Complaint Review: Compaq

My husband and I purchased two Presario 1701c laptops. Theyve worked great ever since we got them. I called Compaq to buy some accessories (carrying cases, mobile adapters, zip drive, etc.) I made my purchase over the telephone and received an order number.

When I got off the phone my husband informed me he had already purchased the zip drive, so I didnt need to buy one, too. So, I called Compaq back and modified my order. Of course, I didnt talk to the first person Id talked to, it was someone else. He took off the zip drive and re-added my order and gave me the new total and a new order number.

When I heard the new total, I knew he was mistaken - hed added it up incorrectly. I told him so and asked him to read me what he had on my order. He did and he had forgotten to add in one of the items. He readjusted the order again, then gave me a new total (this time it was right), and gave me yet another order number. I had asked how soon I would receive my merchandise because we were leaving town and needed the items for the trip. He assured me, as had the first person who took the initial order, that I would receive the items in about 5 days. Well, the order never arrived and I had been checking it daily on-line.

I called and over a three day period talked to at least 12 different people. Everyone of them had a different story to tell. Some said it had already shipped and should be there the next day. Some said it should ship the next day and be there the day after. Some said it had never shipped. Some said it had never been ordered. Getting to the bottom of all of this was a nightmare. I asked to speak to a supervisor who specifically told me she had taken the order to the shipping carrier herself and it would be in my office the next day. Of course, it wasnt there. Why wasnt it there - because they never ordered it. When

I finally found that out, I called them back up and told them to cancel whatever order they had and NOT to bill my debit card because they didnt have my permission anymore. They told me they couldnt stop it once the order was placed, and I told them theyd better cancel it immediately and that if they went ahead and charged the order, I would sue them, if necessary. They said okay - they understood. I was so angry. I went ahead and bought the items elsewhere and we went on our trip two days late.

Two days after we returned from our trip, two packages from Compaq arrive at my office and yes, they billed my debit card. I was livid. I called the bank and disputed the charge, hoping they wouldnt run it through. However, they told me that until Compaq issues the credit for the merchandise, my bank still pays out that amount of money to Compaq, and I have that much less in my account.

I returned the merchandize to Compaq the very day I got it, at my own expense ($64.24 by Federal Express). Compaq wouldnt come get the boxes since they were less than 10 lbs a piece, and told me it would be my expense to get them back there.

I sent them back and they were received the next day. I got all the Federal Express tracking information on when it was received and who signed for the boxes. I then called Compaq back and asked when I would get the credit issued to my bank. They told me it would be sometime within 10-15 days. I told them I went to the expense of sending back merchandise they werent even supposed to send me, and I wanted my money back now. They just said Well, thats how the system works.

I waited a couple of days and watched to see if a credit went through at my bank - but to no avail. I called back to Compaq who says they issued a credit on 9/10/01 and thats that. I called my bank again - but even as of 9/14/01, no credit ever showed up from Compaq. My bank told me to have a manager at Compaq write them a letter on Compaq letterhead, showing the date the credit was issued, how much it was issued for, show my debit card number, and the original receipt of when they charged it, sign it and fax it to the Bank. All the Bank wants is proof they sent it, even though it wasnt received. I called back to Compaq - they refused to do it. They just kept saying over and over and over again - Well, I show we submitted the credit on 9/10/01, thats all I know.

I called the Compaq Corporate Offices in Houston and went through about a one hour description as to what had been happening, and told them all I needed was a fax proving theyd sent the credit - even the Corporate Offices said theyd rather wait til the credit shows up - they wouldnt fax it either.

I am still sitting here, minus $468.37, and I cant get any satisfaction from anyone. The laptops we bought are great, but Compaq doesnt have a clue how to service their customers. The people they have working for them, specifically in the Raleigh office, are absolute idiots. Half of them cant even speak English very well, and dont even know how to answer the simplest of questions. Hewlett Packard just merged with Compaq - God, I hope it gets better, not worse.