Mail-in Rebate Rant

[Podunkadunk]

How many of you have been reeled in by "manufacturer mail-in rebate" offers? I hope I'm not the only one who has bought something in the past, and buying it with the inclination that I'll get that money back! The rebate offer is what sweetened the deal enough for me to buy it in the first place...

Back in November, I bought a Remington model 700 SPS in .308 caliber. It was 549.99 and had a 40.00 mail-in rebate from the manufacturer. I figured since it was cheaper than a couple of the other places I had shopped, AND that it had 40 bucks off, I'd get it. Well, I did...

A few days later, I got all the stuff together required for the rebate. You know, birth certificate, shot card, last years W-2's, photocopy of first-born's footprint, proof of purchase of the item (which is basically a sworn affadavit from retailer which is notorized), original receipt, serial number, pics of my property where I'll be shooting it, etc., etc., and followed the directions to a TEE! If you misspell one word, they'll kick it out of the system. No, they won't tell you...it'll just fall into a black hole somewhere, never to be found again.

Well, now that it's been just shy of 8 weeks, I went on the Remington website to follow up on the refund. I enter all the required verification data, hit enter and get a message stating they have no record of me! Thinking I must have done something stupid like, oh I don't know, misspelled my own name, I do it all again. Nope, still not there. I swear I heard the website's autobot computer system laughing at me!

So my rebate was lost. Maybe it's in a postal worker's basement somewhere. Maybe Remington's rebate is just a gimmick! I'll go with the latter. I mean, what do they have to lose? Nothing! I mean, all they have to say is that they never got it in the first place, or that I didn't provide all the information they had requested. Wait, I think I left out my social security number...yeah, that's got to be it. I should have used the SSN of the Lifelock guy...

Anyhow, I'm going to call them today and see what's up and if I can still refile all the above information.

I feel better now. I'm finished with mail-in rebates. They are a PITA anyhow, take months to get back and the manufacturer is a schmuck in the first place (any manufacturer who uses rebates) for not giving it to me on the spot anyhow. Man this gets my goat!!!!!

Podunk

***EDIT***

It took me a lot of surfing, but I found a number to call about the rebate. For future reference if anyone else needs to call (1-866-200-6656). I got a really nice lady on the horn. It seems the check was mailed out on the 16th and I should be receiving it any day. Miracles do exist! She didn't understand why my name wasn't in the system on the website...? Anyhow, now I feel like a schmuck. Since this thread was already responded to, I'll not delete it. I've still had issue with other mail-in rebates in the past. Maybe you have too and want to rant a little.

 

[Scooby074]

Your right, they got nothing to lose. In fact i think they rely on a large percentage of people forgetting or failing to send it in. I HATE mail ins. I think of all the ones i sent in that i might have only got 1 or 2 back . Now i look at the after rebate price but only if its a instore rebate, otherwise i just look at regular price and go with the lowest. If it has a mail in, then thats just a bonus but i dont rely on ever seeing the money.

 

[Tig]

My favourite is when the rebate is in two parts. Each to be mailed separately. Each requiring a proof of purchase UPC.

 

[MossRoad]

How many of you have been reeled in by "manufacturer mail-in rebate" offers? I hope I'm not the only one who has bought something in the past, and buying it with the inclination that I'll get that money back! The rebate offer is what sweetened the deal enough for me to buy it in the first place...

Back in November, I bought a Remington model 700 SPS in .308 caliber. It was 549.99 and had a 40.00 mail-in rebate from the manufacturer. I figured since it was cheaper than a couple of the other places I had shopped, AND that it had 40 bucks off, I'd get it. Well, I did...

A few days later, I got all the stuff together required for the rebate. You know, birth certificate, shot card, last years W-2's, photocopy of first-born's footprint, proof of purchase of the item (which is basically a sworn affadavit from retailer which is notorized), original receipt, serial number, pics of my property where I'll be shooting it, etc., etc., and followed the directions to a TEE! If you misspell one word, they'll kick it out of the system. No, they won't tell you...it'll just fall into a black hole somewhere, never to be found again.

Well, now that it's been just shy of 8 weeks, I went on the Remington website to follow up on the refund. I enter all the required verification data, hit enter and get a message stating they have no record of me! Thinking I must have done something stupid like, oh I don't know, misspelled my own name, I do it all again. Nope, still not there. I swear I heard the website's autobot computer system laughing at me!

So my rebate was lost. Maybe it's in a postal worker's basement somewhere. Maybe Remington's rebate is just a gimmick! I'll go with the latter. I mean, what do they have to lose? Nothing! I mean, all they have to say is that they never got it in the first place, or that I didn't provide all the information they had requested. Wait, I think I left out my social security number...yeah, that's got to be it. I should have used the SSN of the Lifelock guy...

Anyhow, I'm going to call them today and see what's up and if I can still refile all the above information.

I feel better now. I'm finished with mail-in rebates. They are a PITA anyhow, take months to get back and the manufacturer is a schmuck in the first place (any manufacturer who uses rebates) for not giving it to me on the spot anyhow. Man this gets my goat!!!!!

Podunk

***EDIT***

It took me a lot of surfing, but I found a number to call about the rebate. For future reference if anyone else needs to call (1-866-200-6656). I got a really nice lady on the horn. It seems the check was mailed out on the 16th and I should be receiving it any day. Miracles do exist! She didn't understand why my name wasn't in the system on the website...? Anyhow, now I feel like a schmuck. Since this thread was already responded to, I'll not delete it. I've still had issue with other mail-in rebates in the past. Maybe you have too and want to rant a little.

Hee hee. They got your goat AND made you feel like a schmuck! Hahahaha

If you really want to see rebates, go buy a copy of Turbo Tax and get all the free stuff that comes with it. You will be filling out forms for a couple hours. I do that almost every year. And I usually get all the rebates back after a few weeks. Staples is pretty good for giving you the extra printed receipts and instructions.

 

[Bird]

I hate the rebate system myself; wish they'd just lower the price, but I don't think I've ever seen one of the two part rebates. I'm sure they make more money with the rebate system than they'd make just lowering the price, since not everyone will go to the trouble to apply for the rebate. But to the best of my recollection, I've only had one rebate offer rejected. That was when I bought a hard drive in March, 2004, from an electronics store and the posted sign clearly showed that the manufacturer's rebate offer had expired. However, both the salesman and the cashier assured me that they had gotten an extension of the rebate time period. When I followed all the instructions and it was turned down, the store employees claimed their home office was fighting with the manufacturer and that I (and other customers) would eventually receive our rebate. It was only $30, but being hardheaded and not liking to be lied to, I stayed after them, sent a complaint to the Better Business Bureau, etc. and the store eventually did give me $30 in cash.

 

[LBrown59]

*My favourite is when the rebate is in two parts. Each to be mailed separately. Each requiring a proof of purchase UPC.

Nize ain't they ?
The one that got me was the one where you had to send in the bar code and the bar code was printed on the quart bottles of oil.
The only way to send in the bar codes was to cut a hole in all 12 quarts of oil.
Never did figure out how they thought the oil would stay in the jugs once you cut the holes in them.

 

[LBrown59]

Your right, they got nothing to lose. In fact i think they rely on a large percentage of people forgetting or failing to send it in. I

That's their hole idea.

 

[shvl73]

We needed a new range and while in Lowes I asked the spouse to look around. The salesperson showed us a unit that had a $175.00 rebate deal. It was pretty much just what we wanted and with the rebate it was down to the price of a basic steel burner job. We bought it and today, roughly 6 weeks later, the check arrived. One thing I've learned is to assign rebate tasks to her. I never send them in.

 

[kenmac]

Just bought some antifreeze . Buy 1 get 1 free after mail in rebate. Instructions state . If you haven't recieved your rebate within 10 WEEKS !!!! call ####. No more rebates for me

 

[Runner]

I gave up on rebates years ago. Not worth the hassle for me.