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I purchased a Dell Latitude 6540 laptop for $379.06 from Computers4Less through BackMarket in August 2021 and when it arrived it wouldn't power up nor reach the home screen. Its hard drive had been dislodged during shipping, and I later found out the carriage assembly was broken. I contacted BackMarket right away which started a six-week-long series of exchanges (via BackMarket) with Computers4Less trying to diagnose the problem remotely.

I should state upfront that I bear 100% of the responsibility for this initial six weeks. I made it clear from Day One that I was reluctant to send the laptop in for repairs or for an exchange since we were under COVID restrictions and my laptop was my only link to the world since I live alone. Not wanting to be without the device for even a day, I pushed hard to resolve the issue remotely. I have to give Computers4Less credit since they spent the first six weeks investigating what was causing the issues I was having. They sent me a new carriage assembly and a new battery. That managed to resolve the problem enough to be able to power up the laptop and eventually reach the home screen. However, every time I power the laptop up or down or even when it goes into sleep mode, I get the blue screen of death. They patiently walked me through a variety of checks to test the device including uninstalling all my peripherals and doing a factory reset but I still got the blue screen of death, and that continues to this day. Sometimes 3-4 times per day!

I asked Computers4Less if this blue screen of death would eventually make it inoperable. They responded that "It's not going to physically damage it [and] if it continues to be an issue and becomes a real deal issue, we will take care of it under your 12 month warranty, even if it means replacing the laptop all together." They continued to walk me through various steps trying to resolve this issue. Lastly they thought it might be a driver issue, so they advised me to check the drivers of my peripherals through the device manager. I was slowly becoming resigned to the fact that the device would have to be returned for repairs or an exchange, but I was determined to give it one final shot. Following their instructions, I started compiling a detailed document with screenshots to accompany my observations, and then I did the same thing for EVERY application and device driver noting anything that seemed unusual or suspicious.

This produced a five-page document – complete with annotated screenshots – in which I posed several questions including whether it could still be resolved remotely. I never got an answer. A week later, I sent BackMarket an email noting I had not gotten a response from Computers4Less and I asked them about the status of this issue. Nothing. A week after that, I sent a follow-up message to BackMarket pointing out that I had not heard from Computers4Less NOR had I heard from them. Still nothing. Rather than pound my head against a brick wall I decided to chalk it up to experience and just live with the workaround that I had developed in order to power the device down. I've been chalking this issue up to experience every day – and sometimes a couple times per day – for over four months now (on top of the first six weeks).

Now I am getting a message that my Windows license is about to expire, and I get a message that "Windows is activated using your organization's activation service". I tried to contact BackMarket and Computers4Less to see what to do. Upon accessing the BackMarket site, I went to the section containing my previous exchanges with Computers4Less hoping they wouldn't ignore this issue. However, I discovered at the very end of our earlier exchanges – with my five-page document as the FINAL exchange between us – was a note that "this claim was closed because there were no messages for 28 days." Huh?

I don't know if that notation came from BackMarket or Computers4Less (I suspect the former), but there WERE messages... at least from ME... THEY were just not responding! To avoid hearing crickets again, I sent an email directly to BackMarket about the Windows activation issue thinking they'd contact Computers4Less about it. No response. I sent a follow-up email a couple days later. Nothing at all from either of them and it's been three weeks now. After the initial six weeks of addressing these issues which is my doing, BackMarket is fully responsible for this nonsense since there is no evidence of contact with Computers4Less, but I guess I'll find out in Small Claims Court.

My advice is if you purchase something from BackMarket, be prepared to hear nothing but crickets if you need something resolved!

P.S. -- three weeks now and no response... nothing but crickets!