Six Secret Ways to Get a Great Deal from Dell
© 2004 Reprint by permission only. All rights reserved.
by Matt Hyatt

Who doesn’t love getting a great deal? Especially if it’s a deal not everyone knows about. C’mon, admit it! Getting a great deal feels even better when you use “secret” negotiating tactics to pull it off. I should know. I’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars with Dell over the years, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to hone my negotiating skills. Here are six of the best secret ways I’ve found to get a great deal from Dell.

Secret Tip #6: Subscribe to the email catalog. Dell is a marketing machine. They like nothing better than to send their marketing materials out via email, since this lets them quickly and affordably spread the word when they want to move certain products out the door fast. The email catalogs usually arrive at a rate of one or two per month and often contain generous savings that aren’t available to non-subscribers, making this secret tip one of the easiest ways to save money at Dell.

Secret Tip #5: Consider purchasing from the Dell Outlet, where items are often sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars less than comparable new products. Outlet items may have been refurbished or may have slight cosmetic blemishes, but often these products have simply been opened and therefore can’t be sold as new. Whatever the case, Dell tests and warrants all items sold in this manner, making an Outlet purchase at least as safe as buying new.

Secret Tip #4: Search the Internet for coupon numbers. Sometimes special prices are advertised on a limited basis in certain publications or markets. By requiring buyers to use the coupon numbers listed in those advertisements, Dell can test their effectiveness. There’s no law against public use of coupon numbers, however. If you can find one that works, you can generally use it. Try searching the Internet for “Dell coupon number” to see what’s available. Then test the code during the checkout process on Dell’s website. If you’re lucky, you may find a number that unlocks special savings from Dell.

Secret Tip #3: Call in person rather than ordering online. Let’s face it – people are infinitely more receptive to negotiating than computers will ever be. By ordering online, you’re eliminating the possibility of getting a special bargain from a friendly human. The best approach is to “build” your order online, arm yourself with a competitive price or two from other vendors, then call Dell and make your case to a salesperson. Sometimes you don’t even need a competitive price. You may be able to negotiate a better deal by citing real reasons you might consider buying from another company. By being pleasant and candid about your concerns, you can often shave an extra two percent or more from your purchase price.

Secret Tip #2: If you’re in the market for more than one item, you can often negotiate significant discounts by bundling the items together into a single purchase. This is particularly true if most of the items carry the Dell logo, such as computers, printers, PDAs, etc. Soon after Dell introduced their line of network switches, for example, phone representatives were often willing to reduce the price of a new computer by at least the price of a bundled switch – effectively throwing in the switch for free! To this day, substantial discounts on bundled items are usually available for the asking.

Secret Tip #1: Buy at the end of a fiscal accounting quarter. Dell pushes hard to drive sales up each quarter, motivating their salespeople and managers to close sales at a blinding rate near the end of each accounting period. During these times, I’ve seen Dell representatives knock as much as twenty percent off a bundled purchase of several items. The end of the next quarter, by the way, is near the last part of July, 2004.

I’ve saved thousands of dollars using these tactics with Dell and other vendors. Sometimes a combination works best. Try ordering several Dell items over the phone near the end of a fiscal quarter, for example, and you may be able to negotiate savings beyond your expectations. Whether you save $50 or $500, though, you’re sure to enjoy the satisfaction that comes with your newfound “secret” negotiating prowess.

Matt Hyatt is founder of Rocket IT, an IT consulting firm near Atlanta, Georgia. For technology help with your business, contact Rocket IT at 770-441-2520 or visit online at www.rocketit.com.

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