~~~~ Brag & Moan ~~~~

[fecht]

This is one of the reasons why alienware the computer manafacture has such bad resellerratings.
xxxxx,

Alienware contacted us, wanting us to remove reviews where customers did not
provide an invoice number. As we were researching their request, we
discovered that they submitted several evaluations for themselves over a few
months. Those evaluations were deleted. We informed the President of
alienware of the voter fraud, and he assured us that he would instruct their
150+ employees not to submit reviews.

We also encouraged Alienware to let their customers know about the site and
encourage them to submit reviews. They agreed, and they are now sending
their customers to the site. That is the reason for the increased reviews
and rating.

Thanks,

Scott Wainner
ResellerRatings.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Hivez@attbi.com [mailto:Hivez@attbi.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 5:45 PM
To: contact@resellerratings.com
Subject: Concern with a reseller


I am concerned that a company might be forging they're
reviews, that company is alienware. They previously had
a 3.57 resellerrating and now all of a sudden 3 days
later they have 6 more reviews and they're rating is up
to 4.7.
That seems mighty unlikely to happen so quickly when
nothing was posted on they're internal customer support
forum (http://support.alienware.com) about reviewing
alienware after they purchased a system.
Thanks for your great service,
xxxxx

I've had serious issues with mine and would never purchase one from them,

Josh Fecht

 

[CheapSkate42]

Did you get a email confirmation showing that they honored the coupons and free shipping? A similar problem happened to me. I allowed Amazon to screw itself over by buying a tortilla press ("Friday sale") that had a "special offer" of a free set of "taco salad shell" baking pans when I bought the press. I added two other items (also deeply discounted) to get to the order over $25 (the magic free shipping amount). I got an email confirmation showing I got free shipping. However, when my order arrived, they had charged me shipping of nearly $8. I called Amazon at the number below and was told that their system occassionally has problems handling free shipping and coupons (which is what they called the free pans). Anyway, they CSR agreed they had screwed up and credited my card for the shipping.

Phone: (800) 201-7575
Fax: (206) 266-2950

Originally posted by: dp004i
Amazon sucks big time! I had coupons and was supposed to get free shipping, but the didn't subtract the coupon amount for one of the orders, and on the either order they honored neither the coupon nor free shipping. ARGH! Those monkeys overcharged me $35. Do they have a 800 number I can call? I emailed them at least 10 times, but haven't gotten any replies. Right now I'm thinking about doing a chargeback and returning their crap in really used (read busted to pieces) condition.

 

[CheapSkate42]

Did you get a email confirmation showing that they honored the coupons and free shipping? A similar problem happened to me. I allowed Amazon to screw itself over by buying a tortilla press ("Friday sale") that had a "special offer" of a free set of "taco salad shell" baking pans when I bought the press. I added two other items (also deeply discounted) to get to the order over $25 (the magic free shipping amount). I got an email confirmation showing I got free shipping. However, when my order arrived, they had charged me shipping of nearly $8. I called Amazon at the number below and was told that their system occassionally has problems handling free shipping and coupons (which is what they called the free pans). Anyway, they CSR agreed they had screwed up and credited my card for the shipping.

Phone: (800) 201-7575
Fax: (206) 266-2950

Originally posted by: dp004i
Amazon sucks big time! I had coupons and was supposed to get free shipping, but the didn't subtract the coupon amount for one of the orders, and on the either order they honored neither the coupon nor free shipping. ARGH! Those monkeys overcharged me $35. Do they have a 800 number I can call? I emailed them at least 10 times, but haven't gotten any replies. Right now I'm thinking about doing a chargeback and returning their crap in really used (read busted to pieces) condition.

 

[apoppin]

Brag . . .

Well, I really want to complement Office Max management.

I went in 3 weeks ago to get an Epson C60s for $29.99 ($50-$20 OD coupon)... Out of stock but I needed a printer anyway so picked up a C40 "just in case" since my ink was low. The assistant manager told me he would reserve the next C60 that came in.

I called after 2 weeks and got the manager who told me no more C60s but would I mind the NEW Epson C62 (for the same price, of course)? Uh, sure!
And he also shipped it so I got it the next day.

 

[Oakenfold]

MOAN

I can't find a reliable online vendor with the 8SG667 in stock!
:|

 

[dp004i]

Trying to PM a 2.0A Northwood at Staples, so far so good...
If everything goes through, I'll get a retail 2.0A for $122 + tax

 

[dp004i]

It went through, got a brand spankin' new retail Northwood 2.0A for $132 total after tax. Staples IS NOT suck, it is ROCK Now, what would be a good mobo for that chip, something for around $100 (up to $150 if available at Ingram Micro), that uses regular PC2100 RAM?

EDIT: How's MSI 845E MAX 2-LR? I think I can get it for $110 @ Staples.

 

[merlocka]

my complaint with SVCompucycle

Had a bad order with them and this is FYI

Facts...

1) Me ordered 17 items (rounded cables, chipset cooling, raidmax powersupplies, etc) on Sept 20th

2) Me received 12 items on Sept 27th (missing 3 18" rounded cables, Global WIn CPU cooler, 1 tube or AS). In addition, I noticed that the "warantee void if broken" stickers on the powersupplies were all broken.

3) Me sent several emails, and made daily phone calls to get a hold of someone. I soon learned that calling their posted phone number 408.292.5292 get you to a voice mail with no mention of SVCompucycle in the announcement. Kept making me wonder if I had the right number.

4) As of today, I contacted my CC company to dispute the charge. I gave them all the info and they said they will take it from there.

5) I sent SVC an email to inform them that I was disputing this charge and that they will hear from my credit card company.

Within 5 hours I received 2 replies, posted below...

First,


----- Original Message -----
From: "Rodney Wang" <rwang@svcompucycle.com>
To: "'Alan Merlock'" <merlocka@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 12:31 PM
Subject: RE: order svcompucycle-19699 from Svcompucycle


> So do you still want the products? If you mass email all three
> addresses, each one assumes the other took care of it.
>
> Best Regards,
> Rodney Wang
> Silicon Valley Compucycle
> www.svcompucycle.com


then


----- Original Message -----
From: "Rodney Wang" <rwang@svcompucycle.com>
To: "'Alan Merlock'" <merlocka@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 12:40 PM
Subject: RE: order svcompucycle-19699 from Svcompucycle


> We learn something new everyday as a new company, and apparently we need
> to create a process to handle emails where the customer decides to email
> everyone. I apologize for the lack of response, but please in the
> future if want a response from me, send the email directly to me. I get
> too much junk mail from other businesses to read all my mass emails.
>
> Best Regards,
> Rodney Wang
> Silicon Valley Compucycle
> www.svcompucycle.com


I've ordered from these guys before and never had a problem. I felt OK about them since their reseller rating was pretty good.

Reading their current reseller ratings (ignoring my complaint) paints a slightly different picture as it seems I'm not the only one with complaints. Perhaps things have changed with SVCompucycle?

Anandtech user KF above has some similar complaints.

 

[dp004i]

Scheduled Delivery Date: 10/10/02 Shipping Method : Staples Courier
Item Name Item No. Price Unit Qty. Subtotal Status

INTEL P4-2GHZ 512KB P IM1071515 $152.29 1 $152.29 Processing

Subtotal: $152.29
Coupon Codes:
12847: - $30.00
Tax: $9.78
Shipping: $0.00
Total: $132.07

 

[dannybek]

I am complaining about the Metro Transit Authority (MTA) in New York City. Here is what happened

I was finished Physics lab and I being a commuter from the Bronx to Queens have to take the 1 or 9, then the B or D, then the F trains then the Q17 bus to get home. It takes me approximately 2 hours one way. This particular day 10-4-02 I happened to be short on change and no money left on my metrocard but had enough money to refill my card with $2.00. I walked over to one of those new automated Metrocard vending machines with the Booth manager looking at me. I put in $2.00 just when the train was coming. I rushed to the turnstile and what do you know there was no money in the card. WTF, I walked to the manager who happened to be Afro American... (Im not rationalizing) and told him what happened. With a Monotone voice rolling his eyes he said "THE MACHINE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME YOU MUST CALL THE COMPANY" WTF!!!!?!?!?! MTA IS THE PHUCKING COMPANY YOU /\SS!! AND YOU WORK FOR THEM YOU IDIOT! I couldnt go home so I waited until someone picked me up. But I lost money 2.00 dollars may be stingy but this really pissed me off.

sO IF ANY OF YOU TRAVEL TO 247ST VAN CORTLANDT PK THE LAST STOP OF THE 1 AND 9 TRAINS IN THE BRONX PLEASE BE WARY.

ALSO IF YOU HAVE A UNLIMITED METROCARD PLEASE SWIPE FOR THE COMMUTER COMMING INTO THE STATION SO THAT THE MTA CAN LOSE MONEY.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

I don't even remember signing up for this one but I got my first issue of Esquire yesterday (free). Sweet.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: apoppin
Brag . . .

Well, I really want to complement Office Max management.

I went in 3 weeks ago to get an Epson C60s for $29.99 ($50-$20 OD coupon)... Out of stock but I needed a printer anyway so picked up a C40 "just in case" since my ink was low. The assistant manager told me he would reserve the next C60 that came in.

I called after 2 weeks and got the manager who told me no more C60s but would I mind the NEW Epson C62 (for the same price, of course)? Uh, sure!
And he also shipped it so I got it the next day.

I returned the C40 to OM . . . and . . . Well, I'll be . . . there is ALSO a $20 Epson REBATE!!!!



$32.56 (final after taxes) - $20 MIR = $12.56 TOTAL for an Epson C62 . . . and all I needed was ink.

Any idea what to do with a good (but inkless) HP 842C?

/end of "brag" (and thanks to OM mgmt)

 

[manholdup]

This has got the be the best deal I ever got.

Well, I went to Best Buy to buy a TDK 48X CDRW and a pack of Imation CDR's. She rang me up for the pack of CDR's then she started talking to the people behind me and got kind of distracted. So she scanned the Serial number on the bottom of the TDK instead of the UPC. It gave her an error and she cleared it then scanned the CDR's again. So all in all, she rang me up for 2 packs of CDR's and I got the TDK for the cost of 1 pack of CDR's.

A week later I went to Best Buy and actually bought the TDK to get the rebate receipt and sent in the rebate and returned the second TDK. So I ended up with a FREE TDK 48X CDRW, but I ended up selling the TDK for $100 on Ebay and getting a Yamaha CRW-F1.

Ended up paying $30 for the Yamaha after the whole deal and rebates.

Is that great or what?

 

[dp004i]

Got the CPU today, Staples is rock! Now, let's just hope I'll be able to get it running at 133MHz FSB, 2.67 GHz Northwood for $130 would be sweet

 

[JubJub4]

I LOVE OPENED ITEMS AT BEST BUY!!!

Got a free 50 pack of fujitsu CDRs and a leather 92 cd case for 10 bucks.

 

[MJGunn]

What happened? Went to all my favorite deal sites today to get a coupon code to use on an order, and none of them have any listed. Did staples crack down on this?

 

[Zedtom]

I went to the local computer store to buy a case, and while I was waiting for them to take out the power supply, (which I didn't want or need), I was asking about CPU heat sinks. One of the sales clerks brought out a generic $15 one and set it by the box that my case came in. They were busy and I was looking at their custom built units, when I saw a heatsink that looked interesting. I asked one of the other clerks what brand it was, and he brought out a Microfins DC1206BM-L that sells for $35. I looked at it and was impressed. I've had Global Wins, Thermaltakes, and several others that are sitting in a drawer at home. Anyway, I decided to get it, and he set it down next to the generic one. I said I didn't want the cheaper one, so he took it back to stockroom. Meanwhile they brought out my case and said they would give me a $15 dollar discount for the ps that they took out. Then they said my total would be the price of the case. ($65 minus 15 for the ps plus 15 for the heatsink/fan). I said okay, paid up and left. So I get home and realize that I had got the more expensive unit at the generic price.

 

[JubJub4]

I love my new address it fits perfectly in all the address boxes when i buy things.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: MJGunn
What happened? Went to all my favorite deal sites today to get a coupon code to use on an order, and none of them have any listed. Did staples crack down on this?

you can't stack coupons on top of each other anymore.

-=bmacd=-

 

[whizbang]

MOAN Carryover from this locked thread.

I, too, am disappointed to see AT has pinned an ad for TigerDirect to the top of their Hot Deals forum. One of the values of the forum is to help ferret out reliable vendors from unreliable ones to save ATers from the headaches of scam deals. While TigerDirect is not quite a scam artist outfit, AT user experience and Reseller Ratings clearly have indicated that they are unreliable.

 

[uwannawhat]

In all fairness to TigerDirect, I had to do a RMA with an MP3 Player that I had bought through them. It took quite a bit of persistence & phone calls but they finally did refund my money in FULL.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: whizbang
MOAN Carryover from this locked thread.

I, too, am disappointed to see AT has pinned an ad for TigerDirect to the top of their Hot Deals forum. One of the values of the forum is to help ferret out reliable vendors from unreliable ones to save ATers from the headaches of scam deals. While TigerDirect is not quite a scam artist outfit, AT user experience and Reseller Ratings clearly have indicated that they are unreliable.

Forum Issues is the place to post your comments about AT's Tiger DirectX Ad - HERE.

 

[udonoogen]

unexpected brag. i dont even remember what i bought. i sure as heck dont remember being promised a $30 gift certificate. i bought a heater from them off of my gold box. my landlord paid for that too. =) anyhow, this is my first brag ever. im gonna get me some dvds. =)

- - - - - - - -

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

Thank you for shopping in our Kitchen & Housewares Store. We hope that
you (or the recipient of the product) are enjoying your purchase.

Here is the $30 promotional certificate we promised, good in any of
the following stores at Amazon.com for products sold by Amazon.com
(not valid for products sold by third parties or used items):

- Books
- Camera & Photo
- Cell Phones & Service
- Computer & Video Games
- Computers
- DVD
- Electronics
- Kitchen & Housewares
- Music
- Outdoor Living
- Software
- Tools & Hardware
- Video

Thanks again for shopping in the Amazon.com Kitchen & Housewares Store.
We look forward to your next visit.

Sincerely,

Amazon.com

 

[MrPhelps]

Originally posted by: udonoogen
unexpected brag. i dont even remember what i bought. i sure as heck dont remember being promised a $30 gift certificate. i bought a heater from them off of my gold box. my landlord paid for that too. =) anyhow, this is my first brag ever. im gonna get me some dvds. =)

- - - - - - - -

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

Thank you for shopping in our Kitchen & Housewares Store. We hope that
you (or the recipient of the product) are enjoying your purchase.

Here is the $30 promotional certificate we promised, good in any of
the following stores at Amazon.com for products sold by Amazon.com
(not valid for products sold by third parties or used items):

Wow you found something worth buying from the gold box. all I ever get is way over priced listed.

- Books
- Camera & Photo
- Cell Phones & Service
- Computer & Video Games
- Computers
- DVD
- Electronics
- Kitchen & Housewares
- Music
- Outdoor Living
- Software
- Tools & Hardware
- Video

Thanks again for shopping in the Amazon.com Kitchen & Housewares Store.
We look forward to your next visit.

Sincerely,

Amazon.com

 

[Audiofight]

I was looking for a black PS/2 or USB keyboard. Brand didn't matter, just cheap.

I looked at Pricewatch. Found a company called Freewaytech.com

They had advertised a $10 black PS/2 keyboard w/ free shipping. So, I placed the order. Shipping charges of $16.06 were added to the bill and they don't have an on-line way of cancelling other than email or phone call.

Well, I emailed support thinking it was a problem with the website and they could fix it. 2 days later I receive a reply and they tell me "contact sales about this" and didn't even forward my email to sales!

So, I email sales and don't here anything for 3 more days. According to the website, the keyboard hasn't shipping yet. SO, I call them on their 888 number (I didn't call before b/c it was Fri night and I knew they were closed for weekend).

The guy I talked with told me that the free shipping was only given with orders of 3 or more. So, I told him to cancel my order. He said alright, no problem.

3.5 hours later, the same guy calls me up and tells me he can't cancel my order b/c it has already shipped but didn't supply me with a tracking number and their website still isn't updated with one either. Now, he tells me to refuse the keyboard when it arrives via FedEx and he will refund my money for the keyboard but I still have to pay the $16.06 shipping charge!

WTF?!?!

I went off on him royally about how pissed off I was and I told him I wouldn't be ordering from them again ever and that I would be telling quite a few people how this is b/s. I wouldn't have cared about paying the shipping fee if they had shipped the keyboard off in a couple hours. But 6 days and nothing? That is ridiculous.

I am going to refuse the keyboard and try to make my Visa check card refuse payment too.

I honestly believe that he rushed the order out this morning after I called them at 11 am in order to make the call at 1:30 sound like it was too late. I am going to resellerratings.com to bash them good too.

Thought I would give my fellow Anandtechers a heads-up about a shifty company that is too cheap to eat $16 to make a customer happy b/c they can't process an order within a reasonable amount of time.