Alienware in China - the beginning of the story

Well, I finally did it and ordered from Alienware China.

I read posts here about buying from USA as a non resident but it just got too risky on the importation side. So many items just don't make it past the Customs post here not to mention the duty to be paid (20%) I decided to take the chance.

I am not sure if you know, but there are lots of computer "cities" here. These are huge markets with all the brands represented multiple times. One of the biggest ones I go to is about 2.5 miles long and 2 miles wide (each building is 5 floors or more).

Of course,.......there is only one Alienware outlet here. The sales guy was a hoot. Absolutely full of BS. M17xR2 on display, with the wxga+1440*900 screen, 4MB ram, i7 940 processor, 640GB HD. CDRW 1 yr warranty etc and get this - $5414 (36,000 rmb). As you can imagine we - ahem - "discussed" the price. He claimed it was with the "improved cooling system" factory fitted. I asked him to show me - after which his manager intervened and explained his protege was misinformed. However they could let me have the machine for $4360.(29,000 rmb). bye bye.

Onto the Dell China website, Alienware subsection. All in Chinese characters (which I cant read). Using the configurator is same as US site. (apologies to Alienware USA - your sudden spike in inquiries on your site was me cross checking what I think I am ordering with your Chinese web site).
Two starting models (same as USA) BUT for the same spec machine - using one starting point gives a final price $751 higher than the other (everything else is same).
So called Dell sales - Starting with the higher based price unit went through the spec I wanted with them, line by line through my translator and got them to quote. Sales girl pushing for the order at this time. Hold on girly, what if we start at first model and do the same?
Yup, $751 lower cost - why? this one has discount on it.......... but its same machine right? same spec, same builder, same materials, same warranty? yup.
Do you tell your potential customers when they configure same machine that one version is $751 more than the other? Of course not, that is how the web configurator works!!!!.

Getting bored yet? my translator nearly quit on me with this exercise, there was so much misinformation flowing round to take your money from you.

However, I was desperate to spend my money so I can experience all of the problems you guys have within these forums so had to persevere. To cut a very long story short, finally agreed a specification and price in writing with Dell. Now all of you guys in USA don't split your sides laughing (just be thankful you have what you have). Ready?

Some of the highlights - Nebula red case ($0 additional cost) - i7 840Qm ($511 more than i7 740QM) - Windows 7 ultimate in English ($225 more than Win 7 home in Chinese) - 8gm ram ($135 more than the 4gb) - 2*500GB raid 0 HDD ($0 additional cost) - RGB 1200p screen ($193 more than 1920*1200 ccfl 1200p) - Dual 5870's ($0 additional cost - they have just pulled the SLi's not available now but recall them being $70 more) - 1TB external USB Drive station $84.

FYI if you want the i7 940xm processor be prepared to pay $1263 more than the i7 740qm.

By my calculations have spent about $730 more than If I had bought same in USA. (before any discount negotiated).

Order placed, money transferred (21st of Dec). Now waiting.........so thought would track it online............back to Dell - please can I have customer number etc - 20 seconds sent by sms - onto web - its there - whoopee - order accepted - hallelujah - 4 days no change - I guess they must be having a long tea break in Xiamen (where it is being assembled)

I hope to hell it works straight out of the box or I will be looking for another translator.

Keep up the great work guys - I will support where I can once it is in my hands.

Merry Christmas from China.
Tigermerlin.

 

Congrats! A good story, i enjoyed reading every word! Merry Christmas and enjoy your new m17x!

 

Cliff notes:

-Living in China but English speaker
-Went to a market in China that is 2 miles wide full of computer resellers
-Found AW outlet, overpriced as expected
-Used online configuration and found price ambiguity between two configurations
-Called Dell China, paid lots of money and got laptop that costs $730 more than the US.

If I have left anything out, feel free to append these cliff notes.

P.S. Welcome to Alienware.

 

Yeah, Joker, that sounds exactly like the runaround I hear about all the time from my friends who came from China or Vietnam. In addition, they tell me that IF you can actually get a high-quality import item negotiated for and shipped, then (as Tiger claims too) it will be very difficult, expensive, and all-out risky to get it through Customs and then through all the local shipping channels before it reaches you.

The locally available items, even when they are branded with US companies names, are not actually the same items, but are major downgrades in quality that are sold as if they are equivalent to the home item.

 

Taxes over India is equally same as over China. I paid $3825(Rs.1,72,000) for my config.

Good story though, merry Christmas!

 

Ahh Don't you just adore Communism?

 

Yes, I do adore it in an unlikely way: Never has the US been stronger or better than when we had large Communist nations for enemies. We advanced science, mathematics, and technology like it had never been advanced before. These Aliens we play with like toys could never have been built without the advancements gained with the US striving to defeat Communism around the world. In a funny way, I really miss the Soviet Union and what we then called "Red China". I guess that's not the desired fare for this forum... I'll stop now.

 

Why are the parts still saying " Made in China "

 

Because the assembly lines for the boards and computer cases are there. They put assembly lines for components of many types wherever the locals are low-paid, trainable, desperate for any steady manual work, and ruled over by tyrants, goons, and miscreant thugs who run roughshod over the basic rights of their powerless citizenry. Then they make so-called "export only" products that they can never buy but we can buy inexpensively. I suppose one could call it profit optimization, and it's why Dell can supply replacement components quickly and easily when they are needed.

 

You'll fit right in. Welcome to the club.

Merry (belated) Christmas!

 

UPDATE in "cliff note form" to keep Joker happy

1) Order placed on 21st December and money transferred.
2) Money received on 23rd - order accepted.
3) 1TB usb external hard drive received on 26th
4) Tracking system worked for the laptop.
5) Dispatched on the 28th - awaiting delivery.
6) The communist overworked underpaid staff (not my experience) are as delighted that its on its way as I am when I talk with them.

More later.