Reader Tom noticed something weird as he was checking out Dell’s online store: Dell’s website can’t seem to get its facts straight and keeps spitting out different prices for the same computer. So Tom ran a test in which he accessed Dell’s website with two separate computers, using the same browser, login info, and navigation process. He checked the prices for Dell’s Vostro system on their Small Business Desktops Dell Deals page, as well as their Vostro page. As you can see, there were some anomalies.
Tom said he “tried to control all the variables: Same date/time, same browser, same external IP address, same Dell login, same navigation process (Dell.com>Small Business Desktops>Dell Deals) & (Dell.com>Small Business Desktops>Vostro), and exact same visible URLs.” Here are screenshots from the Dell Deals page: as you can see (with some squinting), there is a sizable difference between the dual-panel Vostro system. Computer 1:
Computer 2:
Next, Tom tried to check the price on the dedicated Vostro page. Again, the prices were different. Computer 1:
Computer 2:
Pretty bizarre. Do any of our helpful Dell-employed readers have an explanation for this?
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@PaigeAtDell: Wow, Paige. As much as I want to believe you, your test seems to be the exact opposite way to “make it easier for customers to find the best pricing on Vostro when they come to our website.”
Using this URL: dell.com
In both Firefox and Safari revealed different prices.
After getting to that page, I clicked the “Choose Vostro” button (the left hand side system). In FF, the first browser I tested, the starting price came up as $249. Without going further I then clicked the same button in Safari where I saw a starting price of $299.
I clicked to customize both and the first screen I saw is for customizing the processor. In FF (where the base price is $249) the dual-core E2160 can be added for $20. In Safari, the same processor can be added for $40.
The other interesting thing is that the two different browsers reveal different customization options. In FF, besides the default processor, I can choose between:
- Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2160 (1.80GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, 800FSB) [add $20]
- Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Proc E2180 (2.00GHz,1MB L2Cache,800FSB) [add $40]
- Intel® Core™2 Duo Proc E8200 (2.66GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1333FSB) [add $120]
In Safari, my options are:
- Intel® Celeron® Processor 440 (2.00GHz, 800FSB) [add $40]
- Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2160 (1.80GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, 800FSB) [add $50]
- Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Proc E2180 (2.00GHz,1MB L2Cache,800FSB) [add $100]
So, the E2180 can be added for $40 on the less expensive identical system, but you have to pay a hefty $100 on the more expensive system. What a ripoff.
I’m surprised this is actually legal. Not that Dell can’t change their price, but seeing different prices while viewing these virtually at the exact same time is just wrong.
This is really, well, uncool…
My old company used a piece of software specifically for this called “Offermatica”. It let you set up different campaigns based on arbitrary rules, or just randomly. They can have a different set of price lists and, it sounds like, didn’t bother to tie them to login names.
It’s one of those things companies love to do to determine what the best price is for maximizing revenue until they get caught, then everyone who was charged the higher prices gets pissed.
LOL, I decided to get the ‘inside’ story from one of Dell’s very own sales chat people! meet BE_Rep_Rhea A!
Copy Print Exit
4:30:54 PM System You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
4:30:55 PM System Connected with BE_Rep_Rhea_A
4:31:04 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Welcome to Dell’s Inspiron Sales Chat! I hope you are doing well and thank you for waiting. My name is Rhea and I’ll be your personal sales agent. How may I help you with your purchase today?
4:31:24 PM Nunya Biz hi – i’d like to know the meaning of this article please. [consumerist.com]
4:31:42 PM Nunya Biz why is this going on?
4:31:44 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Hi Nunya.
4:31:59 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A I am sorry but I cannot pull up the link that you provided.
4:32:04 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A What does it says on that web site?
4:32:07 PM Nunya Biz do you have web?
4:32:29 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A yes,but I am limited for Dell web site online.
4:33:04 PM Nunya Biz basically your website is spitting out random prices on your computers every few minutes or less
4:33:35 PM Nunya Biz so which prices are actually correct?
4:34:01 PM Nunya Biz the least expensive or the most expensive?
4:34:34 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Prices and promotions do actually change weekly.
4:34:44 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Promotions usually end on Wednesdays and change on Thursdays.
4:34:49 PM Nunya Biz no, they change minute to minute as the article describes
4:35:05 PM Nunya Biz not unlike many travel websites
4:35:30 PM Nunya Biz so how do I know at any given time the price I see is the correct price?
4:35:34 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Oh please be advised that it is not true.
4:35:39 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A It depends on the promotions.
4:35:47 PM Nunya Biz well you can’t read the article so how do you know it’s true?
4:35:59 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A it will be best that you get the system from Dell web site to make sure that you get the same price as recommended.
4:36:09 PM Nunya Biz that’s the website I’m talking about
4:36:44 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A It’s because we know the promotions offer at our web site.
4:36:53 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Please be reminded that promotions and prices change in a weekly basis.
4:37:14 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A But it depends on availability of the promotions as offer.
4:37:18 PM Nunya Biz specifically in this case [www.dell.com]
4:37:41 PM Nunya Biz no they change every few minutes as the article describes
4:38:05 PM Nunya Biz who is in charge of your website pricing please?
4:38:24 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A It will be best if you experience it not to relate with the article.
4:38:34 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A It will be our Marketing department.
4:38:49 PM Nunya Biz why would the article writer lie? he includes screenshots in the article to prove it.
4:39:13 PM Nunya Biz could i have the contact information not just a department name please?
4:39:14 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A I am sorry please double check the link that you provided.
4:39:27 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A It says “The page you requested may no longer exist on Dell.com “..
4:39:27 PM Nunya Biz the link to the article?
4:39:53 PM Nunya Biz Oh sorry, yes that is a very long link, but you can find it in the article on your manager’s computer if they are allowed internet
4:40:15 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A I am sorry but I do not have the direct number of our Marketing department. I am more than willing to assist you, however, Dell Customer Care will be able to best address your concern regarding the article.
4:40:15 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A You can contact them by going to http://www.DellCustomerCare.com or by calling 1-800-879-3355 ext. 7266966.
4:40:24 PM Nunya Biz or if you were bored tonight when you go home, you could look it up if you have dial up
4:40:45 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Yes, I will check on the link that you provided when I go home.
4:40:48 PM Nunya Biz do they have dial up internet service in India?
4:40:48 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Would there be anything else I may help you with asides from this concern, Nunya?
4:41:05 PM Nunya Biz Do you live near Bombay?
4:41:17 PM Nunya Biz or closer to sri lanka?
4:41:19 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A I am sorry I am currently in the US.
4:41:28 PM Nunya Biz oh which territory?
4:41:44 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A We do not have access on India web site of Dell.
4:42:01 PM Nunya Biz it’s the american site i’m referring to
4:42:14 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Yes, I understand your concern.
4:42:29 PM Nunya Biz okay well thanks for the phone number. if you aren’t allowed to know what’s going on on your own website maybe they will
4:42:44 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A however, we do not have a phone number or chat service available for India.
4:42:51 PM BE_Rep_Rhea_A Thank you for contacting Dell Sales Chat. We appreciate your business.
4:42:53 PM System BE_Rep_Rhea_A has left this session!
4:42:53 PM System The session has ended!
@PaigeAtDell: Paige, you may have an explanation for Tom’s specific case but inconsistent pricing is par for the course on Dell’s web site.
Since you work at Dell, let me add a bit of a rant here. I’ve owned 3 Dell laptops but my fourth one which I bought last summer was not a Dell. One of the reasons for this was precisely the insane and inconsistent pricing on Dell’s web site. I grew tired of having to price the same configuration in six different ways to be sure to find the best price I could get. I grew tired of Dell’s system of mutually exclusive rebates (e.g. they blast rebate A and rebate B in your face but both are not applicable together). I grew tired that every time I ordered something I felt like there was probably some way I could have gotten a better price if I had just clicked here instead of there or there instead of here or if the barometric presure had been different or if there had been more solar activity or some other obscure reason.
I decided to buy my current laptop somewhere where I felt they would give me a straight answer when I asked for pricing instead of BS’ing me.
@stacye: Following your links I see the Vostro 400 for $449 in both IE and FF (Also on Win XP).
I recently priced a computer for my parents through Dell.com. I checked Dell Home, Education, and SMB sites and got 9 different prices, three each. I found that even though I ended up on the same URL, the prices seemed to differ based on the referrer link.
But I’d rather buy into the sneaky MIT robot overlord project.
@costanza007: I think costanza is right.
Moreover, the user is looking at different URLs. Therefore you cannot assume the prices will be the same, especially since one is pretexted as “Dell deals” whereas the other is the plain Vostro site.
Invalid and incomplete analysis.
@Consumer007: You were pretty much a dick the way you talked to them.
Stop the insanity.
The SAME machine will appear with DIFFERENT PRICES. The browser isn’t the issue. Dell’s site is deliberately doing this. How many people have to say the same thing and ‘experiment’ with different browsers on this thread before it stops?
100 monkeys + 100 typewriters + 100 years = all the great works of Shakespeare? This thread (and the internet in general) proves this false.
I figured it out… It looks like the link from Dell.com -> Small Business Desktops ->Dell Deals; Vista Basic is the OS. On Dell.com -> Small Business Desktops -> Vostro; Windows XP Home is the OS. All else remains the same. Also, you have more options to choose from on the Dell Deals webpage. Weird. Not usual though… R~
@captbob:
Bose comes to mind.
I am telling you, Dell SUCKS. Do not buy a Dell. You will be sorry. They are cheap pieces of crap.
I have an even better one. Bring up the Dell site ( [www.dell.com] )in two tabs in FireFox. Using the “IE Tab” plugin, change one of the two tabs to identify itself to the Dell web servers as being IE. Now go through the customize process for a system, selecting the exact same options on both tabs.
Bingo! Different prices, using the SAME BROWSER, SAME IP, and virtually at the SAME TIME! Wild…
different prices, but are the products configured the same?
Doesn’t the weights and measures system come into this?
Amazon.com does the same thing. Has for years and it’s well documented. Put something in your cart, and watch the fun!