posted
Is it just me, or does their online ordering system suck?
Maybe I'm just spoiled by my most common online hardware purchases coming from Apple.
The apple order process is super-simple, the pages are clean and easy to decipher and from the moment you select the product page you know how long it'll take to deliver.
And every time I've ever ordered something from them, they've taken on average half as long as they said they would. Even at Christmas.
Dell on the other hand forces you to wade through page after page of long-winded and supremely ugly forms and when you get to the end after entering your credit card details - the invoice tells you that they'll call to confirm in 24hrs. Then once they've called to confirm, they'll take another 48 hours to confirm you confirmation.
Then they'll ship it in about two weeks.
If I wanted to talk to someone, I would've called in the first place. I gave my details, just go ahead and process the freakin' order.
So at some point before the end of the month (if they don't require another confirmation) I shoul get my shiny new Dell 20" widescreen.
The only reason I got the Dell was price - on special, it's almost half the price of the Apple 20". But since I needed a 20" and I would've paid full-ticket for the Dell, I believe I would've been happy to shell out the extra $200 for the Apple on this factor alone.
Of course, I've got a hell of a deal, so I'm not too worried.
Anyone else get crap treatment from Dell?
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm a big fan of Dell, but mostly from their on-site maintenance point of view. My company orders that as part of the purchase package and it's been a real life saver on more than one occassion.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'll agree their warranty terms are excellent.
I've just been taking a few screenshots.
It's four pages for a new Apple customer to get to the last stage of the payment process.
I've finally reached page six of the Dell payment process, it tells me I'm only half-way through and it's only just got to credit card details.
Since I'm not purchasing anything this time, I won't document it any further than that stage, but I know from my purchase the other day, that after the credit card stage, despite filling in billing and shipping details separately on a previous page, it then asks for an invoice address - and that form field is formatted differently from the previous two you might have filled out which was cause for a few wacky moments of confusion.
Plus when they called to confirm, the overseas call-centre lady couldn't understand that I was the contact at the shipping address not the contact for payment. Nothing I said could make her realise that she had the wrong person on the phone.
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've never had any problem with their on-line ordering either -- and it will even let me play around with different "customizations" and "save" those different configs for later to compare them to each other. I've even used in the web-chat feature they offer to take to a Dell person via IM and ask a couple questions about features.
But then again, I'm using the "employee purchase program" site (since our company has a contract with Dell), so it may be different than where you are.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
