Problem with a laptop purchased as "new" - warranty and service history issues

I'm not sure how someone here can help you. You could try to transfer the computer to your name in SupportAssist, then look at service history - but your real issue is with the seller who apparently sold you a defective unit and claimed it was under warranty.

If you bought it on a platform like eBay, then you may be able complain to them or seek the advice of a lawyer.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

@ECharles​

Thank you very much for your response. I purchased this device on a platform similar to eBay, but based in Poland, called Allegro. However, they only offered to refund part of the funds for the repair. I recently found out that the seller bought this laptop from Dell Outlet. From what I have learned, Dell Outlet offers laptops that are sold as new, sometimes refurbished, etc. The seller has gone silent and refuses to answer my questions.

Additionally, I discovered that laptops purchased in the USA might no longer have warranty coverage in Poland, but I’m unsure if this information is accurate or applies to all cases.

I just have two questions:

1. Does Dell Outlet belong to Dell?
2. Are laptops purchased in the USA no longer covered under warranty in Poland?

Thank you again for your time and assistance.

Sorry -= I was on travel.

Try going to support assist (you may need to use a VPN and change your location to the US.) and see what the warranty status is. From there, you can contact Dell and see what they can help with.

@ECharles​

I have already contacted both Dell Poland and Dell USA, and neither wants to answer my question. The seller is also silent.

In my opinion, it is unfair that after buying a supposedly new laptop, I cannot verify its history. One of Dell's employees unofficially told me that this year, the policy changed, and warranty coverage from Europe no longer applies to the US.

Everyone avoids responsibility—Dell blames the seller, and the seller blames Dell—while the consumer is the one who suffers.

Does SupoortAssist show that the computer is still under warranty?

Yes, Dell can be an issue to work with , but I've found that persistence - and not taking no for an answer - will usually get you to somebody who actually knows what they are talking about and can give you a correct answer.

But (not for you, but other readers), your experience shows the importance of verifying warranty coverage before you buy something like this.

In the past year, I've bought several computers from both the Dell Outlet and on eBay. On the eBay purchases, I asked for the service tag numbers and verified what the warranty status was. I then asked to make sure that the information on the original owner was available and, as soon as I received the verification that it was shipped, I transferred them into my name. In one case, the information on the first buyer was wrong and I had to refuse the shipment.

But for you, if SupportAssist shows the unit is still under warranty (anywhere) then contact Dell and be persistent.

@ECharles​

On the Dell website, it shows that my laptop is under warranty, but quoting Dell Poland:

"Since the device comes from the distribution conducted in the United States, the BASIC warranty does not entitle you to international technical support. According to Dell's policy, only the PRO Support warranty allows technical support in a country other than where the device was registered."

When I spoke to a Dell employee, I was told that if I had reported this last year, there would have been no issues.

You're right—I could have checked the serial number more carefully, but in all these years, this is the first time I’ve bought a "new" laptop only to find out that it was actually defective, with a hidden issue surfacing after some time.

And about Dell Outlet—just from the name itself, I don’t even understand how these devices can be sold as new, especially since they don’t come with warranty coverage outside the USA.

I also tried asking another seller on Allegro (a Polish platform similar to eBay) who sells Dell Outlet laptops as new if they would provide a serial number for verification, and they refused.

So I’ll say this—Dell seems to be washing its hands of responsibility now. They probably noticed that many laptops from the USA were being repaired in Europe, so they stopped providing support for them.

It’s just a shame that in the end, it's the consumer who suffers the most.

@artti​ Can you post a screenshot (without the service tag number or any personal information about what exactly Support Assist shows? For example, mine shows

@ECharles

As shown in my screenshot, my Dell Precision 5480 is listed as having an active warranty until 2027 on the support page, yet in reality, I have no warranty at all.

The next screenshot shows the Allegro sales listing, where the laptop was marked as new, not used or damaged.

Despite this, Dell refuses to provide any information, citing GDPR. All I wanted was a simple confirmation of whether the laptop had been previously damaged. I don’t know if this was a Dell Outlet unit or if the seller damaged it, but I am now in a situation where I haven’t received a refund, and the laptop is still with the seller.

I have reported this issue to the relevant consumer protection authorities in Poland, I can also provide multiple screenshots of negative reviews on Allegro from other users who have faced similar issues.

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