Is it true that "signature edition" laptops are actually second-hand ones?

Hi James,

Thank you for the info, I will try that.

Personally I can't agree with you that an opened "signature edition" is better than a fresh machine.

1. I don't think local Microsoft Stores have any professional place or human resource for this "signature edition" process.

• Where are they doing it? at the back of the office?
• How is the environment compared with a Dell or Lenovo factory?
• Do they wash hands or wear gloves and can I see oil on my "brand new" laptop?
• What tools are they using and are they certified by Dell or Microsoft?
• Are the stuff trained and follow a certain procedure like a worker at the assembly line or they do it randomly?
• Are there any standard or evaluation to the removal of bloatware for different brands and types?

No, they are no better than a "laptop doctor" shop in any street just because they carry a Microsoft name. They are causing harm instead of adding value.

2. When buying a laptop, physical cleanness and nice packaging are part of the price you pay.

• If MS Stores can't offer both fresh and bloatware-free at the same time, at least give us both choices.
• In my case they simply don't have "fresh" ones. Consider how many stock they have and it just raise that question again: who is doing this?
• And a better way would be providing customers guides on how to do it themselves or offering onsite service after they purchase a fresh laptop.

Special thanks to the word "fresh", learning English everyday.

Best,

Francis

Thank you James for your reply. 

By the way, do you know how to complain to Microsoft? 

Thank you again for your time and help.

I think you can attempt to contact customer support (https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/contact-us) but it will probably do not much good.

Worth a try, anyway.

By the way, Microsoft's "signature edition" is a machine shipped to them for sale that only has the operating system and the 60 day trial of Office 365 (no bloatware).  What happened in your case was a standard shipment of machines was delivered and the employees went through each one to "correct" them.

Legally, those can be sold as new and in fact, it would probably be better than a fresh machine "out of the box".  It has been powered up and tested in order to reset the software suite on them.

First of all, the most important thing is that; does the machine work and you have no problems with it?  Also, you have a 2 year warranty which is in place as well?

It may sound odd, but Microsoft does have a policy for the "online" store that the machines sold by them do not have 'bloatware' and is possible that they did open up the boxes and removed it from those machines.  They can still be sold as new if that is what they are doing.

However, it is odd!

I would recommend to contact customer support via phone and ask them if that is the policy for the 'brick and mortar' stores as well.

But the most important thing is that the machine is "NEW" and works!  A dead machine does you no good in class.

Here is the web link to support's main page: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus?wa=wsignin1.0

Contact them by phone if you can and talk to them about it.  Other brand computers are loaded with 'bloatware' but Microsoft sells (online, that is) machines that only have Office 365 trial on them.  In fact, a lot of people like that the best and they sell all brands, not just the Surface tablets.