I learn that Alienware customers can and should demand discounts

October 4, 2004
When I checked out vendors on the web, the most common complaint about Alienware seemed to be their high prices.

I'm not fond of high prices, but I recognize the value of good equipment and good support, so the prices didn't scare me away.

But I expect prices that are presented as fixed to be reasonable and consistent.

I called Alienware to see if anything could be done about the ship date. I also mentioned the problem I had with the advertised-but-not-given free delivery.

To my astonishment, the Alienware sales representative immediately offered to reprice the system, bringing the price down by $539.28. This was not the result of aggressive bargaining on my part. I hadn't expected anything different from the price I paid (minus the shipping charge). The salesperson volunteered the idea that the prices of components might have dropped and that he could reprice the system.

This might sound like a small victory, getting a 10% discount that I hadn't even asked for. But I didn't order from Alienware to get a discount price. I ordered to get a fast, reliable, well-supported video processing machine.

The price break concerned me in terms of credibility. The problem is that it told me I didn't understand Alienware's pricing model. I'm used to consumer prices on the web being fixed prices. This told me that these prices -- widely reputed to be higher than normal -- were probably negotiable.

So, what's the "fair price" for the system I bought? What price is Alienware actually happy to sell it for?

If I wanted to have the experience of buying a used car, I could call the Better Business Bureau, find out who they don't like, and then go haggle with them. That's not what I thought I was getting into with this computer.

If you're a prospective Alienware customer, I want to suggest three lessons from this blog so far:

1. Even though there's no place on the website to negotiate price, it seems that their prices are negotiable. Certainly, if a system starts out overpriced, there's room to negotiate. So, if I decided to buy another computer from Alienware, I would get a quote on their website and then call to haggle.
   
2. The Federal Trade Commission 30-day rule gives consumers an absolute right to cancel an order that will be filled more than 30 days after it was made. This is not the 30-day-return policy that Alienware allows (with a 15% restocking fee). This is pre-delivery cancellation with a 100% refund.
3. Buy your computer from a different vendor.