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back to article UK small firms better get used to Dell's 65-day payment terms

Dell has insisted that its decision to extend its payment times will not affect small businesses in a range of countries - none of which are the UK. The slightly troubled PC giant announced earlier this week that it would stretch out standard the time it waits before cutting a cheque to its suppliers to 65 days, instead of the …

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  1. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
    FAIL

    Screw 'em....

    ....there are plenty more customers out there.

    GJC

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    1. Robert E A Harvey
      Reply Icon

      Right

      I used to run a small business, and if anyone asked to pay on credit or account I bunged 33% on, and flogged the invoice the same day to the bank for 30% off. It was no business of mine whether the bank collected.

      If people complained at the upprice, the door was always available.

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      1. Danny 14
        Reply Icon
        Stop

        oddly enough

        This is a true tale from monday. I was looking at a tender for 60 PCs (oddly enough Dells). 4 companies contacted - one of which wanted a 14 day term 2 were 30 one one with no credit offered (we are a school so it isnt like we are going anywhere). Since im on holiday in a fortnight I ignored the 14 day and the 0 day - even though the 0 day was cheaper by a grand.

        So yes, the door is always there. As is my money going with it.

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  2. Annihilator
    Alert

    Hmmm

    Wonder if Dell will flog me a top-spec PC on the same basis?

    <checks> nope.

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  3. gothicform

    But It's Against The Law

    Isn't this a breach of European Directive 2000/35/EC and the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998? People don't have to suck it up because it's against the law.

    If Dell are doing it deliberately and openly I suppose the real question is why the European authorities don't take action against them.

    If Dell terminated a contract or refused to renew one on the basis that a supplier took them to court, that too would be a breach of the law.

    Seems to me they are simply operating with impunity.

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  4. Harry
    Alert

    Why put up with it ?

    If every supplier refused to supply Dell under unreasonable terms, then dell would have no suppliers.

    And in respect of existing debts, surely failure to settle a debt on time is more than adequate grounds to presume that the company is insolvent, and should be wound up ?

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    1. Danny 14
      Reply Icon

      you mean no UK suppliers

      The suppliers would simply operate from another country, ala UK loses out.

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  5. Svein Skogen
    Happy

    Well, it's Dell

    Given Dell's track record of honesty, and quality-controlled equipment, I suggest that companies simply avoid dealing with Dell at all costs. Both having Dell as a supplier, and supplying anything to Dell.

    Total isolation is the best practice here.

    //Svein

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  6. Kubla Cant
    Unhappy

    "includes vendors such as telecommunications companies"

    In my experience, telecommunications companies have a simple and effective remedy for attempts to extend their credit terms....

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Capped out...

    Haven't bought a Dell since 73 of our 130 GX270's caps blew out. Haven't changed my mind.

    But I will continue to tell others to avoid Dell.

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    1. Mark Aggleton
      Reply Icon
      WTF?

      Eh?

      And your point is (as regards the article)?

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      1. Danny 14
        Reply Icon
        Go

        GX270s were effing fantastic machines (for us)

        The GX270 cap-gate was a great deal. We sucked em up by the boatload (well 60) from the council for FREE. Then we contacted Dell (we are a school) and got them to replace the motherboards for FREE a nice banctec guy sorted them all out over 3 days (apparantly they would only give him so many boards per day). Outfitted an entire 2 ICT suites for the cost of monitors KB and mice!

        Only just replacing those GX270s now.

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    COD mate, No UK credit for you....

    when you UK Suppliers get "Dell's 65-day payment terms" EVERYONE should tell them, right you want to change the the fee's payable contractual agreement, so we change too, it's 'Cash On Delivery' for you US Dell Freetards from now on, with 10% service charge and sundry , No Cash for our OEM good's , No Dell goods to sell on....

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  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Dell are a poor choice anyway

    The kit is [arguably] OK, but the support is atrocious. Anyone who sells Dell servers is just asking for trouble - it may be a bit cheaper than real kit but when it goes wrong and Dell screw you around your customers won't be thinking

    "This Dell server is not actually as good value as we initially thought."

    Instead they will be thinking:

    "This crappy server [insert your company name here] sold us is shite and [insert your company name here] can't even get the blasted thing repaired/replaced even though it is under warranty."

    And now Dell are screwing their suppliers which means the quality of their kit will decrease and further compound the problem previously alluded to.

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  10. alain williams Silver badge

    Is Dell going to go bust ?

    When a company slows paying its bills one has to wonder if it is running out of money. So if I am thinking of buying a new PC - Dell is now off the list since I may not be able to get spare bits if Dell goes tits up.

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  11. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    vs Dell's payment terms

    And Dell has been requesting payment in less than 21 days on server orders -- before the servers have been received. A half dozen times in the past year I told Accounts Payable not to pay the Dell invoice because the product had not yet shipped.

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