I recently ordered a laptop online from Dell. I ordered a fairly supped up Inspirion and a few gadgets to go with it including a transfer cable, router, and USB hub. The problem arose with the shipping. It seems that for my part of the world Dell exclusively uses DHL. DHL doesn't have a very good system in place so when they called to set up a drop-off time it became apparent that we would never cross paths. They will only agree to deliver during business hours and I (oddly enough) have to be at work. So they told me that I could come down to their office and pick the package up myself. What they forgot to tell me was that they would return the package if I didn't come within the allotted time frame. So the computer was returned to Dell. They took the computer back and refunded my money. No problems there except that I could never get the same deal because I had used a coupon that expired so I would have to pay almost $800.00 more for the same product. But by the time I had straightened that all out with the sales department, the shipment of periphery materials was delivered. (Apparently they left that on the door step, but won't do the same thing with a computer.) While I waited to figure everything out I inadvertently passed the 21 day mark. This seems to be the point of no returns, literally. When I finally realized that Dell would not be able to get me a new computer this date had already passed. I contacted the customer service people several times asking if I could return the peripheries and was repeatedly told that they would take no responsibility for the items and never refund the costs. I pointed out that this was an incomplete shipment since I didnt get the actual computer (and what good do peripheries do you if you can't plug them in and use them?) because of their and DHL's ineptitude. That was not good enough. I even spoke with a manager and was told that there was nothing they could/would do. "Dell has a policy and we will not compromise that." So if you are going to order a Dell you have a few options:
1 Hope that there are no errors, problems, or delays.
2 Don't ever buy any peripheries. They won't be shipped with the computer and Dell will take no responsibility for them as they are "not even their products."
3 If you do have a problem with the computer, send any extra items that come separate back immediately. Any delay could stick you with a whole wad of things you will never use.
4 Go with a company that actually cares about their customers and is willing to work with you.
It isn't like I was asking them to make an exception out of me because I am incompetent and unable to follow directions. I asked them to make an exception because they had screwed things up. While I waited for them to figure it out, I was sucked into buying $250.00 worth of equipment that I can't use and don't want. All I am saying is: Be very, very careful that you stick to every part of your agreement (actually their policies), even if they make a mistake. Because you will not be given any help, and since they don't need you, they won't help.
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