Ron Schenone

Buying A Dell From Best Buy – The Debate Continues

Posted by on Jul 22, 2008 | 5 Comments

Without going into the gory details, there is a tale over at InfoWorld concerning a disgruntled Dell customer who purchased a computer from Best Buy. As many of you may know, if you buy a Dell from Best Buy, it is Best Buy who provides the service according to the Dell FAQ’s [here]  which states:

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.

But here is the kicker. This sentence ‘You can also contact Dell for basic technical support.’ Which according to the article, Dell indicates is 5 minutes worth. Gee. I can’t even recall even getting through with the basic information, name, address, and so forth in under 5 minutes.

Without weighing into the Best Buy – Dell debate, which I could care less about, you should only buy directly from Dell and only buy a Business system not a home unit.  The simple reason is that Business systems still get US support. :-)

Comments welcome.

Source.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/tomfarley Tom Farley

    I guess I am uniquely qualified to answer on this issue. I did buy a Dell XPS system from Best Buy about three months ago. I was shopping for a new system after my other two towers died (within the same week).

    The Dell was sitting on the shelf with a big yellow tag that caught my attention. The price was marked below what I expected to see. It turns out it was a “floor model” that they were trying to move. It seemed like a really good deal to me and the system specs seriously kicked my old units into the dust. So based on the features and the price I decided to buy.

    Honestly, I had no plan to buy into the Geek Squad support, but the thought of being able to take it somewhere locally in the event of a major failure caught my attention. Right now, I don’t have the time to keep fixing dead computers. I have too many other things going.

    Of course, the sales guy didn’t mention that there was no Dell support, but the price was right on the Geek Squad support. If something minor happens, I’ll fix it, but if something major goes, I’ll let them take it for a week.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/blade/2008/07/22/buying-a-dell-from-best-buy-the-debate-continues/ 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

  • David A

    We bought an inspirion 1525 from Best buy about 6 weeks ago and today about 1/2 of the screen is nothing but white with a few colored lines going thru it. I took it to Best Buy for replacement or repair and they told me that it has a crack in the display or cover/monitor and it would cost about $400.00 for repair. We have always just left it on a desktop, and it was never dropped or anything. There isn’t a scratch or any damage visable, just one day it is broken. Best Buy will not warranty it, and Dell will not help me. Jez, I haven’t even paid for it yet! Its not the money that bothers me as much as just flat out being ripped off. Dell and Best Buy service is a scam.

  • DAVE

    I wouldn’t buy tp at best bye

  • Alexxeno

    Ok, a little insider info, Dell may have it set up so that bestbuy can do warrenty service on a dell computer without voiding said warrenty but bestbuy or geeksquad does not give you a warrenty unless you purchase a Protection service plan (PSP) which is a totally diffrent matter all together. To my knowledge from the rumor mill is that bestbuy is even threatening to sue for this. Bestbuy will not provide free support

    so please, fight it when they say that bestbuy is covering it because they are not and even the agents are POed about it.