I hate rebate offers....

[Blueface]

Anyone else hate that stuff as much as I do?

I just got an LG phone for my wife, has a $50 rebate offer.

I just got an LG Shine for my dad, has a $50 rebate offer.

Don't know about the rest, but I try to avoid rebates and get best sale price I can.
If unavoidable, I invariably include the cost of the certified return receipt mailing in my mind and always send that way.
Seems I have never, ever not gotten my money back.

Anyone send them out regular mail and ever have any problems getting their money as they say they 'never received it from you"?

Just curious.

[Mugen910]

I just make copies of everything and when I get a letter saying "Denied" I call them up and fight for every penny I can...but that's just me.

[pnoon]

Rebates are a pain, for sure, Carlos.
But I have never had a problem getting one.

[MikeyC]

I always send mine regular USPS and have never had a problem. Although, I too HATE rebates. They always take SO long to get. Recently, I bought a Bosch dishwasher with a $50 rebate and I think it took 4 months to get it.

On a more positive note . . . my wife recently bought a Mac Book Pro and it had a rebate for a free iPod Touch. We had the check in about a week. This is the way a rebate should work.

[MedicCook]

I usually forget to send them in so I try to stay away from rebate offers.

[poker]

Mail in rebates suck @ss.

[dunng]

I like Staples Easy Rebates some of Home Depot's... you just go on the web and submit info from your receipt and you are done! :ss

[Blueface]

I usually forget to send them in so I try to stay away from rebate offers.

Exactly the reason why they do it that way.

I recall seeing some mad stats that illustrated a large percentage of folks that never claim it.
I believe the number to have been around 60%.

[ashmaster]

I truly dislike the "rebate" offer system. You buy the product and if your lucky, you'll receive the rebate (if you have crossed every t and dotted every i) in maybe 8-12 weeks to never. Then you get to debate the situation with the company that is processing the rebates, what fun. I would not want to work as a customer service rep.

Now, more companies are offering rebates but they're in the form of a "debit card", so you have to come back to spend it with them anyways. What a racket!!

[MedicCook]

Verizon did my rebate at the register a few years ago and took it off the cost of the phone at time of purchase.

[Dgar]

Now, more companies are offering rebates but they're in the form of a "debit card", so you have to come back to spend it with them anyways. What a racket!!

Thats the one gets me.

[MikeyC]

Verizon did my rebate at the register a few years ago and took it off the cost of the phone at time of purchase.

That's an "instant rebate." I don't even know why they use the term "rebate" with this type of transaction. It's nothing like a mail in rebate. Why not just make it a "sale?"

I truly dislike the "rebate" offer system. You buy the product and if your lucky, you'll receive the rebate (if you have crossed every t and dotted every i) in maybe 8-12 weeks to never. Then you get to debate the situation with the company that is processing the rebates, what fun. I would not want to work as a customer service rep.

Now, more companies are offering rebates but they're in the form of a "debit card", so you have to come back to spend it with them anyways. What a racket!!

I HATE that, but I guess it's better than no rebate at all.

Exactly the reason why they do it that way.

I recall seeing some mad stats that illustrated a large percentage of folks that never claim it.
I believe the number to have been around 60%.

My wife last summer bought an aero-bed for a weekend getaway with some of her friends. There was a rebate offered on it and I told her "make sure to bring the box back so that we can cut off the UPC for the rebate." When she got back she did have the box with her, but for some reason she took the receipt with her and lost it. :bh

[Blueface]

My wife last summer bought an aero-bed for a weekend getaway with some of her friends. There was a rebate offered on it and I told her "make sure to bring the box back so that we can cut off the UPC for the rebate." When she got back she did have the box with her, but for some reason she took the receipt with her and lost it. :bh

You really have got to read the requirements carefully.

Of the two I just sent, one says "original receipt or copy" while the other says "original receipt".
Send a copy on the latter and there goes your rebate up in smoke.

[zmancbr]

Rebates are a pain, for sure, Carlos.
But I have never had a problem getting one.

:tpd:

I hate them with a passion as well and do my best to avoid them... but I haven't had any problems getting them back (other than the awfully slow 12 week wait times for some)...

[ucla695]

I try to avoid mail-in rebates because I usually forget to send them in, which is what the companies hope for. I guess the key is to follow the instructions very closely to avoid any hassles.

Mail-in rebate = PITA for me

[68TriShield]

Celeste is not one to pass up free money ;)

[neoflex]

I usually forget to send them in so I try to stay away from rebate offers.

That's usually what happens to me too.

[MikeyC]

You really have got to read the requirements carefully.

Of the two I just sent, one says "original receipt or copy" while the other says "original receipt".
Send a copy on the latter and there goes your rebate up in smoke.

It seems most stores when there is a rebate will print you a "rebate receipt" which you can send in with your paperwork. When that doesn't happen I just send in the original and keep a photocopy.

[SmoknTaz]

I usually forget to send them in so I try to stay away from rebate offers.

Exactly the reason why they do it that way.

I recall seeing some mad stats that illustrated a large percentage of folks that never claim it.
I believe the number to have been around 60%.

I hate mail in rebates. Total scam IMO. They certainly bank on a high percentage of people not claiming it and then try to screw the rest on a technicality when you do. I try to look for products with instant rebates because of this!

[LookAtBigErn82]

Not sure why it takes a company 10-12 weeks to print up a $10 check. But as sure as sh*t as soon as you call and ask where your rebate is, they tell you it was mailed a day ago. Yea I bet it was, can't count how many times I've heard that one.

[RGD.]

Still waiting on $100 for my daughters laptop, $100 for my other daughters camera - both sent out at the end of November. Both have notified me to say they got it and it's in the works. And oh yeah - $50 back from my eye glasses.


Ron

[Commander Quan]

Tiger Direct used to be the worst when it came to rebates, I never got any of them. They had the best prices on everything...after rebate. I've heard they got a lot better in resent years though.