I was on Dell’s website today (and yesterday in fact) looking at an Inspiron 560s.  Dell’s website has 4 different “systems” with various options, bells, whistles, etc.

Here’s the current link:  –> Inspiron 560s

After going online to try and “Personalize” a system I noticed the website intentionally steering me to a model with a higher base price just to get the video card I wanted (it was $100 dollars more).  According to the “Tech Specs” all those systems are basically the SAME!  The case and the motherboard in all Inspiron 560s systems are the exact same, they then layer various types of processors, memory and hard drives on top of the foundation.  Nothing new right?

Here’s the old bait and switch:

What I’ve discovered is Dell tricking the unknowing consumer to pay more than they need to by NOT offering the same options for a “lesser” model thus, to get the add on video card (NVIDIA GeForce® G310 512MB DDR3) you are forced to buy the more expensive model.  You DON’T need to buy the more expensive model because the NVIDIA card will in fact go into the less expensive model but who’d know that if you’re just some non-nerd shopping for a computer?

As a side note, Dell has begun saying “This quote is only good for today” and they’re no longer honoring the typical 30 day quote time.  This too is a typical high pressure sales tactic used to pressure consumers into pulling the trigger early.  It’s subtle but effective!

Dell – your bait and switch practices are shameful!  So are your subtle high pressure sales tactics!  Are you owned by ABC Warehouse another infamous bait and switching company with high pressure sales tactics (Read more here –> Link)?