Mail in rebates aren't a "deal"

[severus]

For as long as I've been shopping online, I notice sites like slickdeals or even the "hot deals" section of this forum where people advertise a certain product as being a great deal after "MIR." I don't find this to be the case. Let's take a $200 graphics card that is $170 after mail in rebate. You're still shelling out that $200 initially, it's not like you're getting a deal there. Then you have to wait 30-90 days (perhaps more if you wait out the 15 day return period because you have to clip the barcode off your item to get a mail in rebate) to get your prepaid Mastercard. How's this a deal? I'd rather they just knock the 30$ off my immediate purchase. That's a deal. I shouldn't have to go through a headache and fill out a form to the T, along with throwing away my ability to return an item (unless I wait out the return period) to get MY $30 back.

I know I'm cheap. I admit it and I'm proud of it. I will wait for the best possible deal without any rebates. I scour the internet, shop in store at Microcenter an hope for an orange tag clearance or a mispriced item (I'm one of those yes) and try to save every penny I can initially. I find these mail in rebates to be nothing more than a come on or scam by the retailer to sway you into a purchase because you "think" your getting a deal. To the educated consumer, they're nothing more than just that, a scam.

 

[nakedfrog]

The thing is... you're wrong.

 

[Eug]

It's a deal because they count on people not mailing the stuff in. If you count all comers, only about 20% of people redeem the rebates, so it doesn't cost them anywhere near as much as what you want would cost. And if you count only those people who would not have bought otherwise, still only about 2/3rds of those redeem the rebate.

Thus if you're a person who is diligent about rebates, you are potentially getting a bigger discount than you might otherwise get.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

The thing is... you're whiny and wrong.

FTFY.

 

[severus]

The fact is, you're still shelling out the initial cost. It's not a deal. Having to wait 30-90 days for YOUR money isn't a deal to me. If you're going to send it back to me anyway, just take it off the top and don't require extra steps. It's really just a scam by the retailers in the hopes that the consumer is "dumb" and doesn't fill out the rebate information, hence my decision to wait for a ridiculously cheap price without a rebate.

 

[allisolm]

The thing is... you're wrong.

This.

To the educated (and diligent) consumer, rebates are an excellent source of deals and, while the OP is still searching for a deal as good as the rebate one, I've already gotten my check or prepaid card and have moved on to the next deal. And I am one who has sent for and received hundreds of rebates without ever losing out on one.

 

[rh71]

It's not a "scam" if you get it at a discount in the end. Obviously it's not as good a deal as instant discount, and everyone knows that. But it's still a deal because you get your money back.

Often times stores have buy 1 get 1 free, and if you decide to give your brother the 1 you got for free, that wouldn't be a deal for you. Those are the sort of things that make no sense. MIR still make sense.

 

[nerp]

It does feel like a deal when the rebate check arrives and you deposit it into your account with your cell phone. Or when the rebate card comes in and you use it on Amazon to knock off the price on another component. I agree that if you're not very liquid, waiting for the money can be a pain. But I just see it as an added bonus. I often notice that the MIR comes at the same time that there is already a discount, so it's often an added bonus on top of an already decent deal. I never buy just for the rebate price.

 

[master_shake_]

if i see MIR it's a no buy from me.

 

[BudAshes]

It's not a deal because the time it takes to get the MIR is almost always more valuable than the rebate itself. Sure if you are unemployed/student then fine, waste your time for 30 bucks, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

 

[Imp]

I still remember my 5 "free" Blu-ray discs that came with my Playstation 3.... They arrived months after I sent the form and UPC in and I completely forgot about them by then.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't count on rebates when buying. If I don't like the out of pocket price, I won't get it. A rebate is just a bonus I don't count on.

 

[FeuerFrei]

My position on rebates: Just drop the price already. You're basically admitting the product is not worth what you charge anyway. Forcing your clientele to jump through hoops to avoid being ripped off does not endear you to them.

 

[nakedfrog]

It's not a deal because the time it takes to get the MIR is almost always more valuable than the rebate itself. Sure if you are unemployed/student then fine, waste your time for 30 bucks, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

I'm not sure what that means. You're on AT so you're therefore rich, making $1,000/hour, so it's not worth 5-10 minutes to do the rebate process?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

It's not a deal because the time it takes to get the MIR is almost always more valuable than the rebate itself. Sure if you are unemployed/student then fine, waste your time for 30 bucks, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

How is it a waste of time? You send in the envelope and then go on about your life. How is $30 a month from now less valuable than $30 a week from now if the same effort is expended in claiming it? Exactly how high is inflation in your world?

 

[TheGardener]

Caveat emptor.

 

[nakedfrog]

Caveat emptor.

Please, do elaborate...

 

[BudAshes]

I'm not sure what that means. You're on AT so you're therefore rich, making $1,000/hour, so it's not worth 5-10 minutes to do the rebate process?

1,000 an hour? What do you take me for, a hobo?

 

[nakedfrog]

1,000 an hour? What do you take me for, a hobo?

I know some of us have fallen on hard times lately.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I like how they deliver the rebate check in a nondescript envelope from a no-name company - hoping you'll overlook it and discard.

 

[Ken g6]

Having to wait 30-90 days for YOUR money isn't a deal to me.

I take it you're not a fan of saving money, or of investing?

if i see MIR it's a no buy from me.

Me too, but that's because nobody takes mail-in rebates from a PO box, which is where I get my mail.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hate "rebates" of any kind, stop with the BS and just lower the price by that much. What I hate is sites that show you the price AFTER the rebate. No, I want to know how much I actually have to pay to get the item.

Salespeople hate it too... my dad used to sell cars, almost every month they have some program of sorts where you can save money. Even he would say stop the BS, just lower the price.

But it's all a game, since it makes people feel like they're saving. An item that has a rebate or sale etc looks more attractive than one that is just regular price, even if the regular price is the same.

 

[brianmanahan]

mail in rebates allow me to capitalize on the laziness and stupidity of others

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I like how they deliver the rebate check in a nondescript envelope from a no-name company - hoping you'll overlook it and discard.

They don't have to, they're coming out ahead even if every check that's mailed gets cashed, that's the point. The majority of people don't fill out the form and mail it, that's why it's a good deal for those that do and it's a good deal for the company. Sell 1000 power supplies at $10 off and that's essentially $10,000 given back in instant rebates. Instead of a $10 sale make it a $30 rebate. 25% of the people will fill in the rebate properly. Give them their rebate which is $7500. The company makes $2500 more, the smart buyers are $20 ahead and the lazy dumbasses lose money. That's the way of the world. It's win-win-lose and who gives a shit about people too lazy to fill out a form?

 

[purbeast0]

Thanks OP you reminded me to fill out my rebate form for the $70 back for buying 4 tires from Tire Rack. It took me 5 minutes on their website to fill the form out.

I'd take a job at $840/hr.