Comments on: How much is your product, really? (Rebates)

By: Doug in Exile

Doug in Exile — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 21:39:58 +0000

I don’t mind the rebate lottery nearly as much as I gnash my teeth over the “Preferred Customer Discount Card” being hawked by nearly everyone. I just can’t help but get the feeling that my addiction to diet Cherry Coke is somehow now permanently noted in my FBI dossier - (note: I’m not being paranoid about a dossier - I have had four security clearance checks in my life, one of the Top Secret, and given the amount of time it took to do them, there must be FOUR dossiers as well). Worse than that, because I trust the FBI to keep that information secret forever (confidence inspired by the fact that the government is now reclassifying top secret manure scoop orders from WWII), I’m pretty concerned that Albertson’s can extrapolate that data and provide my current and any future ex-wives lawyer(s) with a pretty good idea of my annual income, preferred reading material, sugar dependency, and how much cholesterol I consume each day.

Now, I’m kind of fond of keeping personal stuff personal, but to require me to pay to keep that stuff private is just over the top. Energy inefficient, too, because I’m now forced to drive an additional 1.2 miles every time I want to conceal my shopping habits from Them. Over a year, if I bought stock instead of burning my cash, I could become a major shareholder in Exxon/Mobile/BP/Texaco/Lukoil/Yukos/RepublicanNationalCommittee, Inc.

There’s evil for you.

By: carson

carson — Sun, 30 May 2004 01:58:53 +0000

I should really keep track of my rebates better, but I note the following:

Epson — kicked back a rebate three months later because I did not include a receipt with the purchase price circled. I had long since lost the receipt (mistake #1) but Fry’s was happy to send me a copy from their home office. I finally got the rebate three weeks ago. Total elapsed time, 6 months.

ScanSoft — the asshats kicked back my $50 rebate on Dragon NaturallySpeaking because the front page of the previous edition’s manual wasn’t acceptable. They’ve also put me on their mailing list.

When I went on my Fry’s binge in September, I had eight rebates. I received all eight, but the turnaround time was anywhere from 8 weeks to 4 months.

The best rebate handling I’ve seen is Costco — go to their web site, type in the numbers on the receipt, provide your address, and the check comes in the mail. You can even track it.

I still think the whole rebate thing is evil, though.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Fri, 28 May 2004 14:30:40 +0000

Story time. I ALWAYS send in rebates even if it’s for two dollars. No way I’m lettin’ them keep my money.

Last time I used one it was for Excedrin Migraine. I bought the largest size and sent in all the stuff for the rebate, and they sent me back a letter telling me I didn’t qualify.

The following approximates my conversation when I called the company to complain:

Me - Um, yeah, I just got a stupid letter telling me I didn’t qualify for a rebate in my mailbox along with all my proof that I absolutely did qualify for a rebate.

Sales person - Your name.

Me - Debbie Soandso. I sent in the form, my receipt and the UPC. What was the problem?

Salesperson - You bought the largest size and the rebate was for medium.

Me - No, it was not. It was for Excedrin Migraine. No size was specified.

Salesperson - But the rebate only covered $3.00 of your purchase and your purchase was over three dollars.

Me - Uh, so why did you not send me the three dollars? It seems to me as if someone should have been able to subtract. Send me my money.

A week later, I got my rebate. A week after that, I got it AGAIN. The geniuses sent it out twice.