rebate scames

sue currin · #1 07/23/05, 04:15 PM

Any body else have problems getting back rebates? I got an E machinies for a friend in collage for christmas. put on the purches at circuit city that it was a gift. they want send me the rebate because I don't have the UPS bar code cut off the box, They gave me the receipt for the rebate. I didn't know I had to cut up a box that a gift was in to get the rebate. It is over 200.00 and I have called them over and over with no resorts. Any thing like this happened to you?

Reauxman · #2 07/23/05, 04:30 PM

Read the rebate next time, you were scammed out of nothing. To get a rebate you had to prove you purchased the item in a manner they want you to prove it in, and you are failing to do that.

Don't blame the store when it's really your problem, not theirs.

countrygrrrl · #3 07/23/05, 04:36 PM

Rooman is right. When I purchased some new appliances last winter, I got over $400 worth of rebates --- but I got the rebates only by following the directions exactly, and then some.

Next time, read the directions carefully both before and during sending stuff in for the rebate. You have to be kind of anal

about it all, but if you are, you can get back good money!

BaronsMom · #4 07/23/05, 04:37 PM

You have to be really careful. I keep every little piece of paper work when I buy a big item like a computer. And I keep the box so I don't mess with cutting up or tossing any UPC codes.

I can't afford the electronics without the rebates. And, what a mess of paperwork it is - duplicate receipts, duplicate this/that...mail in by this date, don't forget the UPC barcodes...

Man - what a mess. Sorry, yours' got messed up - my biggest fear when I buy something like that! And since it was a gift, even tougher. Next time, cut off the UPC Code and anything else that looks important - then give it as a gift...

Kygardengal · #5 07/23/05, 04:39 PM

I was to recieve a rebate from H.H. Gregg, but never got it....It was for the installation of a car stereo ($40.)....The rebate form said it would take 6-8
months to process...never heard from them again...After about 10 months I called the store and compained. They said they would look into it for me but I haven't heard from them again. I no longer "trust" rebates...so many people
say they never receive them. We followed the directions to the "T"...

almostthere · #6 07/23/05, 04:57 PM

I went thru the same rebate thing with Emachines, and boy are they specific! I got my rebate but what I thought would be a 10 minute job turned into an hour and a visit to the truck stop to use the copier. And it seemed they took forever, I think we got our checks back on the latest day they said we would.

Cosmic · #7 07/23/05, 10:36 PM

E Machines rebates are no scams, like others have said, you must follow the instructions exactly. In fact they tell you if you screw it up, probably going to have problems.

That is why you do exactly as instructed, Xerox all the paperwork so you have a copy, including the number to call, mail the sucker and wait the required time.

Yup, no UPC Code, lots of luck getting your money. SOL, not their fault.

Orville · #8 07/23/05, 10:56 PM

It may not be a scam in the specific sense of the word, but I think they do make you jump thru hoops to get the rebate in order to ensure that some, who are less anal than others, err, and therefore disqualify for the rebate, thereby increasing the company's bottom line.

Nette · #9 07/24/05, 08:00 AM

If you didn't follow their instuctions to the letter, they've got you. However, my experience has been that even when you do follow instructions exactly, you're still subject not to get the rebate. In such cases, I follow-up with a threatening letter mentioning the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General, etc. That has worked...

caballoviejo · #10 07/24/05, 08:41 AM

If everybody got their rebates they might as well just lower the prices from the get go. A big part trick of the rebate scam is to prevent as much payout as possible.

birdie_poo · #11 07/24/05, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caballoviejo

If everybody got their rebates they might as well just lower the prices from the get go. A big part trick of the rebate scam is to prevent as much payout as possible.

It's not a scam, it's a bet.

The company doesn't lose any money selling thier product with the 'offer' of a rebate. People will still buy it, regardless. Where the bet comes to play is, there are few people who will even attempt to get the rebate. Some will see all the trouble that it requires and give it. Some will go to the trouble and send away for it and forget. Some will follow the rules to the letter, make the necessary copies, send in the upc codes, the paperwork, the reciept, etc, and weight the allotted time...thos are the people who normally get the rebate back.

In all the years I have been doing rebates, I've only had problems maybe a couple times.

I try to put those rebates in the kids accounts, because it's not really money tha we were expecting, anyway.

This isn't money for free, you really have to work hard for it, so if you want a rebate, you either have to accept the fact that they want everything down to blood type and first born just for a few bucks, or be like 80% of the rest of the population, and think it a waste of time and not bother.

sue currin · #12 07/24/05, 08:59 PM

I read what was to be sent in. Then I sent what they wanted, the ups codes from the boxes were on the recites. I put it in writing that this was a gift, and have that printed on the receipt. No I did not cut up the box, but the ups code is on the receipet. I am starting to hate these people.

Momo · #13 07/24/05, 09:11 PM

Even when you do everything perfectly correct they still get messed up. When I bought my laptop it had 2 rebates..one for 200$ and one for $100. I kept copies of everything since it was so much money. After 8 weeks I started calling. The problem was the vendor that CompUSA used to do the rebates. CompUSA had to get ugly with them to get my money. After 4 months I got it. For 300$ I can be a pain.

In May I got an easystaples rebate product. It was done online and said 4-6 weeks. After 6 weeks I called and the lady said that everyone who entered their rebate info online had not been forwarded to having an actual check issued. She had to manually do it for me. Kind of defeats the purpose of easy online rebates.

I do keep track of them. I don't bother fooling with one unless it's at least 5$ or more though.

tsdave · #14 07/24/05, 09:54 PM

These rebates are definitly a scam. Its becomming more and more common. You probably will get your rebate if you do exactly as they say, when they say to. The way they make money is betting you will goof it up, OR that you wont complain if they still dont send your checks. Probably 25% goof up on paperwork and another 50% wont call and make a fit for the time required to get the refund.

A new 'trick' ive noticed lately is they say you must hold on to all those papers and such , and it must be postmarked at LEAST 16 weeks after purchase but before 18 weeks. Then they will hold it for as long as they can, and probably until you call and prove you did everything required.

Just pick the items without the rebates.

gardentalk · #15 07/25/05, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orville

It may not be a scam in the specific sense of the word, but I think they do make you jump thru hoops to get the rebate in order to ensure that some, who are less anal than others, err, and therefore disqualify for the rebate, thereby increasing the company's bottom line.

EXACTLY! These businesses, like Best Buy as an example, profit FAR more from the rebate scam than does the customer. First, your information is collected to be sold (means lots of telemarketing and junk mail for you in the near future), and then Best Buy KNOWS that most buyers will forget to even send in for the rebates. What a bunch of garbage.

I hear that Best Buy is getting out of the rebate business, and I can only hope that some day we will return to the glory days of ONLY seeing the actual price for an item on the sticker, not these freaking "20% OFF!" discounts (which they are not, as my wife is finally beginning to learn). Discounts, "sales", coupons, "saver cards", rebates, all that stuff is junk and is just a disguise for the fact that you're overpaying (with either your money or your personal information, often both) for crap.

Oilpatch197 · #16 07/25/05, 12:45 AM

since the price of stamps has gone up, rebates are a joke.

DAVID In Wisconsin · #17 07/25/05, 12:41 PM

I have been getting rebates for years. I get (average) of about $200.00 in rebates per month. I always follow the instructions EXACTLY and have yet to have a problem. If it says they want a UPC code from the box, either send it in or you don't get a rebate.

That said, Best Buy is being investigated by several states for repackaging used and defective items then selling them for new and for not honoring rebates. Seems the attorney general in several states have gotten a lot of complaints about Best Buy.

So, rebates do work, although maybe not any from Best Buy.

mightybooboo · #18 07/27/05, 06:11 PM

How about this scam? No STREET address,no rebate.PO BOX means NO REBATE! Plain old fraud in my book. Guess who will never buy another thing from Buy.com?

Thats right,me! Hope they got their 10 bucks worth,they have lost hundreds in future sales to me.

Brilliant marketing,Buy.com,to allow the vendors to cheat YOUR customers.They sure lost me. Im not doing ANY more rebaate items,ever.

Ace is also big on rebate items,guess who wont purchase them? ME! They also lost themselves a good customer.

BooBoo

Jolly · #19 07/29/05, 04:16 PM

Speaking of rebates in general....

Statistics show that 70% of all rebates are never redeemed. The smaller the rebate, the less likely the buyer will follow up on the required regimen.

Food for thought.

I don't do them after getting burned by Olympic Paint for a $50 a few years ago...

Grandmotherbear · #20 07/31/05, 06:30 PM

We bought a new computer outfit some years back. The $200 rebate wanted the oRIGINAL UPC code. Grandfatherbear, being anal retentive, made a xerox. 4 months later he wrote a letter, including the xerox to the company wondering where the rebate was. They rejected his claim because it called for an original UPC not a xerox- which they had, and never paid on. They treated his letter of enquiry like the original rebate request. It was obvious no one had even read it.
The $100 rebate arrived, but on the back of the back of the rebate check was printed "By endorsing and cashing this check I hereby agree to switch my telephone service to...*Fly by Nite Inc* for a period of 6 months (don't remember the carrier name) So we were out $300 in rebates.
I just HATE em!