Dell complaints

Starman97 · Dances with Hate Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 103

http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripeline/archives/2008/04/sound_and_fury.html

"But both the reader and I suspect that, even after all of his Xtreme persistence, it was only the letter threatening legal action that finally got Dell to budge. "The evidence is pretty clear -- up to that point, they were just trying to deceive me. Dell finally got the message that I would pursue this, and I think it made good business sense for them not to get into an expensive legal battle over a $99 product, as well as the negative publicity they would be subject to. Unbelievable what I had to go through over a lousy soundcard. But what really makes me angry is how many other people they have doubtlessly done this to who don't even know it. That's the real injustice."

Well here's to negative publicity, you Dell CE schmucks!

I would say that none of these people should still have jobs with the company, if it weren't for the fact they all of them are actually following company policy.

FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1516

Well, to be fair, the customer got exactly what they paid for. The "card" that he or she refers to is not a card at all, but a proprietary software overlay provided by Creative. It is not a "card" at all.

You need a base driver for the actual device, then you can install the Creative X Fi overlay.

See, it's stuff like this that annoys me. Shame to Dell for announcing it's a card when it isn't, and shame to people for falling for it and then making a ruckus about something that they clearly don't understand.

Starman97 · Dances with Hate Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 103

Then why did it work when they finally shipped him the right card?

They sent him a PCIe card, that's the cheap one, he wanted a PCI card, that's the expensive one. There is a difference. Go take a look at the Creative website. It's not just some software overlay as you state.

FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1516

Starman97 · Dances with Hate Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 103

Please read the Fine Article closely.
He ordered a "Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic soundcard I paid Dell $99 "

The XtremeMusic is now discontinued on the Creative website, but it's still documented here:
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=14066
Note the extensive features list, notably ASIO 2.0 which is very important for music mixing and production work. None of Creative's cheaper cards support this. This card also supports the external X-Fi I/O console module.

Then look at the card Dell sent him, a PCI Express 1x Interface
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=16770

These are not the same cards. A simple driver change is not going to give you the features of the XtremeMusic on the XtremeAudio card. That's what tipped him off in the first place, his drivers did not work.

FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1516

Look star, I don't know what you're holding on to this so hard for. You yourself said this was 2 different cards. I myself said I SUPPORTED THIS CRAP.

We both know what we're talking about. Leave it at that.

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject:

Shame to people, as much is now known, for trusting anything Dell says. You can't confirm any of it, no matter how much research you do on vendor websites. And by the time you find out they hosed you, you're damn lucky if you can do anything about it.

Overlay, schmoverlay. No amount of software can get PCI performance out of a PCI-E slot. Call in and ask about it? You'll get the "fake them out" speech, per management. In other words, if you repeat the same lie a dozen times, 10 people will give up and you'll only have to actually ship what you led them to believe they were buying twice out of 12.

What the hell kind of hosebag way is this to run a business? And I repeat for the benefit of some for whom it hasn't sunk in yet, it is NOT the customer's fault for trusting what Dell tells them about a specific purchase, only for doing business with Dell in the first place.
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Rend · one bitch wonder Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

its called a RETURN PERIOD for a reason....you have 21 days to return, if you spend 3000 dollars, do your research, dont just throw your money at something, what a moron, I side with Dell on this one and I hate Dell

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:15 pm Post subject:

Don't diss customers for their faith in Dell, ever how misplaced. Lots of people don't know what crooks they are. If everybody knew, Dell would already be out of business.

But knowing what hosebags Dell is/are, yes, immediately send back any system that doesn't work, or doesn't match what the salesman said you were buying.

And don't take their bluff about restocking and shipping charges, those don't apply in the cases of defect or 'error'. The fact that the 'error' was deliberate doesn't alter the terms. Wrong is wrong. You either got what they told you you were buying or you didn't.
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biff's buddy · Hates with a Vengance Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 63

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject:

I've said before: Do NOT refer to people as 'morons' because they fell for Dell's lies.

A customer has every reason to believe the vendor's representative is not outright lying to him. In the case of Dell representatives, they ARE outright lying, and institutionally so.

If customers had been reading this site for several months, they would know that. Not everybody Googles "company + complaints" before they buy something. If they did, Dell would already be out of business.

The 'moron' reference, and similar, violate this board's directive of civility. Repeated instances will be dealt with administratively, and I'M the administrator.
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FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1516

Maybe moron wasn't the best choice of words. Perhaps "misguided" or "uninformed" would've been more appropriate?

Yes, indeed, rather than throw $3000 at a company and fight to get what you feel you paid for, exchange it. I would, it's just easier than debating endlessly with reps that are told to flim-flam daily.

Exchange it and try again if you're really brave. Calling them morons because of it wasn't the best way to go.

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:04 am Post subject:

Spend $3000 with a local, custom dealer, and you get exactly what you pay for. They will hand-assemble it from the best components available. Moreover, if you experience a problem they will straighten it out, face to face, one-on-one.

Dell, at its best, is one-size-fits-all, don't give a shit what you wanted, lowest-bidder Chinese crap.

"Dude, you're getting a Foxconn. And once we've got your money, see what you can do about it if it doesn't work".
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FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1516

Yes, true. But the mass of people out there today want cheap and easy. They get neither with Dell.

Or they have the shittiest credit rating ever, and Dell LOVES those people.

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:21 am Post subject:

If they seek the cheapest fukkin shit they can buy, then yes I agree they are morons and deserve whatever they get from Dell. That's exactly whom Dell preys upon.

If they think Dell is something OTHER than the cheapest fukkin shit they can buy, they are uninformed. But the distinction is to be respected.

Seeking shit, and being drawn to the aggressive marketing of shit, are distinct problems.
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