A personal Dell fiasco

I thought it would please many here for me to share my recent Dell purchase attempt.

I was in the market for a midsize LCD HDTV. The refurbished Dell W3000C fit my needs for a great price. So, last Thursday I ordered one from the Outlet and upgraded to 2-day shipping.

Any other online retailer would have shipped the same day. Maybe the next day.

This isn't something that could run out. It is a specific monitor with a specific Express Service Code.

Today I get an email that my ship will be delayed until 4-4 at the earliest. Almost two weeks to pull a TV from a shelf and have UPS pick it up.

So, I call 1-800-WWW-DELL and press they three thousand options until it asks my order number. I faithfully provide it and am routed to Home Sales, which is where I ordered it.

After a lengthy wait, a person comes on and quickly informs me I need Small business (I'd ordered from Small business in the past). I asked why, since it was ordered from Home and if I needed SB, why didn't the phone system transfer me to the right place based on my order number.

She mumbled a bit and transfered me to SB.

Into the queue. Another 10 minute wait.

I get a SB rep who tells me that the delay is because they are out of stock. I patiently explained that I ordered a specific Express Code, a TV that was on the shelf, so they couldn't 'run out'. After literally 15 minutes of trying to get through to her, including having her bring up the Outlet site and walking her through the process, she announces that I need Outlet Sales and quickly transfers me.

Into another queue.

Another wait.

Finally got a sales person who at least seems to care, but had to talk to her manager and call or email me back. That was about an hour ago. We'll see.

I've already decided to cancel, but am curious what they'll try to do.

See, I'm not all Pro-Dell. This was a joke.

Tom