the incident first in a Reddit post and then in comments to Tom's Hardware. According to the report, PC Plug ordered an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and received the product box with the processor missing. After requesting a refund, the shop placed another order with next-day delivery and says the replacement also arrived as an empty retail box. The seller detail matters. Tom's Hardware reports that the orders were not purchased directly from Amazon or from the manufacturer through Amazon's marketplace. PC Plug said an inventory manager accidentally bought from a third-party seller named “The Tech Group,” with fulfillment handled by Amazon. The store said the seller had decent ratings, while also claiming those ratings could be fake. A PC Plug co-owner told Tom's Hardware that the shop buys about 90% of its hardware inventory through Amazon and spends roughly $10,000 a month there. The co-owner said this was the first time the business had received a product with no hardware inside, and that it happened twice within three days. They also said the shop has had roughly 10 incidents over the past five years involving damaged packages or missing components. PC Plug says it records every product unboxing and maintains documentation for disputes. Tom's Hardware reports that the shop claims to have security-camera footage showing both Amazon packages being opened and found to contain only CPU boxes. The cluster does not include an Amazon response, a statement from The Tech Group, or independent verification of the footage. Tom's Hardware also notes that PC component swaps and missing-item claims have appeared in other Amazon hardware purchases. It cites a recent case in which a Reddit user said an Amazon Warehouse order for a Ryzen 9 9900X3D instead contained an older Ryzen 9 3900X. That comparison supports the broader risk pattern, but the specific PC Plug case remains an alleged incident based on one outlet's reporting. For operators that buy components through marketplaces, the practical issue is not just the cost of a single CPU. It is the friction around dispute resolution, seller vetting, evidence collection and account standing when a business depends on a high-volume purchasing channel. PC Plug's concern, according to Tom's Hardware, is that the attention around the incident could put its Amazon account at risk even though the company says much of its inventory flow depends on Amazon Business Prime. Who benefits: Retailers that document receiving, unboxing and inventory intake are better positioned when marketplace orders go wrong. Direct manufacturer storefronts and highly vetted sellers may also look more attractive for high-value components. Who's exposed: Businesses buying expensive PC parts from third-party marketplace sellers face the clearest exposure, especially when fulfillment and seller responsibility are split. The provided reporting does not establish whether Amazon, the seller, a prior return, or another point in the chain caused the missing CPUs.