Dell Proves a Bit Gun-Shy

Wired ^ | Feb. 28, 2002 | Declan McCullagh

[the]

WASHINGTON -- Dell Computers is under fire from gun aficionados after it refused to sell a laptop to a handgun maker.

The flap began when Jack Weigand, the president of the American Pistolsmiths Guild, ordered a Dell Inspiron 4100 notebook on Feb. 13, with a promised delivery date of Feb. 21. When the date came and went, Weigand phoned Dell to find out what the problem was.

[onehipdad]

Sorry to hear that MM, but being the Quality dude for my company, I would certainly want to hear all about your problems if I worked for Dell - root cause and corrective action is definitely in order or as you say, it just continues. Surveys continuously show that the highest customer complaints are not for pricing, not for poor quality, not for poor service - the main reason people quit a company and shop elsewhere is simple indifference on the part of the supplier.

[MississippiMan]

Agree. Indifference is offensive and a business killer. I do still shop there every now and then; from time to time Dell will run some killer specials that I dare not pass up. A few months ago I found a deal on their site for a very nicely equipped little sans-monitor system for under $300, complete with OS and 3-year warranty. I ordered three of 'em. It shortly came to light that it was a pricing error. I was pleasantly surprised when they honored the deal anyway and shipped the systems.

MM

[HiJinx]

Have y'all seen this other thread about Dell?
Where we find out that there is a persistent bias against gun-owners? A short excerpt:
"Fellows, as I mentioned, here is more evidence of Dell's anti-gun policies. It appears to run deeper than just the isolated mistake of one individual salesman in the Jack Weigand case. This one ain't just Pennsylvania, Dell is messing with Texas now!"
TSRA is currently trying to arrange a meeting with Dell's management to determine the depth of this policy.

[MississippiMan]

I just looked at the thread and I don't believe that. I'm an NRA member and they don't have a problem taking my money. Sounds like a bunch of hooey to me.

MM

[abner]

I was very close to buying another Dell two days ago. I saw this story here on FR and shopped some other systems. I thought that Michael Dell's letter sounded like a runaround.

Today I bought a Sony Vaio.

[philman_36]

"Dude, you're catching Hell!"

[blau993]

Good. Keep us informed.

[HiJinx]

No prob, I'll keep my eyes on this one.
I agree, this kind of thing sounds...'too good (bad) to be true.'
OTOH, if it is, then Dell is being two-faced, big time, and expecting us to be igner'nt.

[Nitro]

Good move!!

[Don Joe]

"Sorry, but Dell's not coming over to suck your boots, Don."

That's OK. As long as you continue to suck theirs, we'll all be happy.

[Don Joe]

Remember, "Steven" is a fictional character played by an actor (a very good one, in my opinion).

Whatever. If you'd seen his Cavuto interview, and heard him lisp out something like, "um, I'm not 'thingle'" when Cavuto asked him if his newfound popularity helped him meet women, you might temper your praise a tad.

Then again, maybe not.

[Don Joe]

How curious that no one has replied to this post.

[Don Joe]

"Unless you're doing something illegal, yes, you're in like Flynn."

Really?

So you're saying that "Hoosier Patriot" fabricated the statement that says, "Otherwise are considered offensive or inappropriate at Dell's discretion"?

Either you're right, and the only consideraton is legality, and we're forced to conclude that the above statement does not really exist, or, you're wrong, and it does exist.

And if it does in fact exist, it would seem to me to indicate that Dell considers HCI to be neither offensive nor inappropriate. N'est ce pas?

[MississippiMan]

Whatever, Don. The point is that Dell does not even look at sites when setting them up as affiliates, thus the logic that they "support" HCI because HCI has a Dell link is wrong and reflects a total lack of understanding of how this aspect of the online world works.

Have a great day.

MM