Saturday, January 15, 2011

After-sales rebates

I don't take after-sales rebates anymore. I did once, and it took months and continued nagging, even snail-mail letters, to just get the promised money.

Tommy said:
Rebates are one of those big rip-offs in life. I think in all that I have sent in, I've received the money once.
I think it's their way of not selling something at a sale price. They promise the rebate and then delay it for so long that you; 1) forget all about it or 2) simply give up. And of course all this time they have your money.

nomautm said:
Anyone interested in this subject beyond the level of speculation and anecdotal evidence may want to research MIR (not the space station but the acronym for 'mail-in rebate') or visit the Wikipedia page.
Surely, in the USA even the Less Government More Liberty faction must be yearning for federal legislative intervention on this matter — or perhaps they are at home oiling the guns.
-

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I registered for a rebate once when bought Nikon DSLR. I even received reminder from Nikon, that they are still waiting for the papers I ought to send, and that they are going to give me extra time to send it. Well... Switzerland.

Tommy said...

I agree, rebates are one of those big rip-offs in life. I think in all that I have sent in, I've received the money once.

I think it's their way of not selling something at a sale price. They promise the rebate and then delay it for so long that you; 1) forget all about it or 2) simply give up. And of course all this time they have your money. :-(

Bruce W. said...

I don't like the rebate game either: it is like giving them an interest free loan for the time it takes them to pay me back.

Generally, my experience is that it takes them about 6-8 weeks and happens reliably. I am in the USA, and maybe it varies with your location.

The Dissonance said...

Hmm... takes some time and effort and we always get our money.

nomautm said...

Anyone interested in this subject beyond the level of speculation and anecdotal evidence may want to research MIR (not the space station but the acronym for 'mail-in rebate') or visit the Wikipedia page at:

http://goo.gl/OMIRh

Surely, in the USA even the Less Government More Liberty faction must be yearning for federal legislative intervention on this matter — or perhaps they are at home oiling the guns.