Funky rebates..............

[magyar123]

We probably have all purchased items that involve a manufacturer's or store mail-in rebate. Then we sit for weeks and weeks waiting for the rebate.
Why don't these outfits immediately lower the price by the rebate amount, and not make you save the receipt, cut a portion of the box, fill out the rebate form, and send it in?
A lot of rebates now come in the form of a debit card, good for the amount of the rebate, but only for purchases - you can NOT get the cash advanced through an ATM machine.
Instead of embossing cards for usage, icreasing the mail-out cost wouldn't it be cheaper for them just to send out checks?

[HeatherB]

You'd think so. I'm not sure. Maybe they get a better tax write-off if they send out the cards instead of the check?? And then there are the specific store gift-cards, too. Maybe the store actually gives them some kind of incentive or something.

[HeatherB]

Oh and also, they are hoping you forget and lose the receipt. That way there is a chance that we won't redeem the rebates. Or some are only for a period of time and the hope we let them expire.

Mostly, I hate rebates of all kinds - that and extended warranties. Grr.

[Granny]

They don't lower the price because most people don't bother with the rebate, or somehow not follow the rules and don't qualify for the rebate thereby more money in the manufacturer's pocket with increased sales because the consumer lowered the price in their mind at the time of purchase.

[Bandit]

They don't lower the price because most people don't bother with the rebate, or somehow not follow the rules and don't qualify for the rebate thereby more money in the manufacturer's pocket with increased sales because the consumer lowered the price in their mind at the time of purchase.

This is so true. I bought a deepfryer (large one) for 29.00 at Walgreens that had a 10.00 rebate. I had all intent of sending in the rebate but never did. This was a gift for someone who loves deepfrying.
Can you believe that fryer is still working after 3 years? The basket and everything.

I shopped around looking at them & figured I was not going to pay 100.00 just for that, thought I would get one for 19.00, never sent in the rebate & still paid 29.00.

Then I turned around & did the same thing with a meat slicer, a nice one for 300.00 with a 50.00 rebate. It broke after the second use & figured if I really want one to last I will need to spend about 700.00.

I guess ya never know even after researching what is available. Sometimes the less expensive item is the better buy and sometimes not.

[Bandit]

I know someone who does rebates but he does them all the time...day in & day out & he has a nice little system going on where there are always checks in the mail.

You have to do it all the time though & actually send them in regularly. Like going to work & punching the clock.

[chpxiii]

It's what everyone else has said: the manufacturer is counting on the consumer to either 1) forget or 2) not follow the rules and forget to do some weird thing like howl at the moon on the third thursday of the month thereby disqualifying them for the rebate.

As for the gift card, I have to admit I was REALLY F*CKING annoyed when I mailed in my rebate (I ALWAYS mail in rebates) for my $100 off my washer and dryer from Lowes. They sent me a gift card from Lowes. grrrr... The company gets to keep the money, and it's the same idea of anticipating that some of their customers will forget to use the gift card. It's making the consumer do extra work for the rebate. (Ultimately I bought some storage solutions and other needed items.) You damn right I'm going to use my rebate!

IMO, rebates really aren't rebates. They're just the icing on the cake. Gift cards aren't embossed like credit cards are, or atleast, most aren't. So all the company needs to do is grab a card, scan it in, credit the amount of the rebate, and then send it off. They already have gift cards printed out for the consumer wanting to buy a gift card as a gift. So those items are already in stock.

I look at rebates as the cherry on top. If I want an item and there happens to a rebate, great! If not, oh well. I never take into account how much money I'll get back or what the item is after the rebate. If your expectations are such that it's not a rebate until you actually send the paperwork off, then you won't be dissapointed.

BTW, about a year and a half ago my boyfriend and I bought a couple of pda cell phones. (Yes, we have "twinsie" cell phones.. aww... cyoot! hehehe...) They just so happened to have had a rebate. Since I didn't have the credit to sign up with the cell phone company my boyfriend put me on his plan as well as purchasing the phones. I paid him back for my phone. Since he purchased the phones, the receipt was in his name. Well, guess what? He forgot to send in the rebate form and necessary box part. OOOhh.. I was SO ANNOYED! The rebate was for $50. Since I'm on his plan, he tells me how much money I owe him for the bill and I pay him. Well, since he forgot, and he could tell I was really annoyed by that, when the first bill came due, he knocked $50 bucks off my part of the bill to make up for not having sent in the rebate form.

He's so awesome. hehehe..

[WantToBeDebtFre]

Or sometimes the company "forgets" to send you the rebate check. I signed up for new cable services in June and there were three separate rebates. One for the cable modem, one for the TV services, and one for the internet service. I sent in all three and to this day have only received one of the rebate checks. I'll be calling soon about the others. Good thing I made copies!

[lrprn]

He's so awesome. hehehe..

He's definitely a keeper, chp!!

[whatamess]

Or sometimes the company "forgets" to send you the rebate check. I signed up for new cable services in June and there were three separate rebates. One for the cable modem, one for the TV services, and one for the internet service. I sent in all three and to this day have only received one of the rebate checks. I'll be calling soon about the others. Good thing I made copies!

Best Buy has done this to my twice!!! Once was for a now dead HP computer and another for a TV. The HP was a few hundred dollars too. GRR!! They claim they never got them. I now send most mail that important certified.
I hate rebates, and those annoying shopping cards..weve gone there already in this forum about those pesky shopper cards.
WAM

[Cassiopeia]

I know someone who does rebates but he does them all the time...day in & day out & he has a nice little system going on where there are always checks in the mail.

You have to do it all the time though & actually send them in regularly. Like going to work & punching the clock.

I used to do that forever ago, and keep a little notebook myself. I find that now there are not as many rebates as in the past. Maybe for big ticket items, but not like it used to be. I remember collecting (for instance) 8 proof-of-purchases of Lean Cuisine, and getting $2 back. Those were the days. Doesn't sound like much, but you could really pile it on, if you always got the rebate forms, kept your POP's and (sometimes, not always) your cash register receipt. I even remember one year I had almost $100 from those types of smaller rebates. It's a lot different now.