OT regarding Rebates

Really? D-Link handles their own rebates. One of the big problems with these is that they tend to be third parties - who make _their_ profit by trying to deny every claim.

...

If you do a quick google about rebates on any kind of computer hardware, you'll see it's a huge problem.

Here! Here!

Just received an email from Dlink informing me that they refused my application for a rebate on a DI-524 wireless router. They say I didn't include the original UPC code. It's a lie. I'm incredibly detailed about rebates, because rebates are my profit when I do residential network installations. I do the rebate, then I assemble everything in an envelope, lay it on the counter overnight, check the contents against the instructions a second time the next day, then have my wife do the same. We paper-clip the original UPC code (or copy, depending on the stipulations of the rebate form) to the receipt and corresponding rebate form. I'm not saying it's absolutely impossible for there to be a mistake, but it's very, very unlikely, especially when I go back to my saved boxes (I've saved every box for the past 3 years) and see the hole where the UPC code was cut out. The UPC code was in that envelope. But I can't prove it.

My question is this: Has anyone else experienced something like this, and what was your course of action and the outcome?

Thank you very much.

jm

instructions

Yeah, I got "burned" a few years back by TurboTax. Bought the federal program, then bought the state program -- which was supposed to yield a rebate. Same deal, meticulously put everything together and initially followed through -- but they still found excuses. I was more curious if the rebate thing would actually work and wasn't all that unsurprised when it didn't. If the rebate wasn't for peanuts ($25, if I remember right), I probably would've kept following through.

I never let rebates influence purchases. In fact, if something has a rebate, I'm less likely to be interested in that product. As far as I'm concerned, rebates are (and I'll be blunt) f'n scams. Calculated ploys, done by third parties, gambling that they'll get the upper hand in the end.

What is really becoming alarming is how retailers are now doing even more angles. I.e., I've bought many pieces of hardware from MicroCenter over the years. You can certaintly find products cheaper on the internet, but just going to the store was much more convienent and (up until recently) didn't have to swim through the typical "Best Buy" type of BS. The last couple paper ads from them, however, have freaking three different prices for practically every product! One is "after mail-in store rebate", another "after mail-in store and manufacturer rebate", and the third "after mail-in store and manufacturer rebate plus redeeming 'points'". Not a single number of what you'll actually be plopping down to walk out with them. Yeah, you can calculate it, but the principle of it still pisses me off. I throw their ads away as they are now worthless.

I doubt I'm the only one who doesn't feel like "bartering", like buying rugs at a Turkish bazaar. Just state the damn actual price, take our money, and let us leave the store in peace without all the BS! (Another subject, but they can also shove their "performance protection plans" and Mobster Cables somewhere...)

Cheers!

-Eric

LOL, thanks! :^)

Yeah, it is just getting worse and worse. A few years ago, one of those "60 Minutes"-type shows did a piece on rebaters. (Wish I saw the whole thing.) Many so-called "manufacturer rebates" are actually done by third parties and the funds that they do (eventually) pay out come from their insurance plans! You know it is setup as a scam when the actual payouts come from an insurance safety net! There were a couple of ex-employees that came forward with documents giving hard evidence of how they avoid payouts even when the end consumer has done all of their requirements. The third party rebaters responded with legaltese threatening the ex-employees with revealing "intellectual property" information and would not respond to specific questioning, stating that they do not disclose internal policies.

I'm not a big fan of government regulations, but would like to see the government step in and start regulating all this rebate BS.

I put rebaters at the same level of telemarketers, of whom I believe it should be legal to snipe in the streets.

Cheers!

-Eric

Oh, not to mention that rebaters want so much specific information before cutting a check because part of the rebate scam is that they are a front for data mining.

I got a postcard from SanDisk saying that a rebate was denied because of lack of UPC. The next problem is that I am a rebate hound, and I didn't know which SanDisk device I had claimed the rebate on that was being denied. I called the phone number, and spoke to a nice lady who asked for the UPC that was printed on the actual USB flash drive. I carry it in my pocket, and it was worn off. I tried to read what it was, and got enough across for her to tell me it was the wrong device.

Then I asked for the date on the rebate. When she told me that, I found the scanned images that I always do of every rebate that I send in. There, clearly taped to the rebate form, was the image of the UPC code. I read it to her, and I got my rebate.

Call the number. You should be able to work it out. I've heard that they sometimes accept a fax of the box, with the UPC code cut out.

I have never lost a rebate. I have had two "challenged", and I do rebates all the time, with several companies. I did get less than I expected one time, and when I called, they said the rebate was "up to $20", depending on the retailer involved.

I spent 7 months trying to pry my $300 rebate out of Dell for a laptop. I was meticulous in sending in everything required, Dell even responded with an email saying my papers were all in order and I should receive the rebate soon.

They use a third party for rebates and the other company started making wild claims about I didn't qualify, there was never supposed to be a rebate on that model, I didn't apply properly, on and on and on. After sending letters to the attorney general of Texas and also my state and CCing Dell amongst other "squeeky wheel" maneuvers, I finally received the check in July - for a Christmas present purchase made in November.

Even non-junky products often use rebates as a tool to prevent returns.

A friend bought a Compaq laptop on a one day sale at Office Depot with over $300 in various rebates all needing to be mailed with this or that proof of purchase. I really expected a few of the smaller ones to not come through.

Looking at the array of paperwork and 10 feet of register tape that had to be read and handled was impressive, in a bad way. What stupidity. The only reason for this nonsense is the hope that some of it will be bungled, or just tossed in disgust. All of that rebate money did come in, with no problems.

Another friend buys lots of stuff because of the rebates, and rarely, if ever, sends in the rebate stuff.

This is not to say anything about DLink or their rebate policy, but I think this sort of thing is why companies use rebates instead of straight markdowns. They can count on selling x amount more product due to the 'lower' price, but know they will not actually have to cover the full loss of profit as a certain percentage of customers will 1 not send in the rebate (make the form as time consuming as possible and or lots of details and rounding up stuff) or 2 will fill in the form/requirements in error in some fashion and the claim can be denied. Product sold, inventory reduced, with no real negative impact on the bottom line. Note how rebates tend to expire within a short period of time.

It is the coupon stratagy carried to the next level.

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

I see two other uses for rebates.

If the price is due to drop on an item in 30 days, start a rebate.

30 days from now, stop the rebate, and drop the price. People who bought during those thirty days already have the lower price, and almost no one has a window to return a product for a price match. At Fry's, I was told I could return my two week old product, buy a new one, and apply for the new rebate. That was too much hassle, just to get in line for a rebate. Fry's did "price match" a product where the price dropped after I bought it.

If a product is absolute junk, rebate it. Someone buys it, sends in the rebate, and can't return the item because the UPC is gone. Notice the very short window for "must be postmarked within".

I always make photocopies of the bar codes. I learned after the 1st time they pulled that one on me.

It's happen a few times after that. I just send them a copy of the org and let them know they cant pull this on me again. I've always got them after doing a resubmit.