Rebates are scams!!!

[speedstik]

Boy I am teed off! I purchased a new Samsung monitor and Maxtor hard drive back in Feb from Best Buy. Each product had $50 rebates, which I promptly mailed in with all of the requirements. After THREE months, still no rebates!

I went to Samsung and Maxtor sites to check my rebates with the links that they provide. Maxtor has no record of my rebate and Samsung rejected my rebate due to “serial number not provided” which is total BS, I specifically remember writing the serial # on the form.

I feel ripped off! I am sure if I go to Best Buy to complain, they will blow me off and say it’s out of their hands, but the rebates were advertised at their store and gave my strong incentive to buy the specific products.

I will be very skeptical of rebates from now on!

[M_Six]

I would definitely complain to Best Buy. Most stores will back you up on rebates. Make sure you casually mention the Attorney General's office in your conversation. As in, "I thought I'd stop by here and see if you could help me before I call the Attorney General's office to report a fraud." Something like that. They'll help you out.

[John Prophet]

rebates are a scam if you dont know and play by the rules....which are sort of stringent.

if you dont make copies of everything you send in...you are screwed, lol.

With rebates, the way the game is played...they will turn down a certain percentage of rebates for absolutely no reason at all. It doesnt matter what little reason they put on your rejection notice or whatever. The first few rebates I sent in...one was rejected for improper this or that...well, I figured I must have made a mistake, so next time I was double-sure that I didnt...and after a few more rebates another was turned down....at that point I realized that I DID NOT make a mistake. neither did they! It is just their shady way of making easy money....cuz probably over 50% of peeps either forget about it, or dont call back and pursue it further when they get a rejection.

But if you have a scanner and you make a copy of everything you send in...you really cant lose. When the send their little imaginary reasons for rejecting your rebate, you simply call them and say "yes, I just recieved a rejection notice on a rebate I sent in..it was rejected for improper purchase date but in fact I did purchase it in the proper time frame and I have a copy of all my paperwork here in front of me, so I need to go ahead and get this approved"....or something like that....and dont say it with doubt in your voice, lol.

Remember, its YOUR MONEY..its a CONTRACT.

Usually they ask you to fax it in, they wont accept email...thats another way to discourage you...but you can get Norton winfax pretty cheaply.

After a while you will enjoy it when they reject one cuz you get to call and make them squirm and eventually they have to say "yes sir I will go ahead and get that validated for you sir".

JP

[Cyclone2]

They are re BAITS they got your money -hook line and sinker

You think they are gunna toss it back if they can get away with keeping your money...........not likely


Nice business practice to keep repeat customers---------NOT!

[speedstik]

I guess I am screwed because I didn't make copies. There goes $100 down the drain.

[The_Saint]

I really hate MIR!

Once I sent a rebate to some compamy that know I cant remember and after 6 month I got back the rebate check and my name was sooo mispelled that actually they would have to hire someone specifically to mispell my name like that.

My calligraphy is so easy to read!

Yuck MIR.

[SeanC]

That's why you have to be so careful. Companies care about their bottom line adn their stock holders, that's it. If they can make some extra money with a rebate scam (I know it's not a true scam but it sure seems like it when you don't get your rebate back) why not?

It keeps the fatcat stockholders happy because they're making lots of money and the company has some "extra" revenue they can use for whatever they want.

Unfortunately, that's the way the world works now a days. You have to cover your back and take care of yourself, very few people will otherwise.

Sean

[ragtop]

I've gotten dozens of rebates over the past few years. Some of those deals are just too good to pass up. You will almost always get your money, but sometimes it takes a long time, and some times you have to fight for it. I have only had one rebate that I didn't eventually receive, and that one was only for $5, and it just wasn't worth the effort to fight for it.

You do need to keep copies of everything you send (use your scanner if you have one), and write the date the rebate check is due on your calendar so you don't forget. If you don't get your check, call the number on the rebate form and complain. Let them know that you have copies of everything and will e-mail or fax them the documentation.

Best Buy also has their own rebate line that you can call. They will sometimes help you, if you're having a problem getting your check. I had one case where the rebate company claimed that the product manufacturer wasn't providing them with the funds to pay the rebates. I called the Best Buy rebate line & they called the rebate company & straightened it out - I got my check a few days later.

I believe John Prophet is right - in my experience, about 25% of the rebates do not get paid unless you take some action. One of their favorite excuses is that they sent the check, but it was returned by the post office as undeliverable. Once you call and complain, the check magically appears. It can be a hassle, but if you want some great deals on computer stuff - you have to be willing to play the rebate game.

Remember that sometimes the manufacturer would lose their butt if everyone claimed their rebates. So they purposely make it difficult so that only a certain percentage get claimed..

[John Prophet]

This gets deeper into life issues if you look at the big picture.

This is one of many of life's situations where you can be an overcomer who enjoys the great benefits of rebates or you can be a victim who puts money in the pocket of others to enjoy.

And unfortunately we usually have to learn the hard way, like I did, like most of us do. We have to leanr by our mistakes and learn how things work, or "learn how the game is played". Same for job interviews, dating, buying a used car (lol) and countless other life issues.

The main and usually ONLY variable is...YOU.

For example if YOU fill out the forms correctly, spelling correctly, jumping through all their little hoops,and YOU send everything in in the proper time frame, and YOU make and keep copies of everything, and YOU check the status and the rebate online, and YOU call in and handle it like a pro when they reject the rebate....then there is really nothing THEY can do to keep the money...its YOURS! So really, its up to YOU. And like all things in life, most of us here probably did NOT do these things right the first few times and we got burned. But we do learn. A great way to learn is through these forums...post a question, talk it up, get feedback from others who have already been there.

Since I have been keeping copies of rebates etc, I have only had ONE rebate that I didnt recieve...and I have done lotsssssss of rebates. The one was a big one...a $165 dollar peachtree rebate...guess whose fault it was? Was it peachtrees fault or staples fault?? Nope, it was mine cuz I misread the time frame and didnt fill it out promptly....then when I looked again, the time to send it in had already passed....BOOM, $165 flying out the window with wings, lol. Totally my fault and no one elses.

These rebate snafus can be a warning and a great illustration of other life issues....for instance I have friends who dropped out of high school, got their girlfriend pregnant, ended up in a dead end job with 3 kids and now they hate their life.....now, does that mean life is a scam??? NOPE, it means they made poor decisions and THEY put themselves in this bad situation....it isnt the manager at mcdonalds fault that you work there making barely over minimum wage is it?? NOPE, its your fault. Is it the worlds fault that you showed up late to your job interview with bad breath and a dirty shoes? NOPE, its on you, lol. Is it col Sanders fault that you are 50lbs overweight? NOPE.

So really these rebates can be a good little learning tool. If you do things the right way you put yourself in a position where you really can not lose....and you put the rebate house in the position where they really CANT rip you off.

And to make a further point...to all those who feel that the rebate should come off instantly as opposed to all this paperwork mumbo jumbo....think that through...do you think the rebate would work that way? LOL, get real, you KNOW officemax aint gonna stand there and give out free RAM, lol.

So be thankful the process is a little thorny....because that means that not everyone will get the rebates...face it, there are thousands of lazy, indifferent, slipshod, careless, forgetful people out there....they wont get their rebates. GOOD, that means that the companies can make their millions of of THEM...not off of YOU..cuz YOU are going to be wise, prudent, accurate etc.

So instead of complaining about the game (life) just be diligent to make sure you are on the winning side of things...you can be pitiful or you can be powerful...you can be a victim or you can be a victor. For most things in life, the choice is yours.

Ill leave you with some of the wisdom of the ages.

proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy [man] will be put to forced labor.

proverbs 13;4 The soul of a lazy [man] desires, and [has] nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

proverbs 20:4 The lazy [man] will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and [have] nothing.

proverbs 24:30-34 30 I went by the field of the lazy [man,] And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; 31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. 32 When I saw [it,] I considered [it] well; I looked on [it and] received instruction: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; 34 So shall your poverty come [like] a prowler, And your need like an armed man.


Thats just a few verses talking about laziness, similar searches for words like 'foolish" would produce similar results.

JP

[speedstik]

John Prophet:

I appreciate your physiological/spiritual take on the rebate issue, but I still have my opinions on the subject and they are not good.

I did fill out everything properly and timely and include all of the requested items.

I did not make copies of everything so that is my mistake; you can call me lazy and quote all of the bible verses you like.

A person should not have to jump through hoops and do tricks just to get a sale price on an item. Even more outrageous is that after all of the requested jumping and tricks, the person still is without the promised price.

I was NOT “lazy, indifferent, slipshod, careless, forgetful”. I did everything asked of me to receive these rebates. The only one being “lazy, indifferent, slipshod, careless, forgetful” is the rebate company, and the manufacturer who hired them.

That was a great attempt at trying to turn this whole issue around and blame it on the consumer, instead of the guilty parties.