why I dislike rebates even after $400

October 10, 2007 5:24 PM
Related Categories: money

Raise your hand if you have bought something with the rebate price in mind, but never actually sent in the rebate, or never actually got the money back from the rebate. 

I have made many purchases myself that involved a rebate.  Not once (until today) have I actually gotten a check back.  Either i forget to fill it out in time, or I throw away a vital thing I am supposed to submit, or I do send them in, never to hear from the company again.  I know I have sent them in, but who and for what... that I am hazy on.  You see it takes SO long for a rebate to be returned to you that most likely you forget. 

So today I found a letter that looks like junkmail addressed to me.  It mentions nothing about Panasonic or Rebates on the outside.  Instead it is from "The Advertising Checking Bureau, Inc.".  Hmm.   I open it rather than tossing since I do notice a "pay to the order of" written inside the clear window.  Often thats some fake loan scam, but hey may as well take a look.

Low and behold it is $400 for my Panasonic Projector (which I love!) I bought many moons ago.  WOOOHOO!  I completely forgot about that rebate.  How many other checks have I mistakenly just tossed as junkmail?

Thats it for me.  No more buying for rebates.  I am just going to assume that I don't get the money.  If it is still a good deal then fine I will buy, if not I am moving on.


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For the record, Josh's wife is VERY happy about the $400 rebate, she did not, for a second, think that envelope looked like junk mail, and she will continue to buy stuff for the promise of money back. Especially for $400. In addition, she would like a formal apology for the many months of Josh's very apparent disbelief that she indeed mailed in that computer rebate, years ago, when they first met. She DID mail it in, dummy, and you threw it away, dammit!
# Posted By buttercup | 10/10/07 11:46 PM
For the record where are the other dozen or so rebates we have filled out? And isn't it a strong indicator in how often rebates NEVER get processed that people are so apt to accidentally throw away a key part before sending ing? Also you didn't remember anything about the rebate and where completely surprised when I told you. Had they never sent the check you would never have remembered.

Rebates are a scam, even if we actually got 1 out of the dozen or more we have sent in.
# Posted By Joshua Cyr | 10/11/07 8:32 AM
I smell a business opportunity here.
Setup a tent outside the BestBuy parking lot offering 50% instant rebate.
You keep the other 50%.
# Posted By Phillip Senn | 10/11/07 8:43 AM
Hey...can I borrow $400?
# Posted By Agagtha Christ-Almighty | 10/11/07 3:50 PM
/nod
We bought our whole kitchen (ref., stove, dishwasher, micro., freezer, and washer, dryer) with the understanding that we would receive over $1000.00 in rebates. We
submitted the rebates right away and 7 months later... nothing. I place rebates in the same catergory as buyng an extended warranty at BestBuy, or HomeDepot or
your box store of choice, even when I remember to fill out the warranty card and send it in (which is rare) I never receive any sort of conformation and who knows if
they'll actually cover it if the thing breaks.
Businesses have just learned that people won't send in their rebate requests and when they do if the manufacture waits long enough they can sneak it by you and when you relaize you should resubmit you can't find the damned receipt and UPCs anymore. That reminds we we never did see the money from our paint either... GRRRrrrrr
# Posted By Savage | 11/2/07 12:39 PM
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