Alienware 17 R4 for $33

[applebook]

Finally, an Alienware deal that's good value.

 

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38025662

 

 

Quote

 

 

Mexican officials have ordered Dell Computers to honour the sale of laptops that had been mistakenly advertised online for just 679 pesos (£27; $33).

The computers normally sell for up to 50,000 pesos (£1,990; $2,500).

But because of an apparent software malfunction, only the shipping costs - 679 pesos - were included in an advert published earlier this month.

When the US company realised the mistake, cancelled the sales and offered refunds, buyers complained.

Some created a Facebook group inviting other buyers to refer the case to Mexico's federal consumer protection agency Profeco.

Profeco agreed to consider the complaint and said on Thursday: "Dell will have to deliver the equipment offered to customers who received an email confirming the sale before the ad was withdrawn."

The agency also urged the company "to improve its customer service mechanisms".

Dell later acknowledged it had made a mistake and said it was "working with the relevant authorities" to rectify it.

It is not clear how many computers were sold before the ad was taken down.

 

 

 

This is why PROOFREADING is so important. I hope that at least 10,000 people ordered before Dell noticed.

[Guest]

@Energycore

[SansVarnic]

You might wanna fix your post before a mod moves or deletes it...

[rn8686]

The only good deal Alienware has ever offered. 

[SpaceGhostC2C]

9 minutes ago, applebook said:

Finally, an Alienware deal that's good value.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38025662

 

This is why PROOFREADING is so important. I hope that at least 10,000 people ordered before Dell noticed.

Oh, it's fantastic: the screenshot's headline translates literally as "Designed to wreak havoc"  

[kaiju_wars]

I wish I could of jumped on that deal.

[Energycore]

1 minute ago, deXxterlab97 said:

@Energycore

Unlike the US, our equivalent of the FCC actually does its job

 

 

[christianled59]

Damnit I wish I grabbed one. 

[Castdeath97]

5 hours ago, rn8686 said:

The only good deal Alienware has ever offered. 

To be honest, their newer lines have much batter value than the older models. 

[tlink]

1 hour ago, Castdeath97 said:

To be honest, their newer lines have much batter value than the older models. 

yea noticed this too

[Trixanity]

"receiving an email confirming the sale" I assume they refer to the automatic email you receive when you've gone through with the purchase which is of course automatic and not an agreement from Dell's perspective. In my country, that email doesn't count for shit. The sale has only been made when you receive a second email that actually confirms that it has been approved to avoid something like this aka malicious intent. Of course you can't buy a brand new Alienware for $33.

[Misanthrope]

Dell fucked up their Mexican site a few days ago, they were selling everything for just the cost of shipping so you could configure a 20k server and pay 300 bucks for it.

 

Not only that but the Mexican Consumer Authority (Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor or PROFECO) has declared that Dell will have to honor every single purchase made during that window at that ridiculous prices because it would be illegal not to respect the advertised pricetags.

 

(Linkie here if you can read spanish or want to google translate)

[tlink]

1 hour ago, Misanthrope said:

Dell fucked up their Mexican site a few days ago, they were selling everything for just the cost of shipping so you could configure a 20k server and pay 300 bucks for it.

 

Not only that but the Mexican Consumer Authority (Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor or PROFECO) has declared that Dell will have to honor every single purchase made during that window at that ridiculous prices because it would be illegal not to respect the advertised pricetags.

 

(Linkie here if you can read spanish or want to google translate)

a whole department is getting fired for that lol.

[Misanthrope]

2 minutes ago, tlink said:

a whole department is getting fired for that lol.

Yeah it will basically ruin whatever profits they were hoping to make from the Mexican market this holiday season rofl

[Zodiark1593]

On one hand, I feel Dell should be able to decline the sales and issue full refunds, thus no loss to both parties. 

 

On the other hand, there is potential for abuse as a company can utilize similar means to guage demand, cancel the sales and hike the price. 

[Bleedingyamato]

3 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

On one hand, I feel Dell should be able to decline the sales and issue full refunds, thus no loss to both parties. 

 

On the other hand, there is potential for abuse as a company can utilize similar means to guage demand, cancel the sales and hike the price. 

It's likely that laws and whatever Mexican agency that issued this order to Dell are intended mainly to protect consumers from corporate bs like what you mention.

 

I think there may be similar laws in the US.  Like, for example, I know that if I go to the food store and see a pizza on sale for $3 on a sale tag that shows the sale ended the day before but the tag is still displayed they have to give me the sale price.

 

This could just be company policy in which case it's a nice nod to consumers but if it's the law then it's also good because it prevents taking advantage of people by bait and switch tactics again like you mentioned.

 

 

I assume Dell was quick to fix the price error so that likely limited the damage.  Though I'd be curious to know how many people actually got the error price and how much of a loss Dell is going to have from this incident.  Hopefully they'll be more careful next time.