DELL GETS A SLAP ON THE WRIST
By Adnews Staff
U.S.-based Dell Computer Corp. has been ordered to pay an $800,000 civil penalty to settle charges that it advertised a computer system bundled with software that it didn't really have. Dell ran the campaign in 1995, stating that its Dell Dimension system was bundled with a third-party Dell Software suite, but then shipped computers with a coupon for the software instead of the software. The ruling was made by the Federal Trade Commission, who said Dell violated the Mail Order Rule by promoting orders for merchandise it couldn't deliver, and failing to offer consumers the option of either consenting to a delay or canceling their orders. The penalty is the largest the FTC has ever assessed from an individual company for violating its Mail Order Rule