Dell Outlet - I can't get past the script bots

This is probably a touchy subject but I've been trying to buy a laptop from the Dell Outlet, however the items I'm interested in are clearly being tied up by people using automated shopping bots to hold the items in their carts.

I've watched the same 10 or 12 machines keep showing up for just a split second at a time, then instantly disappearing again, all day and all night. I expect the situation is worse on days like this when there are Dell Outlet coupons floating around.

A Google search led me to plenty of discussions and a couple of the tools that people use to do this, but either the versions I found were outdated or I was configuring them wrong. Anyway, there's no way I can beat the speed of these script bots to snag the item I want and manually enter the stupid Captcha code to get it into my cart before the squatters get them, it's ridiculous. I'm not an ebay reseller, I just want to be on a level playing field so I can have a fair chance at getting the machine I want when it comes up again.

Any help?

 

Have you tried contacting Dell?

 

I managed to get one last night when all 4 pages of available systems in the M6500 category showed up for about two minutes at 3am. Whatever script kiddie is tying them up must have had to reboot his machine or something. I could see that they were all the same systems that had been flashing by for the past two days.

But then, boom, they all started disappearing again so whoever is responsible for this went right back at it.

If you want to see for yourself, pick a hot category in the Outlet (I was in the Precision M6500 category) and load up that page to see what's available. At first it will probably look like there's nothing there, but there are really a good number of systems currently in inventory. Then use the ReloadEvery add-on in Firefox to refresh that page every couple of seconds, and if you pay attention long enough you'll see the same handful of systems cycle by on the screen repeatedly throughout the day as the bots snag them off the page each time they get returned to inventory. Go ahead, just try to manually put one in your cart. You can't do it. The ebayers are obviously using automated systems to circumvent the Captcha codes and squat on the inventory until they're ready to buy one out of their fully loaded shopping carts at their leisure.

If you call Dell the rep will just tell you someone else must be have bought the system you were looking at, which is total bs. The phone reps will then look through their own inventory and try to sell you something for more money since they work on commission. I'm sure they're happy the website is tied up because it means more commission sales for them.

As long as this keeps happening the only way you're going to get something good off the Dell outlet web is to use your own bot to put yourself on a level playing field with the cheaters. Or wait until the script kiddie has to take a break, if you're the type of person who likes to operate at a huge disadvantage against people like that.

 

Woah strange, I see what you mean. Wonder if htat's script kiddies or a problem with Dell's database.

 

wow , that explains a lot. So what do they gain from this if they are not even remotely interested in buying one

 

This has been going on for quite awhile now. Dell's new system tries to help by no longer allowing buyers to check off infinite systems and with one Cap code load 'em into your basket, but now you just get a new breed of scripts. Does the new system help? Yes, but not nearly enough. Instead of all the systems disappearing in one fell, swoop, you do have a SMALL window to potentially grab something and look at it. Start in the middle or end. Starting from the top and you're racing against cold, calculating automation.

Right now, as with the M6400 last year, the M6500 is the, "hot ticket," since if you are insanely lucky, you can snag a $3-4k machine for under 2k. Go check M4500's or even M6400's. I saw 920XM equipped 4500's going for $1179 languishing for days because they aren't selling well. Other refurbs, like the M6300's I've seen the same models listed for over a month now. Good luck moving $1300 M6300's Dell.

Shady (Go check eBay, type, "Dell M6500" and notice the resellers are usually the same selling refurbs en masse) can pick and choose which units to resell as they accumulate coupon codes from various sources. Usually they target RGBLED systems since those usually sell well and command a premium. Throw in 15% coupons that pop up and it is nearly impossible to grab a system before the bots are holding them hostage.

Even with a hefty $300-400 markup on ebay, they still sell because in the end they are still a wicked good deal.

That is why I am always wary of the 0-2 Posts, brand new users who pop into the Deals section asking for coupon codes.

Posting your coupon codes is asking to get it nicked by a reseller. If you really want to help a fellow board member out, say you have one and require if a member needs it that they PM you for it.

 

Not from what I've seen. The Dell Outlet appears to be completely hacked, providing no opportunity for a "normal" person to buy anything from the best categories. If it has been going on for as long as you say, then it's a pretty sad statement that Dell, a company that is supposed to specialize in technology, is incapable of controlling it. Or maybe they just don't care about the ethics of their sales as long as they're unloading the stock and making their profit. If that's the case then I guess it's just another reason not to want to do business with Dell.

 

Is there any way to phone up a rep about what's available on the outlet ?

Gotta say, I've found this thread facinating...

 

Outlet reps see the same pages you do. They can't even grab a system from your cart without you dropping it and them punching in the service tag to try to get it before someone else does. Only way around that is to save the cart and email them the link.

Outlet scripts have been around for years and aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Unfortunately, the only way to get the best system is to join the crowd of people using the scripts. Dell doesn't care either way, as long as someone eventually buys the systems.

 

Actually, outlet reps see much more laptops than the buyer. I just got off the phone with a dell rep and got a laptop that was out of stock on the web page.