I called HP yesterday to get a price on a Netbook with Windows XP Pro. I had to call because they don’t have Netbooks on their website with Windows XP Pro installed.

The conversation went like this,
HP: How can I help you?
Me: I would like to get a price on a netbook with Windows XP Pro.
HP: What is your first and last name.
Me: I gave them my name.
HP: What is your address?
Me: I gave them my address.
Me: Can I get a price on a netbook with Windows XP Pro?
HP: Is this for personal use or resale?
Me: It is for resale.
HP: I am sorry sir you will have to dial this number for our resales division.
Me: Can’t I just get a retail price for a netbook with Windows XP Pro?
HP: Sir, you will have to contact them for pricing.

So then I proceed to call the other number they provided and I basically go through the same thing again, only to find out that I would need to be signed up to be a reseller to get pricing. I couldn’t even get retail pricing. They gave me some sku numbers and I tried using them on the website to look up pricing, but the person on the phone said those skus would only work through the phone call to get pricing. I then proceeded to tell him that I had just been on the phone with 2 divisions and that I couldn’t even get a retail price for a Netbook with Windows XP Pro and that I would be going elsewhere to buy a Netbook and I would put Windows XP Pro on it myself. He apologized, paused and hung up.

I can’t believe that they won’t even give you a price without your life history. If it was on the website I wouldn’t have bothered with them. They could have saved a phone call. Has this ever happened to you?