Gateway HSN Awful customer service!!!!!!!!!! Irvine, California

This is what I sent HSN -

Gateway is AWFUL! I'm really upset you're continuing to sell something that's so horrible. I thought the special HSN customer service number would be an asset but it's a curse as well. The Indian tech support people are less than helpful, even when I told them what was wrong to start off with.

The computer was great and I was recommending them to everyone...I assisted my husband in getting one, my great Aunt, my Mom and I talked them up to everyone. I sold one in Best Buy to a stranger by pulling up the prices on my phone app. Now, I feel so guilty.

Starting 4 months ago my hard drive started going bad. I have been in IT for years, I know when a hard drive is going bad. My only saving grace is I managed to save everything off the computer. So I reset it to factory settings and that's when it all went wrong.

My computer wouldn't come back up. It wouldn't finish the restore. So I call tech support. They won't listen and just are interested in getting me to PURCHASE a restore cd. I checked my cds from you and was surprised there wasn't a restore cd. I was informed it would be $19.95...plus shipping if I needed it faster than 10-15 business days plus 3 processing days. Well yes, I need it faster. So to get in A WEEK I could pay $19.95 EXTRA. For something I know won't work because, like I kept telling the tech, I had a hard drive that was going out.

Now my computer is my life. In August my husband got back from Iraq and decided he couldn't do the wife and kid thing so he left me and my 1 year old. I had been a stay at home mom and finding a job in this economy is awful. Aside from that, at night, I take online graphic design classes. I have to be finished by March or I owe the school $6,000 because I'm attending on an army spouse scholarship. So I need my computer. NEED. Due to the requirements of the software for my school, I can't just borrow a computer. Plus, who doesn't need their own computers as well? Having a kid and no close local library, even using a public computer is not an option. I also am using my computer to build a business designing websites. Without it, I don't have a prayer to find a job, make any money or do my school work.

So back to the story, my mom pays for the restore cd for me. When I finally get it, almost 20 days later, exactly as I figured, it doesn't work. I call customer support again. They are dumbfounded. They offer to let me talk to more experienced techs, but I will have to PAY PER MINUTE. No. No way. Why should I have to pay for tech support! I just want to send my laptop in for repairs at this point. I have no other options. But since it comes on, they determine it's not a hardware issue when it clearly is.

So I fix it myself. I download Windows 7 and do a complete reinstall. It works, barely. But I cannot put my computer to sleep. I can't even let it run all the time either. I have to shut it down completely every time and just about every 3 days I have to reinstall Windows 7 again. Over and over. I keep calling customer support. They keep telling me that it works so it's not a hardware problem. My productivity was at a near standstill due to having to stop and repair the computer constantly.

Last week, it finally died. It wouldn't come on at all. It wouldn't read the hard drive. I call tech support. They put me though the paces, including rebooting my computer no less than 20 times. Then I'm told to try to restore my computer and the tech hangs up. So I call back, start over. Do the same things jump though the same hoops and am told to restore my computer. Again, hangs up. Finally I get to someone who agrees that my hard drive is dead. So, I get to send it back under warranty. FINALLY.

But wait. I have to pay to pack it and then pay to ship it. Even Microsoft sends prepaid labels when an xbox breaks. But this, this costs me nearly $60 to pack it as UPS suggests and ship it with insurance. Again, my mom had to pay for this. I have no money.

I was finally getting some work, but now I have to cancel and refund all my clients I worked hard to get. I can't move ahead with school and I'm 2 months behind due to computer struggles. I'm having to apply for jobs on MY CELL PHONE because I have no computer.

I contacted tech support and was told I cannot find out the status of the computer. I will only know when it is shipped back. I don't know how long I will be without a computer. My whole life and getting back on my feet is at a stand still. To top it off, I typed all this out on my cell phone. That's how upset I am.

You need to do something about Gateway. Get American tech support for your special number. Heck, Indians would be fine if they were helpful! Let people know they will have to pay to send the computer for repairs. Please, stand behind the product you sell and help stop this. That computer wasn't all that expensive, but it's irreplaceable to me now and something I really need to improve my life and now I'm left in limbo and my mom is out nearly $100 trying to get it to be fixed for me.

This is what they replied -

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding your recent experience with Gateway Customer Support. I certainly understand your frustration with this dilemma. We certainly apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate your taking the time to notify us regarding your experience.

HSN does stand behind its product via our 30 day guarantee. Afterwards, issues must go through the warranty assigned to the product. I am so sorry you have had out of pocket expenses associated with this and I certainly understand.

We hope your issue will eventually be resolved and you have a great holiday season.