Gateway Complaint - Paying For Gateways Mistake - FX8600

FX8600 - Complaint

Review by RippedOffByGateway on 2009-08-05

TEMPLE, TEXAS -- About 6 months ago I purchased a Gateway FX8600 computer from Best Buy. All has been well up to the point when the HDD was unrecognizable to the BIOS. Hence the computer won't boot and the HDD was deemed failed. Mildly unfortunate but the bad news was yet to come. I contacted Getaway and was told to send it to Texas for warranty service at my expense. My expense? Irritating although I understand as it is in their warranty as such. So a bit over $60.00 and the tower was boxed (according to very specific standards set by Gateway) and shipped to Gateway. So about two weeks later my computer shows up at my door. I open the box and discover Gateway didn't ship the tower back using the same stringent packaging guidelines and therefore my 6 month old computer now has dents on 3 of the 4 corners. Not to mention the sides are not locked in properly. I can only assume they are this way due to the corner impacts and twisting of the case. So I contact support and after 3 transfers and 1 hr I received the official answer as to how Gateway will handle the problem. I need to repacakge the product using the proper guidelines (AT MY EXPENSE) take it back to the shipper where they will then pay to ship it back to the repair facility. I will then receive it back in another couple weeks or so.

So, am I alone in thinking that since Gateway failed to ship it properly that they should pay to package it properly? I asked that they send me a box with a return label in it to keep me from have to spend more money and they refused, citing they have now way to ship an empty box to me. So iPod rescue can do it but Gateway cannot. Even when it is their screw up to begin with. I cannot stress how disappointed I am with Gateway and all of there levels of "service".

So off I go to the shipper to package and ship the unit properly. Then, letters to the Bureau of Electronics Repair, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Attorney Generals Office.