Even With Big E-Tailers, Satisfaction Isn't Guaranteed.

SOME people think they'll be safe shopping on the Web if they stick to the big-time brand-name stores, particularly those they've trusted before.

I used to think that, too. But my recent struggle to purchase a new PC online taught me it never pays to let down your guard on the Net - even if you're familiar with the neighborhood.

My problems began with the realization that my computer had - like this year's presidential election - overstayed its welcome. It contains Intel's original Pentium chip running at 133 MHz, which seemed blazingly fast back when President Clinton was in his first term.

Now, like Clinton, it's a lame duck, ready to be replaced with an even faster-talking model -- or at least one with a twang.

It was time to make a visit to Dell (www.dell.com), the company that sold me that Pentium PC. Dell pioneered the concept of selling built-to-order PCs on the Web, and its employees had treated me well. enough to earn my repeat business.

So on the day Intel's Pentium 4 chip was released, I visited Dell's site and began building my new machine. I chose a 19inch monitor, a DVD drive, CD recorder and 256 megabytes of RDRAM, the latest in PC memory. It's more computer than most people need, but hey, I'm a cutting-edge digital journalist and I need the best. At least that's what I told my wife.

Waiting game

As I prepared to type in my credit card number, I had a nagging question about the RDRAM. The site said my PC might be built with either PC/600 or PC/800 chips, and those numbers meant absolutely nothing to me.

But I'm no dummy: Even my old computer can figure out that 800 is higher than 600, so it must be better. I decided I definitely needed PC/800 memory, and called a Dell salesperson to make sure I got it.

I asked which memory came with the systems sold online, and he assured me it was the PC/800. Then he asked if he could complete the order for me over the phone, hoping for a little compensation for his time.

"I'll be getting that PC/800 memory, right?" I asked.

"Yes, you will," he said.

Good enough for me. I gave him my credit card number, and began what was supposed to be a 10-day wait for my new dream machine. A few days later, I visited Dell's site and learned that my system was going to be delayed two weeks. I also saw that the system I purchased now came with a free scanner or printer. I called my salesman to ask if I qualified.

Trouble was, he never returned my call, not even after a week of leaving messages on his voice mail. I ended up talking to a customer service representative who said I qualified for the perks.

But my salesman's bad manners had made me suspicious, so on a hunch I asked the rep to make sure my computer was being built with PC/800 RDRAM.

Nope, he said, the order read PC/600. Would that be a problem?

Memory problem

As a matter of fact, it would. Since making my purchase. I'd read a review of Pentium 4 computers posted at ZDNet (www.zdnet.com). The machine Dell submitted for review was equipped with the speedier, more expensive PC/800 memory, but that isn't the PC they make available to online shoppers.

Dell's site was changed after my first visit to indicate that its Pentium 4 systems are available only with PC/600 memory. But that's not true; when my salesman finally called, he offered to sell me the system I actually ordered -- with PC/800 memory -- for an additional $300.

Thanks, but no thanks. I canceled my order and promptly began shopping elsewhere. A few days later, a sales supervisor called me, apologized and politely offered to sell me the system with PC/800 memory at the original price. By that time, though, I'd already purchased a PC from Hewlett Packard (www.hpshopping.com), which allows shoppers to configure PCs with either grade of memory.

The experience reminded me why it pays to be careful, even on return visits to a trusted online seller. After years of buying stuff online, it's easy to grow overconfident.

Since you can't see what you're buying, you're relying on someone else to tell you about it. And that process is only as reliable as the tale they're willing to tell.