Dell sued over "false" ads claim

Didn't see this posted yet or maybe I missed it - if this is a dupe, mods please close & delete - I know there was a thread a month or so ago regarding this in China: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=62824&highlight=t2300e

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4785641.stm

Dell, the world's largest computer maker, is facing legal action in China over allegations of false advertising.

The group has been sued over charges its laptops contained a different, cheaper chip than those advertised.

According to state media reports at least 20 lawsuits have been filed against the Texas-based firm.

In a statement on its Direct2Dell website, Dell admitted it had made an "unfortunate and unintended marketing mistake" and apologised for the error.

Dell said had contacted customers and explained the difference between the two chips and offered full refunds to any customers who were still unsatisfied.

Update delays

Spokeswoman Sharon Zhang said the error took place after the firm began to switch the chips used in certain laptop models, but sales brochures and order forms were not updated in time.

The problems centre on Dell's Inspiron 640M laptop, according to marketing materials the model was fitted with Intel's T2300 chip which allows a computer to run multiple software applications at the same time.

However, in China, and some other countries Dell instead fitted the laptops with the T2300E chip which did not support this function. The chip also costs $32 less than the T2300.

A report in the China Daily newspaper said the first case accusing Dell of false advertising had been filed in Shanghai on 26 July, and a further 19 were filed on 8 August in Xiamen.

The court action could hinder Dell's attempts to lure customers away from rival Lenovo, the market leader in China.

 

What a shameful and underhanded tactic to trick Chinese customers.
What they didn't realize was that they were dealing with businessmen.
I do hope Lenovo maintains its lead.

 

are you sure that's happening in china and not in the States? because it sure does sound familiar....

 

"Dell, the world's largest computer maker"

They aren't in the lead. They still are selling more computers. Besides, it isn't really Dells fault as a whole. I am sure that who evers choice it was got fired. It was probably a room full of people that screwed Dell over at Dell's expence. They thought they would save money.

Don't ever blame a whole company because of a few greedy men's actions. Blame those men instead.

 

yup its happening in the states too..i remember seeing a thread about this exact problem last week

 

Although that article is iteself misleading - virtualization technology, the only difference between the T2300 and the T2300E, isn't what let's you run "multiple software applications" at one time - which is downright silly, name the last time you haven't been able to run more than one process at a time, especially on a dual-core PC - it's for running multiple operating systems on top of each other in virtual machines with greater speed (it can be done even without virtualization, it's just far, far slower) - hence virtualization. And hence it's totally useless for 95% of home users.

 

the journalist just doesn't know what they are talking about (as always) hehehe.

Also, it's unclear if virtualization technology itself is all that good, because as lowlymarine said it's useless to 95% of home users, but it allows viruses and such to run completely undetected in the virtual thread.

 

From Reuters/Cnet:

http://news.com.com/Dell+to+refund+laptop+customers+in+China/2100-1044_3-6104967.html?tag=nefd.top

Dell is offering refunds to customers in China who sued the company saying their laptops had different microprocessors than advertised.

Dell, the second biggest PC maker in China after Lenovo, was sued by 19 people on Tuesday in Xiamen in the eastern province of Fujian, China Daily reported on its Web site on Friday. In July, a case was brought in Shanghai.

Both filings allege that customers were sold Dell laptops with Intel processors that have fewer features than the advertised models they believed they were buying, China Daily reported.

Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn blamed the problem on a "marketing error" and said the company was offering full refunds. In marketing materials, "someone retained some language that no longer applied to the particular model," he said.

"We've acknowledged the mistake and have been in contact with customers and are working with them," Blackburn said.

Dell, after being hit with consumer complaints in the United States, is investing $100 million and hiring 2,000 people to improve its customer service. Customers had complained about long telephone wait times and inferior service.

 

A pretty good marketing took. They almost got away with it.