I'm never purchasing something with a mail-in rebate again.

[kenberman]

[ QUOTE ]
I seriously think these are a scam and they remain profitable b/c of the people who never bother to file for the rebate AND a small percentage of people whose legitimate claims they don't approve. I think I found a worthy cause to fight for. I plan to blow the lid off this corrupt industry.

[img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

a lot of people don't bother to send them in, or don't bother to fight when they are late, etc.

in general, I discount some of the rebate value. for instance, a $100 rebate is only worth about $75/$80 to me, b/c of the time I need to wait to get it, the chance that it might not come, the time I have to spend photocopying/mailing stuff.

also, Staples Easy Rebates are legit, and these are worth about 100% of the value to me. you don't need to mail anything in, they are 100% legit, and they come in only a few weeks.

[jason_t]

[ QUOTE ]
WTF, for the free money!

Seriosuly, the only reason why I bought the mouse was b/c I felt it was such a good price.

[/ QUOTE ]

You get placed on one million mailing lists.

[astroglide]

jbb,

i have lost approximately $15,000 usd in the last 5 years on rebates. because i never mailed them in.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
I plan to blow the lid off this corrupt industry.
[img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Too late!

[BottlesOf]

That's ok, I don't get much mail at this address anyway [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[DeezNuts]

There's a Dilbert where they boss wants to market a "free" product, but make it cost one million dollars but have a one million dollar mail-in-rebate. They basically just need one person to not mail in the rebate to be extremely profitable. Who would they market it to? The rich but lazy.

This post reminded me of that strip, too lazy to look for it right now.

DN

[rusellmj]

I read an article in some trade mag about rebates as they concern the computer industry. The gist of the article was buy the product you want. If the product offers a rebate, by all means try and get it, but don't buy a product because of a rebate. This advice has served me well.

[dblgutshot]

[Warik]

Why don't you just dispute the charge on your credit card statement saying that the merchant sold the item on the basis that it provided a mail-in rebate and that the merchant failed to honor the rebate?

I've done it twice. I'm batting 1.000 when it comes to mail-in rebates.

[Blarg]

A friend of mine goes for those rebates all the time, but he's a lawyer so he's a naturally argumentative prick. He really digs the hassles he has to go through. He sent in probably dozens of rebates on computer stuff, and has had them try to pull all manner of crap on him. But he's relentless, and is willing to go through tons of e-mail, snail mail, and even phone calls to get his way. That he is a lawyer and can have a little edge of threat to his inquiries doesn't hurt a bit, but usually it doesn't have to come to that; merely sounding like you know what you are talking about and aren't preparing to take any crap usually does the job.

But not right away.

I think the whole thing is not worth it and just stay away from mail-in rebates. I don't want to wait three months and get a rebate after sending three letters and making two phone calls. It's a kind of a game as often as not, and not one I'm interested in playing. I'd rather just get a product from a vendor who really wants to give me a good price, than get a fake good price by way of a mail-in rebate. Hell, if I have to go through that crap, I'd rather not get the product at all.