Rebates - scam or savings?

[Deja Q]

Poll question: Rebates - scam or savings?

http://techrepublic.com.com/5254-6257-0.html?forumID=99&threadID=176853&messageID=1892908&id=2252949



Scam.

MAXTOR said I lost out on a $100 rebate, claiming I did not include the original receipt. That was a lie.

COREL said I didn't send in the Paint Shop Pro rebate form in soon enough. That was a lie.

MICROSOFT said I didn't include sufficient proof of purchase information, so I had to carve up my other OS box. Whatever, but I did get the rebate. (which reminds me, I've lost out on OTHER rebates (usually 'competitive rebates') because of this box-cutting bull.

Been 3 months now and I'm still waiting for $20 from another company as well. Pity I didn't get "We're telling you to bugger off because ____" as I'd love to add in their name too.

Mail order or nothing, I won't play the infantile game anymore. They don't care, apart from going back on their word using excuses they know we can't prove against (they hold the evidence!)

And thanks to open source, more and more rebates become a non-issue.

[ET Awful]

1. I'd say savings, but only because I've never had any real issues getting

my rebates.

It's kind of half and half though. I read somewhere a while back that only about 5% of people who are entitled to a rebate even bother to send it in. Of that 5%, 1-2% are invalidated for some reason (not always a GOOD reason).

So a very small number of people actually send in and receive rebates.

It benefits the company insofar as they sell more product by advertising the rebate. It benefits the customer who is both on top of things enough (and lucky enough) to get everything sent in on time.

The nasty part is that lots of them have weird rules and such. Like with my Nikon camera, the box had two barcodes (one on the flap and one on the bottom) Both had the same info on them, but if you send the one from the flap they won't accept it, the instructions specifically state send the one from the bottom of the box, and they're very strict about it. But, I got the rebate :).

[Seabiscuit]

2. Scam - only good for a short time - when it expires, you lose.

That's what companies count on - and it works - they sell overall pretty close to the marked up price.

[Innoma]

3. I don't get it about rebates....

I mean, someone please explain it to me. Is it a weird, convoluted advertising strategy? Is it a way that companies make good money?

My wife loves rebates. We've got a whole house fulla crappy free-on-rebate phones (and other assorted free 'goodies') and I confess here and now that I do not comprehend the angle.

My wife diligently fills out the forms, and we've received every rebate without too much trouble, I'll admit, but again...

What's the Angle?

I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just Rebate Disenabled?

[Dukkha]

4. SCAM

I CONSTANTLY get screwed from them. I refuse to participate in it anymore unless it's an "Instant Rebate" though that concept is a bit contradictory.