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STH ServeTheHome Advertisement [INS::INS] STH STH * Forums * AI * Server + Server Systems + Server CPUs + Accelerators + Server Motherboards + Server Chassis + Other Components * 5G Edge * Storage * Networking * Workstation + Workstation Processors + Workstation Motherboards * Software + Operating Systems + Server Applications + Virtualization * Guides + Buyer's Guides + Tips + Top Hardware Components for FreeNAS NAS Servers + Top Hardware Components for pfSense Appliances + Top Hardware Components for napp-it and Solarish NAS Servers + Top Picks for Windows Server 2016 Essentials Hardware + The DIY WordPress Hosting Server Hardware Guide [ ][Search] Home Tips Buyer's Guides HP Failed Our Q1 Secret Shopper Experiment * Tips * Buyer's Guides HP Failed Our Q1 Secret Shopper Experiment By Patrick Kennedy - June 7, 2022 8 Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin Email Print HP Secret Shopper HP Fail Web Cover 1HP Secret Shopper HP Fail Web Cover 1 Today we have the story of how HP's online store failed our secret shopper experience. While many systems are being delayed due to the supply chain, our HP experience felt different. It felt like HP knew, or should have known that it could not hit its estimated ship dates when it took our order and funds. This is a story that needs to be told so that others do not spend their money based on HP's falsely advertised "estimated dates". We did not just order one unit, we ordered three so we were able to track HP not adjusting ship dates when it knew it could not hit them. Some may have heard in our recent Project TinyMiniMicro reviews that topping my list for favorite units right now is the HP EliteDesk 805 G8 Mini with an NVIDIA GPU and a 2.5GbE option. At the same time, we do not have a review. The reason has been that the review has been muddied by a wildly sub-par ordering experience. To be frank, I have had trouble talking about the unit without also discussing how I felt like HP lied during the ordering process. That is what led to this piece, hopefully allowing us to move on. HP Failed Our Q1 Secret Shopper Experiment Overall, while in this process, something continued to feel wrong, across all three orders that we made. After going through the process, we pulled the e-mails and put the milestones on a timeline. That is when how bad the experiences were really hit home. We made three orders that are in the horizontal swimlanes 1, 2, and 3. All three were HP EliteDesk 805 G8 Mini's. The first was a 65W TDP AMD Ryzen unit and the second and third were units with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. The third unit was specifically purchased just to test if the timelines being given on HP.com were unrealistic given what we saw with order #2 and to some extent order #1. Here is the overall timeline: STH HP.com Secret Shopper TimelineSTH HP.com Secret Shopper Timeline Since purchasing over $3000 of machines is not a cheap secret shopper exercise, we have a video for this one as well. As always we suggest opening this in its own tab, browser, or app for a better viewing experience. The first unit was ordered on 2022-01-02 and was the 65W AMD Ryzen Pro system without the GPU. It was shipped nowhere near the estimated 18-day shipping window. STH HP.com Secret Shopper Order 1 Order 2022 01 02 Est 2022 01 20STH HP.com Secret Shopper Order 1 Order 2022 01 02 Est 2022 01 20 The second unit was ordered on 2022-01-10 and it also did not make the 2022-01-31 estimated ship date. STH HP.com Secret Shopper Order 2 Order 2022 01 10 Est 2022 01 31STH HP.com Secret Shopper Order 2 Order 2022 01 10 Est 2022 01 31 The third was our control. Once we knew the second was delayed, we ordered it on 2022-02-17 to see if it would actually arrive on 2022-03-10 given HP had told us the second unit was delayed. In essence, we ordered this one to document the estimated dates on the HP.com website were not being updated even as we saw our other two orders were delayed. STH HP.com Secret Shopper Order 3 Order 2022 02 17 Est 2022 03 10STH HP.com Secret Shopper Order 3 Order 2022 02 17 Est 2022 03 10 With that, we are going to go through the three orders in detail. [INS::INS] 1 2 3 4 5 * TAGS * hp * Secret Shopper * TinyMiniMicro Previous articleApple M2 Chip Announced with Upgrades Next articleSTH Turns 13 Entering the Teenage Years Patrick Kennedy https://www.servethehome.com Patrick has been running STH since 2009 and covers a wide variety of SME, SMB, and SOHO IT topics. Patrick is a consultant in the technology industry and has worked with numerous large hardware and storage vendors in the Silicon Valley. The goal of STH is simply to help users find some information about server, storage and networking, building blocks. If you have any helpful information please feel free to post on the forums. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR HP FX900 Pro 2TB Storage HP FX900 Pro 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD Review Lenovo ThinkCentre M75n Nano Cover 1 News Lenovo ThinkCentre M75n Nano Review AMD Ryzen Nano PC HP Flex IO V2 2.5GbE NIC M74416 001 7 Networking HP EliteDesk Mini 2.5GbE Flex IO V2 NIC is Here 8 COMMENTS 1. Igor June 7, 2022 At 1:14 pm Did you actually take the time to dig up all those emails from the orders just for this? I can't believe you'd waste the time instead of just saying what happened 2. Micah June 7, 2022 At 2:45 pm Patrick has an axe to grind! Yeah, I've experienced the same with HPE online ordering as well. Unrealistic ship dates which never come. Even our supplier has had to deal with their nonsense. Oddly, Lenovo jas mamahed to deliver when they estimate, most of the time even a few days early. That leaves the false and valuable impression of better customer service. Go figure! 3. Bob Niland June 7, 2022 At 4:11 pm HPE or HP,Inc? These products appear to be HP,Inc. (hp.com & not hpe.com) 4. jorgp2 June 7, 2022 At 5:45 pm I recently ordered a device From HP, when I tried to return it I was told I got a great deal and should give it away or resell it. 5. jrub June 8, 2022 At 8:49 am I'm in a similar situation. Ordered a laptop from hp.com in April and they just pushed out the expected delivery date AGAIN to July. Very frustrating. 6. Jorik June 8, 2022 At 9:30 am Interesting article and good of you to write this up Patrick. Does make me wonder though, have you contacted them as servethehome writer/editor with a request for comment? I'm curious to see if they'd continue misleading customers or promise to do better in the future. 7. CD June 8, 2022 At 11:50 am At this point, no one should be surprised that this is the case. 8. Goof June 8, 2022 At 1:23 pm Similar experience in terms of timeline. Though here's the interesting tidbit I can provide: Before placing either of my orders, I actually called sales, knowing that the ship dates were impossible. Sales agrees. They're very upfront about it. They set expectations with me of more realistic ship dates they actually were correct on (though yes, they were quite far out). Additionally I actually was able to successfully request if there were available discounts available, and they found meaningful ones for me (7% and 11%). So props to the salespeople based in the US, but I 110% agree with the article. The HP.com and email experience is terrible at best and sets nothing but false expectations. Shame, because I agree that they make the best x86 1L form factors in the business, hands down. LEAVE A REPLY [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Please enter your comment! [ ] Please enter your name here [ ] You have entered an incorrect email address! 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