Ron Schenone

Buying A Dell Computer At Best Buy – Who Provides Support?

Posted by on Jan 14, 2008 | 8 Comments

Now that Dell has started to sell their systems at retail outlets, the questions about who provides support are coming up. Over at the Dell site they have listed some FAQ’s concerning this and other issues. I thought I would share what I found about this:

Q: Can I order a custom-configured Dell computer at Best Buy?
A: No, the Dell products available at Best Buy are the pre-configured/pre-built computers and monitors listed on this page.

Q: Can I buy the Dell products available at Best Buy on Dell.com?
A: Dell computers available at Best Buy are pre-configured. All other Dell products sold at Best Buy are available on Dell.com.

Q: How do I return a Dell product purchased at Best Buy?
A: Best Buy offers a 14 day return policy. All Dell products purchased through Best Buy should be returned in compliance with Best Buy’s return policy in order to receive a refund. Please refer to the Best Buy return policy or speak to a Best Buy sales representative for more information.

Q: What kind of warranty is included on Dell products purchased through Best Buy?
A: All Dell products sold at Best Buy come with a 1-year limited warranty1.

Q: Are extended warranties available?
A: Yes. Best Buy offers the opportunity to purchase additional customer support at the time of purchase. All additional years will be covered by Best Buy technical support. Please speak to a Best Buy sales representative for more information.

Q: Who can I contact if I need technical support?
A: If you need support for your personal computer, please contact any Best Buy store. The Geek Squad from Best Buy has been authorized by Dell to provide technical support and warranty service for your new Dell personal computer. You can also contact Dell for basic technical support.

I can see several benefits in buying a Dell system from Best Buy. Some of the warranties that Dell offers requires you the user to mail your system in for repairs. It would appear that you can now just drop your system off for warranty repairs at a local Best Buy store.

On the flip side are some of the horror stories about Best Buy service. I haven’t personally experienced any problems with Best Buy so I really can’t comment.

But if you would like to share your experience with us, please leave a comment.

[tags]dell, best buy, geek squad, repairs, service, technical support, phone, computer, help, [/tags]

  • Mike

    Be careful when purchasing an extended warranty from Best Buy, it usually only covers parts.

    I just went through this with one of my customers who had a bad recovery partition, from the very beginning. The customer called them, and was told they would fix the problem, yeah, right. The customer drove 60 miles, and was told they would figure it out and fix it.

    Thus, when Best Buy loaded initially loaded windows from that restore partition, it was corrupt. Of course, Best Buy would not fix it, but instead wanted to charge the customer $160 to fix the computer. Instead, the customer ordered a set of recovery disks, from HP, for $15.

    I don’t trust extended warranties at all.

  • http://www.direct2dell.com/ RichardatDELL

    thanks for sharing Ron and sorry to read about Mike’s experience with HP. We hope that limited warranty with Dell does the trick to avoiding those sorts of issues

  • DB

    I bought a Dell XPS 420 desktop over the weekend at Best Buy, on a whim. The Dell scan said there were a few problems, I checked the link “tell me” and ended up (immediately) in a chat with dell. I was reprimanded for contacting Dell because– DUH– I had bought the computer from Best Buy. However, I had the printed warranty at my desk and there was absolutely no discussion of Best Buy or Geek Squad. Everything is about Dell support and how long it lasts after purchase.

    Eventually the Dell chat support disconnected me and within a few seconds I got a call from Dell support, where a very nice indian lady told me there was nothing she could do for me.

    I called back the number and reached somebody stateside and while talking to him I found the page on my Dell account website, based on my service tag, that said I had Dell support for the NEXT 500 DAYS. That’s phone support. Parts support was assigned to Best Buy for a few months, then transferred to Dell.

    However, the sympathetic Dell employee told me that his supervisor told him I was the equivalent of an “HP Customer” calling Dell for service.

    Well, let me see… I have been buying Dell for years, one of the reasons I picked up this machine was my positive experience with Ma Dell. The Best Buy rep even tried to sell me an addon warranty and I told him I would not need it because I was familiar with Dell’s service and have been very happy with it.

    My bad, apparently. I was never even allowed to talk to the supervisor, who continued to insist I was no better than an HP customer asking for Dell support.

    I thought Dell was on a mission from Mr. D himself to make service paramount. Where’s the beef?

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone
  • John Baumchen

    Teh support from Dell and BestBuy are horrible. We just purchased an Inspiron with Vista64. From day 1 we were unable to view Windows Media files over the web. No problem if they were on a jump drive of HDD.

    A slip of paper came with the machine stating that a one year technical support and hardware warranty came with the machine. After being told by a store support person that the problem was a Vista problem, called the tech support line who then told me they wern’t responsible for any operating system problems.

    Dell shirks thier responsibility by pushing me off to Best Buy, Best Buy dodges the bullet by passing me off to MicroSoft, and MicroSoft passes the buck to Dell! How convenient to sell garbage to the unsuspecting public and absolve themselves of any responsibility by hiding behind the corporate phone maze.

  • Edward Dent

    Important-Disaster Warning- Regarding Dell Computers Purchased At Best Buy
    Please be advised that Dell Computer Corp. will not support any Dell Computer purchased from Best Buy Corp. Dell will refer any support requests to the Best Buy Geek Squad, who only occasionally answer their phones, do not know the Dell product, and will tell you to bring it in.

    In addition, Best Buy will not give customers warnings about Dell non support.

    YOU ARE NOW FORWARNED

  • Greg R

    I hate best buy. But I learned a trick. You can call Dell and have the warrentee transfered so only Dell will support you. Don’t get me wrong Dell’s support isn’t that great but they will try to resolve the issue and for me they did but it took 3 months.

    I brought an xps studio 13 from BB—> Transfered the warrantee to Dell. From Day on that day I had a problem with the dvd burner freezing up.—> I call dell they send a tech out the next day and We are still having the problem with this thing freezing up.

    I call Dell the next day they replaced the Motherboard memory and Still had a problem

    I called Dell and they replaced the unit. On the new unit they gave me a differnt manufature dvd burner but now the feet wobbled,and the media buttons didn’t work.

    the next day they sent a tech he puts in a motherboard and the thing just didn’t work

    While the Tech was here I demanded another replacment unit I finally got one and now I have no problems.

    Truth be told I shouldn’t have the quality control issues with this laptop like I did (and yes there are some) but Dell did resolve the issue. and now I’m happy with the laptop

    BEST BUY WOULD HAVE NEVERED SEEN ME THOUGH THIS.

  • Gary Bing

    I wanted the cheapest price on a Gateway SX2800-03. I used the Gateway support system. Worthless, most incompetent idiots I’ve ever encountered. I had to repeat myself several times on a (what should have been) a very routine question. In a very round about way trying to make me look stupid I finally said ” It’s a simple question now turning into a simpler one with a simpler answer. you either: A. Don’t understand the question. B. can’t comprehend the question C. Don’t know the answer to the question. D. Forgot the question E. Want me to repeat the question for the 7Th time.F Really don’t feel like answering the question at all and are just waiting for me to hang up.G. all of the above. H none of the above. Long pause Pick one just one –longer pause Ehhhh! that’s the buzzer times up. Now I pick “F” which is also the grade I give you.If I bought my computer at Costco and I tested their support and it was stellar. Should have gone with my gut and not my wallet. I had 30 days to return it and re buy it at Costco. I had discovered to my horror that the once stellar support of Gateway many years ago has degraded to something less than half assed. “When will I ever learn the cheap can be expensive.” Maybe about the time I should have known to pack it up and ship it back. Too late to do that but why is the box still in my living room?