Gnomie Tom writes:

I have just come across a very sleazy practice from Dell. A coworker had a need for a cheap bare bones PC without a monitor or speakers. I looked at a Dimension 2400 for her and was able to price out a PC for $399.00 before a $100.00 mail-in rebate. After the mail-in rebate, that would bring the end cost of the PC to $299.00 plus shipping and handling. Cool, this should be exactly what was needed. After trying to order it, the cost was going to be approx $505 before the mail-in rebate.

Their shipping and handling was going to be $99.00 (for the cheapest shipping option available). Since I am very familiar with the approx. cost of what it takes to ship one of these computers, UPS I thought it had to be a Web site error. Calling to find out she was told that the $99.00 for shipping and handling was correct. If she wanted a better shipping rate she had to order a PC that cost more than $500.00.

To me this behavior is reprehensible and inexcusable. I feel they are misrepresenting the cost of their computers by hiding the cost in the shipping and handling.