Dell Computer, Dell Canada Dell applied unauthorized charges, refuses to issue full refund, horrid customer service North York Ontario

- APRIL 24, 2009: I ordered a computer system which was listed on sale for $169.00 + tax ($206.87 total) and got a confirmation email after I placed an order.

- Later same day I get another confirmation email which lists another price and says my credit card will be charged $568.48.

- APRIL 26, 2009: I call Dell to find out what's going and told there is a "technical glitch" and they are working to solve it. I SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP THAT I NEVER AUTHORIZED $568.48 (almost triple the listed price) TO BE CHARGED TO MY CREDIT CARD AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL THE ORDER IF THAT'S WHAT DELL INTENDS TO CHARGE ME. I am assured it won't happen and I will be given a call when the issue is resolved. I am also given a confirmation number 1037229486.

- APRIL 29, 2009: No calls from Dell. Instead I get an e-mail from someone named Patrick Boaler telling that the price for my order was "incorrect" and that "amount appearing on my credit card will be different from the order amount". NO ACTUAL CHARGED AMOUNT GIVEN TO ME AND NO OPTION TO CANCEL THE ORDER. After I email Patrick Boaler asking about amount and why I was not even asked about unauthorized charges, I am told that order already shipped, I cannot cancel the order and have to return it to get my money back.

- APRIL 30, 2009: I am calling Dell and asking to cancel shipment. Dell rep says they will be in contact with the shipping company to have the order returned and issue refund. Confirmation number 1037229486. The same day, an hour later or so, another Dell rep calls and says Dell will honour the original price (his name was Laxman) and issue partial refund. I ask him if he's aware of my communication with other Dell reps about returning the order, he says yes. So I agree to partial refund to bring the item to the original order price. Then I find out that Purolator shipped the order back to Dell after being contacted by customer service. So, I assume it gets returned regardless of what Laxman said and I am getting full refund.

- MAY 11, 2009: I get an e-mail from Raymond A. Ocampo telling me that Dell has processed the refund. I check my credit card statement and find two refunds on my credit card statement $361.61 + $126.87 = $509.80. I assume the first one was issued by Laxman to compensate for the unauthorized charges and then the second one was issued after the system was returned to Dell. However, the original (unauthorized!) amount charged by Dell was $568.48, so I am still missing $58.68 in my account.

- MAY 14, 2009: Sent a reply to Raymond A. Ocampo and got a reply telling me he's looking into the issue and will keep me posted.

- May 28, 2009: No reply from Raymond A. Ocampo or anyone else at Dell since May 14 (2 WEEKS NOW!!). Sent another email 3 days ago, ignored. Customer service gone fishing.

It's incredible that Dell has been dragging their feet at issuing a full refund for this long especially since it was THEIR error to begin with. It seems there's serious lack of communication between their various departments. Not to mention the fact that you have to jump through 3 or 4 people (each time waiting on hold) in order to speak to someone who can address the issue... Well or at least talk about addressing the issue. Still holding my fingers crossed for hearing from a live person at Dell who can actually get things done and give me back my money.

Alexander
Toronto, Ontario
Canada