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Ring the Bell - It's Dell

Dell Tops All Others Combined in Consumer Complaints

Dell Computers • Advertising • Credit Card Fraud • Dell Finance • "No-Interest" Offers • Rebates • Restocking Fee • Sales Practices • "Surprise" Loans Service • Customer Service • Tech Support • 30-Day Return Policy • Warranty • Extended Warranty Products • Laptops • Printers • Plasma TV Customers • Deployed Military • Small Business Customers • Dell Defenders --- News • Dell To Pay New York $4 Million In Fraud Charges Settlement • Dell Flubs Online Prices • Dell to Pay $3.3 Million to Resolve Deceptive Practice Claims • Judge Rules Dell Deceived Consumers • Dell Closes Sales Kiosks • Wal-Mart To Sell Dell Computers • New York Sues Dell on Consumer Fraud Charges • Dell Breaks Microsoft Stranglehold • Dell Settles Class Action Over Financing Practices • Dell Recalls Notebook Computer Batteries • Chinese Consumers Sue Dell • "Exploding" Dell Laptop Destroys Truck, Imperils Outsdoorsmen • Dell Denies It Knew of Overheating Battery Problem for Years • Dell Cuts Rebate Program Amid Complaints • Seeking Sizzle, Dell Goes Alien • Dell Sales & Earnings Down, Complaints Up • Computer Vendors Charge More For Less Service • Class Action Accuses Dell of Defrauding Customers --- Recalls • Dell Recalls Notebook Computer Batteries • Dell Recalls More Notebook AC Adapters • Dell Recalls Notebook Power Adapters Analysis • Dell Wins Complaint Derby • To Dell & Back • Dell Talks Back

March 2, 2005
We frequently hear from readers who aren't satisfied with the real-life stories they read in our pages. They want to see some hard numbers. One such skeptic is Rachel of Lexington MA, who wrote:

I am concerned that there appears to be no attempt to adjust for size of firm. Very large firms (e.g., Dell) with many customers may generate many complaints but still have only a small percentage of dissatisfied customers. It's the percentage that really matters, since that's the best predictor of the experience a reader may have. Readers may not be aware of this bias and just look at the number or frequency of complaints. Even if aware of the bias, they have no "overall size" number to use in judging whether the number of complaints is high or low.

OK, but we'd say the fallacy here is in assuming that those who complain to us and to similar sites are a representative sample. They very obviously are not and therefore anything numerical is of no more value than the anecdotal consumer complaints that we publish.

Obviously, not everyone will encounter the same problems as those who write to us, but it's worthwhile for consumers to see what could happen so that they can plan accordingly.

The Numbers

Last we heard, Dell was #1, with 17.9 percent of the world P.C. market in 2004 according to market-research firm IDC. It did considerably better in piling up complaints from our readers -- a whopping 633, or 58 percent of 1,087 computer complaints -- in the last 12 months.

Dell, up a full percentage point from the year before, is obviously doing something right. On the other hand, with 55% of the complaints it must also be doing something wrong.

However, the downside of direct marketing and low prices is minimal service. We'd suggest those who require hand-holding buy an Apple or an IBM from a local computer shop that provides personal support. Apple complaints have been rising but their machines are still the simplest for those who could care less about what goes on inside the box. IBM machines are targeted to business clients and priced accordingly.

There are so many different kinds of consumers using computers for so many different things that, interesting though these numbers may be, we don't think they're all that useful. We recommend browsing sites like ours, finding consumers who seem to mirror your general state of geekiness and taking their experiences to heart. If they had trouble with Dell or eMachine, maybe you will too.

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