"We've got a Dell Precision M20 notebook we needed a docking station for," the reader recently wrote. "A search of the Dell website while logged into our corporate account returned Manufacturer Part # 8W925, Dell Part # 310-3995, $417.57 as the docking station for the M20. However, further searching revealed Manufacturer Part # 8W925, Dell Part # 310-2873, $348.74, which fits the M60 among others, but was not listed for the M20. A review of the details and technical specifications revealed the devices to be one in the same."

Same part number, same technical specifications, so why would the almost $70 difference in price, the reader wondered. "But it gets better, or worse, depending on your point of view," the reader wrote. "I went to Dell.com and did a search for 8W925 and found it in the Home & Home Office section, selling for $299.99. So, depending upon where on Dell.com you find it -- which depends on your account access -- you can buy the same docking station for $299.99, $348.74, or $417.57!"

The reader inquired about this with a Dell sales rep and was assured that, in spite of the three different list prices, the price to his company would actually be lower. "The price of either Dell part will be the same for us, they said, because our price is based on the cost of the docking station to Dell," the reader wrote. "Because we are a large buyer, this makes sense."

But all the different prices for different kinds of customers left the reader feeling less than warm and fuzzy about Dell. "Why does Dell have to sell the same product three different ways and charge a different price for each?" the reader. "It seems just a little too underhanded to this generally pro-capitalistic person. More and more often I'm finding things like this with Dell that are turning me off to the company."