Some questions about Lenovo shipping complaints

[dsvochak]

There seem to be a lot of complaints here about what is seen as an excessive amount of time for shipments from Lenovo to be received.

In another thread here, our host wrote:

"i am sad to report that i can't do older thinkpads any longer or ANY special order..
i might be able to suggest an alternative to lenovo direct, the obfuscation and tax kings, who can ship immediately.. but this all depends upon what one wants and what one might be willing to take, for faster delivery."

In the T Series forum, in response to the "You'd be nuts to order from Lenovo now" thread I wrote:

"Can anyone explain why, when our host Bill M has machines described as "in stock for immediately delivery" (which I know is true) and a place like PC Connection has literally hundreds (I quit counting at 200) of Thinkpads described as "in stock" so many people are buying direct and complaining about shipping?

Don't any of the "in stock" machines meet your needs? Is the direct price that much better?

Can anyone make a guess?"

I'm not currently in the market for a new machine, but I'm a little confused over the complaints. If you know going in that, when you buy direct, shipping will take sometime between 2 weeks and forever, why complain when it turns out to take sometime between 2 weeks and forever?

Are people buying direct because the "in stock" machines don't meet their needs?

Is the direct price that much better? (And I ask because for me it would have to be a whole lot better to make up for the shipping delay)

Or is it something else?

[jeffcrilly]

Here's the deal..

1) middle-men dont have a 30-day, no questions asked, return policy.
(afaict; maybe this was a rumor?)

2) No free extra battery, or discounts on some accys with PC order.

3) Rarely have I seen 1400x1050 thinkpads "in stock". Most look like
good deals, and they turn out to be XGA machines. In some cases,
they had stated they SXGA+, but then when I looked up the model
number to see what I was really getting, it turned out to be an XGA model.

jeff

[BillMorrow]

as a test i ordered a base and a 4 cell battery for my tablet over a month ago..
the battery arrived in a rather large carton in about 10 days and i have not heard any news about the base..
no base, no "sorry, on backorder", just nothing..

YMMV

[dsvochak]

The 30 day return policy doesn't do it for me. It's a thinkpad after all. Since it wouldn't be close to the first one I've bought, if there was someting wrong, it would be an exchange not a return. If you really need SXGA+, I can understand accepting delay in delivery. The free battery or parts discount are irrelevant to me.

The part I'm having a problem with is why complain about delays.

In 1979 I bought a new Honda Accord. I placed the order about 11/10. It was delivered 2/14/80. At that time, a 30 to 60 day wait for delivery was part of the deal. You didn't see people storming the Honda dealer over the wait.

So why are so many people upset about waiting for their special order thinkpad?

[GomJabbar]

In 1979 I bought a new Honda Accord. I placed the order about 11/10. It was delivered 2/14/80. At that time, a 30 to 60 day wait for delivery was part of the deal.

Interesting that you should bring that up.

Well, in 1978 (kinda giving away my age here) I was in the market for a new car. My decision was between the American made Ford Mustang, and the Italian made Fiat X1/9. I decided I would "Buy American". I ordered the Mustang through Nationwide Auto Brokers ($50 above dealer invoice). If I recall, it was supposed to take about 2 months for the manufacturer to build the car. Ended up taking about 4 months. When the Mustang was finally built, Ford had changed 5 items on my order, including the engine. THEN they wanted to charge me $1000 more for the changes.

I told them I would compromise. I would accept the car with the changes, but at the original price agreed upon. They said: "No". I said: "Refund me my money then". OK. Nationwide Auto Brokers refunded all my deposit but $125, which they said they were holding for storage costs until they disposed of the car. After several phone calls, I wrote them a letter. I told them that if I didn't get my $125 back by a certain date (about 3 weeks away), then on that same date I was filing a claim against them in small claims court, as well as lodging a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I quoted the contract in the letter which said that if the car was not built according to the specifications on the order, I was entitled to a Full Refund. The $125 arrived in my mailbox before my deadline.

Guess which model car I ended up buying.

[BillMorrow]

look, delivery delays are not new..

IBM or Lenovo, its all the same..
change the name but the same delays remain..

[MobileGuru]

...and with all the bird flu worries and the general disapproval of the US government on the IBM/LENOVO deal...I'm not surprised at all in the delays we are seeing.

MG.