Will never buy another ATI card again!

[the Chase]

Did the MIR thing awhile back and never received it. Called them today about it and they have no record of it or having got my rebate info. I can re-send all the info and still get the rebate, but, I need a copy of the UPC box code to be elegible. Blah. I sent the originals in with my first submission and didn't make photocopies of them. I have copies of everything else, receipt, rebate form, etc.

All the manager could say was- "it says on the rebate form to keep copies of everything". Well I am going to keep a copy of my receipt from the NVIDIA G80 that I buy and mail it to him. Would be sweet to see his expression except for the fact they will probably "misplace" that piece of mail also.....So all in all I'm just-:|

 

[Lonyo]

Was it a BBAti card? Or a 3rd party?

 

[xtknight]

Creative did the same thing with my Audigy 2 ZS. Greedy bastards.

 

[thilanliyan]

That sucks mate. I always do registered mail for rebates so they can't say we never got it.

 

[the Chase]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Was it a BBAti card? Or a 3rd party?

BBAti card.

 

[the Chase]

Originally posted by: thilan29
That sucks mate. I always do registered mail for rebates so they can't say we never got it.

Good idea..I'll remember that next time. Also to make photocopies of the UPC codes. I told them I would send all copies(except UPC) and the box with the cutouts- no go.

 

[CU]

Always, always make a copy of everything you send. I did a rebate for a HD and they said the UPC was invalid, so I made copies of the copies and sent it again. It still said UPC was invalid. I called them up again and she told me what UPC and serial numbers they had from me. Then she said that everything was fine and I would get my rebate in the mail. So, they had everything and it was correct they just didn't want to give me the money, but I kept calling them and demanding it. But without copies you are out of luck.

 

[OCNewbie]

Yeah, rebates are easy if you follow the ground rules of: make copies of everything, UPC, receipt, rebate form, etc. And send it certified mail (cost is like $1.50'ish?) if you have any concerns. Also, read the entire rebate info, and make sure you include exactly what they ask for, how they ask for it. Follow the rules very closely and you should have no problems.

Even TigerDirect I believe, which for a long time had been to blame for a lot of unfulfilled rebates says they now guarantee all rebates if you send it certified mail, and provide the requested documentation, etc. I believe I read that somewhere anyway =)

 

[sandorski]

Never buy something because it has a MIR. Ever.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Never buy something because it has a MIR. Ever.

qft

 

[996GT2]

Wow, sad to hear that. Hopefully eVGA and OCZ don't do the same thing, or I'll be out $80

 

[Praxis1452]

complain again and again. IF not take them to court? I mean maybe the receipt from where you bought ti from. It might show there was a rebate available. Show them the box with the upc cut out. etc. You could probably win.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: the Chase
Did the MIR thing awhile back and never received it. Called them today about it and they have no record of it or having got my rebate info. I can re-send all the info and still get the rebate, but, I need a copy of the UPC box code to be elegible. Blah. I sent the originals in with my first submission and didn't make photocopies of them. I have copies of everything else, receipt, rebate form, etc.

All the manager could say was- "it says on the rebate form to keep copies of everything". Well I am going to keep a copy of my receipt from the NVIDIA G80 that I buy and mail it to him. Would be sweet to see his expression except for the fact they will probably "misplace" that piece of mail also.....So all in all I'm just-:|

Careful what you say. Your nVidia G80 card from eVGA or whomever could easily have its rebate "lost" too, then you're left buying video cards with an S3 chip.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: CU
Always, always make a copy of everything you send. I did a rebate for a HD and they said the UPC was invalid, so I made copies of the copies and sent it again. It still said UPC was invalid. I called them up again and she told me what UPC and serial numbers they had from me. Then she said that everything was fine and I would get my rebate in the mail. So, they had everything and it was correct they just didn't want to give me the money, but I kept calling them and demanding it. But without copies you are out of luck.

My time is worth something to me too. If I have to call some company repeatedly for $50, I feel like I'm the one paying them... Personally, I try to avoid MIR as much as possible because my personal overall succes rate is about 50/50.

If I had this option:

Card A $425
Card B $450 - $50 MIR

...I'd go with card A.

Originally posted by: Praxis1452
complain again and again. IF not take them to court? I mean maybe the receipt from where you bought ti from. It might show there was a rebate available. Show them the box with the upc cut out. etc. You could probably win.

Yep, and again, you're spending your time just to get what is owed to you.

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Never buy something because it has a MIR. Ever.

Truly, f* it

 

[Steelski]

Ever consider it dident arrive?

Placing blame for things we dont really know happend is silly indeed.

 

[the Chase]

Heh- yeah I swore I would never do a MIR again but the CompUSA sale with $50 MIR sucked me in. And yeah my time is worth something so I probably won't call my credit card company to hound them or complain to CompUSA. I'll just never buy ATI again (although I said that about MIR's- so my track record isn't so great so far). Also give them a little bad press (here) so maybe they will loose a couple of sales of people sitting on the fence between Nvidia and ATI. It kind of sucks because I like ATI's cards/direction.....

Edit for Steelski- it's possible but I did have my return address on the envelope and checked at the post office to be sure I had enough postage (wish I would have thought of registered mail at that time).

But what angers me is the whole- well you have copies of everything and the empty box- but you didn't copy those UPC codes which we expressely say we need the originals of to process the rebate- so now you are just screwed- attitude.

 

[mikek753]

But what angers me is the whole- well you have copies of everything and the empty box- but you didn't copy those UPC codes which we expressely say we need the originals of to process the rebate- so now you are just screwed- attitude.

in case you'll have time - how about going to store and make a copy of UPC on the box
or if some one can email the UPC copy to you

I'd, but I don't have ATI box. Also you didn't say about what card? Or I missed it some where.

 

[Elfear]

Sorry, but I think you're placing the blame on the wrong party here. As others have mentioned, one of the basic rules for MIRs is to make copies of everything. That's saved me more than a few times. Also, who's to say the post office didn't screw up? You may have put the return address on the envelope, but I've seen cases where a letter took 6 months to a year to get back to the sender. Sad but true. I know those cases are rare but I wouldn't just blame ATI for the problem.

 

[LordGestle]

Originally posted by: 996GT2
Wow, sad to hear that. Hopefully eVGA and OCZ don't do the same thing, or I'll be out $80

Actually those were the 2 companies that I had the most trouble with. I can't officially blame them but they chose the rebate partner so they are somewhat responsible. Good thing is that both companies picked up where the rebate partner crashed and burned.

OCZ went like this:
1) Made copies and sent in rebate.
2) 4 weeks later is appears on the web tracking. So far so good.
3) 8 weeks later no update but is still listed as in process. Call them up. Indicated they would need an additional 2-4 weeks.
4) 4 weeks later the rebate dissapears from the online tracking system. Call them up and they indicated they never received it. Told them I have copies so I faxed them in.
5) Added back to online tracking. Told wait 2-4 weeks. At the end of the 2nd week it dissapears again from online tracking. Call them up and they indicated they never received it. WTF?
6) Contacted OCZ directly and they escalated my rebate and I received a check from OCZ.

EVGA:
1) Made copies and sent in a rebate.
2) Cannot find it on the online system at any time up to 8 weeks. Call them up, they indicate they cannot find it. I tell them I have copies and the CSR says, wait a minute I just found it. We are experiencing technical difficulties with this rebate so please wait an additional 4 weeks.
3) Call them back up at the end of another 4 weeks. CSR indicates they cannot find my rebate. I indicated how is that possible as I was informed they found it and I need to wait an additional 4 weeks. I informed them again that I have copies of everything and that CSR indicated, wait a minute I just found it. Please wait an additional 4 weeks. At that point I was pissed because I told them I waited the additional 4 weeks already. They indicated sorry please wait an additional 4 weeks. I then was transferred to a supervisor and was thrown the same line. I indicated that I have already waited 8+4 and you want me to wait another 4? They indicated that is the process.
4) Spoke with EVGA shortly after and received a check fairly quickly. The
kicker was this rebate was sent in 2/06. I just received an email this week from the original rebate house that my rebate was invalid. Please send the forms again. This is 5 months later! Good thing I didn't wait.
As many have already learned the price before rebate needs to be hot. I consider the rebate a bonus.

 

[the Chase]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Sorry, but I think you're placing the blame on the wrong party here. As others have mentioned, one of the basic rules for MIRs is to make copies of everything. That's saved me more than a few times. Also, who's to say the post office didn't screw up? You may have put the return address on the envelope, but I've seen cases where a letter took 6 months to a year to get back to the sender. Sad but true. I know those cases are rare but I wouldn't just blame ATI for the problem.

You may have a good point here with the copying thing. I just never thought to stick the UPC barcode on top of a copy machine. I have copies of everything else- CompUSA receipt- ATI MIR form- 2 E-mail tracking receipts- and the box the card came in. Also the copying machine I have at home doesn't have a top mount scanner so I would have had to drive into a copy center to make the copy of it.

I understand that ATI doesn't want to get scamed by people that would return the card and still want the MIR and be out $50- but since I still have the box and all receipts and still have the card- my opinion is ATI is at fault here. Not me- not the post office- ATI.

Also it's been 4 months so far since mailing it in so they said it should have been plenty of time to show up in their system- but I have read a post by someone that didn't receive their rebate for 6 months after mailing it in- so who knows.

 

[darkswordsman17]

ATi shouldn't have to honor the rebate if they haven't recieved it, which is what you're trying to put them on the stake for. You don't have proof of the UPC, so how should they be expected to honor it? ATi is not to blame at all if they haven't recieved it yet.

Its a tough lesson that many have to learn when dealing with MIRs. I always treat any purchase that includes MIRs as if it doesn't have any, and so if its not a good enough deal without them, I don't buy.

It doeasn't make any sense for you to try to recommend nvidia over ATi, when there are plenty of 3rd party companies to buy ATi based products from and nVidia doesn't even sell the cards themselves (so you can't even compare buying from nVidia to ATi from that standpoint).

 

[Wreckage]

This seems more of a knock on ATI rebates and not ATI cards. Was the rebate directly to ATI? I have heard horror stories about TigerDirect and I have avoided them as best I can. Has anyone else had a problem with ATI rebates?

 

[sisq0kidd]

John Stossel needs to pick up these rebate stories and run with them.

 

[the Chase]

Yes- this was a direct from ATI rebate on an official ATI card that wanted the UPC barcode sent in with the forms-which I did. You don't find it convienient for ATI that they never received the envelope but will not honor the original offer because I now don't have the UPC barcode that I sent in originally?

Anyway ATI has the right to not honor the rebate because they or the post office lost the envelope and I wasn't up on MIR's enough to copy the barcode just as I have the right to never buy an ATI card (or connect3d, etc.) due to my dealings with this rebate offer.