Dell order headache

Okay, to make a long story short: I ordered a laptop from Dell and then wanted to cancel the order a couple hours later. This was last Saturday (December 13th) night. I filled out he cancellation form on Dell's site and sent it off. I got an automated response, but nothing more. So then Monday I called them and was told it was too late to cancel it, even though it's not supposed to ship out until December 29th.

My understanding is that if I accept the delivery, it's up to me to ship it back to them at my own cost, plus I'm out the 15% restocking fee.

But if I refuse to sign for it, after three attempts at delivery it will be sent back to Dell and I will get a complete refund. Does that mean that I won't be charged the restocking fee? What about the delivery charge for shipping it to me in the first place? The fact that they might hold onto my money isn't important to me.

Thanks for any advice. Dell hasn't been any help at all to me.

 

Unless Dell has recently changed their policy is, you have 21 days from the ship date to return your laptop if you are not happy with it. They will pickup the laptop and ship it back at no cost to you and you'll get a full refund.

I have done that several times in the past. With the way the economy is going things may have changed.

 

You have 21 days from date of *invoice* to return to Dell for a refund or exchange.

Rarely, I have seen peep's get charged the restocking fee!

Once you receive the notebook..it is very important that you call and get the RMA going on it.

Sometimes, refusing a delivery from Dell...can be more of a *hassle* w/in itself.

Hope that helps you.

Cin

 

What happens when you get an RMA? Do you get refunded and/or charged the restocking fee immediately? What do they provide you to ship the item with?

 

Call in and cancel the order. If the order hasn't shipped yet, you can cancel it.

 

Poster was told it was too late to cancel..
^^^^

Normally, you can cancel up until it is in *ship* status.

This is the 2nd time I've heard of this happening to someone..being told they can't cancel...That's not a good thing.. and


Cin

 

I'm sorry- you're living my experience now (I started what you're going through a week before you and am still going through this mess).

For any posters who have not ordered recently from Dell, it seems that Dell's new policy is that you can no longer cancel your product once your payment of choice has been approved. They explicitly state on their website that YOU are responsible for paying for shipments back for any return, and even recommend you purchase insurance for the shipping since they will not be responsible should anything go wrong. They will also NOT refund the initial shipping cost of the laptop.

My theory about why they now adopt this policy: guarantee they make some profit with any order placed (at the cost of losing customers).

Their service reps have been very rude to me during my cancellation process- don't bother trying to fight it (you will face nothing but hostility that is very uncharacteristic of what is expected from a customer service line). Your order WILL ship. You WILL be charged.

Their online policy states that they will charge a restocking fee UNLESS what they shipped you was defective or they made an error on their part.

I also recommend you physically be present to refuse the package. My past experiences with my local FedEx is that when I'm not home, they will ALWAYS ask a neighbor to sign off on it

 

So it has changed, thanks for the info. Will they now charge a restocking fee if you refuse the product?

 

If you go by their online policy, it seems like they still would. I'll find out "soon" enough...

 

Originating poster, Storm Shadow: Any new updates as to what is happening?? Are you going to accept delivery, and do a RMA??

BF..how are things...??

Cin

 

Thanks, let us know how it goes.

 

This is weird. I asked via email to cancel my Vostro 2510 order which is still in production. I got an email back from Dell saying they are canceling the order.

 

Well, that's a good thing for you then! You asked via email for a cancel..and they actually followed thru for you.


Cin

 

We'll see although I have a case number and a copy of the email I sent them.

I decided to cancel my order after all the nvidia GPU failure stories. The laptop deal I got was sweet but there's no sense in having it if I have to worry about the GPU dying prematurely right after the warranty.

 

Yup! Be sure to keep everything until it's a *cleared* up on your account, etc. (meaning Dell account, etc)

And, I'm sure you will find a lappy soon, that works for you!


Cin

 

I got a follow up call from a Dell CSR this afternoon. We spoke and she confirmed why I was canceling. I told her my reason was due to the nvidia GPU problems. She said if I wanted to she would cancel the order. I said yep go ahead and do it. I just checked my order status and it now says canceled.

 

Good for you! Now you don't have to worry about that anymore..and can continue on with your search for the Notebook that will work for you!

Cin

 

Consider yourself one lucky ***. This is the way they are supposed to handle these matters, and I don't know why I am getting the short end of the stick from them.

 

I'm feeling the same way :\

 

I was dealing with the business group. How about you?

 

I still haven't gotten any reply from the cancellation form that I filled out on their website just a couple hours after ordering the thing. I will be off work on the days that it's supposed to ship here, so I'll be sure to tell the Fed Ex guy that I won't sign for it. I'm just going to refuse it because it's a hassle for me to have to ship anything. I bought it with an American Express Blue card, and I'm hoping the online protection could help me in some way if I need it. I bought it from their "home" site too, not the business.

It's just their policy itself that bothers me. It could easily be canceled on their end. It's not like I ordered some intricate, unique computer. They probably sell a thousand just like it every day.

I bought my current computer from Dell, and got my brother and neighbor to buy theirs off Dell. I've also bought a camera and various other items from Dell. But now because of this, I'll never buy anything from them again.

 

Yes, I agree...For you, and your scheduling it will prob's be best to *refuse* delivery.

And, I do believe that Amex Express does have some sort of *buyer protection* You will want to review your *Agreement Terms* on that!

Again...I'm so sorry you had this luck with Dell, it's very unfortunate! I have bought a few things from Dell also. And, I hope to not have to ever go thru this!


Cin

 

I was dealing with the home group. It would make sense that they actually treat their business consumers the way customers should be treated.

----

I was told to accept the shipment and pay out of pocket to ship it back (with recommended insurance on top of that) because, according to their knowledgeable, outsourced sales rep, they would not be able to track the package otherwise, and it would take longer to return because refused packages would be held by shipping companies for 5 days before they will return them.

Unfortunately for me, FedEx could not stop the delivery in transit when I finally received the tracking info to call in a refusal (Dell did not release the tracking number until 12 hours after it was picked up, and being a 2-day shipment, it quickly went from its starting point to my city the very next morning after it was picked up). Cannot complain about FedEx- they were just doing their job (and a good one at that I might add). Well, they eventually got the message and the package was kept.

Contrary to what the Dell reps have been saying, FedEx continued to give tracking updates on the package after refusal. After arriving at the city near my home 2 days ago (reliably on time for its scheduled 2 day delivery), it has now reversed and is scheduled to arrive back to the sender 12/23 (date pushed back today)

 

Dell Delays 2008 Holiday!! Dell Disappointment – Delayed Orders Again!

I am so utterly ticked-off, I can hardly contain myself. I ordered a Dell laptop for a holiday gift for my little girl...I ordered BEFORE the mad holiday rush, and BEFORE black Friday. It has been delayed 4 times...I have emailed Dell 3 times...each time only getting an automatic response. I have called them 6 times, and was transferred thru the same department customer care center 11 times. Never leaving the same department - just going around in circles. It got to the point I actually had to laugh out loud...so obvious. They could have at least transferred me to different departments.

I have to say, this is by FAR the worst customer service experience I have ever had!! - bottom line. They could give a X#@(. They don’t try to help you replace your product with something else they may be ready to ship - or at least ship earlier. They don’t tell you why your order is delayed. They don't even want to talk to you.

You know; if one looks thru history. Looks at how many companies have gone under because of severe poor customer service - or because of promoting an item, and not being prepared for delivery promises...or even posting 'guaranteed' shipment dates, then not following thru...one would see Dell is going to have some serious issues.

I wish I had the power to single handedly force them to talk to their customers - to force them to have to deal with the issue - to show them, they cannot, nor should not be allowed to 'BS' the world.

Is anyone else having this 2008 issue?? - is there anything we can do?

 

They actually sent mine out early. It wasn't supposed to ship out until the 29th and I got an email stating that it was sent out the 18th. I immediately called Fed Ex and talked to an extremely helpful and polite person who kindly stopped the delivery for me. It was refreshing to talk to somebody like that for once this week.

Then today, the memory stick and mouse that I had also ordered showed up and they're still shown as not shipping out until January 7th on my updated receipt.

As bad as Dell's customer service is, I actually found a place worse. But I won't trouble anybody with that. Merry Christmas!

 

FedEx will attempt to stop the delivery, but if its in transit, its more difficult for the information to follow through since the primary goal once it leaves the initial facility is to get the product to where it needs to go ASAP.

I agree that the customer service experience with FedEx is absolutely different than with Dell- they are exact polar opposites, and a very refreshing welcome after dealing with the rude, uncaring customer service from Dell.

My package got so far as an adjacent city to mine until it reversed course (I called again when it got close and they told me to put up a sign on my door just in case I'm not home and the delivery people attempt to deliver it to a neighbor). They will continue to track the package for you as it is returning, and it reverses its course right away unlike what you are told happens upon refusal by Dell.