This is a sad story, and one I regret having to tell. But, as you will see, it is a story that needs telling as a warning to others.

I will tell you about:
· how I ordered a personal computer (PC) from Gateway,
· what was wrong with the "Confirmation of order" that arrived almost two weeks after the order was placed.
· how, after the PC was a week late, and with still no sign of it arriving, I cancelled it,
· how, over a week after cancelling it, it was delivered,
· how the price rose from £1322, to £1400 to £1471
· and how, two weeks after arriving and many phone calls, they finally managed to collected it,
· AND, much more importantly, when they do refund my money they keep £68.16.

Notes
Gateway, along with all other computer companies, talk about delivery, etc., in terms of "working days". In other words, FIVE working days are equal to a real week. All times given in this letter are in "working days", although I do use real calendar dates.

Email me if you've had similar trouble with Gateway (UK, USA, anywhere)

Extracts from my Gateway diary:

October 14 (Day 0): I order a PC from Gateway. I spoke to Dermot Farrell. He told me that delivery would be eight to ten working days, but that they were currently delivering within eight. The cost, including delivery and VAT would be £1332 (I've excluded the pennies so the figures are easier to follow). The specification was based on the G6-350SE, which had a base price of £799 (ex VAT) to which I added a Seagate 10/20gb TR5 tape backup unit (+£132), a 17" monitor (+£99), a 10gb hard drive (+£45) and a tower case (+£5).

Monday 26 October (Day 8) they told me delivery would possibly be the following Friday (working day 12).

Thursday 29 October (Day 11): I received a "Confirmation of Order" dated 27 October - it was wrong. The tape backup unit was now a Seagate 4/8gb TR4 (+£190) and the operating system would be Windows 95 (Their adverts only say about Windows 98 - I didn't want Windows 95). The total cost, on the "Confirmation of Order" was £1400. I rang to correct the order - I spoke to Amy. I also asked when it would be delivered. She said possibly next week.

Friday (Day 12) came and went.

Through the end of the week and over the weekend, I rang Gateway to enquire as to the whereabouts of my system. However, before identifying myself, I asked their current delivery time and was consistently told eight to ten working days.

Tuesday 3 November (Day 14) I rang Gateway and spoke to Ted. I asked when my system would be delivered. He said possibly by the end of the week. It was now three weeks since I placed the order. I decided that enough was enough and cancelled the order.

A WEEK PASSES

11 November (Day 20): Guess what? The PC I ordered from Gateway four weeks ago, and that I cancelled last week, (because it was over 50% late in estimated delivery, and they still couldn't say when it would arrive), well today it arrived. The only person in the house was our plumber who signed for the goods (how was he to know they should have been rejected?).
I was not happy. I eventually spoke to Hazel, in customer relations: they will collect it tomorrow AND give me my money back that they have incorrectly taken. She rang back about 7:30 with a returns number.

12 November (Day 21): Found out that Gateway has taken my money! No one came for the PC. Rang Gateway: I told the girl that I would hold their system until I got my money back and that I wanted someone to call me tomorrow so we could talk compensation for this whole incident.

Friday 13 November (Day 22): At 9:15 I rang Gateway. It was obvious that they were not going to ring me. I spoke to a man called Brian who claimed that he had just been trying to ring me. He said there was no chance of any compensation and that they wouldn't refund my money until they got their PC. He said that we (i.e. our plumber) should not have accepted the goods. How on earth could a plumber have known?
To cap it all, they have taken £1471 from my account. That's £139 more than the original order and £71 more than their confirmation!
He arranged for collection on Monday 16 November, between 6 and 8 in the evening.

17 November (Day 24): Before either Sue or I arrived home someone had tried to collect the PC. They even telephoned us to say they were waiting on the doorstep. That's really clever when we are not in. I got home, at 5:30. Someone else arrived at the door to collect the boxes - he had no identification and was not going to leave a receipt. I rang Gateway at 18:57 and spoke to Judith at sales reception, then to her supervisor. She told me not to let the boxes go without a receipt. I then spoke with Andy Kelly, who said he would arrange for the machine to be collected this Thursday.

18 November (Day 25): No word from Gateway. Sue spoke to Robin Spice (trading standards office). He said be sure to document everything, including photographs of the boxes at home.

19 November Thursday (Day 26): It still hasn't gone. Range Gateway at 20:45 and spoke to Suzanne. No Joy! I later spoke to Penny in Client Relations who claimed to have no record of Tuesday's conversation with Andy Kelly. Luckily I have a recording. She said she would arrange for it to be picked up tomorrow.

20 November (Day 27): Gateway should pick up the PC between 6:30 and 8:30 this evening - they didn't. Spoke to Ted (again - according to my notes, he was the one I gave the cancellation to). He will arrange for it to be picked up on Monday evening.

23 November : Monday (Day 28): Someone arrived for the boxes, but he couldn't give a receipt so I turned him away, much to Sue's annoyance. Rang Gateway - spoke to Richard Colville - he said will ring me tomorrow with a resolution of the position.

25 November : Wednesday (Day 30): Hooray - they've collected them and I've got my receipt - now all I need is my money back.

5 December : Saturday (Day 37½ - not one of their "working" days): Received a credit note from Gateway for £1402.95 - that is not enough by £68.16.

… and finally ..

My lasting impression of Gateway is that it is a company I will not do business with again, nor is it a company I would ever recommend to anyone.

It is a company that:
· makes delivery predictions that it knows it cannot keep,
· can't get specifications right,
· will attempt to force its goods onto ex-customers after they have cancelled,
· takes too much money from customers' credit cards,
· and when they do give it back, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.