Got $75 credit for Timbuk2 bag + i kept the bag

Hey guys....

Just to inform all of u that today I got the Timbuk2 messenger bag (free with Dell XPS M1330) before receiving the laptop.

I called up Dell rep and requested for credit back.

They gave me $75 credit + i got to keep the bag with as it is which I will sell on ebay

u can give it a try as well....

 

You find this to be ethical by any means?

 

lol thats pretty funny.

 

Wow, that's pretty low.

 

Yes by all means. I was just asking for a credit in return of a thing they gave me for free. I was ready to return the bag and I even asked for that but they said that there's no need to do that.

I don't think they are paying from their own pockets when they give me credit. Are they ? No they are paying me back a small amount of what I paid them ($2000) in return of customer satisfaction !!

 

so wrong....

 

Doesn't make any sense.
Why would they give you credit for something you didn't order and weren't charged for?

 

Not sure why, seems like he has accidentaly exploited one of the many glitches in the system, from reading some of the other threads it seems sometimes depending on what rep you get or who you talk to dell doesnt know their head from their ass unfortunatly, is it unethical to a point yes it could be argued that its dells fault for not knowing what the hell they are doing, but in the end to repeat this would be to knowingly take advantage of the weakness of another.

 

So you asked for money back, for something you got free, and now you're going to sell the item on ebay to profit again?

Wow! "Customer Satisfaction" has nothing to do with this. This is simply GREED and nothing more!! I bet you make your parents proud!

 

Hey guys......chill......when Dell gives u something for free....that means that they have already charged you and adjusted that amount in their laptop price......

I wanted plain credit instead of free item.....what's wrong in that.....

They don't want the bag back.....thts their problem not mine......

I had called Dell rep way before the bag was shipped.....but it was their reps who gave this offer to me of keeping the bag and getting credit too....

I don't need that bag anyways.....so I will sell on ebay......do u want me give it to somebody for free......? plzzzzzz

I would have given it back to Dell for free though....

 

Well you should have explained further your concerns, I believe the rep just mistakenly thought that your returning something you purchased and because sometimes its been like an instict to some reps to give something in credit so that cust will just be satisfied because mostly customers call back and return something because they dont like the product and they are dissatisfied.

You could have done your part of being honest and didnt accept it. If in the first place you know that its not right to do it.

 

Profit from Dell's mistake. Go ahead. Seriously, no one *really* cares that much.

Don't, however, come on these forums to give yourself a little pat on the back for your little scheme as if you expect to be congratulated.

 

You got it for free, so why not give it to someone else for free......especially if you were going to give it back to Dell anyway.

Here's an idea for you, pick a number between 1 and 1 million and whoever PM's you the closest number wins the bag (they pay for shipping). You benefit from feeling better because you did something nice, and someone else benefits from getting a new bag. It's a Win/Win situation.

I won't hold my breath waiting to see such a post from you however. Greed is a hard thing to overcome.

 

after spending 2k on a notebook, i would be trying as hard as i could to get every penny back i could. Actually, that is exactly what i did when purchasing my 1520. I don't care what all the ethically right people say, i am paying for college by myself, and i had to have a notebook. There was no way around it, so i am going to try and get as many discounts and free things as possible. I'm sure i will have the demons sent upon me for this, but i am proud to be a tight wad.

 

Ethics aside, Timbuk2 must have gone into crazy production with these bags. I assumed that the free bag with the purchase of an M1330 would only have lasted a week or two at the most, it's still going on! The bags are nice, don't get me wrong, but the regular Timbuk2 bags are much nicer in my opinion. Again, I'm not complaining, getting something for free is a great deal!

When I had purchased my first M1330, the Timbuk2 bag shipped out immediately. When i called the next day in attempt to change my order, I was told I had to cancel and then reorder. I was told be the Dell representative that the bag was in the process of shipping and she couldn't cancel that item. I was charged $5 and change for the shipping, but the bag was free. She told me she could always email me a return label for postage if it were to ship out. Of course, it ships, even though the original order was canceled. Am I to go out of my way, wait on hold forever, to get this label and then drive over the the post office or UPS to drop of the package? With my next M1330 order, again, received another bag. So yes, I happen to have two bags when I should really only have one. Not patting myself on the back here, my wife will use it, I'm pretty sure the 1420 can fit inside it nicely...

 

Dell's profits are up...and despite the recent delays (and reports about poor customer satisfaction), they seem to have a customer satisfaction policy that is second to none. Who knows, maybe their goal to improve customer satisfaction (along with using less expensive parts) is paying off. It's not clear though what the effect of Dell's seemingly careless credit giving will be on their ability to turn a profit in the long run.

But....it doesn't take a degree in accounting to see that this cuts into Dell's profit margin (in some cases very significantly). Although Joe Bob gets a $75 credit today, this will definitely change things. Expect Dell to either:

1) Begin limiting what their call center folks can do (as far as giving away credits or free crap)

2) Pass the cost on to the consumer

Seeing as how most of us (especially Americans) live for the moment...most people won't care. This type of behavior, posting and bragging about what someone got away with, will only hurt us in the long run. Those that will really deserve those types of credit won't be able to get them.

 

I didn't come for a little pat on the back but to tell people that Dell is not doing a huge favor by distributing free bags....Those bags are not that good and definitely not worth $149 as dell brags it to be....

he he....funny game....okay now if u play that game and happen to win it then will that be "ETHICALLY" right ? No not according to all u guys because u did not pay for it.....so will u again pass that bag to someone and continue the game......??

I am in an exactly same position.....I didn't get much discount while buying the laptop which many people got.........So I am trying to compensate a bit.....

this post was for tight-fisted people like u and me.....

Definitely not....I was ready to do also but Dell want me to do that too....

 

I already have the laptop bag I want, so therefore have no need for another.

Your logic is also flawed at best. If you put your greed aside and end up raffling off the bag, it then is no longer a matter of "Ethics" for the winner if they were to turn around and sell it because they did not pay for it, nor did they get a credit back for it!

YOU got the bag for free......YOU ended up getting a credit back for the bag as well. It's ethically wrong for you to turn around and sell it again to make more money. If you don't agree with me, perhaps you should take a deeper look at your morals.

What a LAME excuse! What about those people who didn't get ANY kind of discount. Don't you think they deserve something too? What makes you any more deserving of a discount as compared to others?

No, your post was to brag that you screwed Dell over and you were hoping to get a "Good Job, Well Done" message in return.

Again.....all I can say is Wow at the audacity of some people and their sense of entitlement!

 

Should I complain of not getting the deal that some got with university discount? or maybe that apple didn't offer free ipod/ printer earlier?
come on..........
he got something for free and now he wants to sell it, let it go...
I think people that didn't get it are more greedy :>
bottom line many of us recieved different discounts, deals etc. just be happy with what you have........

 

Getting something for free and then selling it is one thing......but getting something for free, getting a credit back for it, and then selling it isn't right.

 

what size is it? sm./ md./ lg.? Is 1330 loose in it or fairly tight?

 

I don't see this any different that calling and asking for credit that your laptop is not here yeat! and many other reasons people recieved credit for, but than again if dell' gives who would take?

 

Depending on the amount of time someone has had to wait for their laptop, this could be justified. (ex: someone waiting over a month to receive their laptop AND having orders canceled, etc)

 

Your posts reflect more of a frustration for not getting/trying for similar credit than anger against so called 'ethics'.....come on man.....this is like a plain discount in a different form.....

and what will I gain thru bragging....My purpose of the post was simple....let all u guys know about what kind of credit I got.....and that purpose was served....and I know many people would gain from this.....

Exactly !!

 

It is medium size....fit for upto 15" laptops

 

There is no frustration of any kind on my part. It is purely an ethical dilemma. I got exactly what I ordered, and then some so I am more than happy and feel no need to try get MORE!

Justify it however you want, ultimately you're the one that has to live with yourself and the decisions you make.

As for bragging, I mentioned you wanted some sort of "Well Done, Good Job" to justify your actions (perhaps to even try convince yourself that what you're doing is right).

"and I know many people would gain from this".....How exactly are people supposed to gain from you screwing over Dell? Essentially you're encouraging people to try get additional credits for things they may not necessarily be entitled to.

 

Essentially I am trying to tell people to return the freebies to Dell that they r giving to attract customers for a credit.....

 

And the only purpose to do that is to try get a credit back from Dell. There's no other reason to return a "Freebie"! If you don't want it, give it away.....but don't call Dell expecting another hand-out.

 

Yes getting credit back is the only purpose....now why they are not accepting freebie back when they give a credit is their problem not mine....

 

Couldn't be said any better!

I'm also paying for school myself and would like to get things as cheaply as I can, but there is a limit... You could get textbooks for free if you shoplifted from the college bookstore, doesn't mean you should do it... It only pushes book prices up for everyone else. You could cheat on exams to increase your grades, but that too only devalues your grades and those of your peers...

There is a limit to how "cheap" you can go ethically and this is crossing that line. Just how cheating on an exam or a paper crosses the ethical line...

I'm glad to see the majority here agrees and has some moral fiber

 

I am not cheating anybody.....there is BIG difference shoplifting and this.....comparing this with shoplifting is pure foolishness......

Dell are giving it me on their own....they know what they are doing....they have a reason for doing so.....and its 'Customer Retention'...!!

 

I don't really see the problem here... if I ask someone for a refund and they say here's a refund keep the item... what's wrong with selling it?

Now I am not so hot on the part recommending you call and ask Dell for the same as that's ballsy at the least and not very respectful of the situation.

But in the end if someone says here's your money back, keep the item.... it was your item before they said keep it and it's still yours after to do with as you like...

I suppose it could be viewed as more honorly to let it rot in a corner somewhere but hardly seems wrong to flip it unless Dell said something like "you can keep it as long as you don't resell it".

 

Couldn't be said any better.....!!

To guys with whom I arguing.....plz don't take my views in a wrong sense.....i have nothing against u....just trying to say that its like any other discount..

 

It boils down to my morals being different than yours. I don't agree with yours, but as I said, ultimately you have to live with your own decisions, as I have to live with mine.

 

You find them delaying the laptops "ethical" by any means?

 

You're comparing apples to oranges. Delaying a laptop is not an "Ethical" action.

 

I agree with Khris over this to some extent....these are two different things....

But ethically Dell should give credit back to all delayed laptops.....But they give it to u only after bargaining with them for hours....not on their own.....!!

 

i dont see how its unethical if he just asked for credit INSTEAD of the bag and even offered dell the bag back and they refused and told him to keep it and gave him the credit. if the dell rep misunderstood it then its his problem not the customers.

 

LOL at some of the replies here.

99% of so-called free gifts are already factored into the selling price of the good.

This guy didnt want the free gift and instead asked if instead of a free gift he could be compensated the value of the free gift. Dell said hey no worries we are so big on customer care you can keep the free gift and we will still compensate you.

The guy did nothing at all wrong. Maybe they deliberately did this since he spent over the average amount on a notebook and wants to retain customers like that or for another reason.

I personally had a similiar experience with Dell and so has my co-worker.
I bought a desktop and it came with a spanish keyboard so I called Dell and asked them if I should return it. Dell said no I should keep it and sent me an English keyboard weeks later.

My co-worker got something free from Dell a mouse I think and he did not realize it was a free gift so he called to see if he was charged for this additional device. Dell said no its a free gift, my co-worker said he had no use for it and wants to return it for a credit-note Dell said no keep the mouse and sent him some sort of gift certificate.

The spanish keyboard is in the box laying down and although im not actively seeking a sale if someone wanted to buy it I would sell it as its of no use to me.

I am a person who believes in morals and there is certainly nothing criminal or immoral to be said of the OP's actions nor mine as well as my co-worker.

 

Mezzi: So you think when the OP said:

"They gave me $75 credit + i got to keep the bag with as it is which I will sell on ebay

u can give it a try as well...."

You think this is OK? To come here and encourage others to do the same thing?

 

If Dell wants to give you a credit note, gift certificate or something similiar on a so-called free gift and all you have to do is ask them for it then; ***NEWS FLASH*** there is nothing wrong with calling them and asking for what they have no problem giving away.

 

numbnut...scamming them out of money causes prices to be held higher than they would be otherwise.

 

The flip side being, if the allocate $XXX to give away to make customers happy, and no one takes advantage of it, then they will just pocket the extra profit and we will all still pay for it but just get nothing...

It's all academic unless you know what really happens behind the scenes... which I imagine is somewhere in the middle of those two possibilities.

 

I knew this thread would come to a close because dumb bleeps like tomcatTX have access to the web and love to flame for no good reason.

Use your brain, its not a scam if Dell is more than happy to participate with FULL knowledge of the situation.

 

You can at least donate it to one of us.

 

Normally, this would've been a despisable event. But, since it's against Dell, not only do I not mind, but I encourage scamming Dell. Sort of like, no one who sabotaged German military vehicles during WWII were ever tried by France after the war. Technically, it's bad, but if it's against some bastard organization like Dell then you should try to scam a free laptop!

 

What goes around comes all the way back around. Karma is a *****!

k

 

You got that right! Jarrod.....take notes!

 

I totally agree with this.....

Come on all the guys opposing this.....its high time u get ur definition of 'ethics' right....!!