Dell Credit Card Department is making my my head spin

Warning: Long chain of events, If things weren't so complicated, I wouldn't post here anyways.

So heres the situation. I placed an order for 3 Vostro's about 2.5 weeks ago through Dell.ca. This was through a special pricing promotion (which is no longer available now, but we'll touch on that later).

All is good until a few days later, one of the orders gets cancelled. No biggie since this is apparently a common occurence with dell, and orders are replaced promptly. This was exactly the case, the next day. A new order has been placed but with a later ship date. Oh well, I can live with that.

Another few days later, I check my status again and it shows that ALL my orders are now cancelled. Kind of queer, but I didn't think too much of it after the experience I had before with the first one. Fast forward another 2 days, and I get worried so I called Dell.

Dell CS asks me that to verify the details of my credit card on file, and I do. They assure me that the order is all good now and that the computers will be re-ordered.

2 Days later, still cancelled. Another phone call to Dell. This time, they tell me that they can't re-order them because they can't do it without the approval of my original Sales Rep? Ok, fine... I'll wait another business day.

Next business day, another phone call there, and they tell me that they can't contact my sales rep . and without him, they can't touch my order. I took things into my own hands and called my Sales rep myself after this. I spoke with him explaining the situation and he tells me that he will remove the previous orders, and replace them immediately. I hang up thinking all is said and done. Was I ever wrong...

I check the next day and they're STILL cancelled. I called CS again, and this time they transfer me to a Canadian sales representative (thankgod). Shockingly, he tells me that the orders were removed, but no new orders were made at all. (If I didn't have a thing against outsourced customer support from Dell before, I do now). I tried his best to help me, but he said that since the promotion was now over, he couldn't give me the same price I had for the systems even though the configuration was right there on his screen. Well, he was very sympathetic so he helped me out as best he could, throwing options and upgrades at me for prices I couldn't resist. Ok, so now I have 3 really spec'ed out laptops, and helps me place my order, hopefully this will end the fiasco. Nope

2 Days later, I find out that my orders are cancelled AGAIN. This is getting to wtf territory. I call CS again, and they tell me that the credit card credentials are not matching. I confirm with them the details, and once again... they say its "A-OK", and I'm on my way. Not surprisingly, the orders were never "uncancelled".

I called my new sales rep, and he tries to order the same 3 systems again since the previous were cancelled (again). This time, it doesn't go through at all. Guess what, a call to Visa tells me that Visa has frozen the funds on my card because Dell hasn't even told Visa that the previous orders were all CANCELLED. That, and the orders had no problems, Visa "approved" of both orders. So we have no idea why Dell was even cancelling them. Of course, after 2 orders over $2500 would push my card past the limit. So, I'm stuck. Dell cancels 2 of my orders, and I can't even try a 3rd time because Visa still thinks I'm buying the previous 2 orders (6 laptops?). Great

So heres the fun part, dealing with Dell Credit Card department once again. I tell them to please notify Visa immediately that the previous orders have been cancelled so they can "unhold" the funds. Ok, that'll take up to 4 business days. WHAT?

The next day... I'm speaking with my rep again and he tries to put the order through. No deal, he offers to try again the next day. And thats what we do.

Another morning, another try. This time, it goes through (so Visa has finally gotten notification that the orders were cancelled). My rep, being ever so cautious now, advises me to check with the credit card department immediately to verify all the details before they can screw up and cancel my order again. Well oh Well, I confirm my address for the millionth time along with my home #, etc. This was just 5 minutes ago. They tell me that they'll check with Visa again for the credientials, and will verify my order if everything checks out, or they'll call me if theres any problems. (They have offered to call me back everytime I called them, they have never ever called me back)

I hope that everything checks out this time. I'm almost at the end of my patience. And yes, I am shipping to the same address as my billing address. Yes, I double checked all the details with Visa to make sure I wasn't accidently giving Dell the wrong information.

One more cancellation and I'm going to blow up.

 

I think they are trying to cover up the delay.

 

that's why i don't mess with dell always screwin' people over. i would have given up the third time

 

I'm not sure what to say. I don't know anything about this whole Sales Rep thing, I've always just ordered computers from Dell via the website and never talked to a live person when purchasing.

But wow. I think i'd be about ready to castrate the next person that cancelled my order. Thats just rude... if i had to wait any longer than what I did (not long afterall) I would've gone nuts and I didn't even have any problems.

Good luck man, and definately post a followup!

 

I went through this same problem. After my first 2 orders were cancelled, they conveniently forgot to let American Express know that they could release my funds. So after about half a dozen calls to the credit card department, I finally got a CSR who simply called my CC's merchant department and told them to release the funds. That final call took maybe 10 mins at most. I don't know why other CSR's kept telling me I had to wait. Wait for what? If you can place a hold on funds immediately after purchasing, you sure as hell can release it just as quickly.