Hewlet Packard Wireless laptop through ecost .com

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/ecsplash/default_new.asp

The Internet company ecost.com is a poor excuse for a company and the phrase “Let the buyer beware” has never rung more true than it does right now. I attempted to purchase a laptop for my niece who is on her way to her first year of college. In early June, approximately the first week, I ordered a Hewlett Packard Laptop from ecost. I put my niece’s address down as the shipping address since it was going to be her laptop. This is were the problems start, I received an email later that day asking me to call the company which I did and they wanted to verify I was who I said I was. With identity theft being such a serious matter I understood however when I called to confirm that I was who I said I was that should have been the end of it right? Not hardly. Two weeks later I receive a email from the company saying my laptop was on backorder and should be shipping within the next two weeks. Two weeks later I receive an email saying that the order was cancelled and to call the company to order a new one. I know you are probably asking yourself “why keep dealing with this company if they are this inept?” Their prices are great so some inconvenience can be expected and overlooked but this was too much to deal with even if they were giving away their merchandise. But I digress, at this point I called the company and ordered a new laptop over the phone with a real-live person. The ecost rep was very friendly and helpful but she told me that if I tried to ship to a different address there was going to be a delay because they have to verify I am who I say I am…again. I had the computer shipped to myself and planned to turn around and re-ship the computer to my niece just so she would get it faster. Ok, computer ordered email confirmations received. August 1st I received an email confirmation from ecost.com stating that the computer was shipped through DHL and I could track it through their website. The DHL website stated that the package was scheduled for delivery 3 days after shipping; it’s been 12 days and no computer. I called DHL and they do not have the tracking number that ecost gave me on file. I called ecost and their rep told me to called DHL when I told her that I had already done that and they told me to call them she said “Are you serious?” No I’m lying this is how I get my kicks. So the rep puts me on hold of a few minutes and when she returns she is very apologetic and tells me that they don’t know where my computer is but if I’d like to order another one and they request a refund on the first one she can help me with that. Ok…If I didn’t get the first computer… two months later…why would I order another one...plus I don’t have an extra $700 just lying around waiting to be spent of course the one aspect of their business that is not lacking is their completing the financial transactions in a timely manner. If I had that kind of money I probably wouldn’t have come to your website in the first place. So the ecost rep tell me through my barrage of laughter that she would call DHL herself but she can’t call out while she has me on the phone…What kind of company doesn’t even have 3-way calling for situations where you need to consult with shipping or any other aspect of your business. So I called DHL on my 3-way on my phone and DHL took the tracking number and was able to verify that the label was printed but that the package was never scanned which means it was never picked up. So now I am in laptop limbo while ecost attempts to locate my $700 backordered identity-thefted shipped-not shipped laptop. Do yourself a favor…do NOT waste your time. My niece will graduate college before she gets her computer. Needless to say I’ve made other arrangements and ecost and I are no longer on speaking terms.