This Is Ridiculous, Corporate.

[ralerin]

While pulling apart next week's ad tonight, not only did I notice that EVERYTHING is on sale only with the "Healthiness +" card (plenty people bitching about "ragh ragh you people suck and I hate your card and you are ripping me off!!!"), but I noticed this gem in the signs.

Some Item Is On Sale: $2.69

Single Check Rebate: -$2.69

It's Like Getting It For: $0.00!

How many people will bitch about the item being free next week? Anyone?

The "rebate" is a mail in or an online rebate, before anyone asks. So, not an instant one, it's one that people need to send in the proper forms for.

[roothorick]

A mail-in rebate for $2.69!? Really now? This has gotten out of control.

I don't do mail-in rebates out of personal policy. I will consider an item based on pre-rebate prices, and saying "it's cheaper here with the mail-in rebate" will automatically make me decide against you.

[Whiskey]

I feel bad for you during that entire sale. I kind of like Mail In Rebates (not more than instant) because its like a surprise in the mail when it comes

[Mytical]

Oh yeah, I can hear it now.

"But, it is supposed to be free"

"Sir/Ma'm it is a mail in rebate--"

"IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE!!"

"You have -"

"I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, IT SAYS ITS FREE!! YOU ARE RIPPING ME OFF!!!"

Repeat as needed.

[infinitemonkies]

I'm quite certain that most companies which process mail-in rebates automatically ignore them, and only follow through on ones where the customers calls and/or writes to complain.

I don't have stats to back this up, just a hunch based on personal experience. I have NEVER gotten a rebate check without having to call in and resubmit copies of my receipts, often I have to do this multiple times before they grudingly send me the check.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Meantime, guess whose company is real big on these mail-in rebates?

Every so often we do "Super combo rebates." You buy certain items and mark them on the rebate form you send in, and you get a check for the combined amount of all your rebates. Hopefully.

They're a pain in the ass.

[ralerin]

Irv, Aid of Rite already does the "Super Combo Rebate" in the form of the Single Check Rebate" mentioned earlier. You're supposed to gather together all your receipts and fill out the forms and you'll get a check for the combined total amount.

[Chromatix]

Mail-in rebates aren't common over here in Europe - in fact they're downright rare to the point where I'm not sure I've even seen *one*.

Makes me wonder whether they're even legal here.

[Rapscallion]

I saw one in the UK. Once. I don't think they worked, or it was illegal and they found out the hard way.

I can't even remember what it was for.

Rapscallion

[cinema guy]

The only place I've seen them is on mobile phones.

[DeltaSierra]

I hate them. I've mailed in dozens of rebates following things to the letter over the last few years and have only received the rebate once.

[Bagga]

I had a mail in rebate for a hundred pounds with my Samsung dSLR about 4 years ago. Considering that the samsung was almost identical to a simultaneously sold Pentax, that hundred quid was a delight to receive a few weeks later, and it arrived with no fuss whatsoever. Of course, I used it to buy another lens, so Samsung played their cards very right in my case.