Staples denied my rebate noting the S/N is missing. I didn't read fine prints carefully, but I've never sent any S/N for other rebates. Anyone keeps a copy of S/N. please PM me or email me at
kokiri7890@yahoo.com. Mine is Lite-On LTR-32123S.
You will not get anyone to send you their serial number because it's specific to every drive.
I just had the same thing happen a few minutes ago with rebateshq. I received my email and clicked on the link and rebateshq had my rebate as being invalid because I didn't include the original serial number sticker from the box. I called them and told them that I do plenty of rebates and this rebate form did not ask for a original serial number sticker from the box. This is the truth. I just did a rebate for Officemax through rebateshq and they did specifically ask for the serial number sticker and I gave it to them. If the Staples rebate submission form would've asked for the original serial number sticker, I would've included it. I then told her that I no longer have the box (I no longer have the drive either). She then talked with a supervisor and when she came back on the phone, asked me if I had installed the drive, which was not totally true, but I knew where she was going with this. She then asked me if I had the serial number that I could read off to her. I ran downstairs and grabbed a photo copy of the rebate submission form that I had hand written the serial number on (that's what I thought that they were asking for) and then came upstairs and read it off to her. I told her that I was sorry that I took so long, but I was opening the computer to read the serial number. I read the serial number to her and she validated my rebate on the spot. Sure enough, I refreshed the page where it had said that my rebate was "invalid" and it now says "processing".
My advice to you is call rebateshq and talk to a csr, but make sure you have the serial number in hand. Tell her/him that you no longer have the box and that you would've furnished the serial number tag if they would've asked for it. If they don't ask you for the serial number off the drive, offer it to them. Tell them that you will go open up your computer and read it off for them. Heh.. Just have them hang on a few minutes. You will probably get the same satisfaction as standing up a cable installer. I did.
Now.. For those of you in this situation, I would hope that you at least wrote the serial number on your rebate submission form and I would hope that you would've made a copy of that rebate submission form before mailing it in. If not, I think you might be SOL unfortunately. You could always try arguing with a CSR and see how far it gets you. They might validate it just to get you off their backs. Remember.. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Funny thing about rebate fulfillment houses.. I've called plenty of them asking them to clarify the rebate forms when I had a question about the wording. They always seem so peeved when I call and ask questions. Screw them!! If they didn't make us jump through hoops with rebate submissions, we wouldn't worry so much about not sending in the correct thing. This rebate is a perfect example of their bullsh*t. It doesn't say anything about original serial number tag from the box. It just asked for the serial number is all.
Anyway.. Hope this helps.
Good luck.
Sal