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Alienware Laptop Delivery Times and order challenges, my experience so far with new Alienware 18 order March 2014
I ordered a middle tier Dell 18 last week (March 21) under the Member Purchase Program. My order was bumpy; a Dell Advantage discount code I had was not working even though all language showed it should. I chatted online and that rep could not help.
I called and the customer service rep could not help.
I was finally transferred to someone else who could help. He was amazing, everything was sorted and my order was completed. While earlier in the day, the delivery estimate had been April 4th, by the time the order was done, the delivery estimate was April 9th. 2 weeks, not terrible, aside from typical "I want my new toy!" impatience.
Completely my fault, I realized today I neglected to order with the SSD HD. I called today and the customer service representative understood my request and connected me to the order modification team (may not have the term exactly right) at 800-247-2076. The person I spoke with again understood, and after about 5 minutes on hold, he came back and said they could make the change, and would not charge me the difference (about $180 delta) which was great news. He explained they would have to cancel my original order and then redo the order, and he gave me the new order number. He said I'd receive an email that day with the new order information as well. My account page showed my original, canceled order and the new order with the new delivery estimate - April 15th. Again - mistake my fault, I was fine with being a week later (aside from aforementioned new toy impatience).
I didn't receive an email, but I checked my order status several times today. When I checked around 5 PM PT, I was unhappily surprised to see 2 canceled orders!
I called Dell immediately, and explained the situation to the customer service rep. He looked up the order and said something nonsensical like "yes it was canceled because we have long lead times so it was canceled and you can order again." Wha......? I asked him to repeat that, I explained again, and he said I needed to talk to the order modification team again. So... ok. He transferred me.
After several minutes, I was connected to someone on that team (I guess) and I explained the situation again and gave her my order info and personal info again. She told me she needed to check on it and it would take about 5 min, so I was on hold, and she returned in about 5 min. It appears that the change earlier was not done correctly, the charge approval was not transferred to the new order was her explanation. She redid the order, confirming all details and giving the same price and discounts I had done originally and giving the same new deliver date of April 15th. I also received an email while I was on the phone with her (take away - if you place an order or modify an order - don't hang up till you have your email!)
So - while I am unhappy I had to be diligent and check on the order carefully to hold Dell accountable for their error, and I am unhappy at the mistake made on the order change and the initial unhelpful person I spoke to earlier today - but I am happy with the other people who helped me.
We will see - I hope the delivery date is close to what is currently promised. I'd love it if the deliver date estimate was beaten and it's delivered sooner - but I haven't seen much on current accuracy of delivery estimates so am not getting my hopes up.
I'll update this if there are other developments and when I finally get my new laptop. Cross fingers on or before April 15th!
jtdmisc
19 Posts
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March 29th, 2014 19:00
24 hours later, the status is still Order Processing... While I get it's Saturday, when I ordered initially on 3/21 it passed to In Production by Saturday. So... Am nervous. Hoping status at least goes to pre production soon...
jtdmisc
19 Posts
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March 30th, 2014 12:00
Now showing In Production - hooray!
jtdmisc
19 Posts
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April 7th, 2014 20:00
Update: last Thursday - about a week after the reorder and cancellation fiasco - I received a mysterious phone message from Dell telling me my order was cancelled and that I had to reorder if I still wanted my laptop. The message wasn't quite clear on the order number so I couldn't independently check if this was about the afore mentioned erroneously cancelled reorder.
I called the Dell number (after verifying it was a Dell phone number) and spoke with someone about the call. They verified what I was still seeing on the my accounts page was still accurate and the call was in error and said I should ignore. She also confirmed expected shipment is 4/11. With 2nd day delivery - 4/15 seems likely.
Does not make me feel warm and fuzzy about Dell's internal systems and communications between the erroneous cancellation and apparent 7 days to notify me of the cancellation - despite the issue already being remedied. Had I not caught the erroneous cancellation the day it append, I suspect I wouldn't be expecting delivery till May for a March order - if I had reordered. A doubt I would have honestly.
However....! Thing seem on track now, and if Dell keeps to schedule. I hope to see my new laptop next week!
jtdmisc
19 Posts
0
April 11th, 2014 16:00
For my order to make its promised delivery date of 4/15 given 2 biz day shipping, it needs to ship today (4/11).
Status is still In Production. I called Dell and spoke with an honestly nice and helpful Customer Service Rep who could further elaborate he could see that the system was built and in transit to the facility where it would be tested and shipped from. He put me on hold to try to determine where it was at that moment, but came back and said he had no further information.
Several hours later now, at 3:30 pm pt (and so after 6:30 pm et...) no change.
Bad news if this is coming from east coast.
jtdmisc
19 Posts
1
April 11th, 2014 16:00
I called the same rep again to ask for status just now, 8 hours later. He had exactly the same answer as earlier today "I can confirm the order is built and on it's way to the factory where it will be tested and then shipped from."
He confirmed it was scheduled to ship today... I prodded and said given time of day and that there had been no update, would it realistically ship today? He said he had no other information from the factory other than it was in transit to the factory which would then take 3 days to test, he didn't show it had been received.
"Isn't that bad news then... if it's just in transit to the factory where once received, it has to undergo three days of testing before it's shipped?"
He said he'd look into it and would contact me, and took my contact information (for the second time... not filling me with confidence since he took it earlier and provided no update.) He then said he could request to expedite at the factor and asked if he could put me on hold for 2 minutes...
2 minutes later he came back to say he'd escalated it and would keep in contact with me. He also said that "unfortunately we don't work on weekends so it will probably be Monday before I contact you. I'll update you as to what can be done then, I'm sorry for the delay."
So... sounding like it's not going to make promised/expected delivery date. Which is a bummer. Am hoping slippage is minor and am at least slightly happy to know it's built... and certainly I prefer the system is tested than not as I don't want a lemon/DOA when finally delivered.
But still... waiting even longer is not fun.
jtdmisc
19 Posts
0
April 12th, 2014 21:00
Oh Dell....
in the last day, my est delivery was updated on my order from April 15th to 17th. helpfully, there's even a little "(updated)" by the date. Unhelpfully, despite my signing up for updates, I received no email notification.
While obviously disappointed that delivery is delayed, I am even more disappointed in Dell's system that they obviously knew it would not ship in time to be delivered by the 15th but waited to update the status until after they missed the ship date needed to make the 15th.
I say obviously because the process is after the system is built, it is transported to another facility/factory for 3 days of testing. As of Friday, status that could be seen by customer service reps showed I transit to said factory - but not receipt. And once RECEIVED it still had to undergo 3 days of testing before shipment. So... Seems like pretty simple math. Why not update the slipped delivery date when the system was sent what seems like at least 3 days late to the testing facility...? Just saying.
Am not currently feeling super confident they'll make the 17th either... We shall see.
jtdmisc
19 Posts
1
April 14th, 2014 14:00
Dell Customer Service did call me back today as promised. The rep told me that the laptop was still undergoing testing and was scheduled to ship now on 4/15 to arrive on 4/17 (which is what the My Accounts/Order view was updated to show this weekend). He also said he requested to expedite, so it may ship sooner.
jtdmisc
19 Posts
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April 14th, 2014 17:00
If curious, Fed Ex shows it was picked up in Hawthorne CA (I am on the west coast).
jtdmisc
19 Posts
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April 14th, 2014 17:00
Wow - WOW. I just looked at the order status and though I was reading it wrong. I logged back in and nope!
Status is now SHIPPED.
Est delivery is TOMORROW - 4/15!!!
Thank you Dell!!!
jtdmisc
19 Posts
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April 15th, 2014 16:00
A seemingly happy ending...
Laptop delivered via Fed Ex a short time ago. No issues thus far. Beautifully and securely packed, started no issue, setup no issue. Really a magnificent machine.
Thank you Dell!
lizzyP85
4 Posts
0
July 3rd, 2014 07:00
I ordered a simple alienware 14 with minimal changes... We received our PC with major changes a week and a half after ordering, laptop ordered the same day still in production... I hope there are no issues in parts :(
PPWerner
1 Message
2
August 22nd, 2014 20:00
Just to give my experience. I ordered my Alienware 18 on Aug 13 2014 and went in production one day later. It was shipped out on Aug 22 2014 with an estimated arrival date of Aug 25 2014. I hope this helps all the people that can't wait to get their computer.