WARNING- Dell computers

[Guest davy]

Just to make you all aware Dell appear to be a company to be avoided when you are purchasing a computer.

I purchased a laptop from them in January 2004.

Initially placed order via their website. When no contact after few days phoned them and was told my order was received but they could not access it :shock:.

Re-placed order over phone and was talked into taking out a 4th years insurance on the system after being told that I would get £100 cashback on the cost of £133. Was further told that this cheque would be sent out automatically.

After 3 weeks with no cheque I contacted Dell customer care by E-mail and was told to download a rebate form and mail it in with a copy of my system invoice.

Now the problems begin.

I have not received an invoice from Dell.

Therefore sent in rebate form with copy of my order confirmation (only documentation I have received from Dell) with accompanying letter explaining this.

5 weeks later get a letter from Dell advising me that this document does not demonstrate proof of purchase and to resubmit the "required materials".

Contacted Dell customer care through their website and fully advised them of the problems. On 15/03/2004 I received the reply that I should download the rebate form and submit it along with my packing slip.

I immediately replied to this E-mail asking for clarification as to what a packing slip was (as no documentaion was included in the boxes I received which I took to be a packing slip).

I have had no reply to this or 4 subsequent E-mails to Dell.

(Despite a promise on their website complaints contact link to respond within 24 hours :x ).

Apologies for the length of this post but I am extremely pi**ed off.

Anyone else suffered at the hands of Dell.

Any suggestions as to what I should do next?

(I am reluctant to phone Dell as I would rather have documented evidence of what is happening)

Should I contact Trading Standards and/or some Consumer Protection Organisations?

Should I just pack everything up and send it back to Dell on the basis that I was misleadingly told I would automatically receive a cheque refund?

(I purchased the eqipment using Dell Finance)

Any advice greatly appreciated.

THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU BUY FROM DELL.

rant over.

davy.

[Guest ncolli1981]

Phone them mate, all there calls are recorded. Once you get through to somebody request to speak to most senior member of staff, take the name of every person you speak to and write down the time and date of the call. If you don't get any where on the phone send a letter adressed to the UK managing director of Dell detailing the complaint and the phone calls. You can also request a copy of all the information they hold on there system in relation to your order and a copy of all telephone conversations.

Do it mate, the more you harrass them the quicker it will get sort, call them every hour on the hour until it is sorted.

hope you get it sorted

[Guest davy]

Thanks for the advice ncolli1981.

Got a response from their complaints Dept this am (after mailing them last night and asking them to respond to confirm their web contact link actually works) asking for more details because they could not read my previous mails :shock: .

Have replied to that mail with full details.

Will see what happens next.

If no joy I will phone them next week.

cheers,

davy.

[Guest spacecowboy6982]

I can safely say this is roughly the sam esituation as TIME - we all know about them - basically dont buy these machine sunless you know what your doing.

spacecowboy

[Guest davy]

Have now received an E-mail apologising for inconvenience and saying they will arrange the refund asap :) .

Will wait to see how long the refund takes to arrive before I celebrate though :roll: .

davy.