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Cusstomer
Hates with a Vengance
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 56
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 Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:43 am Post subject: "Third-party" purchases |
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| Here's a new way for a company to worm their way out of their promises. You place an online order for a system, which includes a wireless mouse made by someone other than Dell, but you are buying it through Dell. Then, five months later when the mouse conks out, you try to get Dell to replace it (it cost a lousy $35). Nope. They tell you it was a third-party purchase and it had a different order # than the system did. No amount of talking to anyone in the Glorious Nation Kazakhstan will help. They tell you they apologize for the inconvenience. Hey...if apologies were horses, the streets would be very dirty! |
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Rocke_T_Sinetist
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Joined: 26 Aug 2005
Posts: 2586
Location: DFW airport
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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Shhh! Don't let them hear you, or they'll figure out that all laptop sales are essentially 3rd-party purchases from Taiwan, and disavow any hardware warranty whatsoever.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...' |
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FallenAngel
Super Hater
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Posts: 1490
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Okay, so I've just started reading the posts from last week, and I'm on one of the first few by Cusstomer. I've seen the banter taking place in threads above this obe, so here's what I have to say about this particular comment that was made.
| Cusstomer wrote: | | Here's a new way for a company to worm their way out of their promises. You place an online order for a system, which includes a wireless mouse made by someone other than Dell, but you are buying it through Dell. Then, five months later when the mouse conks out, you try to get Dell to replace it (it cost a lousy $35). Nope. They tell you it was a third-party purchase and it had a different order # than the system did. |
You're nowhere near a "new purchaser" of computers and accessories I presume, so why this kind of commentary would escape your mouth is beyond me.
It's part of a bundle deal that Dell and similar companies like to use to lure buyers like you. Deals, that's the name of the game. Yes it was bought with your purchase, and yes it was bought through Dell the company - but the device says what on it?
Dell branded?
No?
Then explain to any one of us why a purchase you made of a 3rd party product, albeit through Dell, should be supported or replaced by Dell? Because you bought it through them? Is that the only argument that you'd be able to bring to the table? Now think hard...
If that's your standpoint, it's thin at best. There's 2 types of warranties available in situations like this. One if from the supplier (in this case, Dell) and the other is from the vendor (in this case, whoever has their brand on your device). Typically, suppliers will replace or repair (if applicable) any 3rd party product bought through them for a limited time. Generally speaking, this is going to be at or near 90 days in most cases.
After the 90 day period, you'd need to speak with the vendor, no longer the supplier. This isn't something that Dell started, invented, or made possible. This is a STANDARD PRACTICE. Buy something from BestBuy for example, and they will have their in-store repair or replacement policy for a limited time after purchase, and then you'd have to speak with the vendor for any further needs beyond that point.
Why consumers keep thinking that the supplier should be responsible for all purchases made through them is a mystery. The supplier is responsible in entirety if the supplier is also the vendor. The end. There's no middle ground unless otherwise clearly stated otherwise. See, the issue that consumers have is with selective higher brain functions. They don't seem to use these higher brain functions when they see a shiny new deal in front of them.
Onus in these examples are all set squarely on the consumer. You should know better, and if you don't, then at the time of sale you have the chance to use the higher brain functions to say something like...oh, I don't know, how about, "And if I buy this 3rd party {whatever} here and now, then if it breaks down who's on the hook for assistance?"
It really ain't that difficult. Consumers just like pointing fingers of blame in every direction except where it belongs. Just keep in mind though, that when you point that finger of blame, there are 3 more pointing directly back at you, the consumer. |
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Cusstomer
Hates with a Vengance
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 56
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| OK, so now I know. Older and wiser. This experience sure will make me a LOT more careful next time. |
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Rocke_T_Sinetist
Moderator
Joined: 26 Aug 2005
Posts: 2586
Location: DFW airport
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Retailing conventions continue to be rewritten as retailers try to cut costs without pissing off customers to the point it drives them away. Mass merchandisers like Kmart and Walmart used to offer replacement warranty on anything they sold for 90 days or more, even though the product itself specifically says the warranty agreement is with the manufacturer not the retailer. That's becoming less universal.
Dell is much less cognizant of customer experience (though they mouth it like a mantra) than mass retailers. Dell has also positioned itself at the leading (bleeding) edge of the 'disclaimer revolution', tucking conditions one might not anticipate into the sales agreement. Do they support the video card that came inside your new Dimension? It's a 3rd-party product. So is the Pentium, memory, drives. So why wouldn't they support the mouse? It's not altogether an unreasonable expectation.
I think customers more resent the 'surprise factor' that their purchase is not covered or that support often doesn't, than the fact itself.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...' |
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Cusstomer
Hates with a Vengance
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 56
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Rocke_T_Sinetist wrote: | | I think customers more resent the 'surprise factor' that their purchase is not covered or that support often doesn't, than the fact itself. |
You ARE a rocket scientist. You hit the nail right on the head. That's exactly what got me so mad. |
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david (aka dvdpiddy)
Dances with Hate
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 650
Location: http://www.killspammers.com/
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Cusstomer wrote: |
You ARE a rocket scientist. You hit the nail right on the head. That's exactly what got me so mad. |
And i'm a Brain Surgeon!(I Think? Who am I? Whats that hole in my head doing there? Why is that brain on the floor? Where am i? Who am I? Who are you? Hey look at that brain on the floor! I have a strange feeling of deja vu.)
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For some reason i fell like this cat right now.
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Cusstomer
Hates with a Vengance
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 56
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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| David, just make sure it's not a third-party brain. Otherwise it won't be covered by the warranty. |
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david (aka dvdpiddy)
Dances with Hate
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 650
Location: http://www.killspammers.com/
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| Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Cusstomer wrote: | | David, just make sure it's not a third-party brain. Otherwise it won't be covered by the warranty. |
I dont knowwwwwww it says maaaade in chinaa a a a a a a a....
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For some reason i fell like this cat right now.
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I.Q.
Regular Hater
Joined: 25 Jan 2008
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:01 am Post subject: Dell sucks |
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| I know that Dell won't make it since it is based on stealing from good customers that don't deserve it. |
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