Beating Rebate Rejection
Beating Rebate Rejection
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
After Epson failed to send my promised rebate and ignored my follow-up letters, I stopped buying items with rebates. If they want to put something on sale, they can lower the price to the consumer. The rebates are just a racket and I refuse to play their game. I make sure I tell the sales clerks this when they recommend a product with a rebate.
GG in CA
We've all done it. We're tempted to purchase an item with a rebate. The after rebate price is good. But, we wonder whether we'll really receive the rebate. Because without it, the price offered is not the best deal available.
Although estimates aren't easy to find, it's generally assumed that between 40 and 60% of all rebates go uncashed. Some consumers forget to send them in. Others have their rebate requests rejected. Still others neglect to cash the rebate check when it arrives.
Any rebate that's not cashed is pure profit for the company. This is definitely a case where your loss is their gain. And it's a big gain. Published industry estimates conclude that rebates are worth $6 billion each year. So there's roughly $3 billion uncashed rebates yearly.
Most companies generally do not process their own rebates. They hire a fulfillment company to do that job for them. These firms are experts at what they do. There was a time when fulfillment centers bragged about how many rebate requests they disallowed. They're less open about it today.
Many rebate forms are designed to be complicated. Their purpose is to trip you up. Fulfillment centers know what mistakes consumers are most likely to make in submitting rebates. And they have the legal staff to tell them what mistakes can disqualify a rebate. The instructions are often written with the intent of making it hard to collect the rebate.
So what's a consumer to do? Start by shopping around. A little patience could turn up a sale without rebate or a similar product at a price that's competitive to the rebated item.
Look for "Instant Cash" rebates. They're not subject to the same problems as regular rebates. Typically they're paid out when you pay for the item. So any doubt about collecting the rebate is eliminated.
It would be nice to know which companies deal honestly with consumers on rebates. A quick Google search only turned up a couple of sites attempting to track a company's rebate performance. The only way to deal with the uncertainty is to do business with reputable companies. This is surely a case where the offer is only as good as the reputation of the company offering it.
There are some rebates to avoid. Any that require your original receipt or do not provide contact information.
Follow the rebate directions exactly. If it says to staple this to that, make sure that's what you do. And, no, a paper clip isn't the same as a staple.
Submit rebates as quickly as possible. Make copies of everything that you send in. If the rebate is sizeable, send it via certified mail with return receipt.
Save product boxes until the rebate is paid. And track your rebates. A simple folder for the copies you made will do the job. Be prepared to write follow-up letters if necessary.
If your original rebate was rejected, send in copies or your original application with a polite letter demanding the rebate. Keep a copy of your letter in the 'open rebate' folder.
You can also take your complaint to the manufacturer. Fulfillment centers are set up to handle (ignore?) customer complaints. The manufacturer may be more willing to help you. You can usually find their contact information by searching on the company name and 'customer service department'. Be polite but persistent.
If the company is unwilling to help, there are outside authorities you can call on. The Federal Trade Commission recommends that "if the rebate never arrives or arrives late, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the state Attorney General or the local Better Business Bureau." You can reach the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP or ftc.gov.
Should rebates be a part of your frugal shopping toolbox? That's really up to you. Some shoppers enjoy the thrill of the game. Their letters demanding a rejected rebate be paid are literary works of art. Their quest for the elusive rebate check would please Indiana Jones.
But, if you're not the adventuresome type or very short of time, stick to sales and coupons. No rebate checks for you. But you just might keep your sanity!
_________________
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher.com website and newsletters. Each week thousands use The Dollar Stretcher to help them live better...for less. Visit TheDollarStretcher.com today to see how much farther your day and dollar will go!
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
After Epson failed to send my promised rebate and ignored my follow-up letters, I stopped buying items with rebates. If they want to put something on sale, they can lower the price to the consumer. The rebates are just a racket and I refuse to play their game. I make sure I tell the sales clerks this when they recommend a product with a rebate.
GG in CA
We've all done it. We're tempted to purchase an item with a rebate. The after rebate price is good. But, we wonder whether we'll really receive the rebate. Because without it, the price offered is not the best deal available.
Although estimates aren't easy to find, it's generally assumed that between 40 and 60% of all rebates go uncashed. Some consumers forget to send them in. Others have their rebate requests rejected. Still others neglect to cash the rebate check when it arrives.
Any rebate that's not cashed is pure profit for the company. This is definitely a case where your loss is their gain. And it's a big gain. Published industry estimates conclude that rebates are worth $6 billion each year. So there's roughly $3 billion uncashed rebates yearly.
Most companies generally do not process their own rebates. They hire a fulfillment company to do that job for them. These firms are experts at what they do. There was a time when fulfillment centers bragged about how many rebate requests they disallowed. They're less open about it today.
Many rebate forms are designed to be complicated. Their purpose is to trip you up. Fulfillment centers know what mistakes consumers are most likely to make in submitting rebates. And they have the legal staff to tell them what mistakes can disqualify a rebate. The instructions are often written with the intent of making it hard to collect the rebate.
So what's a consumer to do? Start by shopping around. A little patience could turn up a sale without rebate or a similar product at a price that's competitive to the rebated item.
Look for "Instant Cash" rebates. They're not subject to the same problems as regular rebates. Typically they're paid out when you pay for the item. So any doubt about collecting the rebate is eliminated.
It would be nice to know which companies deal honestly with consumers on rebates. A quick Google search only turned up a couple of sites attempting to track a company's rebate performance. The only way to deal with the uncertainty is to do business with reputable companies. This is surely a case where the offer is only as good as the reputation of the company offering it.
There are some rebates to avoid. Any that require your original receipt or do not provide contact information.
Follow the rebate directions exactly. If it says to staple this to that, make sure that's what you do. And, no, a paper clip isn't the same as a staple.
Submit rebates as quickly as possible. Make copies of everything that you send in. If the rebate is sizeable, send it via certified mail with return receipt.
Save product boxes until the rebate is paid. And track your rebates. A simple folder for the copies you made will do the job. Be prepared to write follow-up letters if necessary.
If your original rebate was rejected, send in copies or your original application with a polite letter demanding the rebate. Keep a copy of your letter in the 'open rebate' folder.
You can also take your complaint to the manufacturer. Fulfillment centers are set up to handle (ignore?) customer complaints. The manufacturer may be more willing to help you. You can usually find their contact information by searching on the company name and 'customer service department'. Be polite but persistent.
If the company is unwilling to help, there are outside authorities you can call on. The Federal Trade Commission recommends that "if the rebate never arrives or arrives late, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the state Attorney General or the local Better Business Bureau." You can reach the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP or ftc.gov.
Should rebates be a part of your frugal shopping toolbox? That's really up to you. Some shoppers enjoy the thrill of the game. Their letters demanding a rejected rebate be paid are literary works of art. Their quest for the elusive rebate check would please Indiana Jones.
But, if you're not the adventuresome type or very short of time, stick to sales and coupons. No rebate checks for you. But you just might keep your sanity!
_________________
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher.com website and newsletters. Each week thousands use The Dollar Stretcher to help them live better...for less. Visit TheDollarStretcher.com today to see how much farther your day and dollar will go!
posted by Tawra Jean at 4:52 PM
2 Comments:
I purchase things with rebates all the time. Over the years I've only ever had a couple items get flat out refused, a few that needed additional information, and one where the company simply didn't process any of them and doesn't respond to emails.
I used to keep track of my rebates using a folder and a notebook, but more recently started using http://www.allmyrebates.com . It's free and it makes it incredibly easy to track your rebates; it will even go to the major rebate processing sites and gather your rebate submission and status info.
Recently I was on the market for a new laser fax/scanner combo. I checked the Sunday ads and saw what I wanted in two ads. One was Office Depot and the other was OfficeMax. The Office Depot price was $10 less AFTER REBATE than OfficeMax. After some thought, and recalling what a pain in the you-know-what my last Office Depot rebate was, I decided to go with OfficeMax. OfficeMax has done away with the whole mail-in rebate thing and just gives you the sale price. It was a few dollars more, but my time is worth something, too.
Just a point on rebates. I have found Staples to be great!!!!! I bought two computers there last winter for great sales prices that also had an additional rebate. I did the rebate over the internet-easy as pie!!!!! I got my money promptly-before they promised. I Find that if you watch the ads and use the rebates along with sale that Staples can be a "steal". Last winter I got a digital camera for a great sale with a free HP all-in-one printer, two laptop computers that are fully loaded all for under $1187.00 One fo the laptops was for my daughter (she paid for it) and she had been looking at ones for over $2500.00!!!!! I told her to stop looking and trust me to get her everything she needed for way less!!!!! She is thrilled with the purchase. I then bought one for myself for $200 less than she paid!!!!! I get free printer ink all the time and many other great deals at Staples, as well.
Sharon Sue
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