Complain about a product or service

Gateway Service

William of Spring, TX November 4, 2009

I had purchased a Gateway Computer from Best Buy on 11/28/2008. In the past year I have had the computer repaird several times (4x as of now). For the repairs I have brought the computer back to Best Buy (repairs are done through Geek Squad. Best Buy has informed me that Geek Squad is an authorized repair center for Gateway) on 4/23/2009 they replaced the motherboard. on 8/1/2009 they replaced a keyboard cover, hard drive, 2GB RAM stick. on 8/26/2009 they replaced the motherboard, middle cover, & battery. on 10/16/2009 they replaced the motherboard and optical drive.

The motherboard keeps going bad which appears to be causing other issues to malfunction. Geek Squad has continued to replace the motherboard and return the computer to me. I asked Geek Squad about replacing the computer with a more dependable one and they informed that Gateway would have to make the decision. I contacted Gateway and they told me that they could not do anything because the computer had not been sent to Gateway. They told me that "Gateway" techs are more knowledgable in the repairs of Gateway products then the place that Best Buy uses. They explained that in order for them to do anything that they "Gateway" would have to have seen the computer at least twice.

Gateway asked if the computer is currently malfunctioning and I explained that it is not because it had just repaired by Geek Squad, but the history of the computer shows that there is deffinitly a potential problem with it. Gateway told me that I would have to wait for the computer to malfunction again and that I would need to send it directly to Gateway when it does. Again it was reiteratesd to me that Geek Squad is not Gateway and therfor Gateway could not honor the reopairs done by Geek Squad.

Gateway had also explained again that in order for them to scrap out the computer they would have to see it at leasty twice for the same repairs. I explained that my warranty expires in just over 1 month and that repaiors usually take 3 - 4 weeks. The warranty would expire in just over a month and by the time they see the computer twice my warranty would have expired and then Gateway could tell me that there is nothing they could do about it because the warranty is expired.

I contacted Best Buy (Geek Squad) again and they confirmed that they are an authorized Gateway repair facility and that Gateway knows about the repairs because Gateway paid for the repairs each time the computer had been sent for repairs.

My complaint is that there is obviously something wrong with this computer. I has been repaired 4 times and has proven to not be a dependable computer. My 1 year factory warranty expires on 11/28/2009, and when the computer malfunctions after that I will be responsable for the 199.99 Plus shipping and handling for the repairs (as long as parts are available). I had express this concern to Gateway customer service and they told me there is nothing they can do about this issue because they "Gateway" have not had the computer in there posession.

When I asked Gateway for the number to their corporate office they told me they do not have that information available. they then instructed me to look up the corporate office online and I would be able to get the address. When I looked it up online I found the address but not the phone number. If I send a letter of complaint regarding my concern I will not have any way of knowing if they receive the letter. If i do know that they received the letter I would not be able to contact anyone to confirm is if the matter is being looked into or if the letter gets thrown out in the trash.

(I do have a online conversation that I had with Gateway saved. I can send a copy of this conversation if requested)

Melanie of Tuscumbia, AL October 16, 2009

I had a gateway M-1626 laptop that was 13 months old, its cost 999.00. I went and called 1-800-229-1103 for tech help. It cost 199.00 and i was on the phone with a tech that told me what to do and when i did the computer stop working.. and he hurried and told me it was my hardrive, I want them to replace this computer that there tech crashed by lack of knowledge. the issue no# was 1544891. When i called customer service they said there was no such number. I will be happy to give further information if need.

John of Fairfield, PA October 15, 2009

I purchased a Gateway FX540 in April 2008. Withing a few days of owning the computer the first problem happened with the power supply going bad. Had to wait days for a tech to come to the house and fix it. But I understand things can happen. Within a few months my computer kept getting a blue screen and then would not boot.

Called Gateway and did everything they said to do and nothing worked so I had to pay to send my computer to them for repairs. Got the computer back weeks later and was told they had to replace the hard drive. Now again I had to send out the computer for hard drive issues.

This is the worse computer I have ever owned and very unreliable. I spent over 2000 dollars for this machine that has been broken down more times than I can count. I have the extended warranty and still feel as if gateway could care less in taking care of a customers issues with there machine.

They refuse to give me a refund and as I type this my computer has been at their repair facility for almost 2 weeks now and I have still not heard from them regarding what the problem is and when I'll get my machine back. System Information: Serial Number : 1102100585. Description : GATEWAY FX SERIES. Warranty End Date : 04/18/2011 00:00:00

As most families do we rely on our computer to do everything like banking, paying bills and so forth. And now for the 3rd time in just over a year I am without the computer I paid thousands of dollars for. I demand a refund.

Brenda of Manitowoc, WI October 11, 2009

I ordered a Gateway Desktop computer from either HSN or QVC and received it approximately a year ago (September or October of 2008). I didn't set it up until June 2009. I had problems with it since the beginning; it would crash if it wasn't in use for about a 1/2 hour(every time i used it). I didn't call their technical support about it until mid to the end of July (because of a family emergency). When I did start to call it would be a couple of times a week; sometimes daily). They would have me do different things to get it back to where I could use it. Then I started to complain that I'm doing the same thing all of the time and I know how to get it back up and running, but the bottom line was that this should not be happening with a new computer.

Finally they had me send it in at my expense. Supposedly it was fixed but when I received it back the end of August of this year, the same thing happened...it still crashes...every time I leave it on for any length of time. I tried calling the technical support phone number several times the day after I received it back and I couldn't get through. I would just receive a message that I should go online and email my concern to their customer service. At that point I used my cell phone to call instead of my landline...and guess what? I got through. However, they just put me through the same steps to get the computer back up after it crashes. I've done those steps so many times I could do them in my sleep. The point is, this should not be happening with a new computer. I don't have the time or energy to keep calling to complain. Besides that, now they have my cell phone number so I probably won't get through using that phone either. I am very upset. I did receive a letter with my computer when it was returned stating that 'All repair work is covered under our standard 90 day parts and labor warranty". It was dated 08/21/09.

Carol of Laguna Niguel, CA October 10, 2009

I have had a Gateway Computer for almost 4 years, never called Customer Service before. My hard disk crashed and I needed a Recovery Disc. I contacted Gateway. You can not get to their order form for Recovery Disc unless you give your SN. My SN was not accepted because it wasn't 22 characters. Gateway's site does not provide any telephone numbers or direct email addresses. You have to fill out a form on their site and hope someone gets back to you. That never happens, a human contact I mean. You get auto responses or bot replies. No matter how many times you try to tell them of your problem, you get these boilerplate responses. When finally you get so tired of this you search for a phone numeber, you end up in India with someone who doesn't understand what you are trying to tell them, I was told to call Microsoft!!!!! The last email response I got was the same as the first email response I got. I will NEVER purchase a Gateway again and I still have no recovery disc.

Tessa of Owings Mills, MD October 9, 2009

I called the repair center at the number listed above to get information on how to file a compliant for the Gateway M-2626U laptop PC that I purchased via HSN in 12/2008. I explained to the rep that I have sent this laptop to the repair center twice, 03/2009 and 09/2009 in which the hard drive had to be replaced and the mainboard. I just received my laptop back in mid September 2009 and now the battery does not hold a charge and the computer does not shut down. I shut my computer down at night and the next day the computer is still in log off mode. Also I charge my computer all day and when I disconnect the charger, the battery is not charge and the computer shuts off. The rep offered to replace the battery. The computer is still under warranty until 12/2009 but I have spent 80 to send this laptop to be repaired twice. I am spending extra money sending this laptop to be repaired instead of reaping the benefits of the purchase.

Giovanni of State College, PA September 28, 2009

I bought a Gateway P-7811FX Gaming laptop in August 2008. I started experiencing system hang-ups while playing video games not very long after. I sent the laptop in for tech support four times. They even replaced the motherboard once but I am experiencing the same issues now. I filed a BBB complaint and Gateway contacted me but eventually they said they couldn't find any hardware failure and there was nothing they could do.

william of prescott, AZ September 17, 2009

my daughter purchased a gateway m2404u laptop computer through hsn, recently after attempting to connect a printer to the computer she found out that the computer will not work with any known brand of printr on the market, all of these printers work on other printers. after contacting gateway and spending over three hundred dollars on gateway tech support it was decided that they couldnt fix the problem on the phone and on line so they wanted the computer sent to texas for repair,

while it was there they eplaced the mother or main board and returned the computer to my daughter, she soon found out that the computer was in the same state as when it was sent to gateway, no printer operation. for this gateway charged her two hundred dollars for something that was supposed to be still under warrenty, hsn where she got the computer says that it is gateways responsibility to honor the warrenty and will do nothing in the matter.

since the return of the nonworking computer my daughter has spent nearly a month trying to get gateway to honor the warrenty and replace the computer as they obviously dont know what the proplem is with it. gateway has for thier part passed muy daughter of from one service tech to another, sort of sounds like they are trtying to run the warrenty time out, it ends the first of october,

one thech trold my daughter that he felt that they, gateway owed her a new computer, however the senior tech at gateway today told my daughter that they were done with this deal, live with what you got we are going to do nothing more on this, this was an eight hundred and fifty dollar purchase and is at the moment still in warrenty

gateway is obligated to rectify this problem but refuses to do so. we have exhausted all avenues of discourse with them, our only recouse left is an official complaint. eight hundred fifty dollaras for computer, three hundred dollars for gateway tech support that didnt work, two hundred dollars for a new mainboard at the repair facility and it didnt work, over two hundred dollars in phone bills th the service techs at gateway, and last but nut least my daughter is nearly a nervous wreck trying to atttend her college clases and resolve this mess

Tricia of Troy, NY September 15, 2009

My husband purchased me a gateway computer on 10-15-2008. Within 30 days of owning the system, the monitor coloring was all messed up then, the hard drive fried. I tried to take it back to the POP Best Buy who informed me it was over 15 days so all that could be done was to have it sent out for repair which could take up to a 4-6 week period for each piece. I was not happy in the least as no one wanted to stand behind this product whether it was the store that carried the products of the manufacturer. I took the system home talked to my husband told him what they said and set the computer aside as some family medical issues arose, figureing they where not going to do much anyway.

When I did take the system in for repair I was told after the full 6 weeks that it was a manufacturer defect with the hard drive and that i had to get recovery disk....taken aback by this I asked why it took 6 weeks to figure that out & why if the system had just been with Gateway to be repaired........ was it not repaired at that time as IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY USAGE and was the companies defect. They said Gateway wants you to buy the disks to recover it....Ummmm buy disks? Why do I need to buy disks as THIS WAS NO FAULT OF MINE...? Apparently for those of you who do not know Gateway will not release the disks to companies that carry their product as they are afraid they will make copies and basiclly steal the 22.00 disks from the multi billion dollar company.

So again I leave the store without my computer, go home tell my husband. He tells me to call GATEWAY and ask them to send the disks. After being run around on the phone with GATEWAYS automated service then bounced between MULITPLE OPERATORS telling me i am connected to the wrong department, i finally reach a lovely gentlemen (who's no offense intented) but spoke very poor english and could not be understood, told us that we had to have BEST BUY call them to request the disks or we have to purchase them. Hmmmmmmmmm well if we didn't break the computer and it was not our fault why should we have to purchase something to repair your defect. Apparently those where our only options.

So we called Best Buy and informed them. They said GATEWAY WOULD NOT RELEASE THE SOFTWARE TO THEM. OK so if you haven't noticed we are running in a vicious circle her with neither company wanting to take responsibility, apparently Gateway thinks it was my fault my husband picked a defective computer off the shelf. So please bare in mind we are at almost 4 months into the proccess of trying to get this repaired. So now we are getting calls from BEST BUY TELLING US THEY WANT THE SYSTEM PICKED UP....HELLO ANYONE HOME I WANT IT FIXED FIRST!!!!!!!!! Ok at this point i tell my husband I am done he can deal with them. He calls the numbers supplied by Best Buy for GATEWAY again.. he get the same run around, wrong departments, transfers, then and swith another lovely hard to understand gentlemen with poor english....after a 45 minute runaround telling him they will not release the disks without the 22.00 fee because anyone who owns a computer knows you are somehow suppose to make recovery disks. Apparently we are in the 2% of the population who doewn't know.

Long and short of it after arguing we should not have to pay for disks as this was no fault of ours and reiterating MANUFACTURE DEFECT TO THE LOVELY GENTLEMEN my husband says he wants this over and gives him hs credit card information not once, not, twice, but has to repeat it 3 times. THe gentlemen informs my husband the disks will be here in 3-8 buisness days. We wait 3 weeks NO DISKS SHOW UP. So now agravated even more I call back get the usual automated run around then get the personal runaround of wrong department so forth and so on. I get another fine speaking gentlemen who informs me he has no record of the disks being shipped or the order.

At this point i will admit I am slightly furrious and demand a supervisor. He tries to offer me other options and i rather loudly repeatedly demand a supervisor. After 5 minutes of me repeatedly demanding a supervisor he transfers me. After several minutes on hold a "NICE" gentlemen named James get's on the phone and informs me that no order was placed for the disks! I said you have got to be kidding me, what do you think my husband was supplying his credit card number to the gentlemen we talked to 3 weeks ago for? I told him to check the conversation and the notes and explain why on god great green earthwe would hand over our credit card information for if not to purchase the disk, that first of all we should not have to buy. He repeated he has no record of the numbers. I told him if he did not have the record who & what where his emplyees doing with our credit card information. Did he think we just randomly call companies and give out our credit information to whoever happens to answer.

He kindly informed me "we have no proof we supplied the information as he has no record of it" I inturn said are you calling me & my husband a liar? his response was "you and your husband could very well possibly be liars" now this, THIS sent me over the edge. How dare he! This was suppose to be a supervisor to deal with complaints not insult & belittle customers. As the conversation went on with his condesending comments which i had informed him I repeat verbatum to my husband...he actually had the nerve to say "he was sure I would color the truth to my husband" at this point I had enough. I asked for his supervisor. DEMANDED a supervisor he told me there was no one higher than him and refused to give me any further information on who i could contact. I again told him there had to be someone above him he said NO and told me to have agood day and hung up. This to me is appauling and dispicable behavior for a company to condone. Still I have no computer, been given the run around and myself & husband insulted.

Nolan of Garland, TX September 8, 2009

I purchased a Gateway LX-4710 desktop and it died within 15 minutes of setting it up. There was a soft pop and the screen went black and no input was recognized. On booting, I get one beep and the blue power light pulses slowly on and off. It doesn't get far enough into the boot sequence to enable any of the input devices or the disk drive.

Since then, I have had 3 "Live Chats" with their service reps with no satisfaction. They have sent me URLs to access with a computer that I have repeatedly stated would not boot up. They have also sent me Restore CDs for a computer that won't run them. The reps are so intent on completing some checklist so that they can clear the call that they don't listen to what you are telling them. I know they are working a checklist because I get the same questions in all of my "chats" with them.

Since the last download didn't work (No surprise since my computer won't boot!), I'm trapped into a 4th call which I have no hopes for. I delayed opening the computer for over 30 days (setting up my new home office)so the retailer is under no obligation to help me. I paid over 500 for the computer which is half of my monthly Social Security income (my only income at this time). I cannot just walk away from this problem because I need a computer to hunt for employment.

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