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Opinions - $500 rebate on select systems

post #1 of 65
1/5/05 at 3:16am
Thread Starter 
I ordered my Area 51 Extreme on 12/12 with a promotion of 15% discount and free shipping. Now my same system is offered with a $500 mail in rebate and free shipping. This new deal savings is substantially more ($198). I just wrote the sales staff asking for something in the way of upgrades on my system as a good faith gesture. I suggested several options which are still beneficial to Alienwares bottom line rather than canceling my order & re-ordering.

I asked for a (P4 upgrade 3.4 to 3.6) or a (DVD to DVD Burner) or
(the Wire management/Video Optimizer/XP Home to Pro upgrade) any one of those 3 choices would even things out

How do you guys feel on this subject?
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post #2 of 65
1/5/05 at 3:19am
Take the upgrade if you get it. The rebate takes a while to arrive. But call them instead of e-mailing them. Works much, much better.
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post #3 of 65
1/5/05 at 6:04am
Thread Starter 
I'm really interested in see how they respond. Basically this type of thing happens alot in the retail world. I just hope they make it simple on both of us, they'll come out much further ahead if they do.
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post #4 of 65
1/5/05 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 
Well I recieved an email to call the sales office, see copy of email:

Dear MJDART,
Thank you for corresponding with us here at Alienware Sales.

Reagarding your question, there will be no problem honoring the $500 mail-in-rebate that you request. However, in order for us to be able to provide this rebate to your order, we will need for you to contact our Sales Department 1-800-494-3382. In this way, we can check on the current pricing of your system so that we may be able to check on the options that we may be able to offer in regards to this rebate.

Thank you for corresponding with us and thank you for choosing ALIENWARE,

Milton Sanchez
Alienware Sales Representative
Alienware Corporation
Phone: 1.800.494.3382
Fax: 786.388.5718
www.alienware.com.
Very nice professional - willing to work with me.

I called sales and was treated very well as I was passed around on the phone to several representatives for about a 1/2 hour. I was told they would go ahead and reconfigure my system on-line with the current promotion and compare to the pricing I got on my system. He came back on the phone about 10 minutes later and told me the current promotion makes my system $225 cheaper.

He also told me my system had made it through quality control and was ready to ship. In order to make the adjustment he would need to "blank my account and charge my VISA bill another $225 dollars. This process would delay my system 4-5 days, maybe longer. I was very upset with what I perceived to be a cheap ploy. My VISA card has been charged for the ordered system in mid December, now an additional charge would be applied. Heck, I'll have the VISA bill show up before the system that's actually ready to ship, but would be held back, then I would get to wait weeks for the rebate to be processed, that's service!

I asked if there would be anything else that could be worked out, like a couple of merchandise adjustments instead of the cash rebate. He told me thats all he can do, "thats the way it is". I told him that I would be glad to spread the word on the forum scene. Also what I didn't say is a co-worker who bought a $5,000 system from Alienware in 1999 and who is now looking to configure an ALX system will be interested to hear "that's the way it is".

All I wanted was an upgrade to the system, since it was already built I suggested maybe throw in the cable management add-on, the Video Optimizer and maybe a couple of games and I'd be happy. That would have probably cost Alienware less than $100 instead of $225 I wonder what the sales manager would have said.
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post #5 of 65
1/5/05 at 11:13pm
I am now going to order 10 ALX SLI rigs on your commendation.
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post #6 of 65
1/6/05 at 12:22am
Thread Starter 
You are the great consumer Darth

Figures I'd get stuck with with a hard , maybe the sales manager will see my logic as profitable for AW.
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post #7 of 65
1/6/05 at 6:20am
I personally don't see what the problem is. When you originally ordered the computer, you got a deal of 15% off and free shipping. The $225 that they want to add onto your CC is the amount you saved initially then you will get your $500 rebate card when you receive the computer. You mail this in to get your rebate. The original deal was 15% at time of order. The $500 rebate is a rebate when you receive your merchandise and mail in for the rebate. They can't ethically give you the $500 now because you would be receiving a special service not offered to their other customers who are receiving the $500 rebate. What makes you so special that you should receive your money off now while they have to wait for theirs? Their actions are not unethical. It would, however, be unethical on their parts to give you all your money off now but not give it to everyone else
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post #8 of 65
1/6/05 at 6:53am
Thread Starter 
Charging my credit card $225 is not what bothers me, AW having to blank my account and hold up my ready to ship system 4-5 days and maybe longer as he put it (he had a nasty tone about it) is what bugs me. They pride themselves on great support, I countered this offer with an offer of having AW throw in ~ $100 bucks worth of upgrades in lieu of the extra $225 in cash. I think thats being pretty darn fair. I find it hard to believe they can't make a simple adjustment like that. Also I have to mail in a rebate for shipping, this new program gives the discount up front for shipping.

Upgrades I asked the sales representative for: Cable Management System $10, Alienware Video Optimizer $29, Call of Duty $29, & Call of Duty Allied Expansion $29
These items could have been tossed in the box and I would have been a happy customer - Does that really make me someone special?
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post #9 of 65
1/6/05 at 8:24am
Seems to me that your complaining because AW is willing to save you an extra $200-300. You're complaining that they're trying to save you money. Excuse me if I don't feel sorry for you I'd definitely be willing to get my computer a week later if it meant saving me a couple hundred bucks.
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post #10 of 65
1/6/05 at 12:57pm
Thread Starter 
Why would they need to make me wait an extra week to save $225, thats not great customer service. It's like they're telling me they're afraid I won't pay for it or something. Shoot, JM Lexus let me take my car home for the weekend while I thought about it without worry and they know a little bit about customer service!
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post #11 of 65
1/6/05 at 1:13pm
You lying basterd! We all know you drive a beaten-down Yugo.
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post #12 of 65
1/6/05 at 1:29pm
You can't send in the rebate right when you get your computer. As I understand you can't use the rebate for like 8 weeks.
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post #13 of 65
1/6/05 at 1:36pm
When you bought the system, you received a rebate, you were happy with the price and you bought it. Deal concluded. They built the system and are going to ship soon, when you call to ask for the new rebate and/or ask for freebies. It's not a barter system, it's a sale. If you're that intent on the money, cancel and order again and go through the process.

If you bought the Lexus and they lowered the price a week later, you wouldn't be able to go back to the dealership and demand freebies. They wouldn't give you your money back, or upgrade your car with the latest GPS system, or anything else. You bought it at that time at that price. Deal over.

Just because a store doesn't do exactly what you want, doesn't mean it's poor customer service. You're not entitled to anything in this deal. I'm no AW lover, but your sense of entitlement is way off base. The customer is NOT always right. Be happy they didn't throw you out of the virtual establishment.

The only reason Alienware has to deal with this issue is that their systems take a while to build and ship. In the meantime, prices come down and customers get annoyed. If you bought it and it was shipped to you before the rebate kicked in, you'd have no additional compensation.
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post #14 of 65
1/6/05 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Struzor
You can't send in the rebate right when you get your computer. As I understand you can't use the rebate for like 8 weeks.
Actually, if you don't send it in within 45 days, they don't honor it.


And mjdart, it's Alienware policy, as I understand it, that any change made stops everything until it's processed, which takes 2-3 business days. I had to wait to change for changing the color of my case before it even went into prodution. It's just how they do it, man.
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post #15 of 65
1/6/05 at 3:02pm
Thread Starter 
I hate to tell you most retailers will make good on price adjustments my wife makes adjustments at Burdines-Macys frequently when sales come up after she's bought something. Best Buy - Circuit City will all match prices plus 10% 30 days after a sale. My system was still unfinished when they made this further sales promotion, I wasn't at home using it. Hey if they want to cancel my order I would be fine with that. The world is full of computers and parts, they aren't all that special.

I just can't believe they wouldn't want to barter to save themselves money, and I'm afraid you're wrong about Lexus. My very expensive 6 disk CD / Cassette / Radio crapped out recently. The car was several thousand miles outside the warranty - what did they do - Provide a brand new unit installed free of charge and then they washed and vacuumed my car. I guess you're not accustomed to real customer service. Will I buy another Lexus - you bet!

Quote "The only reason Alienware has to deal with this issue is that their systems take a while to build and ship. In the meantime, prices come down and customers get annoyed. If you bought it and it was shipped to you before the rebate kicked in, you'd have no additional compensation"

If that's all they think of our business I wouldn't be back - I still think the supervisors at Alienware will see the reasoning behing my offer.

For you Darth......why I ordered my Area 51 in saucer silver
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post #16 of 65
1/6/05 at 3:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjdart
I hate to tell you most retailers will make good on price adjustments my wife makes adjustments at Burdines-Macys frequently when sales come up after she's bought something. Best Buy - Circuit City will all match prices plus 10% 30 days after a sale. My system was still unfinished when they made this further sales promotion, I wasn't at home using it. Hey if they want to cancel my order I would be fine with that. The world is full of computers and parts, they aren't all that special.[/b]

They are making good on the rebate offer, as I understand it. You just don't want to wait an extra few days for it. If my recollection serves me right, anything over $100 you have to wait 4-6 weeks for a check from Best Buy or Circuit City.

If waiting for 4-5 days is pissing you off so much, I hope you get your extra goodies instead of the rebate because the 6-8 week wait will be Hell for you.
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post #17 of 65
1/6/05 at 4:03pm
Thread Starter 
Exactly "MonkeySlapper" - ship the system, work out the rebate details or throw in some extra goodies - why make me wait for a system thats in phase 13 as of this morning?

I'm not really trying to give AW a hard time, quite the contrary - I'm trying to give 'em a simple way out
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post #18 of 65
1/6/05 at 4:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjdart
I hate to tell you most retailers will make good on price adjustments my wife makes adjustments at Burdines-Macys frequently when sales come up after she's bought something. Best Buy - Circuit City will all match prices plus 10% 30 days after a sale. My system was still unfinished when they made this further sales promotion, I wasn't at home using it. Hey if they want to cancel my order I would be fine with that. The world is full of computers and parts, they aren't all that special.

I just can't believe they wouldn't want to barter to save themselves money, and I'm afraid you're wrong about Lexus. My very expensive 6 disk CD / Cassette / Radio crapped out recently. The car was several thousand miles outside the warranty - what did they do - Provide a brand new unit installed free of charge and then they washed and vacuumed my car. I guess you're not accustomed to real customer service. Will I buy another Lexus - you bet!

Quote "The only reason Alienware has to deal with this issue is that their systems take a while to build and ship. In the meantime, prices come down and customers get annoyed. If you bought it and it was shipped to you before the rebate kicked in, you'd have no additional compensation"

If that's all they think of our business I wouldn't be back - I still think the supervisors at Alienware will see the reasoning behing my offer.
But they ARE honoring the $500 rebate. They are giving you EXACTLY what you want. But in order to get the rebate, they basically have to void your last transaction and restart over with a new transaction. So it adds a few days onto shipping. Big deal. You're saving money so don't whine about it.
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post #19 of 65
1/6/05 at 4:28pm
Thread Starter 
Why should a pricing adjustment add days on to the shipping - AW had no problem having me pay for the system before they even started working on it. Why should a paperwork rebate thing have to hold everything up?
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post #20 of 65
1/6/05 at 4:31pm
I guess if you buy higher-end items, you can expect a little more in the service department. Alienware, Lexus, etc. Major retailers like Circuit City can afford to eat 10%.

I'm a little too practical, I guess. I still don't think customer service involves giving away free stuff that isn't part of the original contract/deal. I think it should be making sure the customer is happy with the product they purchased for the warranty period specified. Obviously, if you're trying to culture a 'relationship', like Lexus is, you'd go above and beyond.

good luck with alienware, anyway. Let us know how it goes.
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