Buying from Dell's Outlet Store

If I wanted to take a chance in an attempt to save some money and purchase a Dell laptop from Dell's Outlet Store, Dell's Outlet Store has laptops listed in three different catagories, "scratch & dent", "certified refurbished", and "previously ordered new", which of the three catagories should I consider purchasing from?

"Previously ordered new" laptops according to Dell are units which were ordered but never shipped out, "certified refurbished" and "scratch & dent" units were ordered and were shipped out and were returned to Dell. "Scratch & dent" units seem to be selling for the lowest prices on Dell's Outlet Store.

Has anyone who participates on this board purchased a laptop or laptops from Dell's Outlet Store recently and if you have was it a "previously ordered new" unit, a "certified refurbished" unit or a "scratch & dent unit"? If it was a "scratch & dent" unit did the computer upon arrival and unpacking show a lot of wear and tear? Noticeably more wear and tear than a brand new unit? For example was there a major scratch across the lid of the laptop? The laptop I'm interested in is a Dell Inspiron 1525.

 

I've recently ordered a refurb M1730. Needless to say, I have to send it back because one of the video cards is dead. So, buyer beware. Remember though, you have 21 days from the day they ship it to return. So, inspect it thoroughly, put it through the paces, and at the first sign of trouble, send it back

 

Scratch and dent is ymmv. I buy them refurbed and they look new. The last one didn't even have a refurb sticker on it.

 

I ordered the system in my sig. a year or two ago from Dell Outlet. It was considered a "scratch and dent" but was flawless.

However, not all systems will have the same outcome, to ensure that you don't get one that is scratched, consider the Previously Ordered New and/or Refurbished options.

 

Aren't you still subjected to a 15% restocking fee to Dell even if you return it within the 21 day period?

 

Scratch and dent is ymmy? Meaning exactly what? Explain.

 

Would it be possible if I purchased a "scratch and dent" or a "certified refurbished" laptop that I might be purchasing a laptop that could have previously been dropped? If I go the "previously ordered new" route is there a chance that I could still end up purchasing a laptop that had been dropped?

The reason I ask is because I dropped my Inspiron 1300 laptop back in January 2008 and as a result I crashed the laptop's monitor. There's also the possibility that the laptop I purchase new from Dell.com could also have been dropped.

It could be tested as working good when it's shipped out but on the way to me it could get dropped several times and 21 days isn't much of a window time frame to check one out. I wish Costco sold low end Dell laptops because they have a 90 day return policy on their Dell laptops. I was checking their site out last night and the cheapest Dell laptop I noticed for sale on their site was $999.99.

 

It means your mileage may vary. You don't have to pay restocking fees either.

 

I just got my Studio 15 from Dell Outlet in the mail on Monday. It rocks. You aren't really take a chance. Refurbs are just as good, if not better than new. Refurbs actually get more scrutiny from the factory and are made to be new.

I would stay away from scratch and dent unless you don't mind blemishes.

You can really score with the Outlet when you use a 20% coupon. I bought my machine for $619!

See specs below.

 

Dell packs systems in the same durable boxes as new ones. Laptops are suspended in two thick foam blocks, wrapped in foam sheets and surrounded in packing peanuts. I wouldn't worry about that.

Try Staples, Wal-Mart, or Best Buy for various Dell models. Dell also sells low end and mid range models online along side their high end models.

 

I just contacted Dell's Outlet Store again and was told that I have 21 days to return any item purchased from them, from Dell's Outlet Store and unless there was a definite defect in the item being returned there would be a 15% restocking fee on anything purchased from Dell's Outlet Store. I don't know where you're getting your information but I just got mine directly from Dell.

 

I also have gotten mine directly from Dell consider I have returned two in the last two months without a restocking fee. I also returned one at the beginning of the year with no restocking fee. I don't know if anyone does get charged a restocking fee even though that's their supposed policy. So that's where I got MY information from. And lose your condescending tone.

 

Define blemishes for me and how often does Dell send out those 20% coupons for Outlet Store purchases? Once a month? Does Dell ever make coupons available for low end laptops purchased new, not from the Outlet Store but new computers purchased from Dell.com? It seems to be just the higher end models that get coupon code discounts.

I signed up at Dell's Outlet Store to receive Dell Outlet coupons by email. I did receive a Dell Outlet 20% off coupon last week which expired yesterday. I don't know if the 20% off coupon applied to "previously ordered new" units but I would assume that it would have applied to "scratch and dent" and "certified refurbished" units.

 

Lose what? I'm only reporting what Dell told me less than an hour ago. Who made you king moderator?

 

You are simply repeating what the Dell drones told you off their script. I am telling you what the real world experience is. Take it or leave it, I don't really care.

 

Well give me the Dell hotline you call so I can avoid being hit with a 15% restocking fee if I do return a unit to the Dell drones. Enlighten us please if you would because I'm sure there are others here who would like to avoid being assessed that 15% restocking fee unless you happen to work for Dell and then that would explain everything now wouldn't it.

Just to shut you up I'm going over to Dell's Community board and ask that very question and as soon as I get an answer I'll post back here along with the user name of the drone working for Dell who answered my question.

 

Oh yes, you are sure going to shut me up, I really can't wait. Would you like to see my credit card statements? I will post them up as soon as I get home tonight no problem. Or yet why don't you do a search of "dell restocking fee" and find that no one gets charged restocking fees and they even provide a return shipping label. But yes, please continue to amuse me with your answers from more Dell drones. Isn't that rich that I work for Dell but somehow call my co-workers drones? Your logical in infallible.

 

never experienced restocking fees from dell, and i dont believe that at all.

if there is someone being charged with restocking fees by dell, that could be some wrongdoing involved with that buyer.

 

Post your C.I.T. Bank credit card statements? Post away if you like. Have you heard of ID theft? Apparently not.

 

I didn't use my DPA. And yes I have heard of ID theft, obviously I wasn't going to include my account number, just the balances to prove that the refunded amount was exactly the same as the paid amount.

 

Well then why would a Dell drone working for Dell's Home Office Division who happens to be based in Texas, not in India tell me that? I was told there would be no restocking fee if the computer I was shipping back was defective but if I shipped it back during the 21 day return window simply because I didn't like it I would be charged a 15% restocking fee. If you have a link on Dell's website stating otherwise if you can post it here I'd like to see it.

 

If you go to Dell's website, at the bottom of any page while surfing Dell's website click on Terms of Sale which will direct you to another page, click on Dell's Return Policy in paragraph #1, that should take yoiu to another page, click on Dell's Return Policy (U.S. Only) and once there scan down that page to the paragraph labeled Returns and Restocking Fees for the answer.

A customer service representative at Dell's customer service center based in Tennessee walked me through that last night to confirm my answer. The restocking fee applies only to Dell computers purchased directly from Dell Computers, it does not apply to Dell computers purchased from Best Buy, Costco, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart or any other vendors besides Dell Computers who happens to sell Dell computer products.

The imposing of the 15% restocking fee applies only to Dell Computer Company. If the computers are being returned to Dell Computer Company as defective there is no restocking fee so I was told last night otherwise the charging of a restocking fee is determined on a case by case basis according to what I was told by Dell Computer Company last night. That is my final answer.

 

I'm going to try to be nice in my post, but man Stevoreno you are one of the most ignorant posters on this entire board. I am telling you, everybody is telling you, Dell does not charge a restocking fee. Yes it is in their policy that there is a restocking fee, but in practice this NEVER happens.

WORST, tell them that there is something technically wrong, with the way studio's are built I'm sure you'll find something. But if you don't believe us, real human beings who purchase from Dell, then you don't belong on this board. All your answers are already on Dell's policy page. Goodbye.

 

I am not an ignorant person, I am going by what I have been told by Dell employees as well as what I have read on Dell's website and I believe I have as much of a privilege to post here as you do. Goodbye and good night.

 

No restocking fee, amazing.

 

you sure do, but you're wasting your time posting on a forum where you don't listen to anybody else's comments and nobody here probably likes you either.

 

You can hit the ignore button.

 

What does that prove? That you were not charged a restocking fee? Who cares. The next guy coming along might not be so fortunate. Dell told me last night they decide the restocking fee on a "case by case" basis. I guess if you bought a new notebook but didn't like it, sent it back but to avoid a restocking fee if Dell did decide to impose one you could just lie and say the computer was defective, something I won't do but I'm sure others who participate on this board might do and probably have tried to do.

 

I didn't say it was defective, I said I didn't like it and wanted to return it. The point is nobody is getting charged restocking fees. Yet YOU refuse to accept this; you refuse to accept any proof that restocking fees aren't assessed. You keep saying Dell says, Dell says, but we have provided real world experiences. Until you get charged restocking fees, let it go. You've gone from ignorant to annoying quickly.

 

Read my post at 3:09 a.m. again, go through the motions and tell me if what I read on Dell.com was a lie. It's gotta be true because it's there in black and white and we all know that Dell.com doesn't lie don't we.

 

Ok accept the site for what it is. The rest of us will just continue to go along in life realizing that Dell doesn't follow its restocking fees policy. Keep burying your head in the sand.

 

From Dell's website:

Restocking Fees: Unless the product is defective or the return is a direct result of a Dell error, Dell may charge a restocking fee of up to 15% of the purchase price paid plus any applicable sales tax.

I rest my case. The discussion is over.

 

They reserve the right to charge a restocking fee, but they don't. Now its over.

 

Is it over?

 

i wish there was a ignore button.

 

This thread has deteriorated into bickering and its now closed.

FYI, you can ignore user via the usercp
http://forum.notebookreview.com/profile.php?do=editlist