Continued from the previous thread
---
Are your rebates coming? Are there problems or delays getting them?
Post the latest information about various rebates, here. If you want your posts to be helpful, keep them factual. If you believe there is a problem with a specific rebate, do your homework and learn the facts before you post. DO NOT speculate about what may or may not be happening.
The most helpful posts include:
1. Verified contact information (mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, names etc.) for rebate sources. Active links always help.
2. Accurate details of the kinds of proof of purchase and other documentation required (UPC codes, receipts, etc.).
3. Significant updates and changes in any of the above info.
Hint - To find info about a particular rebate, use [Ctrl + F] to search for key words, member names, etc.
This thread is for sharing helpful informatation with your fellow members. Please DO NOT just brag about the rebate you got, or moan about the one that got away, without contributing to the discussion. We have a thread for that.
---
Thanks to Lanyap for much of the following info: ]
Online Rebate Tracking Program
www.rebate-tracker.com
Rebate Center Contact Information
Continental Promotions Group / CPG - Phoenix, AZ & Scottsdale, AZ
www.rebatestatus.com - Does not list all rebates).
www.rebatestatus.com - mail webpage.
(800) 554-9838 ext. 6100
(888) 314-9908
(888) 314-9903
Canon rebates (not found when searching regular rebatestatus.com link).
ExpressGroup - Walled Lake, MI
www.expressgroup.com
rebateinq@expressgroup.com (Email)
(888) 738-9201
(800) 962-4664
Global Fulfillment Services / GFS - Mesa, AZ
www.gfsinc.com - Business Website
www.web-rebates.com - No direct links to anything - just a webpage
www.web-rebates.com/linksys - Linksys Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/belkin - Belkin Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/compaq/status - (Compaq Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/usrobotics - USRobotics Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/dlink/status - D-Link Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/britannica/status - Britannica Rebate Inquiry
(888) 859-3988
Parago / RebatesHQ - Coppell, TX & McAllen, TX & Miami, FL
www.rebateshq.com (Rebate Lookup)
www.rebateshq.com/parago/contact_us.htm - Rebate Center contact numbers by vendor.
www.rebateshq.com/clients/parago/rebates/email_us.jsp - Email webpage.
(866) 450-9695
(888) 221-4692
(877) 580-3348
TCArebates / WheresMyRebate.com - New Rochelle, NY
www.wheresmyrebate.com
http://www.wheresmyrebate.com/results.asp?postalcode=00000&SearchSubmit=Find+Rebate(s)[/L] - Zipcode only search. More helpful than using last name and zipcode, cause they sometimes mistype. Replace 00000 with your zipcode.
customerservice@wheresmyrebate.com - Email
(800) 390-2344 - TCA only allows *3* rebates to be checked per telephone call.
914-633-8772 - Fax
Young America - Young America, MN
www.young-america.com - No online rebate lookup
(800) 251-2665 - Circuit City only
(888) 592-6269 - Office Max only
Young America Client Services Facility
18671 Lake Drive East
Chanhassen, MN 55317
(952) 294-6000
Young America Fulfillment Center
717 Faxon Road
Young America, MN 55397-9481
(952) 467-1100
Glencoe Fulfillment Center
1207 Cardinal Ave. North
Glencoe, MN 55336
Mankato Call Center
1400 Madison Ave.
Mankato, MN 56001
YA Canada - Chatham Kent Call Center
800 Richmond St.
Chatham Kent, Ontario N7M 5J5
BestBuy Rebate Center / Watts NCH Promotional Services - Calais, ME
www.bestbuy.com/RebateCenter
(800) 369-5050 opt. 5 - Customer Relations - when all else fails to get a Best Buy rebate.
(888) 797-3956
(800) 849-0444
(888) 237-8289 option 3, option 3 again. - Bestbuy/Watts NCH Rebate.
(888) 363-5170 - Bestbuy/Crucial Memory Rebate.
Circuit City - Richmond, VA
www.circuitcityrebates.com - Rebate lookup.
www.circuitcity.com - Click Rebate tab at top of page for main rebate page.
(800) 660-2810
Circuit City only contact for Young America - Young America, MN
www.young-america.com - No online rebate lookup
(800) 251-2665
(800) 660-2810
CompUSA Headquarters Rebate Center - Dallas, TX
www.cusarebates.com
(800) 278-4685 - Call this number when all else fails to get a CompUSA advertised rebate.
(800) 773-6709
I/O Magic / HiVal / Digital Research - Santa Ana, CA
http://www.iomagic.com/rebatesmain.htm
(800) 607-7466 (M-F, 8am-5pm PST)
McAfee
(800) 836-8756
Memorex - Young America, MN
www.memorex.com/special_promotions/rebates.php
(888) 258-4575
Microsoft - Clifton, NJ & Ridgely, MD
www.microsoft.com/insider/rebates (List of current rebates only)
(800) 622-4445 (8:30am-5:30pm ET)
Office Depot - Walled Lake, MI - ExpressGroup.
209.69.149.201/test/default.asp
lmiller@expressgroup.com - Email
(888) 738-9201
(800) 962-4664
OfficeMax
(866) 633-8353 (Office Max Rebate Center)
(800) 283-7674 (OfficeMax.com)
(800) 788-8080 (Main office)
Plextor
Plextor Customer Contact Center
http://www.plextor.com/english/products/product_promotions.html
(866) 283-7080
Plextor Rebate Center
(888) 859-3988
PNY
(800) 340-0108
Staples - Coppell, TX & McAllen, TX (Parago / RebatesHQ) & Miami, FL
www.staplesrebates.com
(877) 266-6483
(888) 856-9210
(800) 338-0252 - Office of Staples President.
Symantec
service2.symantec.com (Rebate online resolution)
(800) 494-8825 - Interactive Voice Response line.
T-Mobile / VoiceStream - Young America, MN
voicestreamrebates.com
(888) 258-4575
Samsung - New Rochelle, NY
<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/nabc/promotions/b2c_promotions_main.jsp">www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/nabc/promotions/b2c_promotions_main.jsp
</a>
(800) 578-8883 - For Monitor Rebates Commencing 01/01/02.
---
Sites with links to current and past rebates
www.spoofee.com/rebates.html
Maxtor Current Rebates
www.maxtor.com/en/support/rebates
Sears Current Rebates
www.bcrebates.com/printablelist.jsp?divisionId=1
RebateRebate! Rebate Tracking Program
www.pcworld.com
---
WHERE TO COMPLAIN IF YOUR REBATE DOESN'T ARRIVE
www.PlanetFeedback.com
They'll help you write a gripe letter and forward it to the company. Plus, you can send copies to lawmakers.
www.NAAG.org
National Association of Attorneys General
Find your state attorney general's contact info, and call in a complaint. AGs will take action if they see a pattern.
www.FTC.gov
The Federal Trade Commission
File a complaint on line or call 1-(877) FTC-HELP.
www.RipOffReport.com
Share your horror story with other irate consumers. The site's caustic editorials will feed your rebate rage.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Online Complaint Form
www.ftc.gov
(877) FTC-HELP ((877) 382-4357)
FTC Taking the Bait Out of Rebates
www.ftc.gov
FTC Main Site
www.ftc.gov
Better Business Bureau Online Complaint System
www.bbb.org
PCWorld.com: Rebate or Rip-Off?
www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,7957,00.asp
PCWorld.com: Consumer Watch: Bait and Rebate
www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,55310,00.asp
<<< HELPFUL HINTS >>>
1) Read rebate requirements before you buy the product or as soon as you buy the product to be sure you meet the eligibility requirements and you know the mail-in dates.
2) If you are buying a product and the rebate is online, download and/or print the rebate immediately. Some online sites will remove rebates as soon as the sale/promotion is over.
3) ALWAYS make good copies of everything you send in for a rebate.
4) Complete all information requested on rebate form in a legible hand writing. You may want to use all caps.
5) Provide all documents requested on the rebate form.
6) Put your rebate documentation and copies in a safe place and follow up on the dates they are due.
7) Call about your rebate if you do not receive it when it is due.
---
Rejected! Rebates Get Harder to Collect --- As Cash-Back Offers Multiply, So Do Obstacles to Consumers; Best Ways to Get Your Check
COMPANIES ARE OFFERING RECORD numbers of mail-in rebates on everything from shampoo to shotguns. But try actually getting one of them.
To move merchandise in the tight economy, companies have spun themselves into a rebating frenzy. The pace of offers has picked up in just the past few weeks: amazon.com is in the midst of a "40 days of $40 rebates" promotion, and Gateway, Apple, eMachines and Compaq just jolted the PC market with a slew of new offers.
But the surge in rebate offers, combined with some changes in the way they are processed, is making it harder than ever for you to collect. The rebates are often contingent on a long and sometimes onerous list of terms, some of which are written in small print on the backs of rebates forms. On top of this, many companies now subcontract rebate processing to firms that then do their own subcontracting, making it that much trickier for customers to track missing checks.
Sony, for example, initially turned down more than 25% of applicants for a $100 rebate on its Vaio laptop for failing to meet the conditions. Microsoft is currently promoting a $300 rebate on a $549 Visual Basic software upgrade -- but to qualify, customers must have the cardboard box that the original software came in -- a tall order since many first purchased the product in 1998. (Microsoft has loosened the policy slightly, but hasn't changed the wording on its rebate form.)
State and federal regulators are starting to crack down on misleading rebate offers. Florida's attorney general recently filed a complaint against CompuServe for failing to pay $400 rebates to dozens of customers who had signed up for three years of Internet service. Texas settled with CompuServe over the same issue. The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against several electronics makers for routinely paying out rebates months late. They include Memtek Products, which makes Memorex disks, and UMAX Technologies, which makes scanners. In the past year, complaints lodged with the Better Business Bureau against TCA, which processes rebates for CompUSA and Microsoft, have doubled.
And that's just the more-established companies. In March, New York's attorney general warned consumers about Web retailers that sell at inflated prices promising generous rebates. One such site, CyberRebate.com, filed for bankruptcy-court protection, owing customers $90 million in rebates; one particularly exuberant shopper is owed $90,000.
Of course, to some degree companies that offer mail-in rebates have always banked on your laziness. Only 5% of offers are claimed by consumers, which allows companies to advertise low prices without having to absorb the cost of a flat-out price cut. Claim rates rise with the value of the rebate, but even on electronics, redemption rates are still only 40% on average, according to BDS Marketing.
Despite the low redemption rate, companies routinely reject applicants for any violation of their strict "terms and conditions." On one of Sprint PCS's latest promotions, the fine print stipulates that customers must have a "preferred credit rating" to qualify. Failing to write in the date of purchase (even if it's printed on the receipt) or sending a photocopy of the receipt can also be cause for rejection on many rebates.
Part of the problem is that many companies aren't equipped to follow through, says Michael Dershowitz, a senior attorney at the FTC. "They don't realize the demand they're creating," he says.
Serial outsourcing can also lead to quagmires. Last month, Bryan Turner, a 34-year-old San Francisco resident, attempted to track down a $40 Nokia phone rebate he sent away for last September. He soon found himself in a puzzling e-mail dialogue with Nokia customer service. "We at Customer Care NokiaUSA do not have any authority regarding rebates and promotions," read one e-mail.
Mr. Turner's rebate, for a Nokia 5165 phone, was being handled by Young America, one of the nation's largest rebate fulfillment centers, located in Minnesota. Since Young America handles upward of 20 million rebates a year for dozens of clients, mix-ups are inevitable -- and in Mr. Turner's limited experience, not unusual. Both his roommate, Rob Peacock, and his roommate's mother, Catherine Peacock, had similar problems with the Nokia phone rebate.
A Nokia spokesman says that 97.7% of qualifying applicants received their checks on that promotion within seven weeks; he says 15% of applicants were rejected for failing to follow the offer terms.
Certain fulfillment houses have particularly abysmal records. TCA in New Rochelle, N.Y., has an "unsatisfactory" record with the New York Better Business Bureau, which received 109 complaints about TCA in the past 12 months, versus 44 in the year-earlier period.
Peter Kuehnel of British Columbia isn't surprised. When he tried to cash a $15 check last month issued by TCA, it was returned -- for insufficient funds. "Then the bank charged me a $3 returned-check fee," he says. The check was a rebate for 256 megabytes of Kingston Technology RAM that Mr. Kuehnel had purchased.
TCA calls Mr. Kuehnel's experience "a fluke," and says the company accidentally bounced 200 checks last month because of a technical glitch. The company has promised to re-issue all checks.
---
Where to Complain If Your Rebate Doesn't Arrive
The Site: http://www.PlanetFeedback.com
Comment: They'll help you write a gripe letter and forward it to the company. Plus, you can send copies to lawmakers.
The Site: National Association of Attorneys General; http://www.NAAG.org
Comment: Find your state attorney general's contact info, and call in a complaint. AGs will take action if they see a pattern.
The Site: The Federal Trade Commission; http://www.FTC.com
Comment: File a complaint on line or call (877) FTC-HELP.
The Site: http://www.RipOffReport.com
Comment: Share your horror story with other irate consumers. The site's caustic editorials will feed your rebate rage.
---
Avoiding the Rebate Runaround - Where to find details on current offers - Researching Rebates
The Site: http://www.RebatePlace.com
Comment: Site tracks current rebate deals on computers and electronics, including expiration dates and restrictions. Plus, you can print copies of rebate forms to read all the fine print.
The Site: http://www.mtv411.com/rebates-coupons
Comment: An MTV community site with one useful feature: It offers contact info for major rebate fulfillment houses and links to online rebate centers for manufacturers and retailers.
The Site: http://edmund.com/edwweb/holdback/html
Comment: Plug in your zip code to find auto-rebate deals in your area.
Thanks to nishantd for this Wall Street Journal Article.
TCA calls Mr. Kuehnel's experience "a fluke," and says the company accidentally bounced 200 checks last month because of a technical glitch. The company has promised to re-issue all checks.
---
Where to Complain If Your Rebate Doesn't Arrive
The Site: http://www.PlanetFeedback.com
Comment: They'll help you write a gripe letter and forward it to the company. Plus, you can send copies to lawmakers.
The Site: National Association of Attorneys General; http://www.NAAG.org
Comment: Find your state attorney general's contact info, and call in a complaint. AGs will take action if they see a pattern.
The Site: The Federal Trade Commission; http://www.FTC.com
Comment: File a complaint on line or call (877) FTC-HELP.
The Site: http://www.RipOffReport.com
Comment: Share your horror story with other irate consumers. The site's caustic editorials will feed your rebate rage.
---
Avoiding the Rebate Runaround - Where to find details on current offers - Researching Rebates
The Site: http://www.RebatePlace.com
Comment: Site tracks current rebate deals on computers and electronics, including expiration dates and restrictions. Plus, you can print copies of rebate forms to read all the fine print.
The Site: http://www.mtv411.com/rebates-coupons
Comment: An MTV community site with one useful feature: It offers contact info for major rebate fulfillment houses and links to online rebate centers for manufacturers and retailers.
The Site: http://edmund.com/edwweb/holdback/html
Comment: Plug in your zip code to find auto-rebate deals in your area.
Thanks to nishantd for this Wall Street Journal Article.
---
~~~~ Rebate Tracking Thread ~~~~ continued here.
---
Are your rebates coming? Are there problems or delays getting them?
Post the latest information about various rebates, here. If you want your posts to be helpful, keep them factual. If you believe there is a problem with a specific rebate, do your homework and learn the facts before you post. DO NOT speculate about what may or may not be happening.
The most helpful posts include:
1. Verified contact information (mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, names etc.) for rebate sources. Active links always help.
2. Accurate details of the kinds of proof of purchase and other documentation required (UPC codes, receipts, etc.).
3. Significant updates and changes in any of the above info.
Hint - To find info about a particular rebate, use [Ctrl + F] to search for key words, member names, etc.
This thread is for sharing helpful informatation with your fellow members. Please DO NOT just brag about the rebate you got, or moan about the one that got away, without contributing to the discussion. We have a thread for that.
---
Thanks to Lanyap for much of the following info: ]
Online Rebate Tracking Program
www.rebate-tracker.com
Rebate Center Contact Information
Continental Promotions Group / CPG - Phoenix, AZ & Scottsdale, AZ
www.rebatestatus.com - Does not list all rebates).
www.rebatestatus.com - mail webpage.
(800) 554-9838 ext. 6100
(888) 314-9908
(888) 314-9903
Canon rebates (not found when searching regular rebatestatus.com link).
ExpressGroup - Walled Lake, MI
www.expressgroup.com
rebateinq@expressgroup.com (Email)
(888) 738-9201
(800) 962-4664
Global Fulfillment Services / GFS - Mesa, AZ
www.gfsinc.com - Business Website
www.web-rebates.com - No direct links to anything - just a webpage
www.web-rebates.com/linksys - Linksys Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/belkin - Belkin Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/compaq/status - (Compaq Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/usrobotics - USRobotics Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/dlink/status - D-Link Rebate Inquiry
www.web-rebates.com/britannica/status - Britannica Rebate Inquiry
(888) 859-3988
Parago / RebatesHQ - Coppell, TX & McAllen, TX & Miami, FL
www.rebateshq.com (Rebate Lookup)
www.rebateshq.com/parago/contact_us.htm - Rebate Center contact numbers by vendor.
www.rebateshq.com/clients/parago/rebates/email_us.jsp - Email webpage.
(866) 450-9695
(888) 221-4692
(877) 580-3348
TCArebates / WheresMyRebate.com - New Rochelle, NY
www.wheresmyrebate.com
http://www.wheresmyrebate.com/results.asp?postalcode=00000&SearchSubmit=Find+Rebate(s)[/L] - Zipcode only search. More helpful than using last name and zipcode, cause they sometimes mistype. Replace 00000 with your zipcode.
customerservice@wheresmyrebate.com - Email
(800) 390-2344 - TCA only allows *3* rebates to be checked per telephone call.
914-633-8772 - Fax
Young America - Young America, MN
www.young-america.com - No online rebate lookup
(800) 251-2665 - Circuit City only
(888) 592-6269 - Office Max only
Young America Client Services Facility
18671 Lake Drive East
Chanhassen, MN 55317
(952) 294-6000
Young America Fulfillment Center
717 Faxon Road
Young America, MN 55397-9481
(952) 467-1100
Glencoe Fulfillment Center
1207 Cardinal Ave. North
Glencoe, MN 55336
Mankato Call Center
1400 Madison Ave.
Mankato, MN 56001
YA Canada - Chatham Kent Call Center
800 Richmond St.
Chatham Kent, Ontario N7M 5J5
BestBuy Rebate Center / Watts NCH Promotional Services - Calais, ME
www.bestbuy.com/RebateCenter
(800) 369-5050 opt. 5 - Customer Relations - when all else fails to get a Best Buy rebate.
(888) 797-3956
(800) 849-0444
(888) 237-8289 option 3, option 3 again. - Bestbuy/Watts NCH Rebate.
(888) 363-5170 - Bestbuy/Crucial Memory Rebate.
Circuit City - Richmond, VA
www.circuitcityrebates.com - Rebate lookup.
www.circuitcity.com - Click Rebate tab at top of page for main rebate page.
(800) 660-2810
Circuit City only contact for Young America - Young America, MN
www.young-america.com - No online rebate lookup
(800) 251-2665
(800) 660-2810
CompUSA Headquarters Rebate Center - Dallas, TX
www.cusarebates.com
(800) 278-4685 - Call this number when all else fails to get a CompUSA advertised rebate.
(800) 773-6709
I/O Magic / HiVal / Digital Research - Santa Ana, CA
http://www.iomagic.com/rebatesmain.htm
(800) 607-7466 (M-F, 8am-5pm PST)
McAfee
(800) 836-8756
Memorex - Young America, MN
www.memorex.com/special_promotions/rebates.php
(888) 258-4575
Microsoft - Clifton, NJ & Ridgely, MD
www.microsoft.com/insider/rebates (List of current rebates only)
(800) 622-4445 (8:30am-5:30pm ET)
Office Depot - Walled Lake, MI - ExpressGroup.
209.69.149.201/test/default.asp
lmiller@expressgroup.com - Email
(888) 738-9201
(800) 962-4664
OfficeMax
(866) 633-8353 (Office Max Rebate Center)
(800) 283-7674 (OfficeMax.com)
(800) 788-8080 (Main office)
Plextor
Plextor Customer Contact Center
http://www.plextor.com/english/products/product_promotions.html
(866) 283-7080
Plextor Rebate Center
(888) 859-3988
PNY
(800) 340-0108
Staples - Coppell, TX & McAllen, TX (Parago / RebatesHQ) & Miami, FL
www.staplesrebates.com
(877) 266-6483
(888) 856-9210
(800) 338-0252 - Office of Staples President.
Symantec
service2.symantec.com (Rebate online resolution)
(800) 494-8825 - Interactive Voice Response line.
T-Mobile / VoiceStream - Young America, MN
voicestreamrebates.com
(888) 258-4575
Samsung - New Rochelle, NY
<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/nabc/promotions/b2c_promotions_main.jsp">www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/nabc/promotions/b2c_promotions_main.jsp
</a>
(800) 578-8883 - For Monitor Rebates Commencing 01/01/02.
---
Sites with links to current and past rebates
www.spoofee.com/rebates.html
Maxtor Current Rebates
www.maxtor.com/en/support/rebates
Sears Current Rebates
www.bcrebates.com/printablelist.jsp?divisionId=1
RebateRebate! Rebate Tracking Program
www.pcworld.com
---
WHERE TO COMPLAIN IF YOUR REBATE DOESN'T ARRIVE
www.PlanetFeedback.com
They'll help you write a gripe letter and forward it to the company. Plus, you can send copies to lawmakers.
www.NAAG.org
National Association of Attorneys General
Find your state attorney general's contact info, and call in a complaint. AGs will take action if they see a pattern.
www.FTC.gov
The Federal Trade Commission
File a complaint on line or call 1-(877) FTC-HELP.
www.RipOffReport.com
Share your horror story with other irate consumers. The site's caustic editorials will feed your rebate rage.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Online Complaint Form
www.ftc.gov
(877) FTC-HELP ((877) 382-4357)
FTC Taking the Bait Out of Rebates
www.ftc.gov
FTC Main Site
www.ftc.gov
Better Business Bureau Online Complaint System
www.bbb.org
PCWorld.com: Rebate or Rip-Off?
www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,7957,00.asp
PCWorld.com: Consumer Watch: Bait and Rebate
www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,55310,00.asp
<<< HELPFUL HINTS >>>
1) Read rebate requirements before you buy the product or as soon as you buy the product to be sure you meet the eligibility requirements and you know the mail-in dates.
2) If you are buying a product and the rebate is online, download and/or print the rebate immediately. Some online sites will remove rebates as soon as the sale/promotion is over.
3) ALWAYS make good copies of everything you send in for a rebate.
4) Complete all information requested on rebate form in a legible hand writing. You may want to use all caps.
5) Provide all documents requested on the rebate form.
6) Put your rebate documentation and copies in a safe place and follow up on the dates they are due.
7) Call about your rebate if you do not receive it when it is due.
---
Rejected! Rebates Get Harder to Collect --- As Cash-Back Offers Multiply, So Do Obstacles to Consumers; Best Ways to Get Your Check
COMPANIES ARE OFFERING RECORD numbers of mail-in rebates on everything from shampoo to shotguns. But try actually getting one of them.
To move merchandise in the tight economy, companies have spun themselves into a rebating frenzy. The pace of offers has picked up in just the past few weeks: amazon.com is in the midst of a "40 days of $40 rebates" promotion, and Gateway, Apple, eMachines and Compaq just jolted the PC market with a slew of new offers.
But the surge in rebate offers, combined with some changes in the way they are processed, is making it harder than ever for you to collect. The rebates are often contingent on a long and sometimes onerous list of terms, some of which are written in small print on the backs of rebates forms. On top of this, many companies now subcontract rebate processing to firms that then do their own subcontracting, making it that much trickier for customers to track missing checks.
Sony, for example, initially turned down more than 25% of applicants for a $100 rebate on its Vaio laptop for failing to meet the conditions. Microsoft is currently promoting a $300 rebate on a $549 Visual Basic software upgrade -- but to qualify, customers must have the cardboard box that the original software came in -- a tall order since many first purchased the product in 1998. (Microsoft has loosened the policy slightly, but hasn't changed the wording on its rebate form.)
State and federal regulators are starting to crack down on misleading rebate offers. Florida's attorney general recently filed a complaint against CompuServe for failing to pay $400 rebates to dozens of customers who had signed up for three years of Internet service. Texas settled with CompuServe over the same issue. The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against several electronics makers for routinely paying out rebates months late. They include Memtek Products, which makes Memorex disks, and UMAX Technologies, which makes scanners. In the past year, complaints lodged with the Better Business Bureau against TCA, which processes rebates for CompUSA and Microsoft, have doubled.
And that's just the more-established companies. In March, New York's attorney general warned consumers about Web retailers that sell at inflated prices promising generous rebates. One such site, CyberRebate.com, filed for bankruptcy-court protection, owing customers $90 million in rebates; one particularly exuberant shopper is owed $90,000.
Of course, to some degree companies that offer mail-in rebates have always banked on your laziness. Only 5% of offers are claimed by consumers, which allows companies to advertise low prices without having to absorb the cost of a flat-out price cut. Claim rates rise with the value of the rebate, but even on electronics, redemption rates are still only 40% on average, according to BDS Marketing.
Despite the low redemption rate, companies routinely reject applicants for any violation of their strict "terms and conditions." On one of Sprint PCS's latest promotions, the fine print stipulates that customers must have a "preferred credit rating" to qualify. Failing to write in the date of purchase (even if it's printed on the receipt) or sending a photocopy of the receipt can also be cause for rejection on many rebates.
Part of the problem is that many companies aren't equipped to follow through, says Michael Dershowitz, a senior attorney at the FTC. "They don't realize the demand they're creating," he says.
Serial outsourcing can also lead to quagmires. Last month, Bryan Turner, a 34-year-old San Francisco resident, attempted to track down a $40 Nokia phone rebate he sent away for last September. He soon found himself in a puzzling e-mail dialogue with Nokia customer service. "We at Customer Care NokiaUSA do not have any authority regarding rebates and promotions," read one e-mail.
Mr. Turner's rebate, for a Nokia 5165 phone, was being handled by Young America, one of the nation's largest rebate fulfillment centers, located in Minnesota. Since Young America handles upward of 20 million rebates a year for dozens of clients, mix-ups are inevitable -- and in Mr. Turner's limited experience, not unusual. Both his roommate, Rob Peacock, and his roommate's mother, Catherine Peacock, had similar problems with the Nokia phone rebate.
A Nokia spokesman says that 97.7% of qualifying applicants received their checks on that promotion within seven weeks; he says 15% of applicants were rejected for failing to follow the offer terms.
Certain fulfillment houses have particularly abysmal records. TCA in New Rochelle, N.Y., has an "unsatisfactory" record with the New York Better Business Bureau, which received 109 complaints about TCA in the past 12 months, versus 44 in the year-earlier period.
Peter Kuehnel of British Columbia isn't surprised. When he tried to cash a $15 check last month issued by TCA, it was returned -- for insufficient funds. "Then the bank charged me a $3 returned-check fee," he says. The check was a rebate for 256 megabytes of Kingston Technology RAM that Mr. Kuehnel had purchased.
TCA calls Mr. Kuehnel's experience "a fluke," and says the company accidentally bounced 200 checks last month because of a technical glitch. The company has promised to re-issue all checks.
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Where to Complain If Your Rebate Doesn't Arrive
The Site: http://www.PlanetFeedback.com
Comment: They'll help you write a gripe letter and forward it to the company. Plus, you can send copies to lawmakers.
The Site: National Association of Attorneys General; http://www.NAAG.org
Comment: Find your state attorney general's contact info, and call in a complaint. AGs will take action if they see a pattern.
The Site: The Federal Trade Commission; http://www.FTC.com
Comment: File a complaint on line or call (877) FTC-HELP.
The Site: http://www.RipOffReport.com
Comment: Share your horror story with other irate consumers. The site's caustic editorials will feed your rebate rage.
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Avoiding the Rebate Runaround - Where to find details on current offers - Researching Rebates
The Site: http://www.RebatePlace.com
Comment: Site tracks current rebate deals on computers and electronics, including expiration dates and restrictions. Plus, you can print copies of rebate forms to read all the fine print.
The Site: http://www.mtv411.com/rebates-coupons
Comment: An MTV community site with one useful feature: It offers contact info for major rebate fulfillment houses and links to online rebate centers for manufacturers and retailers.
The Site: http://edmund.com/edwweb/holdback/html
Comment: Plug in your zip code to find auto-rebate deals in your area.
Thanks to nishantd for this Wall Street Journal Article.
TCA calls Mr. Kuehnel's experience "a fluke," and says the company accidentally bounced 200 checks last month because of a technical glitch. The company has promised to re-issue all checks.
---
Where to Complain If Your Rebate Doesn't Arrive
The Site: http://www.PlanetFeedback.com
Comment: They'll help you write a gripe letter and forward it to the company. Plus, you can send copies to lawmakers.
The Site: National Association of Attorneys General; http://www.NAAG.org
Comment: Find your state attorney general's contact info, and call in a complaint. AGs will take action if they see a pattern.
The Site: The Federal Trade Commission; http://www.FTC.com
Comment: File a complaint on line or call (877) FTC-HELP.
The Site: http://www.RipOffReport.com
Comment: Share your horror story with other irate consumers. The site's caustic editorials will feed your rebate rage.
---
Avoiding the Rebate Runaround - Where to find details on current offers - Researching Rebates
The Site: http://www.RebatePlace.com
Comment: Site tracks current rebate deals on computers and electronics, including expiration dates and restrictions. Plus, you can print copies of rebate forms to read all the fine print.
The Site: http://www.mtv411.com/rebates-coupons
Comment: An MTV community site with one useful feature: It offers contact info for major rebate fulfillment houses and links to online rebate centers for manufacturers and retailers.
The Site: http://edmund.com/edwweb/holdback/html
Comment: Plug in your zip code to find auto-rebate deals in your area.
Thanks to nishantd for this Wall Street Journal Article.
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~~~~ Rebate Tracking Thread ~~~~ continued here.