Community weekly poll: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates?
- 4/12/05 10:59 AM
Rebates
by Parco - 4/12/05 2:20 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Staples seems the best with the EASY button. Norton
is a pain. The rebates are confusing and they don't
always pay, espically for combo packages.
PAR
Rebates
by herbthom - 4/12/05 2:22 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think that rebates are a way for companies to maximise their advertising reach ($50 off purchase price-$100 off -etc.) while minimising their payout. After I fill out the form, copy the receipt, I many times find that I have disposed the box with the bar code. I'm sure that I am not alone. If a company just reduced the price rather than giving rebates I'm sure they would see their sales increase.
Rebates
by beyondallken - 4/12/05 2:23 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I feel so strongly about the rebate process that if the product/service is marketed with such a discount system I simply will not purchase.
If I am to be encouraged to buy, by means of a discount, then I want it up front or forget it.
Rebates - Other
by xanathor - 4/12/05 2:26 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I buy nothing with a rebate, if I'm going to save any money it either happen right then and there or I will pick something that has no rebate and will save me money
right then. I use the full price of the product as a comparisson for saving.
Rebates wouldn't be so bad if the companies paid.
by thekidrocks - 4/12/05 2:30 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My issue with rebates is that even when you 1)Submit the rebate with all the requested info, 2)Send it on time 3)Make a copy of everything you sent - there are still issues.
I place my rebates right in front of my monitors so I don't forget to send them. Yet from time to time something goes wrong and you can't win. You are out the money owed to you even with all the proof in the world.
Another issue is long running promos... I've bought an item, then bought the same or similar item months later. Then discovered the rebate is the same promotion - naturally with "limit 1 per customer". UGH!
Then you wait and wait. Computer item rebates aren't as bad, as most stores have a 14 day return policy (one reason rebates are delayed is that the return period has to end before they pay). But those rebates that hang out there for months are frustrating.
Overall if I have a choice of buying a similar product for slighty more and not deal with a rebate - I'll pay the extra. And people wonder why eBay buyers pay so much for laptops! Simple - the seller deals with the hundreds of dollars in rebates. I sell on eBay, buy a lot of laptops with heavy rebate promos, and resell them... those bidders who pay more than the AR price aren't stupid!
REBATES
by ludwig - 4/12/05 2:31 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Mail in Rebates are an unethical way to obtain a money loan interest free and should be made illegal. That extra 20 dollars was never the REAL price of the merchandize to begin with. This extra money is placed into a bank account which draws interest and if you forget or can not get your money back---becomes free money for them---OUTRIGHT THEFT a whitecollar crime that you will have problems prosecuting. REBATES ARE SCAMS because those who owe you the money make it very difficult for you to get your money and almost never pay up. I have gotten in the habit of telling businesses that if they want my business that they will have to sell to me at the store at that moment the rebate price. I suggest that you do the same. In the United States, the number one complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission involves rebates.
BEST BUY is one of the companies that is big on doing rebates. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM THAT HAS A REBATE UNLESS THEY AGREE TO GIVE YOU YOUR REBATE IN THE STORE THE MOMENT THAT YOU BUY IF THEY REFUSE--LEAVE THE MERCHANDIZE WITH THEM AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. GO TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION COUNTER TO CHECK OUT--GET YOUR REBATE THERE.
If we all stick together and not do business with rebate folks they will get the point and give us a fair break at the store without all the hassles involved.
Rebates
by jj9882 - 4/12/05 2:41 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Rebates are a farce. Lower the price instead. The rebate come can cost sales, especially when money is tight. Not everyone is loaded.....
Rebates : ( Baaahhh Humbug
by JimSant_01 - 4/12/05 2:42 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am really tired of all these companies doing rebates now, I used to do them but it took a long time to get my money back and THEY were getting the interest not me, so I dont buy anything that comes with a rebate I dont care how big it is, that is just a fishing line to get you over, BUT were is the MONEY $$$$$$$$$$$ they still have it, anyway you can do what you want but me Im out of here.
Yours Truly
James Santoni
AAA-Advanced Computers
I forget to check
by bobb8888 - 4/12/05 2:54 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I send the rebates in, but forget to check off against my copies when I actually do get my rebate. So I get some rebates, but I can't remember which ones.
I hate that they won't honor rebates without the UPC code. I lost the packaging for my Zire 72, so I didn't have a UPC to turn in. Also, since I didn't have the UPC CompUSA wouldn't let me return the product.
Have you noticed how the bundle multiple products
by bobb8888 - 4/12/05 2:59 PM In reply to: I forget to check by bobb8888I wanted TurboTAX fed and state. They were bundled with Norton Anitvirus, Quicken, It's Deductible and I think one other product. Supposedly, everything was free after you get the rebate (it was over $240.00 out of pocket), but I don't trust them to send the rebates anymore. I just purchased the TurboTAX and not the other bundled items.
Rebates
by tomgroe - 4/12/05 3:12 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Obviously they are a promotional gimmick and companies would stop using them tomorrow if EVERYONE redeemed them. They reallly don't want them turned in--just buy the product. On top of that I have had companies contest a rebate and I had to re-apply to get them to come thru.
RE: bates
by TechnoBearDan - 4/12/05 3:16 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I only buy a product with rebates if I can't find it at an-as good-or-better price elsewhere without them. If I do have to fill out the rebates, I make sure I follow the instructions Implicitly and keep copies and records of EVERYTHING!
Rebates
by Densky - 4/12/05 3:24 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Don't like them and heres why....Feel that as in Automotive rebates if they can offer rebates than the item is over priced to bgin with...
"Ev"
But of course
by Dan Cole - 4/12/05 3:49 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am pretty surprised by some of the reactions that this topic has generated. Of course companies are going to give the public a method of putting their products on "sale" that benefits them. Lots of people realize that companies are counting on some, if not most, people to not send in for the rebate. But, like some people have said, it takes discipline to do this. Companies are not going to change this until some other way comes along that lets them put their products on "sale" that lets them keep more of "their money" in their pocket. Unless a large portion of the public boycott products with rebates or something along those lines, companies are going to keep on doing "sales" this way. Somehow it is up to us, the consumer, to make the companies change. They will not do it out of the goodness of their hearts or because they saw some posts that showed people are tired of this. They will not change their ways until it hurts them in their pocketbooks.
Only under the following circumstance....
by ggrosscntct - 4/12/05 3:49 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm at a local well known computor retail center in Columbus Ohio, and I'm about to check out with a printer, scanner, dvd, or some such other product. The sales person then offers to apply any rebates to the purchase of product, so that at the cash register I hand over the rebate for 20%off, and the store takes care of chasing down the money. This is the only efficent use of the time and effort it takes to finally get your money by doing it the usuall way. Give me the rebate at the cash register and let the store chase down the rebate money.
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