Dell Loses a $2700 over $40

I placed an order for a m1330 with my educational discount which total came to $2700.

Now I noticed a D630 through this discount program that came with Windows XP and Office 2007 which total cost was a little over $1000.

After I placed my order I called Dell and said "hey I'm spending almost 3x here of that D630, can I get the same software pacakge?"

Dell's answer: "No, we have to charge you $200 dollars just for a Windows XP Upgrade disc (not even the full one, not even the cheaper than NewEgg price off $139).... strike one.

I get a discount because I'm a student and the other week the Home section of Dell had a sale with a $300 coupon, which when compaired to my discount was only about $40 dollars.

So I called Dell asked if they could match that....

Dell's answer: Nope, I'd have to cancel my order and re-order it in the home section.... strike two.

Now it takes a while for systems to build and ship, so while I'm waiting I configure the same system through that educational discount, EVERYTHING the same and... what do you know? It went $40 down in price.

Called Dell asked "Since my system hasn't even been built yet, can I get the credit of $40?"

Dell's answer: "Nope, you would have to cancel your order, wait for the Dell financing to clear, then re-order your laptop, so instead of it coming at the end of November you'd get it at the end of December... maybe".... strike three.

So today I canceled my order, because if they are this unflexable about small things I can only imagine what kind of hoops I'd have to go through if I get my laptop and have a serious issue.

Today I will be going down to an Apple store to buy a Macbook Pro, which looks like a better machine and less expensive. I work in a call center, and I know the ins and outs and I don't think I was asking for anything unresonable so I find it all to be just a very sad situation.

 

DELLs systems are all like that! You ALWAYS have to cancel then re-order with DELL if you want to change even the smallest of things! That also goes for adding things which may well cost several hundred (4GB of RAM for example)!

Stupid I know! But its their system...

 

You made a mistake there. In the last part of your post you stated that you "wonder what they would do with a serious problem if they wouldn't be flexible with your small problems".

Dell is the best when it comes to warranty and hardware support. Dell's ordering system is screwed up, but next week it will be a different deal, then the week after that the price will jump $500, then the following week it will drop $500 or they'll put a coupon out, etc.

I just think you have it backwards - Dell handles serious problems beautifully while small things they seem to screw up.

 

Since the way Dell does bussiness is by keeping constant price changes in all its systems, buying a computer in Dell is like going to an auction shop: there is this deal, do you want to take it?... No you don't want it?, sure, just cancel it.

Also about all these times: they are estimated delivery times, and they are hugely overestimated. I had a similar problem like you: had to cancel my Vostro 1500 and order it again the next day (with a better deal)... and suddenly for 1 day of difference my delivery time increased from 1 to 2 weeks. Well, guess what? I got it in just 5 days!!!

 

Dell lost nothing in this case. If you didn't make the purchase, someone else will come along and buy.

The only person losing out here is you.

 

I disagree as in the end a customer is a customer and bad publicity like this means lots of other people may not buy from Dell.

 

What publicity? One forum member posting here?

Please! Dell has been selling computers like this for some 20+ years. It is actually designed to attract customers because they always have "deals" going on via coupons, discounts, etc.

To be honest, no one really gets a better deal than the next (unless you didn't use a coupon that was available). As soon as a coupon comes out, Dell reprices their systems and components to almost negate the coupon. Same goes with their different segments (ie home, EPP, SB, etc). If you are really keen, check out ALL segments before purchasing. Many times you can get a better deal thru EPP alone than home with a coupon.

It is Dell's business model and it won't change anytime soon, although they are beggining to penetrate brick and morter stores.....

 

Explain to me how Dell didn't lose a sale?

 

Dell didn't exist 20+ years ago, and they certainly haven't been playing these games since their inception.

 

Do you really think Dell has time to play around with your order and refund you $40 during the craziest shopping month of the year?

And besides, if you had a real problem, they would take care of it for you in a heartbeat.

 

Yeah, Dell was started back in 1984 IIRC. Just throwing a ballpark out there. They have been using these selling tactics for many years, though....

 

I was off 4 years (1988). So, yes Dell has been selling pc's for 23 years to be exact (started off in 1984 under a different name selling IBM computers)

I made it easy for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell#History

 

$2700 is chump change compared to what Dell brings in every single day. In other words, they'll never miss the lack of one sale.

 

Dell credited $50 towards my extended warranty due to a price decrease in the M1330 touchpad (by $75).. the representative told me they have 21 days price matching system but I had to go through another channel and I didn't want to be bothered since I was buying a second M1330 with employee discounts. They gladly stacked the additional $50 on. My M1330 order confirmation reads special off $350 off... which is the combined EPP and $50 discount.

 

If you don't mind, I would like to know your configuration that cost so much.

 

It sounds like this person had no intention on buying a dell.

 

No I very much had every intention of buying a Dell, I had actually had it down to either the Macbook Pro or the Dell m1330. Because I'm a speed freak when it comes to PC, I felt the need to splurge on the 64 solid state hard drive, that’s coupled with the longer battery life and lighter machine is why I originally decided on the Dell.

My specs where:
2 ghz, 1 gig of ram (was going to order 2 more gigs from new egg) the backlight LED display, 8400 Geforce video, Bluetooth and 64 gig solid state hard drive.

What discourages me about the whole thing is that I placed the order, its just waiting to be built and no one would bend in anyway for anything on the order..... 40 bucks. If you called the company I work for and had that same issue we would have first apologized and secondly got that credit for you on the spot.

Another irritation was Dell's customer support, speaking to some from another country that perceived everything as black and white and not be able to say anything outside a script was poor and pathetic.

It was the day before my machine was suppose to be built and shipped when I canceled, so I had every intension of buying a Dell, but they offered no reasons and no alternatives as to why they could not accommodate me other than "our company is divided into silos and you have to contact the right one..."

A customer doesn't give a **** how you company is divided up, and rightfully so they shouldn't have to, if you can't accommodate the customer you get someone on the phone who can or give a good reason of why they can't be accommodated offering some intelligent form of solution.

For example, you call where I work and say "hey this product just went down in price by 40 bucks, the agent will say okay, let me get you to your sales rep so he can take care of you." Doesn't matter if I called home sector or educational sector they get you to the right place. Once that sales rep get you they will either credit your account or give you some product to make up the difference in cost, either way your going to walk away happy!

Customer service is a "Tuna Fish Sandwich", now the company I work for doesn't sell Tuna Fish Sandwiches but if you call up and say "I want to order a Tuna Fish Sandwich" the agent is going to say "We don't sell Tuna Fish Sandwiches but if you tell me where you live I can quickly try to find a place in your area that does and get you over there..." that is customer service.

I canceled my Dell because they just didn't accommodate anything I was asking for and I wasn't really asking for anything unreasonable. I walked into the Apple store after canceling my order and they greeted me with a hello and a "what can I help you with" within 5 mins they where ringing me up, with the discount and offered everything they should have. I asked "if the price changes on this tomorrow what happens?" they said bring in your receipt and we will credit the difference....

Its funny because after playing with the Macbook Pro for a day now, I think I actually like it better than the Dell.... I just need to order a solid state hard drive.....

 

im just gonna throw in my 2 cents here

i ordered a dell vostro 1500 last month - of course, i had the crappy screen problem - i called in 2 days after i opened the box to ask what they could do - they said they would "replace" the system

great i thought - put the order through - of course, there was "no way" the guy could ensure i got an lg screen (even when i gave him the exact part number he needed to add) - but "whatever", i thought - i figured id give it a shot

turns out - he was going to send me a refurbished unit (which he didnt even mention until i specifically asked during his "finishing up" of the order) - i asked him if he was "sure i should be getting a refurb? considering i just opened it 2 days ago and purchased through small business?" - his response? "Yep."

i asked him if i would receive any discount - you know, because if i wanted to order a refurb, i could have shopped the dell outlet in the first place and saved some cash - his professional response? "Nope." (in his defense, he did sound like a bored 18 year old kid sitting in front of a computer screen...)

i changed my order into a return

any *logical* person would think: "why on earth am i paying dell full-price for a refurbished unit" - then again, a casual consumer would probably assume they were getting a new unit - i bet a lot of people wouldnt even think to ask if it was brand new or refurbished - i can only imagine how many people called in with similar situations: defective BRAND NEW items - and received refurbs thinking: "how great, dell just sent me another new computer without question! dell's cs = top notch!"

this was my second experience with dell - and the first one was just as pathetic - that one was more similar to your issue - they couldn't give me a free piece of software that was included with dell axims the DAY AFTER i ordered mine - that time their excuse was: "well, you have to return your order - seeing as it was a custom built computer" - it was an axim (a friggin pda) - there were NO customization options available - it was an "off the shelf" item (just like ordering a camera, or a printer cartridge) - of course, dell's customer service representatives couldnt comprehend it - i even explained to them that the only difference was that one piece of software wasnt included in the shipping box - all they had to do was put a piece of software in the box and ship it to me - i even offered to pay for ground shipping (which, in retrospect, i absolutely shouldnt have done considering how incompetently customer service was handling the issue in the first place) - in the end, im pretty sure that the reps didnt even know what an axim was

bottom line - dell's cs is a crapshoot at best - you'll have a lot of people here claiming dell's cs is "the best" - and perhaps thats really their experience with them - for me - my only two experiences were bad ones - after the first axim fiasco - i swore off dell - of course, i was suckered back in by a coupon deal - but now that i had a similar experience - i can confidently say - i wont shop dell again - they cant seem to handle small customer service issues (sending a piece of software out) - and they cant handle big issues (replacing a BRAND NEW computer with another brand new computer)

perhaps in the past dell's customer service was top notch - judging by what ive read on other forums, on this forum, and from my own very recent experience - i can confidently say the same doesnt hold true now

EDIT - and yes (before someone calls me a "hater") - i had every intention of keeping the vostro - in fact, if you'd like - you can do a search and find my overly excited post detailing which computer i got and just how eager i was to receive it - followed by the problem thread (illustrating my issue) - followed by my customer service posts in which some people said: "wow, that's odd - that they treated you so poorly"

looks like it isnt so odd afterall

EDIT v. 2 - but i must say - maybe it was fate - in the end, i have a much better computer that i bought for a much better price (and the screen is just gorgeous, btw) - and when i phoned into their customer service with a question regarding a ram upgrade, i was greeted by an intelligent, knowledgable, and very cordial rep - so maybe i should thank dell for that

 

You're just not understanding the way the Dell order system works. Once an order has been placed, the only way to change it is to cancel and re-order. Why is this such a hard concept to understand?

Just because ABC company can make changes to an order, doesn't mean EVERY company can do this. Too bad if you don't like it, life is full of disappointments pumpkin.

As just about anyone that's ordered a Dell can attest to, you're in a much better position to bargain AFTER you've received the laptop. Dell does not want to deal with the hassle of having someone return an already shipped laptop and generally they'll give some pretty decent discounts if you keep it. (I got $400 off because of small cosmetic issues on my m1330. Dell saved themselves the hassle of a return).

Glad you're enjoying your Macbook, although it seems the spell checker is broken. Might want to contact Apple about that.

 

Realize the guy you talked to didn't have to power to authorize this and probably doesn't care either.

 

thats the biggest issue

 

Waaaaaa... Waaaaaa... What's that? Your crying over $40? You sound like an apple fanboy that would cry over 4 ten dollar bills so enjoy your OS with an extensive software library of 6 (SIX!) titles

I would NEVER have paid $2700 on the 1330, so I am assuming you have money to begin with. Dell is definitely different from other companies in the way they process orders because everything is built-to-order. You didn't like that and you went somewhere else with your money - something a consumer is supposed to do.

You failed to realize that after you recieved your laptop, you probably could have gotten ~$200 off by complaining.....

 

The OP is Cent wise, Dollar foolish!

If the price of a product changes (excluding offers/discounts) within 21 days of your order, Dell will refund the excess amount. All you need is to call them. If the price change is due to an offer/discount/coupon, just return the system for a full refund and reorder.

"Sleey0" is right. Call Dell's Customer Inconvenience Department and they'll make good your losses.

 

good riddance.

then we don't have to read his posts after he gets his computer about the silver being 2 degrees too dark or something ridiculous.

let him clutter up the apple thread

 

@ the op - believe it or not - youre much better off ditching dell

EDIT - especially if youre prepared to spend that kind of money - there are far better offerings for big-budget purchases - dell is kind of the "bargain" fall back (which is why it does so well - another 30% off coupon anyone? lol)

 

kricket

Go troll somewhere else, fool. BTW, Asus makes somes of Dell's computers so does that make your G1 a "bargain" fall back?

 

i think you need to learn the definition of a troll - i posted my experience - which is 100% true - and it sucked 100%

and usually - when a good company makes a product to be rebranded - its nowhere near the same quality (a la quasar and panasonic)

edit - to answer your question - no

i love how you call me a troll - but when i posted my experience - all you guys could do is say: "gee - wow - that does suck - hmph - well, its not the norm" - and then bam - another thread gets started - another person experiences dell's crappy customer service - go figure...

i understand what youre feeling - you purchased a dell - you feel like you have to defend it - thats fine - id like to think my purchases were good ones too - but when someone comes on the board with an issue - and your best response is: "dell does things differently - deal with it or go to a different manufacturer" - then it just furthers the point that dell has inferior customer service because it CAN'T DO what other manufacturers CAN do - see what im saying?

EDIT - for the op - you might find it interesting to check out the following thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2715232

very interesting - coming from the person defending "dell quality"

sleey0 - im on your side - it looks like youre going to be on your fourth notebook because things didnt work out for you - why are you so angry that people go elsewhere after a bad experience?

EDITED - took out some unnecessary digs - i apologize (bad day at work)

 

Yeah, but Dell MADE THINGS RIGHT BY REPLACING MY SYSTEM 3 TIMES! (At least they made things right in my opinion, anyway) They TRIED their best to please me and, in the end, I like that kind of service

Ever try that with Sony? No? Good luck. How about Toshiba? No, you say? Well, I have.

Copy and paste my responses all day - your still a troll: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

Troll = you posted nothing relevant to Dell (you don't have one I am assuming based on your sig) except to bash them. Now you are posting various reply's made by me in another thread - MORE TROLLING.....

Yeah, I am sure Asus kicks the quality down just to piss of the people (Dell and Apple, to name a few) who give them BIG bucks off BIG contracts.

As my little brother would say: come prepared or get pwned BEEEOTCH

 

you mean like my experiences from one month ago with DELL? lol - i dont have one now because i returned it at the beginning of the month!

talk about getting owned - did you even read my posts? they were about my DIRECT experiences with dell - BAD experiences

apparently - when discussing customer service - bad experiences are "nothing relevant" - you heard it here first folks - lol

and although i havent tried it with a sony - i HAVE had experiences with toshiba - i actually got a brand new notebook with better specs out of them when my first notebook died - after 10 months (i was expecting a repair - instead they sent me a brand new retail package satellite notebook - overnight - good luck getting that from dell)

im guessing those 3 replacements you got were all refurbs - even though you paid for a brand new laptop - yeah - thats great customer service - take full price from customers - and deliver refurbished (lower priced) goods

alrite kids - ive said my piece - im pretty sure the op (and anyone else bothering to read our drawn out posts) see exactly what the situation is like

 

Nope, all three were brand-spankin' new.

Yeah, my M170 took a tumble off a balcony 2 years after I bought it and Dell sent a refurb M1710 - couldn't tell though because it smelled factory fresh and didn't have a fingerprint on it. Also, a lot of the "refurb" systems Dell sells are BRAND NEW, they just might use a refurbished part (like a video card or mobo, for instance). Still assembled as new in the factory, though.

Don't know what you or the op is talking about when they say they got a refurb because under 21 days it is brand new (Dell policy). After the 21 days, it's fair game. Unless your replacement came with a big-fat red "REFURBISHED" sticker on the bottom - it is not refurbished

Know what your talking about before telling me what I did and didn't get for replacements.

BTW, I was waaaay out of my 21 days but, with the right contacts at Dell, you can pretty much get around any of their policies. If you try hard enough, and it doesn't really require much effort, you can get issues resolved very quickly with Dell. If you hang your hat on the first thing that some Indian guy 5k miles away says, then it is your loss for not escalating it. IMO, that's probably the reason they outsourced their support - to deal with fools like you

 

I'd just like to say that my customer service experience with Dell has been pretty good this far, not perfect, but pretty good. I did ask them to send out XP to see if that solved one of my issues but they said I'd have to pay an extra $250 (when I already paid for Vista business!). I asked for a refund as it wasn't the first problem I had with the laptop, she said she'd give me a call on Monday to tell me if refund dept cleared it. In that time I managed to fix my problem and I cancelled the refund.

Since the beginning of my time with Dell though, I've had a lovely customer service rep who's been looking after me. She called up every couple of days after my first issue and asked me if everything was going alright, if there was anything she could do for me etc. That's what I like about their customer service - they take ownership of the issue and make sure things are ok and keep you happy.

 

kind of like how you assumed that ive never dealt with toshiba's customer support, even though i have? (look up the word hypocrite - youll find it interesting)

lets run through this again:

my situation:
- purchased a brand new dell vostro 1500
- came with a defective screen
- called into customer service and was told (by, apparently an inept customer service representative) that i would receive a refurb
- figured i probably shouldnt give my money to an incompetent company
- returned the computer for a full refund
- bought a good computer

your situation:
- purchased a brand new dell xps
- something was wrong with it - you returned it for a replacement
- something was wrong with the replacement - you returned it for another replacement
- something was wrong with the second replacement - you sold it (apparently, dell's customer service is good - but not good enough to get you a computer you were happy with)
- applaud dell's customer service for making: "THINGS RIGHT BY REPLACING [YOUR] SYSTEM 3 TIMES!" - your words, your emphasis (ill be honest with you - this step may have come before you sold the defective notebook - im not sure)
- you bought another dell

and im the fool? lol - to be honest with you - im willing to bet you got a refurb and didnt even know the difference - thats part of dells deal - thats how they roll (and if there are more people like you around - theyre making a lot of money off of fools - theyve even suckered them into defending their dear old computer company and thanking the stars for defective notebooks)

apparently, dell is more accustomed to dealing with fools thank you know

 

dell's customer support is excellent if you know how to pull the right strings...

 

Here we go again

I wish I could tell you what happened with the 3rd replacement, but I am obliged not to let others know (especially on a public forum).

Let's just say I am VERY pleased with Dell, hence my defending them for everything they have done for me.

The deal with Toshiba - you must have gotten lucky because in all the years I have delt with them i have NEVER had a positive outcome (which is why we switched to Dell). I didn't throw HP in their because I haven't had to deal with them.

Anyway, you have no clue what you are talking about. First off, Dell's refurb's aren't sent from the same TN location. Second, they don't come with the same packaging as new systems. Third, they have refurbished stickers on them to denote the refurbished product.

Last, but not least by any means, I have dealt with Dell long enough to know that they wouldn't send a refurb (your the fool, here - sorry) for a replacement of a brand new system within 21 days. I apologize for the incompetent rep you spoke to but it just is not true and Dell does not "roll" like that. Ignorant comments like that make it hard to take you seriously.

Again, you want more info on my situation, pm me because I am not posting it here. Then you might realize how compensated I was for my troubles

I think I am finished with you unless you have more things to say, kermit....

 

sleey0, just be quiet and let Kricket win this manhood length contest. *HE* can be the bigger dick! LOL

 

Yeah, I am done with this issue, khris. You don't see me in the Asus forums trolling, so it makes me a little upset when people come here and do it

 

Consider the source of the moaning, and then smile knowing you're better!

 

I'd just like to point out to the OP that Dell did not lose $2700. They lost the potential profit on $2700 which is most definitely not 100%. Dell has to pay for parts, labour, overheads, etc. What's left is profit.

Enjoy the Apple, I'm sure it'll be great but it most definitely is not a substitute for the Dell in terms of value for money. Plus, you'll be spending more bucks on more expensive software and you'll even find that you can't find certain applications which are available for a PC readily. Horses for courses but I can't help but feel you'd've been much better off sticking with the M1330.

Cheers,

jahboo

 

@Khris - As much as I hate to say it, Dell has a great return policy. I am almost 100% sure that they give new notebooks if you have a defective one when it comes. When my sisters 1420 came, it was warped, and the color wasn't what we expected.

I talked about the color first and guess what they did? They told me that I could receive a brand new notebook, just because of color (I mentioned the warp issue later).

Now guess what came with the system?
A dell 3in1 printer, 2 pairs of creative in ear headphones, 1 year free CD of lowjack, and other extras.

That is what I call service IMO. I haven't had a negative experience with them yet.

 

Let me get this right, you cancelled a $2700 order simply because some rep didn’t give you a $40 discount (which BTW DELL is not in any way obligated to do so) .

You ordered then paid, deal is closed! Can’t blame their CS for not going out of their way to help you !

 

I bought two.. the first one prior to the price change which is why I got the credit.

Configuration was 2.2GHz, Only 1GB (I upgraded myself), 120GB, LED Screen, 3 year at home warranty (Dell Value package), Intel Wireless N card (4965 AGN), Bluetooth, 85 Whr 9 cell battery, Crimson Red.

Cost less than $1800 with taxes and shipping to Florida.. decent deal I think.

 

I completely agree that Dell has a great return policy. In my case though, the $400 off meant more to me than correcting a couple minor cosmetic issues. Functionally, there's nothing wrong with my laptop.

They were fully prepared to send me out a brand new m1330, but then I asked about a discount if I kept this one. I was expecting maybe $100-$200 off, but as soon as she said $400, I couldn't pass that up. Essentially I got 3 year Complete Care for free!

Further proof that you should wait until AFTER you get the laptop. Once you have it in your hands, you're in a much better position to "bargain" with Dell if you aren't happy. Throwing a hissy fit over $40 BEFORE the laptop has even shipped is pretty stupid.

 

Which may never cost Dell. A good deal and a happy customer.

 

The bottom line is the customer service shouldn't be about "pulling the right strings" or great customer service shouldn't come into play when the product has a defective issue. And the great return policy isn’t worth anything if you can’t even satisfy me before I get my system.

This was not the first computer I bought from Dell, I bough a laptop years ago, no issues, it died on me after 5 years which… I kind of expect and I’ve bought their 24” monitor which has been fantastic. No problems what so ever, the sales rep I talked to for the 24” monitor actually told me to wait because there was a new coupon coming, so I waited a few days and he gave me a better deal!

The way Dell doesn’t their orders is stupid; it’s not flexible what so ever…. Maybe I’m spoiled from dealing with Newegg the past couple of years, who by the way is probably the most amazing online computer company ever….

It's not about the $40 dollars, I have the money, its about servicing the customer and they just would not help. To me that says they just really don't care.

 

Well that's the way it is unfortunately. You can either work with it, or against it and cause yourself more grief.

I don't think it's because of Newegg....

Obviously it is about $40 because you canceled your order.

 

According to my recent conversations with FatWallet regarding a Dell order I had placed, if you order a Dell online the order IS NOT assigned to a Sales Rep. If you call in to Dell after the order is placed and inquire about an order, if the Rep sees that there is no Rep assigned to your order, they will assign themselves thus taking credit for the sale and getting any commission. This voids any FatWallet credit as I found out since FatWallet no longer gets the credit for the sale.

My guess is that the rep you first spoke with took the credit for your order, when you called in again and asked for the $40, the rep you spoke with couldn't care less since it wasn't his commission he was losing.

You should always ask to speak with the Rep assigned to your order. They will take better care of you since it would be their commission on the line.

JMO.