Horrid DELL Purchase Experience

I could not be more disappointed with Dell. I'm hoping I get through to "someone" about this, as I believe I was treated very poorly by Dell, and I hope this sort of thing doesn't happen to anyone else. This is absolutely the worst experience I've had dealing with any merchant, and I suppose I expect more from a company like Dell.

I placed an order over the phone with Dell for a monitor on 10/30/2009. The young lady seemed completely pre-occupied, and was difficult to communicate with. After handing over my credit card information for the monitor, she mentioned that since I was spending over a certain amount, I would be receiving a *free* copy of McAfee Internet Suite 2010. I have no need for this extra software, but I figured I would just stick it on the kids' machines and forget about it. Then she mentioned that a confirmation email would be arriving "within a few days", as this was a "manual" process. Yes, this did seem strange to me, but I've heard worse from sales folks in the past, so I shrugged it off. I was given an order number to referenced, and she mentioned that I should be expecting the shipment by 11/16/2009.

I received the McAfee Internet Suite the following week, but still, no email. I tried the order number given to me on Dell's site, and was unable to pull anything up. Fast-forward to today, 11/06/2009, and I also received some surge protector, which I did *not* order. I figured something had gone awry, so I called Dell's "Customer Service" department. I was met with an individual who promptly asked me for my order number. I handed it over, only to be told that the order number was incorrect... That order didn't even exist. To make matters worse, I was rather rudely instructed to "call back when you have a proper order number...". How helpful.

I then tried calling the "Sales" department, and after 3 times trying to connect to someone, was told that not only was no email ever going to go out from the original sales person, but *both* the surge protector and the copy of McAfee Internet Security were part of a separate, unauthorized order, placed by the sales person, using my credit card. Yeah, I was also charged for that *free* software, not just the surge protector that I didn't order... All for $90. Unbelievable! The order number that the original sales person gave me was bogus. It didn't exist anywhere, and yes, I confirmed it with her before I hopped off the phone with her.

I was finally sent my confirmation email, which contained *both* orders. The one for the monitor that I *did* order, and the one containing both of the items I had *not*. The order numbers weren't even in the same ballpark as the bogus one I was given. I checked my credit card statement, and sure enough, the $90 charge from Dell was there. I also noticed the estimated delivery date was 12/04/2009, not 11/16/2009, like I was told. I was instructed to contact the "Customer Service" department *again* to request a return authorization number. After another few tries to get someone on the phone, I finally spoke with someone who didn't understand what I was trying to fix here, so I demanded to speak with a manager. After stating my case, she did little more than give me an RMA number and a day that UPS will be at my house before hanging up on me! I am not kidding. They won't credit my account until 8-10 days after receiving the products I never purchased.

I am FURIOUS! Rest assured, I will be taking this all up with the Better Business Bureau, as I feel they should know about this. How could this company allow this kind of thing to happen? What kind of sham is this? I was lied to, charges were made to my card that I did *not* authorize, treated very poorly after the fact, and I've had it. It probably goes without saying, but I will *never* order from Dell again, and whenever possible, will share my aweful experience with anyone displaying interest in purchasing a product from this company. Be warned.