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This complaint is directed to the Attorney General for the State of Washington, The Attorney General for the State of California, The better business bureau of Cupertino, CA and The Federal Trade Commission of the United States.
I am writing regarding HP Shopping.com and their mail-in rebate program.
In December of 2002 I purchased an HP Pavilion ze4000 series note book PC from HP Shopping.com, the terms of purchase include a $100 mail-in rebate. I have come to believe that there is a deliberate and systematic attempt on the part of HP to frustrate the rebate redemption process by making the process as difficult and convoluted as possible and then by denying legitimate claims that are submitted correctly and are complete.
I believe these tactics fraudulently induce a substantial number (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of consumers to purchase HP’s products by offering attractive discounts, with HP knowing full well that most consumers will not be able to benefit from them as they are not able to fulfill the unreasonable requirements for obtaining the rebate, and even if they do their rebate applications will still be rejected.
The tactics I refer to include:
The requirement to return a copy of the original “invoice” along with a rebate application form. However, the product is shipped without an invoice and there is no mention made of the specific requirements and procedures for obtaining the rebate. I contacted HP shopping customer service several times regarding the rebate before I learned that I had to find and download the rebate application form myself from an obscure place on their web site. They referred me to HP shopping’s policy, available on their site’s rebate FAQs section, which specifically permits the use of an “HP transaction record”, which can be printed from their web site, to satisfy the invoice requirement for rebate submissions. However, they then reject rebate applications as incomplete when the “transaction record” is included as the proof of purchase.
There is a requirements to return the ORIGINAL UPC bar code for the product which is glued to the front of the shipping box with the paper perforated in such a way that any attempt to remove it would result in the destruction of the document – therefore the UPC must be carefully cut off the box. I would imagine that many consumers inadvertently destroy the document while attempting to remove it, not realizing that it is specifically designed NOT TO BE REMOVED. Additionally, I believe most consumers likely do not keep their boxes for weeks afterwards – which is exactly when they realize they need them having located the rebate request form. (HP explicitly notes on their site that they will not replace or accept rebates that are missing the UPC codes.)
The rebate claim form and accompanying documentation must be submitted within 45 days of the date of purchase. Although the product is often not actually received for several weeks from the “date of purchase” as it is made to order. Therefore the consumer could not submit the required documentation at time of purchase, which is when most people are aware of the rebate, as it requires receipt of the product. This strategy serves to further diminish the already small time window available for redemption and the likelihood that a consumer would again discover a rebate was available.
In my case, I submitted my rebate request, along with the required “transaction record” showing the invoice detail, to the HP rebate center by registered mail on January 21st, 2003. I received a rejection letter, dated March 3rd, 2003, along with the return of my rebate application and supporting documentation. The letter advised me that the rebate request was incomplete and could not be processed due to my failure to enclose an “invoice” for the purchase.
I have contacted a supervisor at the company and at their request have resubmitted the originally filed “transaction record”. They are unable to confirm that this will be acceptable or if they will even process my rebate request. I am filing a dispute with my credit card company and am prepared to pursue redress in small claims court should HP fail to satisfy their obligations under the rebate program.
It absolutely amazes me that these rebates are only available for consumers purchasing products through HP’s web site, HP already has in their possession all the information they require a consumer to submit in order to obtain the rebate. I can see no business reason for them to impose these requirements and therefore must conclude that this is a deliberate and calculated attempt to defraud their customers. "
"I have an HP Pavilion Desktop PC, model d4790y. I bought it in February of 2007 with a 3-year hourse call extended service plan. It stopped booting up a week ago, on October 12, 2008. I called HP technical support.
At first, they claimed it was no longer under warranty. I had the receipt handy for the extended service plan that I bought - along with the computer - directly from HP’s website, which showed it was covered until February of 2010. I read them the order number on the extended service plan receipt receipt along with all the other information on it. I also FAXed them a copy of that receipt after that first phone call. After reading them the information on my receipt, they tried to troubleshoot the machine, which took several hours.
After that first call, they couldn't determine whether it was the video card or one or more bad memory card slots. They wanted me to ship my computer to them, but I objected on the grounds that 1) According to them, I would lose all of my data, including all of the after-market programs that I had installed on my hard drive (backingup and re-installing is a pain), and 2) as I pointed out, I had paid for in-house repair. It turns out, the in-house repair is available when and if the phone techs have diagnosed the problem, since the tech who comes to the house "doesn't have the tools" for troubleshooting.
So much for in-house service. I asked if further trouble-shooting could be done to pinpoint the problem. They said a supervisor would phone me back later that day to do that. I received no call back. So, I phoned them back, and after several attempts and several more hours of my time (which is valuable to me, though obviously not to them), they finally located the problem as a bad video card. I thought this meant they would be sending a technician out to repair it, but no. Suddenly, after hours of tech support on the phone, they go back to telling me that my computer is no longer under warranty.
I give the all the information I gave them before (order number, item number, tracking number for the extended service plan, etc.), and also tell them that I FAXed the proof of purchase to them at the number they provided. They then offer to send me the part instead of sending a tech, and I could live with that – I can install a video card. But before they can send it, they have to verify my proof of purchase. How do they do that? They need me to FAX them my proof of purchase. I inform them that I had already done that. I was told to call back the next day.
I called back the next day and was told that they had received my FAX of the proof of purchase and they had updated my warranty information. I asked when I would get my part. They said I would get it soon, but they couldn’t tell me when. They advised me to call back the next day. I called back. I got referred to a website which displayed the status of my order. The status of my order said: unshipped. Marvelous help, that! So, I called back yet another time (by now, it is Thursday, and the problem started the previous Sunday). They finally gave me a FedEx tracking number for my order which was to arrive the next day.
I did not receive my part the next day. I looked up the tracking number, and it was for another person (hey – at least SOMEONE got their order from HP!). I called HP and explained the situation. After about an hour, I was transferred to the shipping department. My call was disconnected before anyone answered. The next day, I called again to check the status of my order. Again, after another hour on the phone with tech support (repeat of the day before), I was finally transferred to the shipping department. This time, I wasn't disconnected, but when I got there, I was told that HP was experiencing technical difficulties and they could give me no shipping or tracking or status information whatsoever. At this point, I started e-mailing customer support. I explained my problem. The reply that I received (it is now October 18, 2008) said,
“I would like to inform that the warranty information has not been updated so far, the records in our database indicate that the PC is not in warranty. Once the POP request is received, the warranty validity team will contact you further and they will update the warranty status of the PC.”
In response to this e-mail, I sent a reply explaining that I had already FAXed the proof of purchase. The second response said,
“I would like to inform that records in our database indicates the PC warranty is not updated as for now. We are experiencing some technical difficulties, I am unable to trace if shipment has been initiated or not. However, if the shipment is sent to you, then a cso number might be provided to you. If so , please get back with the cso number, so that we can trace if the shipment is initiated or not. If you have been provided a cso number, then you can track the shipment.If you wish to know the delivery status please visit the following HP web site and submit the appropriate CSO number and Zip/Postal code.” “http://www.hp.com/go/csostatus” “If you need any further help in this regard I request you contact our phone support team. Please visit the Web site listed below for a list of available phone numbers to contact HP.”
“NOTE: Out of warranty products do require a fee. “
“The above information should answer your query. If you need any further assistance or clarifications, please feel free to reply to this mail. We would be delighted to assist you further.”
“Sincerely, Gary HP Total Care”
Well, I replied again and attached to my reply a scanned copy of my original proof of purchase. I also reFAXed a copy of the proof of purchase. I received a reply which told me that their “Quality Customer Care Group” would be contacting me by phone in the next two days.
That’s where it is now, as of October 19, 2008. I paid $189.99 for the 3-year extended service plan, and so far, I have received nothing for it but a headache. "
You can keep the $100,000+ of Hewlett Packard equipment I (and the companies I have purchased for) have spent with you over the last fifteen years. Though we’ve been together a long time, it has come time to part ways. I feel like I am ending a long romantic relationship. We’ve been through a lot together but I still have a lot of good buying years left.
You see, you’re just not the person I met fifteen years ago. Back then you were attentive and accommodating. When I had a problem you’d work with me, as a team, and we’d both be happy at the end. Now, however, it has really become all about you and I feel like as the years have progressed you have just taken one liberty after another with me and now this relationship has become all about what I can give; and what you can take from me.
There are a lot of youngsters out there who have expressed an interest in trying to make something meaningful together and truth be known, I’ve really started to listen to what they’re saying while my faith in you has just continued to dwindle. I find myself in a sad place as I know that tomorrow you will just go out and find someone else to fill the void while I will be trying hard not just to find somebody to take your place but someone who’s truly worth everything I have to give; something that will last a lifetime. Though it comes at some great personal pain to end this relationship to which I have become so accustomed, the promise of a new, happier life is with someone special is just too great an opportunity to pass up.
So this is farewell. I am looking forward to a life without data loss, cheap and faulty components, and your deaf ear and cold shoulder to cry on. I really do wish you the best in life and will always look back fondly on the good times we had early on in our relationship. All I hope is that at some point you will see that in the end…
It’s not me…it’s you.
Yours truly,
CW [support case information removed for privacy] (backround below)
The past twelve months of my professional life have been characterized by continuous hardward failures, inadeduate support, and sub-standard products. It all began with a faulty RAID controller on a proliant server but in the end it is a $700 pavillion desktop that has me saying goodbye forever to Hewlett Packard.
In 15 years of being an IT buyer and a SERIOUS brand advocate for HP, I hve NEVER had this many problems with HP's products, support, and customer service. In twelve months I have experienced two major failures in my proliant servers, a bad hard drive in one laptop, the same issue in a netbook, and now a faulty SATA controller in a pavillion desktop. With each failure came the loss of priceless data and countless man hours worth of work.
For the first time in many years I had to call HP support today and I am appauled at what HP considers to be customer service these days. The inbound call center was located inIndiaand the support and escalation process with deplorable.
Now...I outsource to India as well and completely understand the economic benefit of $3/hr labor, however, are we really still learning that India and other countries are NOT the best place to centralize customer service operations?
My phone call began with Jeff (his assigned name I am sure) in regards to a disfunctional SATA controller installed on the Pegatron M2N78-LA montherboard. I was informed by Jeff that in order to disgnose (yes you read that right, DIAGNOSE!) the problem, I would have to pay $100 via credit card. I was less than enthusiastic about paying $100 to diagnose a what is obviously a hardware failure in the integrated SATA controller on the motherboard of this unit. Jeff informed me that my desktop computer was "Out of Warranty" and that he was unable to help without collecting th $100. I informed Jeff that I would not be forking over $100 so that he could tell me my SATA controller was bad. Jeff then basically told me I was SOL and without paying the fee, I wasn't going to make any progress with him. Jeff and I continued to go back and forth on the matter whilst he consistently reminded me "There is nothing free in this world" to which my response was "The computer wasnt free". After about 40 minutes of our back and forth banter about what I expect customer service to be and what HP is willing to provide "by policy", I asked to be escalated up in the process. Jeff informed me that his supervisor "Refused to speak to me" as it is against policy to do so under HP rules and guidelines. I fought Jeff for another twenty minutes about letting me speak to this Supervisor; who he named as "John" when Jeff figuratively threw up his hands and simply stopped responding to me. That's right, didn't hang up (because apparently that too is against HP policy) but instead, just let me talk to myself for ten minutes. At the end of those ten minutes Jeff's voice appears again and his only words are…
“Sir, I am transferring you to a supervisor now”.
I am placed on hold for just a moment and a new voice (self identified as Deeta) appears on the line. Deeta reiterates that because my computer is a few months out of warranty, I will have to provide the $100 necessary to diagnose my computer. I ask Deeta point blank…
“This computer is just over a year old and the on board SATA controller has gone bad. Is HP going to be willing to replace this component or am I going to be expected to pay for it?”.
Deeta’s response was this…
“If the on board SATA controller is bad, you will need to purchase a new motherboard at your own expense.”
So…For this $700 computer I need to pay $100 additional to have HP “Diagnose” the problem then another $300 for a new motherboard?
"Bought a standard box in August. Works fine. Decided to buy a better box (d5000t). Since this is real money (about $2500) I had a couple questions. I sent them via email.
very rapid response. Complete non-answer, followed by an attempt to sell me additional components that have nothing to do with my interest or the machine in question.
I hate to think what the after-sales support must be like! Time to go check out some other vendors...
"Worst Laptop I have Ever owned. Worst customer service. Refused to fix a known defect: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c01611512
Refused to fix because I am serving my country overseas and support is only available to those in the US. This defect caused the other hinge to break so now monitor will not support its own weight.
Additional problems include:
1) CMOS Battery has not operated since 6 months of owning the laptop. 2) Speakers Intermittent Functionality 3) Power Issues - Cannot power off the laptop unless the power cord is disconnected - if power cord is connected laptop will restart over and over again.
Now laptop has completely failed. Will attempt to boot to windows and go to a black screen.
Attempted to resolve the problem through Customer Service. Two E-mail ignored. 6 Phone calls hung up on or transferred to the wrong extension. I AM OVERSEAS I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO CALL HP EVERYDAY.
"Bought a Pavilion dv2000 from Office Depot and was very, very satisfied. I used it for work and play. It loaded The Sims 2 in less than three minutes (takes my desktop a long time). The recovery feature on my word processor helped me very often. I installed a trial of Kaspersky Anti-Virus, quite a few games, and ITunes. It still was an excellent notebook. However...as I attempted to put in a CD a month ago, my drive failed. Tried a few plebian techniques to no avail. I called tech support and got an American guy who was kind, helpful, and one of the best tech support people I've ever had to deal with. He went through two hours worth of options to help me try and fix the problem. When none worked, he entered my order for a replacement drive. This was 3-3-08. I was supposed to get it that Friday. It was delayed, which didn't bother me too much. My primary use of the drive was games. Everything else is stored on my jump drive. Supposed to get it the 7th. ...got a call saying it was delayed to the 21th. Very annoyed by then. Called HP to ask why and didn't get the nice Zach...I had to deal with five different offshore employees who asked me to repeat every other word and whom I had to ask to repeat themselves every other sentence. Never got to someone who could tell me why it was delayed. ...... the 21st, I was home all day. No Fed-Ex, no UPS, and no box in the mail. Checked my status to find it was delayed AGAIN to the 4th. Called to see why...no answer again, but a headache and six incompetents later, I realized that I will probably never buy another HP product. Which is too bad considering I have four kids to put through college, including an incoming freshman. I purchased Kaspersky and can't install it. I can't do anything that requires discs...which is quite a lot more than I ever realized. The laptop itself is flawless except for the drive and I use it more than my desktop. Tech support has really angered me, though. They've angered me more than the actual problem has. The offshore is useless. Random American tech support guy Zach was brilliant. Maybe they should get more like him. Maybe I'll get my drive Friday. "
"I placed a small order for about two-something dollars with HP -- The cheapest price I could find. My order was promptly processed within two days despite the fact that it was backordered.
The shipping, even for this small purchase, was free and HP contacted me through e-mail with a tracking number as soon as they could toward the the end.
I'm happy that HP takes me as a customer responsibly and proves to me that they do business with their customers in a timely manner."
This review was modified by Austin_K on August 11 2006 10:29:44 AM
"I have been having a tough time with the case managers. They never call back even though they promise to call literally in a couple of minutes. It's always us calling them back and even then it has been almost impossible to get to the case manager assigned to our case. 99% of the times some other case manager picks up, tries to reach out to the primary case manager , doesn't get a response , comes back to us and tell us that they can take a message and do absolutely do nothing beyond that. The case cannot be transferred to any manager other than the one we were assigned to in the beginning. Worst even, we can't even get to talk to higher authorities for escalations . This is the first time I've heard that we do not have any options for escalations. usually there's always a manager that we can talk to, with their e-mail address made available to us but not in this case. We're pretty much stuck with the case manager we are assigned to!!
Our problem is with a laptop we bought in Dec 2007 from HP's website. That laptop died within 10 days of it's purchase so we called HP technical support for assistance. In the meantime we also asked for instructions on returning the laptop for a refund . Technical support asked us to try out various things , none of which were helpful in repairing the laptop and finally directs us to contact HP Shopping for a refund . When we call HP Shopping we are told that it's beyond 21 days of purchasing the laptop so a refund is not possible and we are asked to contact a case manager . It's been a nightmare since then! the case manager never calls back. We kept calling all the time to ask for updates and even on those rare ocassions when we do get connected , we only got curt responses. All in all , this has been a sordid affair! "
"This company is too widespread and outsourced to know what in the world is going on. The right hand has no idea what the left hand is doing. They will tell you one thing, then the next person will contradict that and the supervisors are condescending and patronizing. A customer service representative should never berate and belittle a customer who has a legitimate complaint about the defective product they were sent. It is key to note that if you are sent a broken/damaged product that you purchased they will require you to return it and repurchase a new product (and disallow any discounts, sales or combination deals that were a part of your original order). This corporation needs to bring their business all back to the US and have stricter controls to ensure that customers are treated fairly and appropriately in the transaction. Be forewarned that the service and fine print can be deceptive and almost make the excellent computer products not worth the hassle. "
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posted Oct-19-2008 
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![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"I have an HP Pavilion Desktop PC, model d4790y. I bought it in February of 2007 with a 3-year hourse call extended service plan. It stopped booting up a week ago, on October 12, 2008. I called HP technical support. <br><br>At first, they claimed it was no longer under warranty. I had the receipt handy for the extended service plan that I bought - along with the computer - directly from HP\u2019s website, which showed it was covered until February of 2010. I read them the order number on the extended service plan receipt receipt along with all the other information on it. I also FAXed them a copy of that receipt after that first phone call. After reading them the information on my receipt, they tried to troubleshoot the machine, which took several hours. <br><br>After that first call, they couldn\u0027t determine whether it was the video card or one or more bad memory card slots. They wanted me to ship my computer to them, but I objected on the grounds that 1) According to them, I would lose all of my data, including all of the after-market programs that I had installed on my hard drive (backingup and re-installing is a pain), and 2) as I pointed out, I had paid for in-house repair. It turns out, the in-house repair is available when and if the phone techs have diagnosed the problem, since the tech who comes to the house \u0022doesn\u0027t have the tools\u0022 for troubleshooting. <br><br> So much for in-house service. I asked if further trouble-shooting could be done to pinpoint the problem. They said a supervisor would phone me back later that day to do that. I received no call back. So, I phoned them back, and after several attempts and several more hours of my time (which is valuable to me, though obviously not to them), they finally located the problem as a bad video card. I thought this meant they would be sending a technician out to repair it, but no. Suddenly, after hours of tech support on the phone, they go back to telling me that my computer is no longer under warranty. <br><br> I give the all the information I gave them before (order number, item number, tracking number for the extended service plan, etc.), and also tell them that I FAXed the proof of purchase to them at the number they provided. They then offer to send me the part instead of sending a tech, and I could live with that \u2013 I can install a video card. But before they can send it, they have to verify my proof of purchase. How do they do that? They need me to FAX them my proof of purchase. I inform them that I had already done that. I was told to call back the next day. <br><br>I called back the next day and was told that they had received my FAX of the proof of purchase and they had updated my warranty information. I asked when I would get my part. They said I would get it soon, but they couldn\u2019t tell me when. They advised me to call back the next day. I called back. I got referred to a website which displayed the status of my order. The status of my order said: unshipped. Marvelous help, that! So, I called back yet another time (by now, it is Thursday, and the problem started the previous Sunday). They finally gave me a FedEx tracking number for my order which was to arrive the next day.<br><br>I did not receive my part the next day. I looked up the tracking number, and it was for another person (hey \u2013 at least SOMEONE got their order from HP!). I called HP and explained the situation. After about an hour, I was transferred to the shipping department. My call was disconnected before anyone answered. The next day, I called again to check the status of my order. Again, after another hour on the phone with tech support (repeat of the day before), I was finally transferred to the shipping department. This time, I wasn\u0027t disconnected, but when I got there, I was told that HP was experiencing technical difficulties and they could give me no shipping or tracking or status information whatsoever. At this point, I started e-mailing customer support. I explained my problem. The reply that I received (it is now October 18, 2008) said, <br><br>\u201cI would like to inform that the warranty information has not been updated so far, the records in our database indicate that the PC is not in warranty. Once the POP request is received, the warranty validity team will contact you further and they will update the warranty status of the PC.\u201d<br><br>In response to this e-mail, I sent a reply explaining that I had already FAXed the proof of purchase. The second response said, <br><br>\u201cI would like to inform that records in our database indicates the PC warranty is not updated as for now. We are experiencing some technical difficulties, I am unable to trace if shipment has been initiated or not. However, if the shipment is sent to you, then a cso number might be provided to you. If so , please get back with the cso number, so that we can trace if the shipment is initiated or not. If you have been provided a cso number, then you can track the shipment.If you wish to know the delivery status please visit the following HP web site and submit the appropriate CSO number and Zip\/Postal code.\u201d<br>\u201chttp:\/\/www.hp.com\/go\/csostatus\u201d<br>\u201cIf you need any further help in this regard I request you contact our phone support team.<br>Please visit the Web site listed below for a list of available phone numbers to contact HP.\u201d<br><br>\u201cNOTE: Out of warranty products do require a fee. \u201c<br><br>\u201cThe above information should answer your query. If you need any further assistance or clarifications, please feel free to reply to this mail. We would be delighted to assist you further.\u201d<br><br>\u201cSincerely,<br>Gary<br>HP Total Care\u201d<br><br><br><br>Well, I replied again and attached to my reply a scanned copy of my original proof of purchase. I also reFAXed a copy of the proof of purchase. I received a reply which told me that their \u201cQuality Customer Care Group\u201d would be contacting me by phone in the next two days. <br><br><br>That\u2019s where it is now, as of October 19, 2008. I paid $189.99 for the 3-year extended service plan, and so far, I have received nothing for it but a headache. ","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/414088#comment414088","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"ProfJKM","rating":"1"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"Dear HP,<br><br>You can keep the $100,000+ of Hewlett Packard equipment I (and the companies I have purchased for) have spent with you over the last fifteen years. Though we\u2019ve been together a long time, it has come time to part ways. I feel like I am ending a long romantic relationship. We\u2019ve been through a lot together but I still have a lot of good buying years left.<br><br> <br><br>You see, you\u2019re just not the person I met fifteen years ago. Back then you were attentive and accommodating. When I had a problem you\u2019d work with me, as a team, and we\u2019d both be happy at the end. Now, however, it has really become all about you and I feel like as the years have progressed you have just taken one liberty after another with me and now this relationship has become all about what I can give; and what you can take from me.<br><br> <br><br>There are a lot of youngsters out there who have expressed an interest in trying to make something meaningful together and truth be known, I\u2019ve really started to listen to what they\u2019re saying while my faith in you has just continued to dwindle. I find myself in a sad place as I know that tomorrow you will just go out and find someone else to fill the void while I will be trying hard not just to find somebody to take your place but someone who\u2019s truly worth everything I have to give; something that will last a lifetime. Though it comes at some great personal pain to end this relationship to which I have become so accustomed, the promise of a new, happier life is with someone special is just too great an opportunity to pass up.<br><br> <br><br>So this is farewell. I am looking forward to a life without data loss, cheap and faulty components, and your deaf ear and cold shoulder to cry on. I really do wish you the best in life and will always look back fondly on the good times we had early on in our relationship. All I hope is that at some point you will see that in the end\u2026<br><br>It\u2019s not me\u2026it\u2019s you.<br><br>Yours truly,<br><br>CW<br>[support case information removed for privacy] (backround below)<br><br> <br><br>The past twelve months of my professional life have been characterized by continuous hardward failures, inadeduate support, and sub-standard products. It all began with a faulty RAID controller on a proliant server but in the end it is a $700 pavillion desktop that has me saying goodbye forever to Hewlett Packard.<br><br> <br><br>In 15 years of being an IT buyer and a SERIOUS brand advocate for HP, I hve NEVER had this many problems with HP\u0027s products, support, and customer service. In twelve months I have experienced two major failures in my proliant servers, a bad hard drive in one laptop, the same issue in a netbook, and now a faulty SATA controller in a pavillion desktop. With each failure came the loss of priceless data and countless man hours worth of work.<br><br> <br><br>For the first time in many years I had to call HP support today and I am appauled at what HP considers to be customer service these days. The inbound call center was located inIndiaand the support and escalation process with deplorable.<br><br>Now...I outsource to India as well and completely understand the economic benefit of $3\/hr labor, however, are we really still learning that India and other countries are NOT the best place to centralize customer service operations?<br><br>My phone call began with Jeff (his assigned name I am sure) in regards to a disfunctional SATA controller installed on the Pegatron M2N78-LA montherboard. I was informed by Jeff that in order to disgnose (yes you read that right, DIAGNOSE!) the problem, I would have to pay $100 via credit card. I was less than enthusiastic about paying $100 to diagnose a what is obviously a hardware failure in the integrated SATA controller on the motherboard of this unit. Jeff informed me that my desktop computer was \u0022Out of Warranty\u0022 and that he was unable to help without collecting th $100. I informed Jeff that I would not be forking over $100 so that he could tell me my SATA controller was bad. Jeff then basically told me I was SOL and without paying the fee, I wasn\u0027t going to make any progress with him. Jeff and I continued to go back and forth on the matter whilst he consistently reminded me \u0022There is nothing free in this world\u0022 to which my response was \u0022The computer wasnt free\u0022. After about 40 minutes of our back and forth banter about what I expect customer service to be and what HP is willing to provide \u0022by policy\u0022, I asked to be escalated up in the process. Jeff informed me that his supervisor \u0022Refused to speak to me\u0022 as it is against policy to do so under HP rules and guidelines. I fought Jeff for another twenty minutes about letting me speak to this Supervisor; who he named as \u0022John\u0022 when Jeff figuratively threw up his hands and simply stopped responding to me. That\u0027s right, didn\u0027t hang up (because apparently that too is against HP policy) but instead, just let me talk to myself for ten minutes. At the end of those ten minutes Jeff\u0027s voice appears again and his only words are\u2026<br><br>\u201cSir, I am transferring you to a supervisor now\u201d.<br><br>I am placed on hold for just a moment and a new voice (self identified as Deeta) appears on the line. Deeta reiterates that because my computer is a few months out of warranty, I will have to provide the $100 necessary to diagnose my computer. I ask Deeta point blank\u2026<br><br>\u201cThis computer is just over a year old and the on board SATA controller has gone bad. Is HP going to be willing to replace this component or am I going to be expected to pay for it?\u201d.<br><br>Deeta\u2019s response was this\u2026<br><br>\u201cIf the on board SATA controller is bad, you will need to purchase a new motherboard at your own expense.\u201d<br><br>So\u2026For this $700 computer I need to pay $100 additional to have HP \u201cDiagnose\u201d the problem then another $300 for a new motherboard?<br><br>I don\u2019t think so.","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/1480061#comment1480061","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"kscrow","rating":"1"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"Bought a standard box in August. Works fine. <br>Decided to buy a better box (d5000t). Since this is real money (about $2500) I had a couple questions. I sent them via email. <br><br>very rapid response. Complete non-answer, followed by an attempt to sell me additional components that have nothing to do with my interest or the machine in question. <br><br>I hate to think what the after-sales support must be like! Time to go check out some other vendors...<br><br>","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/413912#comment413912","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"Art55","rating":"1"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"Worst Laptop I have Ever owned. Worst customer service. Refused to fix a known defect:<br>http:\/\/h10025.www1.hp.com\/ewfrf\/wc\/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c01611512<br><br>Refused to fix because I am serving my country overseas and support is only available to those in the US. This defect caused the other hinge to break so now monitor will not support its own weight.<br><br>Additional problems include:<br><br>1) CMOS Battery has not operated since 6 months of owning the laptop.<br>2) Speakers Intermittent Functionality<br>3) Power Issues - Cannot power off the laptop unless the power cord is disconnected - if power cord is connected laptop will restart over and over again.<br><br>Now laptop has completely failed. Will attempt to boot to windows and go to a black screen.<br><br>Attempted to resolve the problem through Customer Service. Two E-mail ignored. 6 Phone calls hung up on or transferred to the wrong extension. I AM OVERSEAS I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO CALL HP EVERYDAY.<br><br>","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/462922#comment462922","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"theling2002","rating":"1"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"Bought a Pavilion dv2000 from Office Depot and was very, very satisfied. I used it for work and play. It loaded The Sims 2 in less than three minutes (takes my desktop a long time). The recovery feature on my word processor helped me very often. I installed a trial of Kaspersky Anti-Virus, quite a few games, and ITunes. It still was an excellent notebook. However...as I attempted to put in a CD a month ago, my drive failed. Tried a few plebian techniques to no avail. I called tech support and got an American guy who was kind, helpful, and one of the best tech support people I\u0027ve ever had to deal with. He went through two hours worth of options to help me try and fix the problem. When none worked, he entered my order for a replacement drive. This was 3-3-08. I was supposed to get it that Friday. It was delayed, which didn\u0027t bother me too much. My primary use of the drive was games. Everything else is stored on my jump drive. Supposed to get it the 7th. ...got a call saying it was delayed to the 21th. Very annoyed by then. Called HP to ask why and didn\u0027t get the nice Zach...I had to deal with five different offshore employees who asked me to repeat every other word and whom I had to ask to repeat themselves every other sentence. Never got to someone who could tell me why it was delayed. ...... the 21st, I was home all day. No Fed-Ex, no UPS, and no box in the mail. Checked my status to find it was delayed AGAIN to the 4th. Called to see why...no answer again, but a headache and six incompetents later, I realized that I will probably never buy another HP product. Which is too bad considering I have four kids to put through college, including an incoming freshman. I purchased Kaspersky and can\u0027t install it. I can\u0027t do anything that requires discs...which is quite a lot more than I ever realized. The laptop itself is flawless except for the drive and I use it more than my desktop. Tech support has really angered me, though. They\u0027ve angered me more than the actual problem has. The offshore is useless. Random American tech support guy Zach was brilliant. Maybe they should get more like him. Maybe I\u0027ll get my drive Friday. ","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/371409#comment371409","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"jthomas_ryan","rating":"1"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"Excellent quality and excellent customer service! I am very satisfied with my HP Pavilion dv9700 notebook and how nicely the ordering process went.","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/370395#comment370395","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"cdunn","rating":"5"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"I placed a small order for about two-something dollars with HP -- The cheapest price I could find. My order was promptly processed within two days despite the fact that it was backordered. <br><br>The shipping, even for this small purchase, was free and HP contacted me through e-mail with a tracking number as soon as they could toward the the end. <br><br>I\u0027m happy that HP takes me as a customer responsibly and proves to me that they do business with their customers in a timely manner.","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/270979#comment270979","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"Austin_K","rating":"5"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"I have been having a tough time with the case managers. They never call back even though they promise to call literally in a couple of minutes. It\u0027s always us calling them back and even then it has been almost impossible to get to the case manager assigned to our case. 99% of the times some other case manager picks up, tries to reach out to the primary case manager , doesn\u0027t get a response , comes back to us and tell us that they can take a message and do absolutely do nothing beyond that. The case cannot be transferred to any manager other than the one we were assigned to in the beginning. Worst even, we can\u0027t even get to talk to higher authorities for escalations . This is the first time I\u0027ve heard that we do not have any options for escalations. usually there\u0027s always a manager that we can talk to, with their e-mail address made available to us but not in this case. We\u0027re pretty much stuck with the case manager we are assigned to!! <br><br>Our problem is with a laptop we bought in Dec 2007 from HP\u0027s website. That laptop died within 10 days of it\u0027s purchase so we called HP technical support for assistance. In the meantime we also asked for instructions on returning the laptop for a refund . Technical support asked us to try out various things , none of which were helpful in repairing the laptop and finally directs us to contact HP Shopping for a refund . When we call HP Shopping we are told that it\u0027s beyond 21 days of purchasing the laptop so a refund is not possible and we are asked to contact a case manager . It\u0027s been a nightmare since then! the case manager never calls back. We kept calling all the time to ask for updates and even on those rare ocassions when we do get connected , we only got curt responses. All in all , this has been a sordid affair! <br>","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/360657#comment360657","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"cl_responses","rating":"1"}, "single");){kind=link}
![Share](javascript:share_rating({"review_body":"This company is too widespread and outsourced to know what in the world is going on. The right hand has no idea what the left hand is doing. They will tell you one thing, then the next person will contradict that and the supervisors are condescending and patronizing. A customer service representative should never berate and belittle a customer who has a legitimate complaint about the defective product they were sent. It is key to note that if you are sent a broken\/damaged product that you purchased they will require you to return it and repurchase a new product (and disallow any discounts, sales or combination deals that were a part of your original order). This corporation needs to bring their business all back to the US and have stricter controls to ensure that customers are treated fairly and appropriately in the transaction. Be forewarned that the service and fine print can be deceptive and almost make the excellent computer products not worth the hassle. ","link":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/Hewlett_Packard\/comment\/429883#comment429883","store_thumb":"http:\/\/www.resellerratings.com\/store\/thumbnail\/Hewlett_Packard.jpg","store_name":"Hewlett Packard","username":"sassysam3030","rating":"2"}, "single");){kind=link}
"MAIL IN REBATE WARNING:
This complaint is directed to the Attorney General for the State of Washington, The Attorney General for the State of California, The better business bureau of Cupertino, CA and The Federal Trade Commission of the United States.
I am writing regarding HP Shopping.com and their mail-in rebate program.
In December of 2002 I purchased an HP Pavilion ze4000 series note book PC from HP Shopping.com, the terms of purchase include a $100 mail-in rebate. I have come to believe that there is a deliberate and systematic attempt on the part of HP to frustrate the rebate redemption process by making the process as difficult and convoluted as possible and then by denying legitimate claims that are submitted correctly and are complete.
I believe these tactics fraudulently induce a substantial number (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of consumers to purchase HP’s products by offering attractive discounts, with HP knowing full well that most consumers will not be able to benefit from them as they are not able to fulfill the unreasonable requirements for obtaining the rebate, and even if they do their rebate applications will still be rejected.
The tactics I refer to include:
The requirement to return a copy of the original “invoice” along with a rebate application form. However, the product is shipped without an invoice and there is no mention made of the specific requirements and procedures for obtaining the rebate. I contacted HP shopping customer service several times regarding the rebate before I learned that I had to find and download the rebate application form myself from an obscure place on their web site. They referred me to HP shopping’s policy, available on their site’s rebate FAQs section, which specifically permits the use of an “HP transaction record”, which can be printed from their web site, to satisfy the invoice requirement for rebate submissions. However, they then reject rebate applications as incomplete when the “transaction record” is included as the proof of purchase.
There is a requirements to return the ORIGINAL UPC bar code for the product which is glued to the front of the shipping box with the paper perforated in such a way that any attempt to remove it would result in the destruction of the document – therefore the UPC must be carefully cut off the box. I would imagine that many consumers inadvertently destroy the document while attempting to remove it, not realizing that it is specifically designed NOT TO BE REMOVED. Additionally, I believe most consumers likely do not keep their boxes for weeks afterwards – which is exactly when they realize they need them having located the rebate request form. (HP explicitly notes on their site that they will not replace or accept rebates that are missing the UPC codes.)
The rebate claim form and accompanying documentation must be submitted within 45 days of the date of purchase. Although the product is often not actually received for several weeks from the “date of purchase” as it is made to order. Therefore the consumer could not submit the required documentation at time of purchase, which is when most people are aware of the rebate, as it requires receipt of the product. This strategy serves to further diminish the already small time window available for redemption and the likelihood that a consumer would again discover a rebate was available.
In my case, I submitted my rebate request, along with the required “transaction record” showing the invoice detail, to the HP rebate center by registered mail on January 21st, 2003. I received a rejection letter, dated March 3rd, 2003, along with the return of my rebate application and supporting documentation. The letter advised me that the rebate request was incomplete and could not be processed due to my failure to enclose an “invoice” for the purchase.
I have contacted a supervisor at the company and at their request have resubmitted the originally filed “transaction record”. They are unable to confirm that this will be acceptable or if they will even process my rebate request. I am filing a dispute with my credit card company and am prepared to pursue redress in small claims court should HP fail to satisfy their obligations under the rebate program.
It absolutely amazes me that these rebates are only available for consumers purchasing products through HP’s web site, HP already has in their possession all the information they require a consumer to submit in order to obtain the rebate. I can see no business reason for them to impose these requirements and therefore must conclude that this is a deliberate and calculated attempt to defraud their customers.
"