I'm sorry, but with much regret I must end our relationship today. That's right: I will never buy anything from Amazon again. It's unfortunate and worse -- unnecessary, but it seems to be what your employees want. Let me explain:
I'm a technologist with 30 years under my belt. I've provided services to customers like Apple, Hershey, Tyco, Nickelodeon and more. When the Internet era came along, I was beyond thrilled, because of the technological opportunities it presented but especially about the idea of buying things without leaving my home. Some of my first purchases were from Amazon.com in the good old early days. Of course, back then, when this was all new, I tread carefully. I wasn't going to buy things that would be a nightmare to return should I have problems -- things like, say, a computer, perhaps like this one:
amazon.com/gp/product/B00AM9WEPI/
But as the years rolled along, you and I became more and more connected at the hip. In fact, we became so intimate that I never bought anything but groceries without first checking if I could get it on Amazon. I almost always could -- and 99% of the time at a better price. Oh, and eventually, I did start buying some groceries, such as my beloved Bamba Snacks:
amazon.com/gp/product/B000H25W1S/
And I never had to leave my house -- no more malls, no more crowds, no more finding a parking spot. Pure bliss. Or at least until July 7, 2013. I will never forget that day, Jeff. It was the beginning of the end for us, though I didn't know it then and certainly never expected the events to follow.
Throwing all caution to the wind and disregarding the nagging, lingering doubts I had about making such a purchase online, I purchased the Dell XPS One 27"" All-In-One computer you saw in my first link above. I knew you would take care of me, Jeff, and that my fears were entrenched in ""yesterday's"" kind of thinking. Well, turns out -- maybe not so much.
From the day it arrived, the Dell had problems -- big problems. It would not connect to a wifi signal, and when it did, it would not stay connected. Heck, it couldn't even find a signal if it was more than 10 feet away from the router or if there was a wall between it and the router. Whether it was connected to the Internet or not kind of didn't matter anyway, because I couldn't see anything on the screen. Seems the LCD ... or the video card ... or the motherboard .... or something (they've all been replaced at one time or another) was on the fritz. And there were some other minor issues with machine. But it was a beauty. The photos on Amazon don't do it justice.
Anyway, I knew I had some choices: Send it back, but that involved getting an RMA from the third-party seller, paying the cost of shipping, waiting several weeks for shipping both ways, etc. I purchased this computer because I needed this computer. It wasn't a toy. I didn't plan to take it on leisurely drives in the country. It's a Dell, and that means in-home/office warranty support and repair. Yay! So, I walked through the gates of hell -- I mean, I called Dell. When I finally found someone I could understand, I patiently worked with them hour after hour after hour ... after hour ... after ... hour ... well, you get the point ... to try and diagnose and fix the problems with the PC. Finally, the tech threw up his hands and agreed to send a technician. Progress, or not, because the technician showed up with only one part of the three that were supposed to be replaced. He did his work, and shockingly the PC still did not function correctly. To shorten this story up: I went through this same process several more times, and six months later, I still did not have a fully functioning computer. Oh, and a Dell phone technician actually screamed at me once. Thank goodness you don't have kooks like that working at your company.
Anyway, I knew by January that Dell would never fix this computer, and I had already lost six months of using it. I started making calls to higher-ups at Dell (nobody ever returned my messages -- not the press people, not the investor relation folks, nobody) and ultimately I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. THAT actually got some action, and another barely understandable ""executive customer-something-or-the-other"" contacted me and, at my urging, offered to replace my defective (let's be honest here and call a lemon a lemon, shall we?) computer with a remanufactured one. Yay! A new, working computer ... wait ... what? Remanufactured? Why? I paid $1,300 for a NEW computer, and to date I still didn't have one. Now Dell wants to give me a used computer for all my troubles? Unacceptable.
So, by February, I was more frustrated than ever and nobody at Dell could care less. After all, I'm just a middle-aged, slightly overweight guy with a heart condition sitting in his home office. What harm could I possibly do? Ahem ...
buzzmachine.com/2005/06/21/dell-lies-dell-sucks/
Finally, I called my bank and related my story.
""Dispute the charge.""
""I can do that?""
""Absolutely.""
Now, I'm not that guy -- I don't just look out for me. I realized that, if I disputed the charge, I wouldn't be hurting Dell or Amazon, but rather the third-party seller who is probably a lot like me -- a guy just trying to make a living. I didn't want to go that route without a little more effort, so I called Amazon with the crazy idea of Amazon applying some pressure to Dell to do the right thing. Instead, the representative told me that Amazon had my back with its ""A-to-Z Warranty."" I confess, I had never heard of it. I figured between the one-year warranty from Dell and the additional three-year warranty I purchased from a third-party (which, ironically, I can't use until the Dell warranty expires) that I was ""warrantied up"" as much as I needed to be. But, before I filed a claim with Amazon, I needed to reach out to the original seller to see if he would do anything for me, I was told. After seven months? I knew that wasn't happening but participated in the exercise. Thereafter, I waited for the call from Amazon that I had been promised would be forthcoming to start the claim. I think by now you know that the call never came or I wouldn't be writing this ""War and Peace"" novel for you.
So, I called Amazon again a few weeks later. And again because the first person accidentally hung up on me. And again because the second person also accidentally hung up. And again because the third person accidentally hung up again. Well, accidents happen in threes, I've heard. Anyway, by then, I had done some some research into the A-to-Z warranty and asked my fourth rep a few questions, specifically about whether my purchase was out of the claim period.
""No worries, Mr. Miller. The claim team does not just look at dates. Given the circumstances, I know they will want to help you.""
Okay, great, but ""how"" will I be helped? What I mean is -- will I be sent a new computer (which is what I want) or would I be reimbursed? See, being sent a check for my original $1,300 doesn't help me much because the price on this computer actually went up by $300 since I purchased it (and a new, better model came out that's $1,000 more).
""They'll work out something with you.""
""Okay, great, let's file a claim.""
""Well, we need to communicate with the original seller first.""
""Huh? I thought we already did that?""
""Yeah, but that was a month ago, maybe they can help now.""
Are you kidding me? Dell is starting to look like the rational one in our little ménage à trois.
I never did see anything in my account or email that a message went out to the seller, and I never heard again from Amazon as promised. So, as I got out of bed today, I decided this was it: I would call Amazon and get this settled once and for all. So I called and asked to be connected with a supervisor, knowing this whole tragic comedy was beyond anything a rep could handle. And then I called again because, again, I was hung up on. Finally, I was connected to Kara. I'd love to tell you more about her, as I'm sure you have lots of Kara's working for you, but alas that is all I know about her. Anyway, I related my entire story to her, and five minutes and a long pause later she told me there is nothing Amazon could do because I'm outside of the A-to-Z warranty period. Fair enough -- this sort of thing seemed to be beyond her powers to please customers. I politely explained that I understood her limitations and asked to be transferred to her supervisor.
""I can't do that.""
""Um, why?""
""I'm not allowed to transfer anyone to my supervisor.""
""Listen, Kara, here's the deal: I know I'm being completely unreasonable here but I am not getting off this phone until I have this situation resolved. I promised myself.""
""I can have her call you back.""
""Um, no. I'd rather just wait on the phone. Can you call her over to your desk?""
""She's busy. She'll call you back in 30 minutes.""
""Thirty minutes? Nah, I'll just stay on the phone and talk with you.""
""Uh.""
""How's the weather where you are?""
""It's, uh, great. How about you?""
""It's awesome. I live in Florida and the sun is shining today. Hey, is your supervisor available yet?""
""I really need to go.""
""Wait, so you don't want to help me resolve my problem?""
""There's nothing I can do.""
""Sure there is -- just transfer me to your supervisor -- it's the ONLY thing I'm asking you to do.""
""I can give you the address to the corporate office.""
""I don't want to write a letter, Kara. I want this resolved today. How about you give me the phone number to corporate?""
""I can only give you the address.""
""Why? Doesn't corporate have phones? In this day and age?""
""I didn't say that.""
""Well, then why can't I have the phone number?""
""Is there anything else I can help you with?""
""Kara, I think you're going to hang up on me. Is that what you're going to do?""
""No.""
""Great, so let's just kill some time here until your supervisor is available.""
""No, I have to go.""
""Oh, so you ARE hanging up on me?""
""No, I'm just disconnecting the phone.""
""Isn't that the same thing, Kara? Just let me talk with your supervisor.""
""She'll call you in 20 minutes, I promise.""
Anyway, that conversation went on for about 15 minutes. I think you get the gist of it. And I'll admit, I gave Kara a hard time for something that was not her fault. In fact, it was your fault, Jeff.
You see, I trusted you and the organization you've built. I've spent thousands of dollars to buy your products, and up until July 7, 2013, our little arrangement worked pretty well -- right up until something went wrong. Then, as I had feared so many years ago, I was left out in the cold. I can't go anywhere. I can't talk with anyone. Nothing. I'm just left sitting here to stare at a $1,300 brick on my desk. I can't be in a relationship like that, Jeff, where you take and take and take and I don't get anything back when I really need it most.
So, that's why this is the end. It's been great, well, mostly.
Michael Miller
P.S. I do have one small favor to ask of you: Could you please find Kara for me? You see, I owe her $100. I bet her at the end of our call that her supervisor would not, in fact, call me in 20 minutes or an hour or today or at all. Well, the day isn't over and forever is a long time, but 20 minutes has passed, so I want to make good to Kara. I've got her $100 and am ready to PayPal it to her whenever she's ready.
P.P.S. I understand, Jeff, that this whole mess started because of Michael Dell's failure to live up to his obligations. He wedged his way inbetween us with his lies -- I mean, promises. That's why I've included him in the CC list.
P.P.P.S. I know this was a mighty long email. I apologize for that and wasting so much of your time. It is, however, just a snapshot of the 70+ hours I have personally invested in resolving this issue over the past 8 months. As an independent contractor, I bill my time at $75 per hour, so this amounts to over $5,000 of lost income. Add that to the original $1,300 I spent on the PC, and it turns into one of the most expensive computers I've ever owned. It's like we're back in 1985.
P.P.P.P.S. I will miss you.
P.P.P.P.P.S. The harsh lesson here, Jeff and Michael, is that you are only one sale away from losing your best customer.
P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Jeff, there IS one thing you could do to make this all right, one thing that would rescue our relationship and sweep all the ill will under the carpet. No, I'm not expecting a new computer. I understand that kind of thinking is folly and fantasy. Actually, what I want is much simpler. Michael Dell is also CCed on this email. Just hit ""Reply All"" in your email client and tell him that, as of March 21, 2014, Amazon will no longer sell any Dell products on its web site. Seriously, why would you want a company that makes defective products and then jerks around customers to get said products repaired crapping on YOUR reputation? Do that, and I'll place my next order for Bamba Snacks tomorrow.
I had a Dell laptop before and loved it. When I upgraded last year, I bought a new Dell laptop and a Dell desktop as well. First, let me say that I love the products. What I hate is their customer service and their tech support.
So I placed the order online, through the dell.com website. I entered my credit card information, paid for the two computers, and they were shipped. I went to my P.O. Box to pick them up, and they said the FedEx guy was instructed to return them as soon as he got there. I asked why and they didn't know- they said it was at the request of the shippier (i.e. Dell). I contacted Dell about this but they never responded.
I went online and placed a new order, and that order went through just fine (though it was slightly more expensive than the first order). To this day, Dell has refused to provide any explanation as to what went wrong with the first order.
Now, I've contacted Dell's tech support a few times to fix a few things that aren't working correctly. I even paid extra so that I'd have a year of free tech support (which is about to run out soon). Every time I call, I get a different person, and I think they are all located in India and barely speak English. They have odd hours and it is very difficult to reach them. They refuse to provide support via email. When I am able to reach them, they give generic advise. For example, I could not empty the recycle bin on my desktop- one guy told me the solution was to right-click on the recycle bin and select the ""Empty Recycle Bin"" option. duh. That is what was not working!!
Dell Computer Reviews
I'm sorry, but with much regret I must end our relationship today. That's right: I will never buy anything from Amazon again. It's unfortunate and worse -- unnecessary, but it seems to be what your employees want. Let me explain:
I'm a technologist with 30 years under my belt. I've provided services to customers like Apple, Hershey, Tyco, Nickelodeon and more. When the Internet era came along, I was beyond thrilled, because of the technological opportunities it presented but especially about the idea of buying things without leaving my home. Some of my first purchases were from Amazon.com in the good old early days. Of course, back then, when this was all new, I tread carefully. I wasn't going to buy things that would be a nightmare to return should I have problems -- things like, say, a computer, perhaps like this one:
amazon.com/gp/product/B00AM9WEPI/
But as the years rolled along, you and I became more and more connected at the hip. In fact, we became so intimate that I never bought anything but groceries without first checking if I could get it on Amazon. I almost always could -- and 99% of the time at a better price. Oh, and eventually, I did start buying some groceries, such as my beloved Bamba Snacks:
amazon.com/gp/product/B000H25W1S/
And I never had to leave my house -- no more malls, no more crowds, no more finding a parking spot. Pure bliss. Or at least until July 7, 2013. I will never forget that day, Jeff. It was the beginning of the end for us, though I didn't know it then and certainly never expected the events to follow.
Throwing all caution to the wind and disregarding the nagging, lingering doubts I had about making such a purchase online, I purchased the Dell XPS One 27"" All-In-One computer you saw in my first link above. I knew you would take care of me, Jeff, and that my fears were entrenched in ""yesterday's"" kind of thinking. Well, turns out -- maybe not so much.
From the day it arrived, the Dell had problems -- big problems. It would not connect to a wifi signal, and when it did, it would not stay connected. Heck, it couldn't even find a signal if it was more than 10 feet away from the router or if there was a wall between it and the router. Whether it was connected to the Internet or not kind of didn't matter anyway, because I couldn't see anything on the screen. Seems the LCD ... or the video card ... or the motherboard .... or something (they've all been replaced at one time or another) was on the fritz. And there were some other minor issues with machine. But it was a beauty. The photos on Amazon don't do it justice.
Anyway, I knew I had some choices: Send it back, but that involved getting an RMA from the third-party seller, paying the cost of shipping, waiting several weeks for shipping both ways, etc. I purchased this computer because I needed this computer. It wasn't a toy. I didn't plan to take it on leisurely drives in the country. It's a Dell, and that means in-home/office warranty support and repair. Yay! So, I walked through the gates of hell -- I mean, I called Dell. When I finally found someone I could understand, I patiently worked with them hour after hour after hour ... after hour ... after ... hour ... well, you get the point ... to try and diagnose and fix the problems with the PC. Finally, the tech threw up his hands and agreed to send a technician. Progress, or not, because the technician showed up with only one part of the three that were supposed to be replaced. He did his work, and shockingly the PC still did not function correctly. To shorten this story up: I went through this same process several more times, and six months later, I still did not have a fully functioning computer. Oh, and a Dell phone technician actually screamed at me once. Thank goodness you don't have kooks like that working at your company.
Anyway, I knew by January that Dell would never fix this computer, and I had already lost six months of using it. I started making calls to higher-ups at Dell (nobody ever returned my messages -- not the press people, not the investor relation folks, nobody) and ultimately I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. THAT actually got some action, and another barely understandable ""executive customer-something-or-the-other"" contacted me and, at my urging, offered to replace my defective (let's be honest here and call a lemon a lemon, shall we?) computer with a remanufactured one. Yay! A new, working computer ... wait ... what? Remanufactured? Why? I paid $1,300 for a NEW computer, and to date I still didn't have one. Now Dell wants to give me a used computer for all my troubles? Unacceptable.
So, by February, I was more frustrated than ever and nobody at Dell could care less. After all, I'm just a middle-aged, slightly overweight guy with a heart condition sitting in his home office. What harm could I possibly do? Ahem ...
buzzmachine.com/2005/06/21/dell-lies-dell-sucks/
Finally, I called my bank and related my story.
""Dispute the charge.""
""I can do that?""
""Absolutely.""
Now, I'm not that guy -- I don't just look out for me. I realized that, if I disputed the charge, I wouldn't be hurting Dell or Amazon, but rather the third-party seller who is probably a lot like me -- a guy just trying to make a living. I didn't want to go that route without a little more effort, so I called Amazon with the crazy idea of Amazon applying some pressure to Dell to do the right thing. Instead, the representative told me that Amazon had my back with its ""A-to-Z Warranty."" I confess, I had never heard of it. I figured between the one-year warranty from Dell and the additional three-year warranty I purchased from a third-party (which, ironically, I can't use until the Dell warranty expires) that I was ""warrantied up"" as much as I needed to be. But, before I filed a claim with Amazon, I needed to reach out to the original seller to see if he would do anything for me, I was told. After seven months? I knew that wasn't happening but participated in the exercise. Thereafter, I waited for the call from Amazon that I had been promised would be forthcoming to start the claim. I think by now you know that the call never came or I wouldn't be writing this ""War and Peace"" novel for you.
So, I called Amazon again a few weeks later. And again because the first person accidentally hung up on me. And again because the second person also accidentally hung up. And again because the third person accidentally hung up again. Well, accidents happen in threes, I've heard. Anyway, by then, I had done some some research into the A-to-Z warranty and asked my fourth rep a few questions, specifically about whether my purchase was out of the claim period.
""No worries, Mr. Miller. The claim team does not just look at dates. Given the circumstances, I know they will want to help you.""
Okay, great, but ""how"" will I be helped? What I mean is -- will I be sent a new computer (which is what I want) or would I be reimbursed? See, being sent a check for my original $1,300 doesn't help me much because the price on this computer actually went up by $300 since I purchased it (and a new, better model came out that's $1,000 more).
""They'll work out something with you.""
""Okay, great, let's file a claim.""
""Well, we need to communicate with the original seller first.""
""Huh? I thought we already did that?""
""Yeah, but that was a month ago, maybe they can help now.""
Are you kidding me? Dell is starting to look like the rational one in our little ménage à trois.
I never did see anything in my account or email that a message went out to the seller, and I never heard again from Amazon as promised. So, as I got out of bed today, I decided this was it: I would call Amazon and get this settled once and for all. So I called and asked to be connected with a supervisor, knowing this whole tragic comedy was beyond anything a rep could handle. And then I called again because, again, I was hung up on. Finally, I was connected to Kara. I'd love to tell you more about her, as I'm sure you have lots of Kara's working for you, but alas that is all I know about her. Anyway, I related my entire story to her, and five minutes and a long pause later she told me there is nothing Amazon could do because I'm outside of the A-to-Z warranty period. Fair enough -- this sort of thing seemed to be beyond her powers to please customers. I politely explained that I understood her limitations and asked to be transferred to her supervisor.
""I can't do that.""
""Um, why?""
""I'm not allowed to transfer anyone to my supervisor.""
""Listen, Kara, here's the deal: I know I'm being completely unreasonable here but I am not getting off this phone until I have this situation resolved. I promised myself.""
""I can have her call you back.""
""Um, no. I'd rather just wait on the phone. Can you call her over to your desk?""
""She's busy. She'll call you back in 30 minutes.""
""Thirty minutes? Nah, I'll just stay on the phone and talk with you.""
""Uh.""
""How's the weather where you are?""
""It's, uh, great. How about you?""
""It's awesome. I live in Florida and the sun is shining today. Hey, is your supervisor available yet?""
""I really need to go.""
""Wait, so you don't want to help me resolve my problem?""
""There's nothing I can do.""
""Sure there is -- just transfer me to your supervisor -- it's the ONLY thing I'm asking you to do.""
""I can give you the address to the corporate office.""
""I don't want to write a letter, Kara. I want this resolved today. How about you give me the phone number to corporate?""
""I can only give you the address.""
""Why? Doesn't corporate have phones? In this day and age?""
""I didn't say that.""
""Well, then why can't I have the phone number?""
""Is there anything else I can help you with?""
""Kara, I think you're going to hang up on me. Is that what you're going to do?""
""No.""
""Great, so let's just kill some time here until your supervisor is available.""
""No, I have to go.""
""Oh, so you ARE hanging up on me?""
""No, I'm just disconnecting the phone.""
""Isn't that the same thing, Kara? Just let me talk with your supervisor.""
""She'll call you in 20 minutes, I promise.""
Anyway, that conversation went on for about 15 minutes. I think you get the gist of it. And I'll admit, I gave Kara a hard time for something that was not her fault. In fact, it was your fault, Jeff.
You see, I trusted you and the organization you've built. I've spent thousands of dollars to buy your products, and up until July 7, 2013, our little arrangement worked pretty well -- right up until something went wrong. Then, as I had feared so many years ago, I was left out in the cold. I can't go anywhere. I can't talk with anyone. Nothing. I'm just left sitting here to stare at a $1,300 brick on my desk. I can't be in a relationship like that, Jeff, where you take and take and take and I don't get anything back when I really need it most.
So, that's why this is the end. It's been great, well, mostly.
Michael Miller
P.S. I do have one small favor to ask of you: Could you please find Kara for me? You see, I owe her $100. I bet her at the end of our call that her supervisor would not, in fact, call me in 20 minutes or an hour or today or at all. Well, the day isn't over and forever is a long time, but 20 minutes has passed, so I want to make good to Kara. I've got her $100 and am ready to PayPal it to her whenever she's ready.
P.P.S. I understand, Jeff, that this whole mess started because of Michael Dell's failure to live up to his obligations. He wedged his way inbetween us with his lies -- I mean, promises. That's why I've included him in the CC list.
P.P.P.S. I know this was a mighty long email. I apologize for that and wasting so much of your time. It is, however, just a snapshot of the 70+ hours I have personally invested in resolving this issue over the past 8 months. As an independent contractor, I bill my time at $75 per hour, so this amounts to over $5,000 of lost income. Add that to the original $1,300 I spent on the PC, and it turns into one of the most expensive computers I've ever owned. It's like we're back in 1985.
P.P.P.P.S. I will miss you.
P.P.P.P.P.S. The harsh lesson here, Jeff and Michael, is that you are only one sale away from losing your best customer.
P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Jeff, there IS one thing you could do to make this all right, one thing that would rescue our relationship and sweep all the ill will under the carpet. No, I'm not expecting a new computer. I understand that kind of thinking is folly and fantasy. Actually, what I want is much simpler. Michael Dell is also CCed on this email. Just hit ""Reply All"" in your email client and tell him that, as of March 21, 2014, Amazon will no longer sell any Dell products on its web site. Seriously, why would you want a company that makes defective products and then jerks around customers to get said products repaired crapping on YOUR reputation? Do that, and I'll place my next order for Bamba Snacks tomorrow.
unpleasantexperiences.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/dear-jeff-bezos-and-michael-dell-im-sorry-but/
I had a Dell laptop before and loved it. When I upgraded last year, I bought a new Dell laptop and a Dell desktop as well. First, let me say that I love the products. What I hate is their customer service and their tech support.
So I placed the order online, through the dell.com website. I entered my credit card information, paid for the two computers, and they were shipped. I went to my P.O. Box to pick them up, and they said the FedEx guy was instructed to return them as soon as he got there. I asked why and they didn't know- they said it was at the request of the shippier (i.e. Dell). I contacted Dell about this but they never responded.
I went online and placed a new order, and that order went through just fine (though it was slightly more expensive than the first order). To this day, Dell has refused to provide any explanation as to what went wrong with the first order.
Now, I've contacted Dell's tech support a few times to fix a few things that aren't working correctly. I even paid extra so that I'd have a year of free tech support (which is about to run out soon). Every time I call, I get a different person, and I think they are all located in India and barely speak English. They have odd hours and it is very difficult to reach them. They refuse to provide support via email. When I am able to reach them, they give generic advise. For example, I could not empty the recycle bin on my desktop- one guy told me the solution was to right-click on the recycle bin and select the ""Empty Recycle Bin"" option. duh. That is what was not working!!