Rebate or RipOff?

[UncleHoney]

Went to Microcenter last night to buy a new LCD monitor. The new monitor was going to replace an older, but working View Sonic CRT but wouldn't be used everyday so I didn't want to spend a bunch. While in the store I noticed they were offering a $50 rebate on several models so figured I could save a few more bucks.

After picking out what we wanted the service rep brought out the new monitor and gave us the rebate paperwork and off we went. DW was reading the rebate on the way home and it turns out the rebate wasn't a check in the mail it was a Visa Debit card loaded with $50. The more she read the more pixed I got. It turns out it would take 10-12 weeks to get the rebate and if you didn't get it wasn't their fault and they could cancel the offer at any time and screw you out of the money.

As it turned out the monitor was such piece of Chinese junk it gave me a good excuse to take it back this morning. When I fired it up the first time there were a bunch of dead pixels and really bad light leaks around the edges and across the screen the illumination was so uneven you could see banding of any light colored background.

The whole rebate smacks of a ripoff to me. They want to borrow $50 interest free from me for 3 months and then maybe pay it back. No deal Microcenter.

By the way the monitor was made by X2GEN, buyer beware.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Thats pretty much the deal with rebates, they take a good 2-3 months. If not longer.

The good news is that except for one company that went out of business on me, I've gotten all the rebates I applied for. And thats easily hundreds.

A couple of companies have claimed I didnt include some piece of paperwork or "lost" a submission. Fry's, Compusa, Trendnet and Tigerdirect are or were the most problematic. Fortunately I keep a copy of all the paperwork until the rebate comes through.

The one outfit thats given me the most trouble is PG&E on their energy star rebates.

[maddythebeagle]

I do a few rebates...seems if you register online to check the status, they seem to come back faster...I suspect that some of these places are playing a game of simply not paying on some unless you track them and complain further...

[73ss454]

I just don't get it with rebates. If they want to give you a rebate why don't they just give it to you at the time of sale?

Half the time I forget that there even coming but nice to get when they arrive.

[Webzter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 I just don't get it with rebates. If they want to give you a rebate why don't they just give it to you at the time of sale? Half the time I forget that there even coming but nice to get when they arrive.

Because of the insanely low percentage of fulfilled rebates. They can offer higher rebates, enticing more buyers, because of the low percentage of rebates that they'll actually have to honor

[73ss454]

Amazing that people will overlook a $50 to $100 rebate when they only have to fill out a form and send it in.

I'd love to see the #'s on the % of people who let these rebates go.

[grumpy]

I have never failed to received a rebate I submitted the paperwork for. Maybe its because I keep a copy of the receipts, etc. and follow up if I don't receive the $ in a reasonable amount of time. I just put everything in a file folder on my desk and go through it periodically. Anything that seems overdue I call the rebate fulfillment company. This just seems like easy money to me and well worth the minor hassles involved.

Grumpy

[Webzter]

Well, this site says 41% don't send it in: 41% of consumers forget to send in rebates > E-commerce > IT Facts

One of the stats floating around BBY was that only 30% are redeemed (they were, at the time, evaluating an instant redemption at the POS as a customer service).

I don't recall if the 30% stat includes rejection for not filling things in correctly. The 41% stat doesn't. That could drop the redemption rate down significantly.

Of course, keep in mind, all of this information is from ye old trusty and never factually wrong Internet (ie, it could all be made up)

[CyclingInvestor]

The rebate fulfillment companies actually bid on these contracts based on how low
of a percentage they will fulfill, by making them as complicated / time-restricted /
annoying / etc as possible. That allows the manufacturer to offer (for example) a 40%
rebate, hire a fulfillment company that bid a 60% rate, and have it cost them only
24%.

[maddythebeagle]

A few places like officemax have stopped rebates...it's too bad since I always got a better deal since I took the time to fill them out...There was always some false advertising on some that said "free after rebate" since once you bought the item, you read that there were 2 rebates and both required the oringial upc, etc.

[Texas Proud]

I would not mind a debit card... unless you had to use it at Microcenter....

I have only not been sent two rebates from the same company.. but forget who they were... for a total of $15, but it cost Best Buy me as a customer because they kept selling the 'stuff' and would not help one iota with the manufacturer......

To give Fry's a kudo... I sent in a rebate on time... and had all the stuff in... they refused and refused and refused... well, after 6 months I went back to Fry's and gave them all my paperwork... they said... why did you not come in earlier.. the program has been over.... SOOOO, I said, if you want to keep me as a customer, then you will get me a check... if not, then thanks... Well, to my surprise I got a check about 2 months later.... so I have bought things from them as long as it is the best price...

OH... now, I was a bit pissed when I did buy something and then found out that I only had 7 days from the date of PURCHASE to send it in... and the sale had already gone off and.... well, you get the drift... no rebate on this, but it was partially my fault for not reading it...

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyclingInvestor The rebate fulfillment companies actually bid on these contracts based on how low of a percentage they will fulfill, by making them as complicated / time-restricted / annoying / etc as possible. That allows the manufacturer to offer (for example) a 40% rebate, hire a fulfillment company that bid a 60% rate, and have it cost them only 24%.

True, but what does it cost those companies in lost customer satisfaction/loyalty.

I don't think too highly of a company that treats me as a chump and makes the process intentionally difficult. And that is just what they do when they offer a mail-in rebate that they expect X% to not fill out. And in my experience, they might deny you despite the fact that you fill it out (and they admit it) correctly. Took me hours of phone calls to get my rebate after 3 months, two denials, and assurances that I did everything correct.

Sure makes me want to do business with them again - NOT.

Hmmm, you charged my credit card within 24 hours for the purchase, shipped it the same day, but it takes 6-8 WEEKS to process the rebate (incorrectly)??!!

penny wise - pound foolish. Stupid, stupid business move.

-ERD50

[kramer]

I was reading about an Acuvue contacts (for your eyes) rebate of $30 the other day as I was about to buy some (the rebate required buying many months worth of contacts). But the fine print said that you had to have had an eye exam in the last 90 days and you must send in the proof of that exam, in addition to proof of purchase. I thought that was pretty dodgy!

Kramer

[maddythebeagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 True, but what does it cost those companies in lost customer satisfaction/loyalty. I don't think too highly of a company that treats me as a chump and makes the process intentionally difficult. And that is just what they do when they offer a mail-in rebate that they expect X% to not fill out. And in my experience, they might deny you despite the fact that you fill it out (and they admit it) correctly. Took me hours of phone calls to get my rebate after 3 months, two denials, and assurances that I did everything correct. Sure makes me want to do business with them again - NOT. penny wise - pound foolish. Stupid, stupid business move. -ERD50

Actually, I think some of these companies like Best Buy have programs to weed out "loss leader customers"...So I doubt that they really value folks that would fill out rebates...

[chinaco]

There are also some traps with rebates. I have seen 2 rebates offered for the same product. It is advertised that way. When one sends in the rebate, the rebate requires somethings like a UPC on each of them (no copies allowed). Therefore one of the rebates does not meet the requirement and is not paid.

[MikeD]

I once got a rebate fullfilled twice on the same item. The company (now out of busines, surprise) didn't send my rebate for over 6 months. Stupidly, they had an 800 number to use to check on it. I started calling everyday asking where my rebate was. They got so tired of this that they just sent me a check. Two weeks later, they sent me another check. As soon as they ask for the second check back, I will mail it to them 6 months later.

I am currently waiting for an $80.00 HP printer rebate sent in in April.

Mike D.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maddythebeagle Actually, I think some of these companies like Best Buy have programs to weed out "loss leader customers"...So I doubt that they really value folks that would fill out rebates...

They most certainly did... I know a friend of a friend who was one of those people... went to Best Buy and when checking out was given the cold shoulder... even just stood there and did not put their stuff in a bag...

I don't know if they still do it, but I have not been there in years... but, it doesn't seem to have hurt their business...

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i always thought mail in rebates just put you on more mailing lists so i only do instant rebates.

[maddythebeagle]

Quote:

I am currently waiting for an $80.00 HP printer rebate sent in in April.

Like I said earlier, register online to check the status....I did this a few weeks back for my HP computer rebate (also purchased in april) and the check magically showed up soon after...My circuit city rebate came a lot quicker...

[samclem]

To hand out a kudo: Staples does a really good job with their online rebate program. Nothing to mail, filling the stuff out online is easy, there's instant confirmation that they have received your submission, and I've received a check rapidly. Just as though I had an "Easy Button".