Lenovo customer service

[NJC]

I am trying to purchase a laptop through Lenovo outlet in the USA ... caveat: I'm Canadian.

After assurances this would work from Sales and online chat, I changed my shipping and billing addresses to match in the USA. I've done this before for USA purchases.

But the transaction continues to fail. I phone again, and the abrupt fellow assures me I cannot use a Canadian credit card to purchase at Lenovo Outlet. I mention that the Sales staff DID say I could purchase USA products and have them shipped to Canada from Lenovo.com (instead of their Outlet). He also assures me with full vigour that this was NOT possible, yet I see that it is an option at their website.

Is this standard Lenovo operating procedure? They seem insane.

 

[cchase]

I had a failed hard drive on my Lenovo from shipping damage. They were pretty easy to deal with.

 

[NJC]

The seemed mostly reasonable in tone, just confused about policy. CDN business probably amounts to <%2 so it's understandable.

 

[Donald]

I had many IBM Thinkpads and some Lenovo Thinkpads (retired IBM) and I can say I prefer HP laptops. I have a consumer one at home and a business one at work. I like the screen and keyboard layout better.

These days I look on Walmart.com for laptops. They have many and good priced. I have since gotten 2 more HPs (one for each daughter).

Home HP Pavilion now upgraded to 8 G of RAM and 256G SSD.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: NJC
He also assures me with full vigour that this was NOT possible, yet I see that it is an option at their website.

Try calling again. If the rep again tells you that it's possible for you to buy online on a US site and have it billed and shipped to Canada, tell him to stay on the phone and walk you through the purchase, screen by screen. I've done this before, and it's either effective, or the rep ends up admitting that it can't be done.

I notice that Lenovo has a Canadian site. I'm guessing you're wanting to buy from the US site for the reason of better price. Retailers with country-specific sites generally want clients in those countries to go through their respective national portals. If they've taken the trouble to set up national portals, it usually means they've run into regulatory- or tax-related hassles in those countries, hence the national portals.

Upshot: You may not be able to do this unless you physically cross the border and bring the laptop back yourself. Or just pay the Canadian upcharge (somebody has to pay for that "free" health care).

 

[NJC]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: NJC
He also assures me with full vigour that this was NOT possible, yet I see that it is an option at their website.

Try calling again. If the rep again tells you that it's possible for you to buy online on a US site and have it billed and shipped to Canada, tell him to stay on the phone and walk you through the purchase, screen by screen.

I wanted to buy from Lenovo Outlet, not the main Lenovo.com site despite their mixed information. It was a cheapo N585 laptop for $160 ... but no joy.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: NJC
It was a cheapo N585 laptop for $160 ... but no joy.

Well there you go. You're trying to buy stock that's lost most of its margin for them. Now it's logical why they won't jump through hoops for you. Either drive across the border or pay more for an easier transaction.

 

[NJC]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: NJC
It was a cheapo N585 laptop for $160 ... but no joy.

Well there you go. You're trying to buy stock that's lost most of its margin for them. Now it's logical why they won't jump through hoops for you. Either drive across the border or pay more for an easier transaction.

That's not it - they can't process the credit card because it is Canadian. Driving across the border is no issue, as I have almost 100% of my USA purchases shipped to Washington state anyway.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: NJC
That's not it - they can't process the credit card because it is Canadian.

I see. In that case it becomes clearer what's happening: Your Canadian billing address is the problem for Lenovo.

When retailers set up regional Websites (as Lenovo has done here), they often discourage or prohibit consumers from purchasing from their sites that are outside the consumer's region. This is particularly true between Canada and the US, where tax, regulatory, and copyright issues are prominent, and where there is not a common market in existence.
This means that it's just about 100% certain that Lenovo has programmed their US system to reject Canadian clients, forcing them through the Canadian site if they want to buy things from Lenovo.

You could try going to your local Canadian bank and getting a US credit card (I have one), but I suspect that still won't save you, since your billing address will remain Canadian.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: NJC
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: NJC
It was a cheapo N585 laptop for $160 ... but no joy.

Well there you go. You're trying to buy stock that's lost most of its margin for them. Now it's logical why they won't jump through hoops for you. Either drive across the border or pay more for an easier transaction.

That's not it - they can't process the credit card because it is Canadian. Driving across the border is no issue, as I have almost 100% of my USA purchases shipped to Washington state anyway.



This isn't too surprising to me. I've had canadian credit cards decline in our billing system simply because they were canadian. Some work, some don't. No real rhyme or reason to it near as I can tell.

 

[Rand]

I know my usa credit card wouldnt work in canada until I called chase and told them it was ok to set it up.

they charge a 3% foreign transaction fee + whatever the exchange rate is.