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    Tips for Buying Through Lenovo Outlet

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by GuySmiley, Oct 1, 2008.

  1. GuySmiley

    GuySmiley Notebook Enthusiast

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    I bought a Lenovo through the outlet recently and got the completely wrong notebook, so I need to order a new notebook through the outlet. Does anyone have any tips for making my experience go a little smoother? I've heard that you can use coupon codes at the outlet but I don't know where to find them. In any case I'd just like to avoid another fiasco like the last time.

    Thanks!
     
  2. t30power

    t30power Notebook Deity

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    Taken from TPForums here:
    http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=57171

     
  3. GuySmiley

    GuySmiley Notebook Enthusiast

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    This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!
     
  4. LoneWolf15

    LoneWolf15 The Chairman

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    I'm still waiting for my official order number so I can cancel my Lenovo Outlet order (after finding a better price new through CPP).

    I hate to say it, but Lenovo's outlet site just plain sucks. I say this because Dell's outlet site is done right, so it makes for an easy comparison. When you go to Dell's Outlet, you can search by the following filters (or combinations thereof)

    System make/model
    Minimum processor speed
    Minimum RAM
    Minimum HDD size
    Minimum graphics RAM
    Type of optical drive
    Included operating system
    Previously Ordered New, Factory Recertified, Scratch-n-Dent, or Off Lease

    There may be more options, but this lets you narrow down your results as to having to click through every single laptop on Lenovo's Outlet site, and then do it for each category (New, Scratch-n-Dent, etc). Lenovo also forces you to look through an entire model line (e.g., the T series instead of specifying T400, T500). It gets pretty ridiculous, and to top it off, trying to communicate with Lenovo over an outlet order is more difficult and convoluted than with a regular product order (not so with Dell).

    Finally, Dell will keep the machine you've selected in your cart for 15 minutes (so it's exclusively yours) before timing it out and returning it to the pool. You can choose the warranty you want. While I'm not going this route, I help others do it because I can help someone without my needs get a Vostro 2510, with most of the toys and a 3-year, ProSupport, NBD onsite warranty for $760, and they don't have to go through the hassle.

    I really wish Lenovo would take their Outlet more seriously and do some work to make it better. For a company that places their emphasis on business, it's shoddy work, and while you may get a good deal, you've got to really want it bad to jump through that many hoops as opposed to the deals and coupons you can get with new product.

    (mild rant off)

    P.S. To Crampfish --I'm running PDF Creator just fine under the 64-bit RC of Windows 7.
     
  5. jackson123

    jackson123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Sorry to raise the dead, but I have to join the chorus of being very underwhelmed by the outlet. It just doesn't make any sense for it to be run so poorly.

    Just because it's offered at a reduced price, doesn't mean Lenovo can justify offering reduced service, but that's exactly what they do.

    I canceled my order once it hit the 2 week mark, with no 'real' shipping date in sight. It's just insane to have such a bad business model, especially with today's technology.

    I shouldn't and I mean shouldn't have to wait to know if my order has been received. I shouldn't have to wait 2-3-4 days to find out if my order has been inputted into the system and I certainly shouldn't have to wait 2 or 3 weeks to receive an in stock item.

    I just can't stand wasting time waiting for a shipment that may never come.

    Charge the card, pull the stock, stick it in box and send it. Hundreds of businesses do that every single day.

    Arrrgh! Ah, I feel better.
     
  6. flynn337

    flynn337 Notebook Consultant

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    I'm in the same position right now - I'm waiting on an outlet order, with no idea if it's even been processed or when I'll receive a shipping date.
     
  7. The Fire Snake

    The Fire Snake Notebook Virtuoso

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    Very well said, I agree with you 100%. This is why I hesitate to buy from the Outlet since if I get a machine that is wrong I think it would be a major hassle to return and I might get hit with shipping fees and a restocking fee.
     
  8. jackson123

    jackson123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Now compare that to the service I just received from Dell Outlet. A confirmation number. Acknowledgment that they received my order and it's being processed. Notification within minutes, not days. Days! Can you image taking days to acknowledge you're processing an order?

    Dell provided live links to trace the package, or to ask a question...and most importantly a realistic shipping date: 3-5 days, perfectly normal. Now I can see something happens and it takes 7 days, ok that's normal; but weeks? Weeks for an in stock item to ship? Unacceptable.

    Ultimately, I blame myself. I read the 'horror' stories and figured the law of averages would dictate that the majority of transactions go without a hitch and I still think that's true...but only if you're willing to accept what I consider to be a substandard business practice and I simply am not.

    I hear you, I can't trust them. If they can even mail a box, how can they handle anything that requires real work?

    Now of course, I'm all paranoid that they (Lenovo) are still going to ship the thing whenever they get around to doing it and billing me for it. So now I watch my card for activity...it shouldn't be this hard to spend money.

    Ah well, we'll see what the Dell looks like when it arrives...
     
  9. jackson123

    jackson123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    What I did was call them and ask what was going on. It can take 2-4 days for the system to get updated with your info and it should generate an email. If it's been more than four days, I would call them.

    1-866-428-4465 Option# 1. Please note, the wait for a rep can be up to 30 mins.
     
  10. flynn337

    flynn337 Notebook Consultant

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    I've called them every day since the day that they indicated I'd receive that mythical "second email" that will confirm the order and include my customer #. I'm expecting this to also mention a ship date.

    During my last call, they couldn't pull up any info at all with my order #. They claimed that there was some problem in their system that they were working on.

    I'll just keep waiting and calling, no big deal (yet).
     
  11. jackson123

    jackson123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Well my canceled t400 arrived today. It's crazy, just crazy. I spoke with the rep yesterday and the guy told me it could be up to ten more days before it ships, so I cancel it. Two weeks was without a firm ship date was enough for me.

    The thing arrives today. UPS ground. It was shipped on the 4th...I expect the E6400 I brought replace the T400, (did I mentioned I canceled the T400?) to arrive early next week...I guess I'll be eBaying one them.

    I should've listened to my gut...ah well.
     
  12. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

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    I'll be interested to know which one you ebay!
     
  13. Needmore4less

    Needmore4less Notebook aficionado

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    Lenovo outlet management is plain terrible. I ordered a laptop the 3rd of december and they have changed the shipping date from the 10th to the 16th.

    I though they would keep their word but now it seems they won't.
     
  14. jackson123

    jackson123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I think I'm gonna eBay the Lenovo. It's a really good system and a quick search on eBay seems to show a lot of E6400s versusT400s, but I'll wait and see what the E6400 looks like before I make a final decision.
     
  15. Needmore4less

    Needmore4less Notebook aficionado

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    Hey Jackson, would be nice to see a little side by side review, based on your impressions of both laptops.
     
  16. skriefal

    skriefal Notebook Consultant

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    They accepted your cancellation, didn't they? Call them up, tell them you want to return the laptop and explain that it was cancelled/etc. They should give you a full refund after you ship the laptop back to them, and may even pay for the return shipping. It may take a week or so for them to actually issue the refund after receiving the laptop, but at least you won't need to worry about losing any money.

    I had a similar experience with a W500 that I ordered in January '09 -- albeit not from the outlet -- and they took the laptop back for full refund. And that's exactly as it should be. (I hadn't opened the box; that may have helped with the "full refund" bit.)
     
  17. chengdude

    chengdude Notebook Geek

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    Here's a tip for buying through the Lenovo Outlet:

    It's 20% off this weekend.

    Just watched their remaining stock of G530s disappear in less than 5 minutes.
     
  18. Needmore4less

    Needmore4less Notebook aficionado

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    They jacked up the prices.
     
  19. chengdude

    chengdude Notebook Geek

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    For the G530, no, they were an awesome deal at 20% off (364.00 for a refurb T6400 model)...I'm suffering from a bad case of 'you snooze, you lose' at the moment.

    For everything else, yeah, they're pretty high, though earlier in the week they were dropping prices on selected models...saw some T400s and T500s under $600. They were snapped up almost instantly as well.
     
  20. jackson123

    jackson123 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Ok, I think I'll do that. The Dell arrived today. There's a thin blue line from the top of the LCD panel to the bottom, down the middle of the panel. I saw it as soon as the thing booted up. So back it goes and that solves my problem of which to keep...funny how things work out.

    I'm glad I had a chance to see them both in the flesh so to speak. I could tell the Dell was a refurb, it wasn't bad, a few light scratches here and there on the cover, some glue residue where the old stickers were on the palm rest; not a deal breaker.

    The lenovo looked brand new. I couldn't tell it was a refurb. There was a clear difference in quality of build, between the two.

    Well that's all for now, I'll write up something more a little later.
     
  21. flynn337

    flynn337 Notebook Consultant

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    Today I received the "second email" with my customer # and order # as promised. The order status page reveals a ship date of 12/16 and an order date of 12/9 (although it was really ordered on 12/4, and that's when I received the first email).

    So they're slow during the holiday. No big deal.


    Here's the email contents:
     
  22. flynn337

    flynn337 Notebook Consultant

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    And a few hours later, the same status page says "Shipped on 12/11/2009". They beat their date. What a pleasant surprise : )
     
  23. Needmore4less

    Needmore4less Notebook aficionado

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    Lucky you, mine is still for the 12/16/2009.
     
  24. flynn337

    flynn337 Notebook Consultant

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    Ok, my outlet experience is done for now.

    The bad:
    * I never received the "2nd email" within the promised 2 days - I ordered on 12/4, received the first email on 12/4, received the 2nd email (with the customer/order #) on 12/11
    * Emails to them re: the missing 2nd email weren't replied until after the package had been delivered : )
    * After the 2nd email, the status page showed up, but it was never updated with a tracking # within the promised "one morning"

    The good:
    * The total time from order to delivery was 7 business days. Not bad for the holiday. This was a "New" system from the outlet.
    * The actual order date in the system was 12/9, so they may claim that it only took 4 business days until delivery
    * A call to them resulted in an explanation as to why the 2nd email hadn't arrived
    * I received everything I was promised

    My bads are minor. Pretty happy overall.
     
  25. Needmore4less

    Needmore4less Notebook aficionado

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    Glad to know everything worked out good for you.

    For me, they have changed the ship date for the third time, now for the 22, which is unnaceptable, I'll call them and cancel the order.

    Stupid Lenovo.