Do Not Buy a Dell Computer

[ssawka]

I just wanted to let anyone who is in the market for a new computer to avoid buying a Dell. Dell is having major delays right now! I ordered my new desktop on 12/31 and my original expected delivery date was 1/26. It has now been delayed every week since. I just got my third delay notification. From reading other boards, it looks like my delays are just begining. Some people have not received computers that they ordered before christmas. I would cancel my order if I was not going to apply it to my 2009 taxes. I just hope I receive it before it is obsolete.

 

[BCV2003]

I ordered a computer as a Christmas gift for BF on Black Friday. The expected ship date at that time was 12/11. On 12/15, I received an email that the expected ship date was now 2/26. I could not get anyone to talk to me or at least anyone that understood English. I even tried the chat support and they were going to have someone call me and of course that never happened. Had I known upfront that the configuration that I ordered would delay shipment I may have ordered the standard configuration.
I ended up scrambling to find a gift for him at the last minute that I could get in time for Christmas.

It was very frustrating.

 

[MarilIncredible]

The quality of Dell is not as great as it used to be, either.

 

[DawnM]

Oh, I am so glad I just ordered an Apple. It is arriving TODAY!

Our last laptop was a Dell and we had no issues with it until about a year ago. I have had it worked on twice since and it is just about dead (granted, it is a 2001 computer!)

Our desktop is also Dell, but it is 5 years old.

Dawn

 

[dhuba]

This happened to me several years ago, and then they cancelled my order without me knowing because the delay was going to be so long. So it had to be reordered and took even longer. No more Dells for me.

 

[girlandboy]

I have an Acer laptop. It is 2 years old now.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

I would start contacting people asking for compensation for the repeated delays (extended warranty at no charge, free upgrades or accessories, etc). These don't cost the company much, but then you'd at least get something for your trouble.

 

[librarygal]

I recently ordered a HP desktop and it came pretty quick and was never delayed. On Monday I ordered a laptop for an incredible price that I found on Fatwallet. It has been delayed twice. Some people have received their orders and have already sold them on Craigslist for a profit.

 

[Winston1204]

I am happy with my $330 Acer latop from Best Buy

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

My cousin's BF ordered one in early December and had it within 1.5 weeks, much earlier than expected.

I personally wouldn't order a computer from them, but that is just my opinion, I love my HP's.

Suzanne

 

[PinkRhombus]

Awww...Dell's are good.

If you order one from their outlets...refurbs and scratch and dents...they're already packaged ready to ship...saves you a LOT of money going that route.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I hope you bought the AppleCare. My daughter's Mac has required significant repairs over the course of the past couple of years. Repairs including a new motherboard (twice) because of the processor, new hard drive, new wi-fi, you name it.

Oh, I am so glad I just ordered an Apple. It is arriving TODAY!

Our last laptop was a Dell and we had no issues with it until about a year ago. I have had it worked on twice since and it is just about dead (granted, it is a 2001 computer!)

Our desktop is also Dell, but it is 5 years old.

Dawn

 

[ssawka]

I ordered a computer as a Christmas gift for BF on Black Friday. The expected ship date at that time was 12/11. On 12/15, I received an email that the expected ship date was now 2/26. I could not get anyone to talk to me or at least anyone that understood English. I even tried the chat support and they were going to have someone call me and of course that never happened. Had I known upfront that the configuration that I ordered would delay shipment I may have ordered the standard configuration.
I ended up scrambling to find a gift for him at the last minute that I could get in time for Christmas.

It was very frustrating.

I'm not sure there is a "standard" configuration. The computer I ordered was exactly how they had it in their advertisement, yet it is still taking weeks to build. My guess is that they reduced staff so much that they now cannot meet demand.

 

[ssawka]

I would start contacting people asking for compensation for the repeated delays (extended warranty at no charge, free upgrades or accessories, etc). These don't cost the company much, but then you'd at least get something for your trouble.

Have you ever tried to call Dell customer service? It is impossible to get anyone that is not reading a script or has the authority to do anything.

 

[ssawka]

I recently ordered a HP desktop and it came pretty quick and was never delayed. On Monday I ordered a laptop for an incredible price that I found on Fatwallet. It has been delayed twice. Some people have received their orders and have already sold them on Craigslist for a profit.

I wish I could order an HP, unfortunately HP does not have an equivalent computer to what I ordered (Zino HD). My only choices are to wait for Dell or build one myself.

 

[FLAngie]

Wow! That is crazy. I wonder how they are deciding which ones to build. I ordered a custom Dell on January 18th and it arrived on the 28th. Maybe it has to do with yours being a pre-configured system? I wonder if they run out of parts/component for popular systems that cause delays.

FWIW, I have an 8 year old Dell laptop that my new one replaced. The only reason I had to replace it was because it will no longer run some of the newer programs.

 

[SaraJayne]

I love Dell. I won't ever buy anything but a Dell.

My Mom ordered a Dell laptop a week before Christmas and it was very clear when she ordered it wouldn't be shipped until mid February...so she was very surprised to receive it last week.

I understand your frustration, but having a bit of patience never hurt anyone. And a computer won't be obsolete after just a few weeks.

If you're that unhappy, cancel the order and buy a different computer. If you choose not to cancel, you'll just have to deal with the delay.

 

[ssawka]

I love Dell. I won't ever buy anything but a Dell.

My Mom ordered a Dell laptop a week before Christmas and it was very clear when she ordered it wouldn't be shipped until mid February...so she was very surprised to receive it last week.

I understand your frustration, but having a bit of patience never hurt anyone. And a computer won't be obsolete after just a few weeks.

If you're that unhappy, cancel the order and buy a different computer. If you choose not to cancel, you'll just have to deal with the delay.

I wouldn't have a problem if they would just tell me a realistic date instead of stringing me along week to week. My biggest frustration is what happened to the company that built their reputation on customer service? I would also be more understanding if they would explain why there is a delay rather then sending me a "reply now or your order will be canceled" email.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I don't think they realized how popular those Zinos were going to be.

 

[piglet33]

The quality of Dell is not as great as it used to be, either.

Have you ever tried to call Dell customer service? It is impossible to get anyone that is not reading a script or has the authority to do anything.

You are both so right.

The pink Dell Netbook we bought for DD that got the error "No Operating System Found" when it was turned on. After dealing with Dell No-Support, where they told me to take the battery out and press the power button for 2 minutes. Then to go into the BIOS and read them what was there. Like all these things were going to make the OS miraculously appear? Yea, right. All their support does is read from a script. If something goes wrong that's not on their script, they're clueless. I had one year of on-site support where they come to you to fix the computer if there's a problem. They wanted me to wait 7-10 business days for someone to come out or that I should go and buy an external CD drive and install the OS myself. They also told me that with the amount of computers they build, these things happen.

That thing got packed up and sent back right to Dell, and she is now the proud owner of a pink Sony Vaio Netbook instead, which is great. When I need a new laptop, I'm definitely checking out Sony.

I will never buy another Dell again, and this is coming from someone who has 2 laptops and a desktop that are all Dell.