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cathyr19355 at 07:34pm on 28/08/2004
cathyr19355 at 07:34pm on 28/08/2004I bought a Belkin wireless router for our home network last month so we would finally have wireless Internet, at least at home.
Comp USA, which sold me the router, advertised the price as $29.99, or something like that. Turned out that this "price" incorporated not one but *two* mail-in rebates, to two different addresses; without the rebates the price was more like $80. The cashier at CompUSA gave me two special printout receipts to use for the rebate so that I could keep the originals for my records.
I bought the router anyway, but misplaced the receipts for it until nearly the end of July. When I found them again, one of them allegedly had expired (it was supposed to be sent in by July 26, it said), but I doggedly sent both anyway, making photocopies for my records.
Today, I got a mailer from CompUSA that looked like a pre-printed check. On opening it, however, I found that it was not a check but a letter, which said.
"We appreciate your purchase, but your submission for the CompUSA rebate offer was declined for the following reason:
* A valid CompUSA receipt was not submitted.
Please return *this entire letter* with all of the missing information requested to the following address by October 8, 2004.
[address omitted]
Please allow 3-4 weeks from the date you mail this resubmission for final processing."
Grrr. Evil bastards; I don't *have* any other receipts, and I was given the receipts I sent *by* a CompUSA employee for exactly the purpose of claiming the d@#! rebate in the first place.
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landley will undoubtedly say "I told you so." :-)
That's the last CompUSA rebate offer *I'll* ever take!
Comp USA, which sold me the router, advertised the price as $29.99, or something like that. Turned out that this "price" incorporated not one but *two* mail-in rebates, to two different addresses; without the rebates the price was more like $80. The cashier at CompUSA gave me two special printout receipts to use for the rebate so that I could keep the originals for my records.
I bought the router anyway, but misplaced the receipts for it until nearly the end of July. When I found them again, one of them allegedly had expired (it was supposed to be sent in by July 26, it said), but I doggedly sent both anyway, making photocopies for my records.
Today, I got a mailer from CompUSA that looked like a pre-printed check. On opening it, however, I found that it was not a check but a letter, which said.
"We appreciate your purchase, but your submission for the CompUSA rebate offer was declined for the following reason:
* A valid CompUSA receipt was not submitted.
Please return *this entire letter* with all of the missing information requested to the following address by October 8, 2004.
[address omitted]
Please allow 3-4 weeks from the date you mail this resubmission for final processing."
Grrr. Evil bastards; I don't *have* any other receipts, and I was given the receipts I sent *by* a CompUSA employee for exactly the purpose of claiming the d@#! rebate in the first place.
landley will undoubtedly say "I told you so." :-) That's the last CompUSA rebate offer *I'll* ever take!
angry
More "I told you at the time".
That's why I don't buy products whose rebate price differs from the shelf price. The store is lying to me, the store is trying to screw me over, and I'll buy from somebody else (at a higher price) who's being HONEST with me about it because I don't want to encourage the practice, or keep people who do that in business.
Unfortunately, the big offender around here is Fry's, which isn't going away, but I don't individual product from them that have a rebate attached. Just the ones that are cash and carry.
Rob
Re: More "I told you at the time".
As *I* recall, you didn't go into much length at the time, though you did toss back the router you had been planning to buy before you learned about the rebate biz. :-)
Previously, I had had good luck with rebates (that is usually how they sell blood glucose meters, for example), so I persevered in the hope things would work out.
I'm still glad I bought the router (Eric really likes having wireless at home), but I'm much more cynical about rebates, and will never buy an item from CompUSA again on those terms.
Re: More "I told you at the time".
At least one of the previous Linksys routers had wireless. They just didn't last on the hardware side...
Re: More "I told you at the time".
He also didn't have a home wireless network; without the d@#! Belkin, his laptop's capability wouldn't have done him as much good. :-)
In fact, even as I type, he is sitting in the backyard with his laptop, gathering GPS data. I'll say hi to him for you....
Re: More "I told you at the time".
> his laptop, gathering GPS data. I'll say hi to him for
> you....
Fresh air, sunshine, internet access...
He needs a freezy mug to keep his juice cold out there without watering it down with ice. And possibly some bug spray... :)
Rob
(And you were mad at me for encouraging the _cat_ to go outside... :)
Re: More "I told you at the time".
I need a freezy mug too, but I haven't found one that doesn't have a sports team name plastered all over it. :-(
>(And you were mad at me for encouraging the _cat_ to go outside... :)
My problem with encouraging the cat to go outside is only because I have no good way for her to let us know when she wants back in. :-)
Yeah, rebates suck
merchandise because people =think= they will turn in the rebates slips,
and a certain percentage (undoubtly known within 1% by the stores)
don't do so.
I shop at Microcenter rather than CompUSA, and so far they have been
honest about honoring their rebates, but it's still a pain in the ass to deal
with sending the stuff in, and I don't always succeed.
Microcenter will, BTW, give you another copy of your receipt if you ask for
it (and gave your name when you bought it). I don't know about CompUSA,
but it may be worth a try. Or at least bring in the letter and yell at them.
Re: Yeah, rebates suck
Re: Micro Center: I've shopped at Micro Center myself, but their prices have never impressed me, and the CompUSA in question is in Delaware and thus charges no sales tax. Serves me right trying to get an additional price break. :-(
I will, however, try your suggestion of going to the Customer Service people at CompUSA and making a fuss. It serves them right, and it might even succeed at getting me my rebate! :-)
@*@%*&$# Rebates,
Well, the pirnter that I got from CompUSA for Mother, sending rebate got neglected in chaos after she died...
Did send letter to president of Office Max complaining about _their_ rebate &^%#ups. maybe it had some effect- they don't eem to be offering rebates as much any more.
Any way, yours truly 'the toner junkie', copies rebate forms and receipts before outsending them, checks them off when received.
Still often not worth hassle, especially the 'free after rebate' cheap stuff.
Maybe soultion just to live with less STUF.
Yours, John
Re: @*@%*&$# Rebates,
How well rebates work depend on how many hoops you need to jump through to claim your reward. Most rebates I've gone for have been much easier to claim. I think the moral of my story is not to buy anything on the promise of a CompUSA rebate again.