• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Why do rebates take so long?

Use logical thinking. Have you ever been chomping the bit to pay someone you owed for a largely frivolous reason?
 
It's basically the plot from The Rainmaker modern health insurance providers. 'Every claim is initially denied.' If they only pay the people who fight for it, they save a lot of money.
 
never had an issue with rebates. I'm betting most people who do have issues do something wrong to fuck it up.

that said, they probably do it so you forget you submitted it.
 
I don't get the point of rebates. Why not just make it a sale and bring the price down by that amount? Are they just banking on the fact that most people don't bother?
 
pontifex said:
never had an issue with rebates. I'm betting most people who do have issues do something wrong to fuck it up.

that said, they probably do it so you forget you submitted it.
Click to expand...

That's part of it, yeah. But nit-picking stupid things that in no way effect the validity of the purchase or their ability to send the money is just part of how they profit off of it.

It's a perceived sale without the price actually being lowered. Even with a 100% legit rebate, it's just a bet against the consumer actually redeeming it.

Hell, if you account for those two categories (too lazy to file and imperfect filing), I bet you'd eliminate a solid 75% or more of the 'discounted' purchases.
 
Over the years I've purchased COUNTLESS items with rebates and kept track of and received each and every one.

Even from infamous rebate deniers like MSI....
 
Red Squirrel said:
No, why would it matter?
Click to expand...

Because it's all about misdirection.

Your question is like asking why they would put 'SALE 19.99' on something when it's 19.99 every damn day. It's trying to create the perception of a deal without having to make less money.

And 14, Vdub? You ruined my joke. :colbert:
 
Red Squirrel said:
No, why would it matter?
Click to expand...

Largely because there is a disconnect between the average ATOT forum goer and a retail worker. It is not a big deal, because armchair expertise is all the rage here, but it is nice to know if there is experience to back up the hot air, or if it is rhetoric.

It probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme, especially with rebates, but still nice to keep track of the gilded ones here and more fodder for me to just say fuck it to this whole forum and it's very whiny users.
 
phucheneh said:
Because it's all about misdirection.

Your question is like asking why they would put 'SALE 19.99' on something when it's 19.99 every damn day. It's trying to create the perception of a deal without having to make less money.

And 14, Vdub? You ruined my joke. :colbert:
Click to expand...

Well I'll go ahead and ask, why bother doing that, too? I've even seen it where they put a "sale" sticker on top of a sticker... with the SAME PRICE! WTF? Expert or not, you have to admit, that stuff is just stupid. It's just misleading the customer into thinking it's on sale when it's really not, and it cost them money to print those stickers. Same with the rebates, somebody has to process all that mail, then send everybody their $5. Why not just make it "on sale" (for real) and take $5 off?

Would not surprise me if they even raise the price by $5 then make a $5 rebate. retardedness if you ask me, and don't have to be a "retail expert" to agree with that. Funny thing is, if a small mom and pop shop played those games, it would probably be considered illegal. Probably some law somewhere about trying to mislead customers.

Sears is apparently really bad for playing those games. Guess it's all about trying to mislead impulse buyers into thinking the price is better than what it was before. "Limited time offer buy now!" Yeah, I don't fall for that.
 
Red Squirrel said:
Well I'll go ahead and ask, why bother doing that, too? I've even seen it where they put a "sale" sticker on top of a sticker... with the SAME PRICE! WTF? Expert or not, you have to admit, that stuff is just stupid. It's just misleading the customer into thinking it's on sale when it's really not, and it cost them money to print those stickers. Same with the rebates, somebody has to process all that mail, then send everybody their $5. Why not just make it "on sale" (for real) and take $5 off?

Would not surprise me if they even raise the price by $5 then make a $5 rebate. retardedness if you ask me, and don't have to be a "retail expert" to agree with that. Funny thing is, if a small mom and pop shop played those games, it would probably be considered illegal. Probably some law somewhere about trying to mislead customers.

Sears is apparently really bad for playing those games. Guess it's all about trying to mislead impulse buyers into thinking the price is better than what it was before. "Limited time offer buy now!" Yeah, I don't fall for that.
Click to expand...

Hey now, at least the cattle have the decency to die without asking too many questions. You disrupt the consumer feed lot and you are sure to hear about it on the ranch, err, Facebook. Keep your face in the trough and don't worry about using logic in consuming, just do it and smile.
 
Main reason is they gain interest on all that cash before refunding it.
Other reason is if they fuck around long enough they are hoping you might get bored and forget it entirely.

Seriously, if they really wanted you to have that money wouldn't they just deduct the price at point of sale?
 
The house always wins, except those times when they don't.

Same is true of rebates. The manufacturers benefit... except when you actually bother to claim the rebate.
 
Vdubchaos said:
Over the years I've purchased COUNTLESS items with rebates and kept track of and received each and every one.

Even from infamous rebate deniers like MSI....
Click to expand...

I haven't done countless but it's probably close to 800.

I searched a thread I made when I posted that I had done over 600 rebates. That was back back in 2010

It's more than that now. :biggrin:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=30512152&postcount=28


Hot deals was where I got my start here at anandtech, and rebates were a huge part of it. I've never seen what the issue was for bitching about the filing of rebates.
I think people spend more time complaining about rebates that doing the actual work to get them.
 
Red Squirrel said:
I don't get the point of rebates. Why not just make it a sale and bring the price down by that amount? Are they just banking on the fact that most people don't bother?
Click to expand...

Probably because half of the people never bother fill in the rebate, and half of the people who do send them in forget to send in some of the required paperwork (Receipt, UPC code, rebate form, etc) for the rebate. Rebate application REJECTED! You LOSE! Good day sir! 🙂

BOOM, you just saved yourself 75% by offering a $10 rebate instead of just offering $10 off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top