Rebates Are a Scam
I recently purchased a Sirius radio at Radio Shack. Sirius was offering a rebate, so I filled out the form properly and mailed in the appropriate copies of the receipt and the UPC code from the box as it was clearly stated to do on the instructions. Well, today I got a postcard from Sirius telling me that they couldn’t send me my rebate check because I’d failed to include the original UPC code.
I have a copy of the instructions and it clearly states that I can send in a copy.
When you buy a camera, television or anything from a store and there is a rebate so they can claim the item is being sold for $50 less than the retail price, why don’t they just give you the discount at the register?
The answer. Because rebates are a scam. They are counting on the fact that most of us will forget to send in the rebate in the first place, or if we do remember, we’ll fail to follow the intructions and they won’t actually be selling us the product at a discount and will get the full retail price. Even if you do follow the instructions, they can still claim later that you didn’t (like in my case) and how do you prove that you did?
I’d like to hear your opinons on this topic so I can include them in my next podcast. Either email them to me at hammer@hammeruncut.com or call my message line (so I can play your audio comments). The number is 407-745-1840.
Posted: October 17th, 2006 under Commentary.
Comments: 2
Comments
Comment from mad
Time: October 28, 2006, 11:40 am
I’ve always thought that rebates are bullshit as well.
Comment from Jason
Time: November 15, 2007, 5:33 am
I just received the reponse below from eagletech regarding the status of my 100.00 rebate for the Viper case I purchased from the newegg website.
I was warned from friends that Eagle-Tech has a reputation for not honoring their rebates, and will flat out lie about someone not providing enough information when sending in the rebate form so they would not have to honor it.
On 7/14/2007 I sent in all of the required information (within the specified 14 day period), *exactly* as the rebate form indicated, with my newegg receipt, mail-in rebate form, and original UPC. I also made triplicate copies of everything I sent, *and* sent the letter certified.
True to form, as you can see below, they stated that I’m missing my sales invoice, in hopes that I will simply give up, and wait another 12 weeks for them to not honor the rebate.
> From: rebate@eagle-techusa.com
> To:
> Subject: RE: Status of rebate
> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:51:57 -0800
>
> Dear Customer:
>
> We have received your rebate mail on 07/16/07.
>
> Rebate: Received
>
> Status: Declined
>
> Reason: Missing Sales Invoice
>
> (The mail-in letter is only the “processing page”)
>
> If you would, I could do you a one time favor by re-submit your rebate to
> our rebate process center again.
>
> In order to do that, I need your INVOICE PAGE first. And please understand
> by re-submit your rebate; the process time takes 12 weeks.
>
> Here are the instructions of how to get the invoice # from Newegg:
>
> 7. You have to login to your account, by entering your email address
> and password.
> 8. After login, click “Go To My Account.”
> 9. Then you click the second option, “Order History/Print History.”
> 10. Then you select the invoice number.
> 11. Then click on Printer.
> 12. After following the steps that will take you into the invoice.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Rebate Dept.
Do not do business with this shady company.
Write a comment