Why do Mail In Rebates exist?

[copiche]

Couldn't they sell at the final reduced price instead of the pain of filling up forms and mailing them so you can receive the rebate as late as 8 weeks later or more?
It becomes even more complicated when there is the manufacturer's mail in rebate, then the store's mail in rebate, then the store's instant rebate, then the later rebate.. etc etc...
What do you all think?

[Roundabout]

This has been discussed before, but I believe the single biggest reason for rebates, from the manufacturer's perspective, is that a very large percentage of people forget to send them in. They get to keep all that money, and with the lure of lower prices, a lot of people can't resist.

Then they forget to send them in, or do something wrong, or don't meet the expiration date, or forget the UPC or original receipt, so they can refuse to pay the rebate.

And of course, there are unscrupulous manufacturers that purposely do not send the rebate - I've had a couple of those. I found out after the fact that the mfgr. didn't send ANYONE their rebate on those items. Later, they changed their name and they're probably still in business today. Don't trust small, unknown mfgr's to send you your money. Sometimes even the big ones don't but at least you have a recourse, calling customer service.

[jeex]

so to recap;

*you can advertise lower prices
*most people dont send them in
*of the people that do send them in, some fill them out incorrectly
*you can make a good amount of interest from the "rebate money" while you make customers wait.

[Capmaster]

so to recap;

*you can advertise lower prices
*most people dont send them in
*of the people that do send them in, some fill them out incorrectly
*you can make a good amount of interest from the "rebate money" while you make customers wait.

They can legally advertise a piece of hardware for $XXXXX and put it in a huge font, bolded and italics with exclamation points. Then in 2-point courier font they put "* - After rebate".

And don't forget that many companies simply ignore rebate forms even if they're correctly filled out. They are counting on you forgetting you mailed it

[northcat_8]

don't forget that many companies simply ignore rebate forms even if they're correctly filled out. They are counting on you forgetting you mailed it

And you see that is the error of their ways right there. I keep a log and scanned copy of all rebates I've sent in and the time period in which they are suppose to return my money.

I've had a few of them try to tell me that something was wrong and I pulled it up on my computer while on the phone with them. Some will still disagree then I threaten them with the better business bureau....some still resist, then I tell them "Great, my uncle is a lawyer...I'll see you in court." (He's not really) but then I get moved higher up the management chain, next guy tries to back the first person I spoke to, if I am making no progress, I repeat my threats. Sometimes they hang up on me, sometimes they try to "explain" to me how it was their fault, etc, etc. So if I still have no results. I go to google or switchboard.com and type in their company address, which gives me a line to a secretary. I call her up and ask to speak to the president of the company, director of sales...someone pretty high up. Sometimes I have to ask the guy's name, she will usually tell me. Then I call back later and ask for him directly. Once you are talking to the Big Man on Campus wheels turn much quicker.

I've only had to go to the head guy once and it was a rebate on some blank cd-r discs which were on sale for like $29.00 with a $25.00 mail in rebate. They UPS'ed my rebate check 2 days later.

I am very anal about money. I know where every single cent of my money is and goes. The bank and I have some very interesting "discussions" when their balance doesn't match mine and I call them if they are even $.01 off. I make the cashier at wal-mart cry if she shorts me $.02 don't think I won't get bent if a company is trying to f**k me out of $25.00...I have 3 months off in the summer with not much better to do than to harass them every freakin day.

[raxitpatel]

I had bought eMachine Desktop before 2 Years, haven't received any Rebate till today, On My Toshiba Lapton I bought last year, still haven't got any rebate, on my Linksys Wireless card, still haven't received rebate.

I just don't even care anymore about rebate offers, When Ever I see Mail In Rebate Deals I just think of it paying the Price they Asking First time and consider it the last price I will be paying for it, just don't expect the damn rebate

[tony123]

sometimes they sell your info to advertisers to make some money back

[northcat_8]

I got another one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Been having trouble with my phone service, I called the company, I won't say the name but it sounds kind of like "sprint".....

They were going to have a technican come out and take a look, but if the problem was somewhere in the house they were going to charge me a service call and if it wasn't my bill would be credited for the 2 weeks that we had been having trouble with it.

OK....now it is a month after, just got last month's phone bill, it wasn't credited....called them up again and guess what....they have amniesia, they don't remember saying such a thing, that is not their policy, they have never heard of anything like that.....apparently they have never heard of a program called "Modem spy" either

So up through the chain of command I went, pissing off customer service reps as I went...won't be getting any christmas cards from sprint this year , finally got to someone in with some power...told him to listen to this....I played the audio file, told him when the file was made down to the minute, the # I called, the lady's name I spoke to, etc, etc....and what did he think about that....he said "that is not proof"......so I said "great, I'll see you in court....it's small claims for me and bad publicity for you...are you sure that's worth the $47.73 for those 2 weeks?"

He credited my bill.

God I love being an prick

[Sifaga]

and your so good at it north

hanging out for my next lot of bills, i got a few things to try out.

[northcat_8]

.

and your so good at it north

It's natural...you can't teach my level of a$$hole-ness...purely god given

I'm about to go at it with DirectTV as well, shut my Direct TV off because I didn't pay the bill...the bill was $74....my wife wrote the check for $72, they shut it off over 2 bucks...I've been a customer since...well I had a primestar dish and Direct TV bought primestar....I now have my bill figured hourly...how much I pay per hour of viewing, .10 per hour, next time it rains and the service goes out, I'm docking them .10 per hour.

[888888]

Let's say I buy something with a rebate. Make a xerox copy of what I am sending and send them the original. What always worries me is if months later I call them and they say they never got my letter. I then procede to tell them that I am sure I mailed it. And in the end, they can say something like "prove it". Things do get lost in the mail so how can I really prove that it wasn't.

My question is: should I send a rebate with delivery confirmation so I can have proof that they get it? Delivery confirmation from USPS is not that expensive but any kind of priority mail usually costs almost as much as some rebates. But is a delivery confirmation useful or will that not help prove my case to the company?

Fuji owes me $15 from way into last year and I am getting pissed. BTW, I did recieve a rebate from IMATION so they are a class act.

[northcat_8]

8888888888 -

You ask it the wrong way.

You need to call and say something like "Um...yes ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you dear but if you could help me I would surely appreciate it." MAKE SURE YOU SOUND SINCERE soft voice, kind of shy....NON-THREATENING.

She will help you. SHE!!!! That's important.

Then you tell her. "I think I've made a mistake. I sent out some mail-in rebates and I had one for you guys, one for Dell, and one for Memorex (whoever, just make up 2 others). But the problem is I was sure I sent them out but I think I got the envelopes switched because Dell just called me said I sent them a Memorex rebate. I'm worried that I sent you guys the wrong rebate stuff. Is there any way that you could check to see if I sent you the wrong stuff dear?"

She'll check or send you to someone who can. If the someone she sends you to a man, hang up and start over if he shoots you down. If she sends you to another woman, just repeat the story but start it with "yes ma'am, I was just speaking with a really nice lady and she said you would be able to help me...." then repeat the story.

When you are not in a position of power and have no proof, you have to work on their sympathy and overall kindness factor...that's why you speak to a woman...always.

~2 things that are important. Talk to a woman and sound older. Don't be demanding, seem kind of "out of breath hopeless"...like you REALLY REALLY need her help and that you are just trying to figure this out. Be knowlegable but not smart and don't get rude. Call back if you need to get rude.

[mrtristan]

I avoid rebates for two reasons.

1. I'm lazy and usually forget to turn them in on time.

2. I'm lazy and usually forget to turn them in on time.

[indolikaa]

It's natural...you can't teach my level of a$$hole-ness...purely god given

Amen! Power to the ********!


Manufacturer's Rebates = Attempted Robbery

[Roundabout]

Manufacturer's Rebates = Attempted Robbery

Attempted, Hell!

In many cases the robbery is accomplished, along with a little bit of ASSault and battery...

Got spare time? Just type in the word "rebate" to search on a site like www.badbusinessbureau.com to see how many hundreds and hundreds of people have been ripped off (I added one there too, but I eventually got my rebate after much persistence and threats...and one year late).

IMO, don't trust small mfgrs to send the money. Even the bigger ones will rip you off but there's at least a possibility of recourse. With the small ones, they intentionally don't pay, hoping you will just forget it or go away. These rebates keep getting bigger and bigger, in the past they were at most, $10.00 or so. If you didn't get it, it's not as bad as now, where many rebates are commonly $50.00 or more.

There should be a federal law about rebates, requiring mfgrs to pay within X amount of time or be fined. They should have to have the rebate money in a separate account administered by a neutral third party and disbursed immediately upon receipt. I think this is a sore point among millions of consumers, and the issue of being ripped off has never been addressed by government, yet people lose millions every day in non-paid rebates. It amounts to false advertising, yet the FTC doesn't seem interested.

All the rip-off rebate mfgrs should burn in Hell

[Capmaster]

There should be a federal law about rebates, requiring mfgrs to pay within X amount of time or be fined. They should have to have the rebate money in a separate account administered by a neutral third party and disbursed immediately upon receipt.

Instead of adding yet another law and having to hire people to enforce it, thus raising our taxes and increasing the size of big government, I have a better idea ....get the word out about these unscrupulous companies and vote with your checkbook. If enough people go over to their competitors, they'll get the message.

[Roundabout]

Instead of adding yet another law and having to hire people to enforce it, thus raising our taxes and increasing the size of big government, I have a better idea ....get the word out about these unscrupulous companies and vote with your checkbook. If enough people go over to their competitors, they'll get the message.

Awwww, what's one more law?

At least this one would have some useful purpose. The FTC already investigates false advertising claims, and this IMO falls under that heading. They promise something that they oftentimes don't deliver.

As for going to the competition, a good idea - but - most of the competition is doing the same thing; offering rebates instead of lowering their prices. They get so much extra cash (plus interest) from people that don't remember to send them in, that it is irresistible for the mfgrs to refuse. That's not counting the unscrupulous mfgrs that intentionally don't pay. You are lured in with a low price that you may or may not ever get. Plus you get to pay tax on the full price, not the rebated price, so the government doesn't complain, they get their full booty.

[indolikaa]

As for going to the competition, a good idea - but - most of the competition is doing the same thing; offering rebates instead of lowering their prices. They get so much extra cash (plus interest) from people that don't remember to send them in, that it is irresistible for the mfgrs to refuse. That's not counting the unscrupulous mfgrs that intentionally don't pay. You are lured in with a low price that you may or may not ever get. Plus you get to pay tax on the full price, not the rebated price, so the government doesn't complain, they get their full booty.

The Soviets would've LOVED this!


.indolikaa.
$30.00 Rebate with Purchase

[thayne]

I bought a $200 cell phone at amazon.com for $79 and got a $270 rebate! Thats right, I made a profit of $190... Have received and cashed the rebate checks

[raxitpatel]

yeh pay your phonebill on time if you have sprint service , they are full of crap, I got my cell phone, sometime I pay the bill day or 2 days earlier before end of billing cycle and they charge couple bucks extra for late billing, they said you have to pay it before 5 days However my plan is $30.00 per month damn taxes and all other crap makes it $36.00 but for first few months it was 34 and they added more crap.

[thayne]

naw, I have T-mobile, so far I like them.... Nextel is the absolute worst POS phone company there is! Avoid at all costs! They'll bill you extra just for thinking about making a call

[888888]

8888888888 -

You ask it the wrong way.

You need to call and say something like "Um...yes ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you dear but if you could help me I would surely appreciate it." MAKE SURE YOU SOUND SINCERE soft voice, kind of shy....NON-THREATENING.

She will help you. SHE!!!! That's important.

Then you tell her. "I think I've made a mistake. I sent out some mail-in rebates and I had one for you guys, one for Dell, and one for Memorex (whoever, just make up 2 others). But the problem is I was sure I sent them out but I think I got the envelopes switched because Dell just called me said I sent them a Memorex rebate. I'm worried that I sent you guys the wrong rebate stuff. Is there any way that you could check to see if I sent you the wrong stuff dear?"

She'll check or send you to someone who can. If the someone she sends you to a man, hang up and start over if he shoots you down. If she sends you to another woman, just repeat the story but start it with "yes ma'am, I was just speaking with a really nice lady and she said you would be able to help me...." then repeat the story.

When you are not in a position of power and have no proof, you have to work on their sympathy and overall kindness factor...that's why you speak to a woman...always.

~2 things that are important. Talk to a woman and sound older. Don't be demanding, seem kind of "out of breath hopeless"...like you REALLY REALLY need her help and that you are just trying to figure this out. Be knowlegable but not smart and don't get rude. Call back if you need to get rude.

Lets say I call the company (FUJI) and I am speaking to a bunch of nice ladies (hopefully some sweet Japanese Fuji girls) very politely and then the issue comes up "we are very sorry dear but we did not recieve your rebate". I am an easy going person usually and am always nice to customer service people on the phone since I have worked enough in low level positions to know what it's like to be bitched at. Just because I say that I sent the rebate, or that they even believe that I did doesn't mean they will give me my money. Let's say in the rare case something DID actually happen in the post office and they really didn't recieve my rebate, would they still give me my rebate check?

But my question is: is a delivery confirmation note proof that I sent it and they recieved it?

[indolikaa]

But my question is: is a delivery confirmation note proof that I sent it and they recieved it?

Yes.

It was me sending a rebate via Reigstered Mail to Sony that got me the rebate I was owed. Kinda hard to argue they didn't receive it when I had the card showing someone had signed for the envelope in question...

[Capmaster]

But my question is: is a delivery confirmation note proof that I sent it and they recieved it?

Yes.

It was me sending a rebate via Reigstered Mail to Sony that got me the rebate I was owed. Kinda hard to argue they didn't receive it when I had the card showing someone had signed for the envelope in question...

Their mistake was that they didn't know they were dealing with a master rebater ....
.
.
.
.couldn't resist

[indolikaa]

But my question is: is a delivery confirmation note proof that I sent it and they recieved it?

Yes.

It was me sending a rebate via Reigstered Mail to Sony that got me the rebate I was owed. Kinda hard to argue they didn't receive it when I had the card showing someone had signed for the envelope in question...

Their mistake was that they didn't know they were dealing with a master rebater ....
.
.
.
.couldn't resist

You're baiting me, aren't you?

.indolikaa.
Master Baiter

[northcat_8]

8888888888 -

You ask it the wrong way.

You need to call and say something like "Um...yes ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you dear but if you could help me I would surely appreciate it." MAKE SURE YOU SOUND SINCERE soft voice, kind of shy....NON-THREATENING.

She will help you. SHE!!!! That's important.

Then you tell her. "I think I've made a mistake. I sent out some mail-in rebates and I had one for you guys, one for Dell, and one for Memorex (whoever, just make up 2 others). But the problem is I was sure I sent them out but I think I got the envelopes switched because Dell just called me said I sent them a Memorex rebate. I'm worried that I sent you guys the wrong rebate stuff. Is there any way that you could check to see if I sent you the wrong stuff dear?"

She'll check or send you to someone who can. If the someone she sends you to a man, hang up and start over if he shoots you down. If she sends you to another woman, just repeat the story but start it with "yes ma'am, I was just speaking with a really nice lady and she said you would be able to help me...." then repeat the story.

When you are not in a position of power and have no proof, you have to work on their sympathy and overall kindness factor...that's why you speak to a woman...always.

~2 things that are important. Talk to a woman and sound older. Don't be demanding, seem kind of "out of breath hopeless"...like you REALLY REALLY need her help and that you are just trying to figure this out. Be knowlegable but not smart and don't get rude. Call back if you need to get rude.

Lets say I call the company (FUJI) and I am speaking to a bunch of nice ladies (hopefully some sweet Japanese Fuji girls) very politely and then the issue comes up "we are very sorry dear but we did not recieve your rebate". I am an easy going person usually and am always nice to customer service people on the phone since I have worked enough in low level positions to know what it's like to be bitched at. Just because I say that I sent the rebate, or that they even believe that I did doesn't mean they will give me my money. Let's say in the rare case something DID actually happen in the post office and they really didn't recieve my rebate, would they still give me my rebate check?

But my question is: is a delivery confirmation note proof that I sent it and they recieved it?

Well if you just mailed it from your mailbox and let the postman pick it up then probably not. Because really you have no foundation, like they said "prove it". For rebates I typically used registered mail also...but even if it gets lost, you can get them to take copies of the reciept and proof of purchase. That's not quite as easy and you won't get that done with a single phone call, but it can be done. I've never dealt with Fuji, but I'm sure, you can pull it off.

To answer your question: I think the delivery confirmation is proof that it was sent and it was received and is the best bet for getting your rebates back.

[888888]

Thanks for the advice everybody. I haven't actually called FUJI yet, but I am preparing for the worst. I still am a bit angry from an experience with Philips last year. I bought a shitty Philips CDMP3 player which broke after a few months. I sent it back to Knoxville TN for repairs. Called them back two months after and lo and behold they never got it! Of course, I sent it regular post.

[Roundabout]

As for going to the competition, a good idea - but - most of the competition is doing the same thing; offering rebates instead of lowering their prices. They get so much extra cash (plus interest) from people that don't remember to send them in, that it is irresistible for the mfgrs to refuse. That's not counting the unscrupulous mfgrs that intentionally don't pay. You are lured in with a low price that you may or may not ever get. Plus you get to pay tax on the full price, not the rebated price, so the government doesn't complain, they get their full booty.

The Soviets would've LOVED this!

Except they didn't rebate anything...they just kept it all. Come to think of it, that's pretty much what we have here today.

Just like the gas tax, you pay a federal tax, then a state tax, and then you pay a sales tax on that tax. For example, here in Calif. there is a $0.18 federal tax (nationwide) + a state tax of $0.18, equalling $0.36 - then you pay a sales tax on that $0.36 @ 8.25% = an extra $0.03 of tax on tax! Geez, like the price of gas isn't high enough already. Again, the government won't complain, they're getting their share no matter what. They put the sales tax on the entire price of gas, including the taxes. Nice deal for them. The higher the price of gas, the more they get. Now that it's about doubled, the tax collection they take in has also doubled. More money to waste...Your tax dollars at work. /rant

Rebates are more of the same, we get ripped off and there's little you can do about it except fight with the non-paying companies. I try to avoid rebates when I can, but some are just too good to pass up...