Buying Alienware in Canada

Hi guys,
I just want to know that what is the optimal payment method to buy a Alienware notebook in Canada?
Cause last week ,I tried to use my credit card to purchase a M17 online, but it seems really complicated. Beacuse my credit card is an Canadian credit card and my order is an international order, so they want me to do lots of things in order to identify it, such as sent a form to them which includs all my credit card information , sent a digitial picture of my credit card and so on....
I just wondering that, is this happend to all of the Canadian customers who paying with their credit card? or I need a international credit card to make it simple?

 

I used my own Canadian credit card tu buy the m15x and they didn't asked me any proof of identity or anything...

 

Alienware WILL SCREW YOU. Here's the highly illegal deal:

Their website card advertises in Canadian funds, but what they do is convert the entire amount after taxes to U.S. dollars. That means you end up paying way more in Canadian funds than your invoice reflects. Add to that the conversion tarrifs your credit card company tacks on and you're looking at hundreds of dollars more on your bill than you bargained for.

Know that this practice is ILLEGAL especially considering they pocket the difference of your Canadian taxes after conversion. So if you decide to purchase from them, prime your tape recorder and RECORD a spoken guarantee from their sales department that your final bill will not be converted from U.S. funds but reflected on your credit card exactly as it was shown on your invoice.

Once you've done that, get an e-mail guarantee as well.

If your final bill ends up converted, you'll have two very powerful pieces of evidence to work in your favour should Alienware stonewall you and not offer to refund the difference. If they screw you, tell them they have 48 hours to correct the issue before you'll be reporting them to Visa/Mastercard to initiate a chargeback (Visa/Mastercard expects you'll make the effort to resolve with Alienware first). Record that conversation too. They've had at least one warning from me that they should put an end to this bull practice, so take a zero tolerance approach with them if you decide to buy. Alienware is just BEGGING for a class action lawsuit, since I'm sure they still scam Canadians in this manner. The fact they collect GST and PST demonstrates they shouldn't be doing this conversion nonsense -- if they collect taxes, they are a REGISTERED CANADIAN RETAILER with CCRA taxation accounts. Do not be fooled.

I speak from experience. Pay by credit card, trust me. It's easier to initiate chargebacks because Visa/Mastercard are often on the side of the consumer when it comes to payment disputes, so for your own security I recommend this.

- F

 

this really should be a sticky... everyone should be aware of this alienware scam.

 

Yes it should.

I should add that I managed to get the difference refunded to me, which was about $250.00 Canadian. That's the kind of difference we're dealing with here.

- F

 

Thanks for the tips, I will keep an eye on this, I wouldn't let them pocket my money this way.

 

By the way, the only way you can get a 1:1 reflection of your invoice on your credit card bill is if they contact a Canadian bank and debit the amount in Canadian funds from your account. Tell them to guarantee you this. This should not be difficult considering they present themselves as a registered Canadian merchant. If they weren't, they wouldn't be allowed to collect your taxes, so accept no excuses from them. They should have long ago forsaw the implications of transacting in Canadian funds while they collect your taxes, but apparently they love padding peoples' bills, for which I hope someone will sue their asses dry for.

They like most assume that if people are willing to spend untold thousands on computers, that hey, what harm will a few extra hundred skimmed off the top be? Do not stand for that foolish sleight of hand. It's quick change artistry of the highest order; the classic scam.


Regardless, their computers are great and my M17 is a powerhouse.

- F

 

Hi Jamm,

I went through all this bulls**t and Im from the UK....I think everyone outside the US has to go through this lark.
Just get an ordinary photo-copy machine with scanner and take a scan of your credit card on top of your statement...scan both sides of your credit card then attach it to an E-mail to Alienware billing....This really pissed me off but about 1 hour after I sent the E-mail not only had my order been processed but my M17 HAD BEEN SHIPPED.....most are already built and just waiting to be shipped so once youve got over this credit card crap your on your way mate!

 

Sorry but I'm gonna have to call BS on that tonytoff. How exactly is your experience any similar to Jamm? Were you charged in CAD, USD or GBP?

As for the M17 being pre-built and ready to ship, you are wrong again. The systems only move into production once payment has been applied to your order.

So, why all the disinformation?

Look, I know all the business with the AVS documents is annoying, but it's the only way the company can protect itself against fraud. Less fraud = more affordable systems for everyone. So is it really so hard to understand that it's in everybody's interest to have all this evidence that you indeed are the one trying to order a machine?

 

No, Im just referring to the international credit card block that is applied to all overseas payments...I never pretended to know anything about extra hidden charges.
If all Alienware systems are lovingly built in 9 phases why did mine show SHIPPED within an hour of my credit card payment been processed??? I didnt want to believe it either after spending £2500.
Since I purchased this PC Ive heard nothing but bad things about Alienware, so I dont trust anything they say. I do love my M17 but the Alienware software is crap and support a total joke so believing that they lovingly built my system in 9 phases is pure bull. People that cant be assed to speak properly to you on the phone or respond to E-mails in a decent manner carefully and lovingly built my sytem...whatever.

No I dont want people to take everything I say as gospel but its just my opinion.
I went through all the credit card grief that the thread starter was asking about thats what I was referring to.

 

PS, I dont have a problem with the credit card checks and agree that they are necessary.

 

And yes I was charged in GBP.

 

@Jamm

/wave at fellow Canadian!

When I purchased my M15x I had to go through the same thing with my Credit Card, i.e. all the checks etc. Hope that helps.

 

..... trust me they are not pre built

i would have loved for mine to be build in 1 day but some people had to wait 20 for a new shipment so i would quit whineing

you just said stupid credit card checks when you just sgree'd they were nessary

safer then sorry i would do the same thing is i was them

im not gonna comment on the conversion deal ill leave that monster alone

 

OK, I take back my little moan that I had yesterday....just one of those days I guess.
I know that some people have had to wait a long time for their systems to be built but mine was shipped in an astonishing time from me sending the photocopy of my credit card.
I do agree with the credit card checks but nevertheless they pissed me off. I dont know of any other company that does this but Im sure you will correct me.
thanks.

 

Hey, this message is in regard to Flashback Jack.

I am looking at buying one of AW's laptops. I was just unsure of what you meant by the price being shown in Canadian dollars? All my totals have USD beside them. Maybe having the prices shown with USD beside them is new and has now been integrated into the pricing or is there a Canadian site for AW that I haven't been able to find?

Also I noticed that in, for example, Alberta there is no PST charges or Alaska no taxes at all. I was kind of confused by this. Also, the taxes have the USD beside them as well. Is it safe to assume that by taking the "total" on their website and adding approx. 15% that will be my actual invoice?

Thanks in advance.

 

Wow. I know Alienware did some bad things but I never expected this. That's...wow. I can hardly believe it.