Mail-in rebates

[acheron]

The whole mail in rebate concept is a huge scam. Think about it for a minute guys. If they really wanted you to have your money back, why dont they just take it off right there at the sale?

Because people are lazy and not everyone will do it, but more people might buy it if it looks like it's cheaper.

Assuming the same number of people are going to buy the product, they can either cut $10 off the price, or do a mail-in rebate that half the people aren't going to send in for $20, and come out even. (OK, yes, they have to pay to deal with the rebates, so it's not exactly half, but you know what I mean.) But if more people buy it because "it's $20 off!" than would if it were only $10 off, then they come out ahead. Or if less than half the people send it in. Obviously they've figured out that they're going to come out ahead.

And if you're one of the ones who bothers to send it in, then you come out ahead too. You've basically just taken $10 from a lazy person. Everyone wins! Except the lazy people.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Got screwed on a PNY Mail in Rebate. Of course reputable companies like sony (ps3) and sprint honor their MIR's.

Generally I don't purchase computer parts with MIR deals after getting screwed by PNY.

In what way were you "screwed" ? If you were "screwed" why isn't their a class action lawsuit?

 

[pontifex]

I used to send them in all the time. Maybe one in twenty came back. And trying to track down the seller or manufacturer and force them to give me my money eventually got to be too big a hassle. I would frequently give up after a month and 5 phone calls and two letters and 20 emails. And they know that. The whole mail in rebate concept is a huge scam. Think about it for a minute guys. If they really wanted you to have your money back, why dont they just take it off right there at the sale? Or make the seller deal with the manufacturer? It would be easier for them. They could streamline the process to make it easier for hundreds to go through at a time, instead of dealing with individual customers. The make it challenging deliberately cuz they know most people will give up and few will bother with the cost of a lawyer.

Now I dont bother. When I look at the price of something I always ignore the mail in rebate. If the price is still acceptable I get it.

really? when i hear stuff like that it makes me think you did something wrong. like sent it in too late or didn't follow directions.

 

[pontifex]

Low dollar rebates I don't care enough to bother filling them out and sending them in. The high dollar ones are too big a risk because if they don't pan out then you wind up overpaying for the item. The only way I'll buy a product with a rebate is if it's actually a good deal even without cashing in the rebate and that almost never happens.

so if there are 3 items each costing about $100 each but one item has a $20 rebate, so how are you overpaying for that product if the rebate doesn't pan out?

 

[PieIsAwesome]

Never had any problems aside from a few taking forever.

 

[zerocool84]

I don't buy sanything that has a rebate. You're never guaranteed to get the rebate money back. I didn't get a $10 one I sent it to PNY a few years ago. If you do it then cool, but I don't and won't.

 

[dullard]

The answer is both. Take my latest rebate attempt as an example of both being evil and being too dumb to use them.

I bought a Corsair power supply from NewEgg at the end of December. It came with a $20 rebate and instructions on how to get that rebate. I being dumb, waited until my life got settled after the holidays to fill out that rebate form. The instructions clearly said that I had until Jan 18 to get it postmarked and I being dumb waited until Jan 17th. But, I was only reading the instructions, not the actual rebate form. When I printed the actual rebate form it said it had to be postmarked on the 17th (a day when the post office is closed for a holiday).

So, while I had put it in the mail a day earlier than the instructions said, and on the day that the rebate form said to mail it, there was no possible way to get that postmark. Yes, I was dumb for waiting, but they were evil for having the actual date be on a holiday and BEFORE the instructions said it was due.

I doubt that I'll get my rebate.

 

[Kelemvor]

I love MIRs. Great deals and I always get my cash as long as *I* don't screw something up.

 

[Bill Brasky]

In what way were you "screwed" ? If you were "screwed" why isn't their a class action lawsuit?

I sent in the rebate form and receipt, and simply never heard back from them. I don't know why there isn't a class action lawsuit.

 

[KeithTalent]

I'm not too dumb to use them, just too lazy.

KT

 

[amdhunter]

I haven't bought a single thing that had a mail in rebate since early 2000, when I thought it was amazing to buy a 50pk of Blank CDR's for $20 and $10 MIR.

I never got the $10 and gave up on rebates forever.

 

[rudeguy]

I'm not too dumb to use them, just too lazy.

KT

Yep. My rule is I won't send it in for less than $50. I also won't buy anything that has more than a $50 rebate on it.

 

[wirednuts]

its not worth the hassle for me. it would be if they would honor the damn things, but they will reject them for any possible reason they can figure. and they never tell you either. you just end up waiting months and months and thats that. you just paid premium price for something you would have never bought if there wasnt a 'promised' rebate.

 

[Dirigible]

Great deal! You get a product AND it comes with a task you have to do!

I'm far too lazy for that crap. Knowing I wont do a rebate I just compare the pre-rebate prices of things.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It's been a mixed bag for me. Some I've received and some not. One, I even got a refusal after 8 weeks for not including the UPC code from the box. The refusal was handwritten on a copy of the form I had sent clearly showing the UPC that I'd cut off the box attached. 🙁

I've now made it a policy when comparing prices to NEVER include the rebate. If the company I choose to do business with offers a rebate great but, it never influences my buy decision.

 

[ahenkel]

I never consider a rebate in the final price. Its a nice bonus, but the whole thing often feels like a racket to me. Oh sorry sir rebate was denied because you forgot to cross a T and send in a blood sample of your dead dog.