Have you been ripped-off by a rebate?

[Gomer03]

In January, I took advantage of two rebate offers - or so I thought. On the positive side was my experience with Castrol. I purchased six quarts of Syntec, mailed in the appropriate paperwork, and received my $10 rebate check quickly. Bravo Castrol.

I also responded to an ad in the Sunday LA Times from Pep Boys, offering a rebate on Penzoil Platinum. Went to the local store, made the purchase, and the form was filled out for me by the cashier. Mailed it with my receipt and about a month later, received a postcard stating that my purchase didn't qualify. I sent the postcard back reiterating that I had done everything right, and that the rebate form had been filled out by a store employee. No response. The original form was sent on January 16, 2007.

I realize mistakes can happen, but given that Pep Boys has been given two chances and muffed them both, I think I'll do all my future shopping at a competitor.

Has anyone else experienced the rebate rip-off?

 

[ALS]

I've had bad experiences with Michelin Tires when it comes to rebates. Twice after filling all the paperwork out and sending it in, I would get a card saying that there was a problem with my rebate form. They never said what was wrong on the post card I received. But did they send my paper work back? NO they kept everything. I got the feeling that they had the attitude of your S.Out of Luck loser. When I called to inquire to what the problem was I basically got blown off by the customer representative that answered the phone. Well I will never buy another Michelin tire because of this garbage.

 

[01rangerxl]

I think most mail in rebates are just scams. If they really intended to give you a discount, they would have no problem just giving you an instant rebate. The whole process of having to mail in forms is intended to discourage customers from trying to get the rebate and/or giving the company an easy way to get out of it.

 

[rpn453]

I don't like mail-in rebates and I don't factor them into my decision to buy anything, but I have sent in a few rebate forms on things I was buying anyway. All have been successful, including my $100 Michelin rebate on the Pilots I bought.

 

[dwendt44]

Had a similar situation to Gomer with a Epson rebate.
Got the card saying I didn't send in the SKU, and I know I did.
This is a form of rip-off, most rebate forms are never sent in. Staples has had so many problems with the products they sell that they have changed the way the rebates work their.
Have heard suggestions that one way is the xerox everything you are about to send in and keep it on file until the money shows up. If they claim you did fullfill all the requirements, you've got something to prove you did.

 

[Pete60]

I've been bitten by Pep Boys too. I got the oil filter rebate, well half of what it was supposed to be. Got zip on the PP oil rebate. The cashier filled out my paper too. I think that is where the problem is; nest time if there is one I'll fill out the form myself. Always got every rebate when dealing directly with Castrol.

 

[DrinkDuff77]

Here's the Pepboys PP rebate thread. Looks like most problems are coming from them not recognizing PP as the Pennzoil synthetic. If you call the customer service number they take care of it right away according to the thread. I'm in the same boat as you...I need to call them.

 

[Patman]

Quote:

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I think most mail in rebates are just scams. If they really intended to give you a discount, they would have no problem just giving you an instant rebate. The whole process of having to mail in forms is intended to discourage customers from trying to get the rebate and/or giving the company an easy way to get out of it.

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Bingo! I agree 100%! I was just talking to a co worker the other day about rebates, and how I truly believe that a lot of companies will do everything possible to make it difficult for people to actually claim the rebate. It's their way of maximizing the profit even further, as they figure a lot of people will simply give up and then they won't have to pay the rebate to everyone.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Gomer

Make photo-copies of "everything" to refute their claims. I even make a copy of the written-out & postage-stamped envelope.

If filled-out correctly with copies on-hand, they cannot deny you your rebate claim.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

I don't do mail in rebates anymore, and I don't do PEP Boys either. (And I don't do AutoZone, Ever).

 

[MarkC]

I had no problem with my Michelin rebate at all.

 

[huffmuds9320]

Recently sent a rebate for Verizon phone. Got a postcard back saying missing purchase date. Had to call them up and tell them the purchase date was on the receipt top corner (good thing had a copy of the paper). Oddly the instructions make no mention of circling anything. But customer service was good, got the check fairly quickly. I agree many rebates make it seem complicated and have instructions in small print. I prefer "instant" rebates over mail in.

I don't know if its true that the more rebates you do you get more telemarketers since you put your phone number there. I always check the box don't contact me.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I frequently use mail-in rebates, and I must say, with about 95% success rate. The only one time I didn't get the rebate was due to my own fault - I purchased the product at a store which was not covered under the promotion.

 

[Mr Nice]

In the last 10 years, every rebate for various items (motor oil/oil filters, Laptop & desktop computers, cell phone, microwave...etc) was honored.

Most companies have rebates on their products, because they know most people either forget about it.... or they are too lazy to fill out the form, cut out the UPC code on the box and mail it.

 

[mechtech2]

I'm 50/50 with rebates. They hope that you don't go through the maze to get them. Most people won't, and they are counting on that.
Just give me the sale price. Let the store handle the paperwork.

 

[65cuda]

Generally I have had good luck with rebates. Pep Boys rebate on the PP is the major exception. The first batch got rejected so I called in and since I had copies I was able to verify to them that I had done the right thing and the rebate was valid. They went ahead and sent me a check and got it in about a week. The 2nd batch started off the same also. Called and verified and they said they would send the check. Waited a few weeks and called back. They tried to claim no record, but since I had the copies they went ahead and said they would send the check and I got it. That is pretty much the end of Pep Boys for me though. They didn't have a stock of the PP when I went in the day of the sale and then twice didn't want to honor the rebate.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Who has time for it? Early on when they started doing them, it was computer parts. Suck-It City, MicroCenter, Best Buy, CompUSA. It all boiled down to the fact that it wasn't worth the time. The only thing a rebate did then, as it does now, was get the item in question (usually a crummy, sub-standard or overpriced item to begin with) down to the price of the other stuff on the shelf.

Those mutts know dammed well 99% of us never even bother. The other 1% that do hit a brick wall. Again, who has time for it, especially the chase, when they deny the rebate for violating, however unintentionally, one of the many hurdles you must leap to get the rebate?

This is one of the areas in retail that should either be enforced or banned outright, nationwide. Crooked bizz.

 

[obbop]

Many rebates are handled by a firm other than the firm that sold you the goody.

Outsourcing!!!

The longer the rebate firm hangs onto the money given them to pay those rebates the more interest earned.

One reason why my Belkin UBS thingy rebate took a full six months to arrive. Thirty-five bucks times six months times the total number of folks sending in the rebate form adds up.

Unless the rebate is a substantial amount I shun them. More folks are and there was an article in a marketing magazine awhile back stating that fewer firms are using the rebate method to draw in customers.

Money-off coupons still seem to be popular, as witnessed by standing in line behind the dames handing over dozens of the things, slowing the line, then, AFTER the total is tallied, THEN start digging into the overloaded purse attempting to find the check book.

Grrrrrrr..........

Ever been stuck in line as the dames use checks for minimal purchases?

"That will be $1.17 please."

Dizzy dame slowly peels cell phone away from her nearly empty head. Digs through purse. Writes check. Clerk asks for info to write on check, shoves check into machine for verification. Dame slowly puts checks into purse, reapplies cell phone to fat ugly head, then waddles away.

Ever-growing line advances. Male plops down a couple dollars bills, transaction completed in 1/50th of the time the dame takes.

Retail should immediately add 50-percent to every dizzy dame's bill for general purposes.

/end rant

 

[flatlandtacoma]

I had no problems with motor oil rebates recently. I got them from Valvoline, Quaker State, and Citgo quickly and without hassle.

 

[Master ACiD]

im trying to get my $100 rebate for a lcd monitor i bought at suck it sity. (hey cool name)