Cannot Even Begin to Explain My Dissatisfaction - Absolute Nightmare!!

Just to preface this entire post - I am not mad at any particular person, but I must say that I am utterly - utterly - disappointed with the sheer lack of help from Dell regarding my particular issue.  Any help would be much appreciated, but at the very least - I at least wanted to forward my personal issue with Dell to all those on these forums.  So here goes...and thanx in advance to anyone at Dell for any help.  Cheers

I ordered an Alienware m17x R3 from the Dell Outlet approximately 2 weeks ago (order # <ADMIN NOTE:Order number removed per privacy policy>).  It is the exact machine that I wanted - 2820qm, GTX 580, Full HD - in short, a very nice machine and I really - really - do not want to part with it.  Unfortunately, however, there was a mistake made when I ordered the computer.  I ordered it via chat with a very nice gentleman named Joe.  Unfortunately though, Joe failed to mention that there was the option of an extended warranty.  I only came to realize this when - after ordering the computer - I went to an Alienware forum where these members had recommended to earlier purchases from the Dell Outlet to acquire the extended warranty.  I therefore attempted to contact my chat agent, but the chat client was closed for the day (makes sense as it was late at night).  So I tried the following day and Joe apologized that he had not offered the warranty, and disclosed to me that my order was still processing and that I could simply add the warranty as soon as I received it and he subsequently gave me the info to the warranty department.

So - no problem I think - sounds easy enough.  I receive my computer a few days later and hastily contact the warranty department within 5 minutes of opening the box.  They tell me however that the warranty that would have only costed me $280 (2 year advanced care with accidental) was now going to cost me closer to $600 - essentially double the price.  I explain to them the situation and offer them the dell chat session ID of my actual order in case they have misgivings about my story..."sorry no help" was the response.  Fast forward a lot here - I was transferred around - no joke - over the course of 5 hours and 2 different phone calls I made to Dell, and in each case there was a dead end.

Ultimately what I was told is that my best option was to try contacting the Dell Outlet and speak with the sales agent that sold me the computer - with the intention of simply (ha) having to return my current computer (that again - I am more than happy with) and get a different one in its place (Dell Outlet has a unique policy insofar as once I return my computer, it goes back into the system and it is highly unlikely I will ever see it again).  All that the other departments were able to do is reduce the cost of the warranty marginally - still $200+ than what I would have originally paid.  (As an aside - nearly every - if not every - agent was very understanding and friendly and I truly appreciate every one of them...good people.)

Fast forward to today when I have the time to contact Joe, the agent that sold me my computer.  Once again - very friendly and  completely apologetic and helpful.  Ultimately after a conversation that he had with his manager, he suggested that (similar to what the other agents in different departments had told me earlier) that the best they could do was to send my current computer in for a refund and then once my money was returned to my Dell Gift Card, I could then have them look for a similarly spec'd machine (might take 1-2, maybe even 3 weeks) and then process the order correctly this time with the extended warranty and voila...I have a laptop finally with the extended warranty.  These steps were made specifically clear to me and I was directed to contact the returns department to get the proverbial ball rolling...and this is where things get particularly interesting...

Calling into returns I was still in a good mode - I understood the mistake that was made - no big deal - people make mistakes.  A little perturbed at the idea that Dell did not have a resolution department or something else of the sort that deals specifically with outlier cases like this where logic would clearly dictate that someone - anyone - sell me a warranty at the point-of-sale price of $280 instead of wasting my time, Dell's own money, etc.  But again - I am only slightly perturbed at this - until, that is - when I contacted returns and after getting the run around and after I had clearly explained to them that there had been an error on one of their salesperson's part and that I had chat ID's available, and that I still intended to purchase a nearly identical machine, etc - they still refused return without a restocking fee!!! SO they want to charge me $150+ instead of maybe - GIVING ME $150 FOR WASTING ALL MY TIME - GEEZ!!

CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS!!  The manager simply refuses to return without a restocking fee even though the Dell Outlet clearly allows a 21-day return policy that MAY - operative word there - MAY - (not shall or will) charge a restocking fee at their discretion barring when a computer has a hardware issue or some other error made by Dell.  Well - clearly this is an error made by Dell - Joe admitted as much in our chat session, and I had the proof to support my case, and similarly I was directed to return the darn thing by this same staff at the Dell Outlet - including the manager there.  This isn't quantum physics here folks.

As unhappy as I am with this supervisor in returns, I remain calm and collected and ask to be directed to Customer Care or some other department, he reluctantly agrees to do so only after making it crystal clear to me that only his department can OK a return without the fee and that he has notated my account already with the instruction to not allow a return...WOW!!

Fortunately i am transferred to Customer Care and I am helped by a very nice manger by the name of Minakshi and I explain everything to her - she apologizes profusely and promises to do everything in her power to rectify this situation. In short, her proposition is that she will talk to the warranty division on Monday when they are open and see if they can somehow get the price down and then get back to me.  In the alternative, if that option does not work I asked her if she could at least contact someone in the returns department and insure that I would be able to return my computer free of charge.  She agrees and places me on hold and contacts them.  

Keep in mind here, we are now at over an hour and 1/2 here, not to mention the other 5 hours I spent a few days ago.  She comes back on and patches me through to the returns department where she just got done talking with this lady. But apparently, there is an issue after explaining the situation to this operator in returns.  She puts me on hold a couple times - totaling around 20 minutes and ultimately comes back with - "I'm sorry buy we are going to have to charge you a restocking fee if you return your computer."  At this point in time I am truly awestruck...simply unbelievable.  So after the Dell Outlet manager OK'd this, the Customer Care manager had OK'd this and even talked with this agent - some manager in returns again refused even though there was an obvious - and admitted - error on the part of Dell.

There is no doubt in my mind that this happened due to the original manager in returns telling me there was no way that my computer was coming back wo a return charge and then notating my account...unbelievable.  So the agent is slightly uncomfortable with transfering me to the manager, but finally she relents and the manager comes on and once again I am told that they will not take it back wo the fee.  I persist, and the manager persists.  The entire time I remain calm and collected, and finally (supposedly) after saying I do not intend on sending this back right now, and that I hope the customer care manager can pull some strings with the warranty dept - the manager relents and agrees to take it back without a fee, I ask for the ref # and to make sure notes are added to my account.  I am told that the note is present and their should be no problem on Monday if the warranty dept doesn't or is unable to help me out. SO I am supposed to call them on Monday if the warranty dept doesn't pull though - yep - We'll see how that goes.

We'll see what happens...and the ironic thing was is I was fully hoping on buying a warranty today along with a u2410 monitor!!

So there it is everyone - be forewarned and to anyone at Dell who is able in anyway to help me (particularly if you reside here in the states) - please I beg of you to contact me, if just so that I know you know what transpired here...help me restore the little faith I have left if your company.

Cheers to all,

Rich