What hardware companies stiff you on rebates??

[donfm]

This is perhaps not exactly a hardware question but I find no other area in which to post that applies.

I am purchasing hardware for my computer build and I am alarmed at how many people say they never get the rebates they send in for various computer hardware they purchased online.

I was wondering which companies are notorious for doing this so that I may avoid purchasing from them and so other people here know what to expect. It really sucks that you buy their product and get stiffed on the rebate more and more these days.

Come on guys who are the rebate scammers???

 

[Elixer]

Frankly, I think all rebate places have stiffed someone at sometime.

That is why, usually, I rather not do mail-in rebates at all.

 

[TC91]

None of my ocz ones ever came in. Every other MIR has came in for me though.

 

[imported_harlanpepper]

All mine have come in, but I had to work for an OCZ rebate a year or so ago. That was my only hassle... and it took about 10 months to finally arrive.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: donfm
Come on guys who are the rebate scammers???

There are few true rebate scams. Most are legit, but you have to totally dot your i's and cross your t's. If you don't exactly fill out the forms and include what they want, then they invalidate it. Couple of caveats to be aware of when doing rebates:

Make sure it is postmarked in time.

Make sure you submit the "proper" proof of purchase (usually UPC but not always). This usually has to be the original, cut out from the packaging.

Make sure you submit the "proper" vendor receipt. Usually the packing list (even if it has prices) is not valid.

Make sure you make copies of everything for yourself (I use a scanner) in case you have to chase one down.

Make sure you have the right rebate form. This might sound pretty basic, but I've seen people complain about it before. It is not the manufacturer's fault if the vendor lists the wrong rebate form.

Make sure you do everything the rebate form asks you to do. For instance some explicitly ask you to circle the purchase price on your invoice. May sound petty, but don't give them an excuse to invalidate your submission.

Make sure it has proper postage. Another basic thing, but sometimes when rebate forms are multiple page and you have multiple page invoices, an envelope might need more than one stamp.

If you use a PO box (or have an address that looks like one) then you won't be able to do rebates. Almost ALL rebate forms state that they will not give rebates to PO box addresses. Don't ask why because I don't know. A friend of mine lived in a small town where EVERYONE had a PO box and nobody got home mail delivery. He was SOL on all rebates... and he tried...

Download the PDF and look at the terms of the rebate before buying. Most vendors have the PDF linked from the product page. Some rebates have so many hoops to jump through that (they figure) people are discouraged from submitting them, or are easy to miss something. If it is more complicated than "mail filled out form, copy of invoice and original UPC" then just pass on buying the product.

 

[donfm]

Originally posted by: harlanpepper
All mine have come in, but I had to work for an OCZ rebate a year or so ago. That was my only hassle... and it took about 10 months to finally arrive.

Interesting and depressing you should say that. I presently have an OCZ rebate for memory that I am waiting for. Apparently I may never get it.

 

[Denithor]

If you haven't received it within two months of mailing it, contact their customer service department to see the status. You may have to resubmit or something but I've filed a lot of rebates with OCZ and never had one rejected. Sometimes they're slow but they have always paid (eventually).