Community weekly poll: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates?
- 4/12/05 10:59 AM
Rebates
by redeye95631 - 4/12/05 6:44 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Rebates are great for the manufactures but a headache for the consumer. My latest strategy is to fill out the forms making sure everything is correct. One little mistake and you just as well forget it. Then I copy everything before mailing it in. You must keep good records and a master list so you know which ones you haven't got back. If they reject your claim for any reason or you do not receive the rebate in a timely manner return the merchandise at once. If you receive any flak from the company tell them you are returning the merchandise because of fraud. As an example let's say the price was $100 and you got a $20 rebate so you expected to pay $80 for it and now it's $100 so you don't want it for that price. If they say anything at all just remind them of all the stress and bad advertising you are going to create for them. About two months ago I bought a printer at Staples ("IT'S EASY") and was sent a postcard saying I had to resubmit as I had sent them the wrong number (the number was right) so back to Staples went the printer for a full refund. Three weeks later in rolled a check for $30. I even sent the check back along with a letter telling them why ("IT WASN'T EASY"). I just went through about the same thing with Intuit (TurboTax) and their slew of rebates. Hit them hard and quick if things don't come out like you expect.
Intuit refuses rebate for TurboTax 2008 Deluxe
by dgaldgal - 2/28/09 11:59 AM In reply to: Rebates by redeye95631I purchase Intuit Turbox Tax Deluxe at Sam's club, submitted a mail-in rebate for $10, and was refused rebate by Intuit. They state in the refusal notice that "the store where you purchased the product does not honor this particular rebate". Gee, I though it was Intuit who was providing the rebate, not the retailer!!! Intuit did not state anywhere on the rebate form that if you buy from certain retailers then the rebate is invalid. This is deceptive and dishonest practice. I have been using TurboTax for at least 15 years and this is the last time I will use it.
Rebate Ripoffs
by Major Bob - 5/4/09 10:40 PM In reply to: Rebates by redeye95631As far back as I can remember, I have NEVER received a rebate on the first attempt. No matter how carefully I read the form, dot all the i's and cross all the t's, they find some excuse to deny your claim. I had to call in multiple times, wait on hold, yell, curse, and threaten.
They want you to give up. They want to keep your money. And from what I read on the internet, the servicing company actually gets paid on the number of claims that they do NOT pay.
Let's see, there was the Pur water-filter pitcher. They told me the rebate application was "incomplete", but didn't say what was missing. Then there was Sprint - the store gave me an expired rebate form and told me it would be processed anyway; it wasn't. Most recently, AT&T denied my rebate for new phone service claiming they couldn't verify I had high-speed internet. Funny, but I don't seem to have a problem using my high-speed internet. I fully expect them to deny my rebate on the router/modem.
It's time Congress and/or states banned this loathsome practice designed to rip off customers.
rebates
by bill mabry - 4/12/05 6:56 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Rebates were concieved to save the
retailers.
I buy online
by skippyd333 - 4/12/05 7:10 PM In reply to: rebates by bill mabryI think rebates are bad business so, I buy from internet sites that give me the real price and no rebate hassles. skip
Rebates
by gottular - 4/12/05 7:24 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Even though I still bite when there's a good rebate offered, I hate the process and results. I've sent rebates to multiple companies over the years and always seem to have about one in four get a rejection notice. I've become very aware of deadlines and what needs to be accompanied with the rebate, but never the less, someone always comes back saying I didn't include ...... I copy all the rebate information I send, but then I have to go through the hassle of copying all again, sending another letter and hoping I don't forget the rebate has yet to come. My suspicion, is that on their hopes are that a large percent of the buyers forget and miss the deadline, and that another percent don't copy their info, and that when they get a rejection letter, they just drop it. Otherwise, why not just discount the price up front. Frankly, I'd buy an item dicounted only half the price of the rebate, just to not go through the hassle.
Rod
want to get rid of rebates
by big guy - 4/12/05 7:34 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
if you don't like rebates then the way to get rid of them is to turn them in. the reason they go the rebate way is because they know most people don't send them in. it costs them a lot of money to process all those rebates so if everyone were to send them in it won't be long till they go away and instead drop the price at the retailer. it's all about the bottom line.
Sony Failed, Verbatim came through
by QuarkY - 4/12/05 7:41 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
About a year ago, I ordered one of Sony's DVD writers that had a 30 or so dollar rebate. I did everything exactly as asked, including sending all the bar codes since I wasn't sure which to send. I finally received a rejection note from the rebate center telling me that the offer end date had already passed. Well, the strange thing is that I received the notice from them prior to the expiration date. Rather than fight it, I just sword never to buy Sony products again ... and I haven't. The same thing happened with Verbatim. This time I called the number. It turns out that their information on the purchase dates for the rebate were 15 days prior to the dates I had on my rebate form so she said I had made the purchase outside of the purchase window. After explaining this to the lady on the phone, she agreed to honor the rebate. I wonder if this is what happened with Sony. Maybe it happens with a lot of companies.
Rebate prices can be misleading advertising
by phil_harrisca - 4/12/05 7:46 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
And since they are, I believe that they should severely curtailed. I make a point of not purchasing items that have an advertised price, that turns out to be after mail-in rebate in fine print. I ignore such ads, and shop elsewhere almost every single time. I shop with ethical merchants that show the real price in large bold print, and advertising rebate available, or fill out the form at the cash register and give me the instant savings. Any merchant who emphasises the price after submitting a mail-in rebate to the manufacturer is unethical at the least in my opinion, and I often boycott merchandise from manufacturers who encourage this practice. I can more easily survive without the merchandise than I can without the money and piece of mind.
Rebate? More like Rebait
by clazaam - 4/12/05 8:10 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think rebates are a waste of the paper required to get one, and are nothing more than sheep fodder - at least an insult to consumer intelligence. Why not cut the costs of the extra paperwork, postage, and time of all concerned and offer the product at the rebated price. It just like those "But wait, if you order within the ..." commercials that state they'll give you something for free, "that's a $$$.00 value". To me if they give you something at no cost, then the value is zero, nada, zip. Or how about the one where the lady says, excitedly, "For free?! It must be good!" Well, ol' Rover has something he'll let you have for free, if you get my drift. (Pun intended). All of the above are just gimmicks (hooks) to get their foot in your door. Show the consumer some respect and provide him/her with some true value and bring your prices down out of the clouds to begin with. Remember the old saying, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." (tho it beats me why anyone would want to catch flies).
Rebates
by C Staten - 4/12/05 8:15 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'd rather see lower prices, it would save me the hassle of getting a rebate
Rebates
by mech2036 - 4/12/05 8:30 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I don't believe in rebates at all. Most of the time you can shop around and find a comparable item at the same price without dealing with rebate forms. Its just a marketing ploy to get your name and address so you can be bombed with junk mail.
Why can't a company who sells a product just give you a good price without getting your personal information?
Best Buy, Circuit City, ETC. would get my business if they would just use those rebate forms in the bathroom instead of their stores.
Thank You
Rebates are a FRAUD - Intended to decieve and cheat
by Patrk71 - 4/12/05 8:37 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Companies offering rebates are not held accountable for paying the rebates. Compusa was recently fined by the Fed Trade Comm. for offering rebates from companies that Compusa knew were going broke or were not paying the rebates.
Proper accounting standards should require companies to set aside the money for the rebates and force the remaing rebate money at the of the rebate period to be given to schools or charities.
The rebate scam on consumers is parallel to the Enron scam.
I will not buy anything predicated upon a rebated price.
Do I look stupid - the rebate scam is a way cheat the consumer.
None of the 'Big' players need to try to cheat their customers, good products sell themselves without the FRAUD of rebates.
4/12/05 What do you think about rebates?
by PrdAmrican - 4/12/05 8:41 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I hate rebates... I think they are an underhanded way for a business to market their wares. I particularly dislike CompUSA's rebates and advertizing practices. They are always soooo proud that XYZ product is priced at some ultra-low amount (after the three different rebates) which take forever to receive if you ever do receive them. In my opinion, it show's a company's total lack of respect for their customer's. If you want to give me a break on the price to get me to buy a product at your store, then just price the item reasonably and I will.
After all, it does seem to work for Walmart...
Rebates Stinks
by el-jefe - 4/12/05 9:06 PM In reply to: 4/12/05 What do you think about rebates? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I personally think that rebates are a pain in the butt. But you will get your money , when who knows when they feel like it.. I never had a problem with rebates i always got my money from it only when i don't forget to send it in. Its a hassle the wait for it and i went through a incident where i bought a wireless router and had a $50 rebate when i first got it i filled out the forms and sent it in but the only problem was that i was having problems with the router and wanted to return it but i couldn't because i cut out the UPC off the box. So i would advise not buying a prouduct that you would like to try out first before keeping or don't send in the rebate until you have the product up and running for atleast a week and so if the prouduct is goodand then send in the rebate...
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