MIRs

[Heywould3]

I ordered some ridata DVD+Rs from newegg the other day because they were $36.00 for 100PK cake with a 10$ mail in rebate.. now with shipping it came to 40 total.. so thats $0.40 per disk for richojpn01 thats awsome if i send in the 10 MIR it will be 30 per DVD supper.. but i was thinking.. WTF i ordered this online.. y cant i fill out the form online and email it to them then have them credit newegg to my account.. its all electronic anyway. but NO i have to print it.. recieve it.. send proof and then wait 6 8weeks.. for a 10 dollar check.. with my schedule i almost never get to the PO i never have to mail letters so i have no stamps. i dont have one of the estamp accounts because i never use them.. SO ill prolly never mail in the rebate and ill be out the 10 bux.. i think thats what they count on.. save money that way from people like me..

I once bought my mom a cell phone from circuit city. it cost me 130 with 70 in multiple MIRs.. im so not into them that i set the reciepts in a my desk and never sent them in.. thats bad huh?

[makntraks]

I once bought my mom a cell phone from circuit city. it cost me 130 with 70 in multiple MIRs.. im so not into them that i set the reciepts in a my desk and never sent them in.. thats bad huh?

Isn't that the point behind rebates??
You don't turn them in.. they keep your $$$

makntraks

[Capmaster]

I've had mixed results with MIRs. The last one was for an e-Machines PC for my son. The mail-in rebate was $50 so we sent it in. They rejected it with the explanation that our receipt copy wasn't good enough quality.

They didn't return the APC barcode label, which is absolutely required for a resubmission, and there is only one. They won that one, but I never figure the price including rebates when I budget for stuff. I always assume that none of them will pay up. That way I won't be as disappointed.

On the other hand, the new Sony system I had bought just before the e-machines system had a $100 rebate. I sent in the stuff, same as with e-machines, and 2 weeks later had a check for $100 in hand from Sony Guess which brand systems I will, and will not buy or recommend in the future

[Heywould3]

Guess which brand systems I will, and will not buy or recommend in the future

yeah.. im pretty much like that.. if its enough i will do it.. for 10bux.. doubtful.. for 70 yeah.. BUT with the cell phone deal.. it was 3 seprate ones to 3 different places. so with all the hassle envolved i just put it off and put it off untill it was past the postage date due by date.. so i lost it.. for a 100 ill take a long lunch and do it from work.. (Still get paid) i have sent some in.. but out of maybe 20 MIRs i sent in 2. i always put things off thats one of my downfalls.

[ViRaL1]

If they gave you your money back right away that would be an instant rebate. :P One reason why rebates take a while is that they want to make sure you're keeping the product and not just returning it after you've gotten your rebate and shorting them the money without making a sale. Apparently some stores still let you return items without UPCs (dumbasses), so this is somewhat flawed. Another reason of course is that many people either don't submit their rebates or don't submit them exactly according to how they want it done, so they'll end up turning some rebates down. The most legitimate reason is that most companies do factor in some of the cost of the rebate and spend the time they have your money rolling it over and making interest.

[Dr. DOS]

I've had mixed results with MIRs. The last one was for an e-Machines PC for my son. The mail-in rebate was $50 so we sent it in. They rejected it with the explanation that our receipt copy wasn't good enough quality.

They didn't return the APC barcode label, which is absolutely required for a resubmission, and there is only one.

Cap,

That would have caused me to go postal.... did you call ... I would have been royally pissed ... especially for $50.00 (Yea... I'm a poor, cheap bastard)

[tekkieman]

I had JASC (Paintshop Pro) reject my $30.00 MIR saying it was the wrong product. I was kinda screwed since my wife mailed the original receipt, and accidentally overwrote the scans of all the paperwork. I sent 1 email with a scan of the box stating '$30.00 to all users', made two phone calls, and had my $30.00 within the week!

[Doramius]

In the US you can call the BBB regarding MIRs. When I send the form and UPC, I send it with a copy of the form and UPC and keep a copy for myself. If they pull that BS, I can send a copy to the BBB and I get my MIR.

MIRs, traditionally, are not just a way for the company to keep money. It's supposed to be a way of paying a customer for verifying who they are and where most of the products are being used. Rebates were meant to be sort of like a survey for the company and a notice that a buyer wants to keep the product. You pay a wholesale price for the item, when you purchased it from a retail store for full price, and you let the manufacturer know that you're a supporter of their products.

Companies today may have taken it to a legal scam. However, I think it's getting cracked down on. Circuit City and Best Buy both have had huge complaints from customers for offering rebates on items where the manufacturer is not keeping up on their end of the deal. I don't remember who, but Best Buy dropped a major manufacturer's brand about a year or 2 ago because of all the hate mail they were getting due to unfulfilled MIR requests or rejections.

There was a big article about it back then. I'll see if I can dig it up or if anyone remembers what I'm talking about post the link.

[flaninacupboard]

It sucks you guys have to deal with that crap. what a stupid idea, a mail in rebate. glad we don't have them.

come move to england if you never want to see another rebate!

[tekkieman]

...come move to england if you never want to see another rebate!

Not after seeing what you pay for gas! :P

[Doramius]

I want to see the rebates, but that's just it. I want to SEE the rebate. If you're not going to honor the MIRs or create problems with it, then do instant rebate. Or just offer a discount price from the beginning, don't be dicking around with people and money.

[flaninacupboard]

...come move to england if you never want to see another rebate!

Not after seeing what you pay for gas! :P

touche.

We do have proper chocolate though :P

[tekkieman]

...come move to england if you never want to see another rebate!

Not after seeing what you pay for gas! :P

touche.

We do have proper chocolate though :P

...and proper English? :P

[flaninacupboard]

Yep, our hybrid latin-celtic-saxon-roman-german-french language is the best in the world!

[Doramius]

You can set a watch to the lives of the Britts, but You just can't get your teeth straight.