OK, this isn't EXACTLY related, but I just find it too ironic not to bring it up here (and to compliment Dell). This is a short story comparing Dell and Airborne Express on one hand with TigerDirect and UPS on the other hand.
This morning I'm on the telephone trying to straighten out a lost order from TigerDirect. (I know.I know.) I wanted to order a Sony Clie 415 PDA. TigerDirect hadthe Sony refurbished for way less than anyone else. After about about a week of trying to order on line, I was able to get a hold of a sales rep with a complete brain and was able to cancel all five screwed up orders and complete one good order. It shipped on Nov. 13, but of course it took another week to figure that out, since I never received a tracking number.
So after about twenty minutes on hold this morning, I finally get a tracking number and check with UPS. Yep! Shipped from Illinois on Nov. 13, 2002 and due to arrive in Maryland on Nov 18th. So I call UPS and ask what's up. Oops! The package is sitting in Provo Utah and was scanned on the 20th. It is due to go out today or tomorrow (ground) and I should get it by the 27th. "Can we help you with anything else?"
Knock! Knock! Knock! I politely tell the UPS person thanks for nothing and hang up to answer the door as she was saying, "...and thank you for shipping with UPS." It's Airborne Express at the door with my 17in LCD that I ordered from Dell yesterday afternoon at 2:00.
Man! What a difference!