Re: A Rebate Story and Kudos to Circuit City

Barry Watzman wrote:
I understand your sentiment, but as individuals buying stuff for ourselves out of our own pockets, I can't go that route, it would just be too expensive. I do a ***LOT*** of rebates, hundreds per year, and I normally have over $1,000 of rebates outstanding at any given time. I do not think, in general, that rebates are dishonest or that they are trying to deny legitimate rebates (not that this never happens, but as a general rule ....). I get more than 95% of the rebates I send in with no followup or further action. A few do require that I followup, of course, but it is very rare that I don't end up getting a rebate. But I'm meticulous, and I keep scrupulous records and copies of EVERYTHING. The bottom line is that rebates cut the price of almost everything I buy in half, and each year I get a huge amount of stuff that is, as they say, "free after rebate".


jakdedert wrote:

It's gotten to the point (actually I've been this way for a long time...after losing/forgetting/mailing yet never receiving rebate offers) where I absolutely will NOT buy *anything* on a rebate deal. If the sale tag says 'rebate', unless I absolutely must have it, I pass. If I 'must' have it, and it's a decent deal without the rebate, I don't bother sending for it.

How about we all boycott rebate deals until they get honest? What's the point anyway? Think about it. It's almost got to be a scam; with manufacturers banking on not having to pay--at the very least--a large percentage of rebates. Now they're trying to renege on even the percentage of folks who actually mail in the rebate cards.

Otherwise, they'd simply lower the price. It would be simpler and less costly on their end to simply sponsor the discount...less paperwork.

jak


Good for you, Barry.

According to the site here: <http://blogs.mercurynews.com/consumeractionline/> (hit Control F and enter 'rebate' in the search box) a NYT report found that only around 60% of them actually pay up.

jak

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