Yesterday (black friday) my husband and I were attempting to purchase a laptop for my mother in law.  There was a doorbuster deal on the Inspiron 15 3000 laptop.  There was a one day only coupon code dropping the price by $130 - and two one day only stack-able mail in rebates that required the invoice to be dated November 25th ($120, and $50).  

The first order was confirmed and the status looked good for about 10 minutes. I then got an email saying there was a problem with the order.  I got on chat and the representative said that they would continue to try my card over the next few days or that I could wait until Saturday to speak with a customer service representative.  Obviously the transaction had to be on Friday so I asked him to cancel the order and that I would start fresh with another card.  This time the transaction went through and the temp authorization appeared on my card.  But... 10 minutes later I get an email from customer service saying that they had attempted to contact me to verify the order and that the order was cancelled for my convenience since they were unable to reach me.  I immediately checked my contact information - it was current - they had not attempted to contact me (besides customer service was closed).  I called my bank and went over both transactions and they said that they were NOT flagging or denying the authorizations - but that the merchant was reversing the authorization.  I got back on chat and they gave me the same story that they had no idea why the transaction would be bounced.  Rinse and repeat FOUR times - placed, confirmed, and then cancelled for my "convenience".  The most infuriating part was that the cancellation email was signed from whoever the chat representative was that I had most recently spoke with! Then my husband logged into his Dell account and tried to order it with his completely separate card - his order bounced even quicker with the same disingenuous email about being unable to contact him.  So flash to this morning when I attempt to sort things out when customer service opened.  The order specialist, after hearing about the issues we faced, transferred us to a sales specialist who attempted to insist that my credit card was denied and that there was nothing he could do.  When I explained that that was simply not the case- and that after three different cards, each followed up with chats with Dell representatives and calls to our bank - the problem was clearly on Dells end.  He attempted to offer me another deal to make it up to me.  A computer with no touch screen, less memory, a smaller hard drive and a price tag over $200 higher.  The discount is no longer valid, the rebates are expired and Dell will not admit fault.  I understand that in business mistakes will happen - but it is how a company responds after making an error that defines who they are and how they are remembered.  I have always been a loyal Dell supporter, I'm typing this on my $1200 Dell laptop, I just ordered my daughter her first Dell All-in-one set up (over $1200) for Christmas, my husbands employer (US Dep. of Energy) procures millions in business orders annually from Dell.  Their response was lukewarm - verging on patronizing.

If chat logs would help - here are the representatives who attempted to help me - and then had their names attached to cancellation letters that clearly did not originate from them as I was still on chat with two of them when the email arrived and they were dumbfounded:

MARK KRISTOFFERSON E SOHO - session id 77293817

JONATHAN_TED_MUTHYAL session id 77294911

KIMBERLY CABANGON session id 77296421

Email wording: 

This order has been cancelled.

Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to reach you to verify this order, so we’ve taken the precaution of cancelling on your behalf. Order details are below.

If you’d like to place this order again, call 86‌6-3‌83-4‌713 and we’ll be happy to help. To expedite the handling of your call, please have your Dell order number(s) available.

I would like someone from Dell to look into this and help formulate a better expatiation than it was my banks fault.

Thank you, 

suprmum