You know it’s smarter to buy from Audio Emporium than to buy on line. We know you might be tempted here or there by a nice price. But please take a minute to look beyond.
Every on line entity swears they have great feedback from customers for service. So they should have it down pat, right? Here’s their idea of service.
Glenn (G) of our shop bought a Dell computer about Christmas 2014.
It arrived and worked fine.
About June 1 the optical drive failed.
G trouble shot to confirm this was the problem.
To get any warranty work from Dell you have to go on line and register for service- this is a separate “ticket” above and beyond the purchase itself.
Dell sent some some software updates to try to fix the problem. No luck.
Dell emailed G, said call a human to trouble shoot.
G called, sat on hold ten minutes to get real person.
Dell support person said it would take roughly 20 min to fix.
After two hours on the phone, the Dell tech deemed it broken.
Dell said they would send the part for free, but would not cover labor by a tech to install.
G received the part- it was refurbished.
G installed it himself. The optical drive would not shake hands with the software.
G emailed Dell about this. Dell replied that G would have to speak with a specialist.
When would G be available for the specialist to call?
G told them noon. By 2pm they hadn’t called, so G called Dell again.
G waited on hold 15 min, got a general tech who said he would help, no specialist was available.
After almost 2 hours, the tech had helped figure out the problem with one part of the software issue.
When it came to the optical drive shaking hands with iTunes – Dell said there would be a $229 charge- because iTunes is third party software. G had paid $350 for the computer from Dell.
G told them iTunes was fine with the first drive when he got it.
Why should he pay $229 now?
Dell said, that’s our policy, PERIOD.
G gave up on Dell service.
Over the next week, G, a very tech savvy guy, spent approximately 6 hours to get the “new refurbished” drive to work properly with iTunes.
Each Dell tech had a thick accent, English was not their first language.
They said they would repeat information if their English was not understandable.
While this experience was with Dell, we’ve heard of more and worse with high tech products like surround receivers and speakers with powered subs- and more. The answer of course, is to make your audio video purchase from Audio Emporium instead of the Evil Empire- web world.