Just to confirm that this is not a US-only experience. On November 14th 2009, I spent most of the day speccing a new laptop and finally settled for a ThinkPad. Over two days I created a customized machine and then purchased it, or so I thought.

The online status of my order went straight to 'Released', and stayed that way for the next four weeks! I sent emails to everyone I could, phoned everyone I could, and never got a response. I hung on their customer service line for ages before being cut off (you only get the option to leave a message so that someone can call you back, and they never do).

After four weeks I cancelled the order and was given a direct email address to complain to. Nobody replied or acknowledged any of my complaints even though sent to various addresses, including the US.

On the day I cancelled, I finally got a Sales Assistant who told me that my order could not be completed because they had no monitor screens! I'm not sure I believe her, but even if she was telling the truth, how contemptible not to inform me.

I'd never buy (or try to!) Lenovo again and I wouldn't advise anyone else to. I'm going back to Dell.