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what is with all the after rebate sales?


kelly558

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If you'll look closely at the ads, you'll find MOST stores, esp. the electronic centered ones, require a rebate to get the "low" price....Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, etc. Circuit City was infamous for rebates as was CompUSA when both were in business.

 

One of the reasons Best Buy is so attractive, esp. for its Black Friday sales, is the total lack of rebates. BB quit using rebates a few years ago and has proven to be very popular.

 

Personally, I hate rebates.....filing out the forms, not forgetting to fill them in completely, hoping it's not rejected arbitrarily, etc.

 

Just give me the low price without the rebate dance, Easy Rebates notwithstanding. They're still rebates and your money isn't yours for months.

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The rebates are a usual thing for many stores on BF. They are a tiny hassel, but I usually spend no more than 30 minutes every year filling my forms out and have NEVER had a problem with receiving any back. I have been doing them for 6 years now. Just be aware of if the rebate requires a copy of the original receipt and of the date by which it needs to be sent in b/c they all have a date which they must be postmarked.

 

If it's not worth it to you then you will be best to avoid them, but if you are willing they produce great savings. I usually get $100-$200 a year back in rebates.

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If you'll look closely at the ads, you'll find MOST stores, esp. the electronic centered ones, require a rebate to get the "low" price....Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, etc. Circuit City was infamous for rebates as was CompUSA when both were in business.

 

.

Office Max went "rebate free" about the same time as Best Buy...

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Office Max went "rebate free" about the same time as Best Buy...

My bad...I'd forgotten they, too, had moved to being no rebates.

 

And, yes, rebates can lead to great prices, but why put up with them when some stores offer just as good prices without rebates.

 

The only thing that'll move stores away from rebates to giving the true price at the checkout is to vote with your shopping dollars. I, for one, will give my first dollars to a non-rebate store over a rebate using store...I hate to give the company a free "loan" of my money and be at the mercy of a rebate fulfillment house to give my promised money back.

 

And I'm not speaking from sour grapes....over the many years of filing rebate forms, I've had only a very few ever get bounced back--can count them on one hand--but why put up with any inconvenience when you don't have to?

 

If you like playing the rebate game and dance, more power to you. I'll do my primary shopping where I'm not tied to the limitations of a rebate, like "Oh, you cut the UPC off for a rebate? Well, you can't return it now. I understand it doesn't work after four days, but since the UPC's gone, you'll have to take that up with the manufacturer as we don't accept returns with UPC's missing from the box."

Edited by H_Hancock
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I had little problem with rebates, however, I am very carefully in submission and tracking. My 2006 BF has over $700 in rebates, then it went down to $540 in 2007 and $260 in 2008. All with 100% successful rate. These are just my BF rebates record, while I normally have $500-$1000 in rebate per year. Typical turn around time is 8-12 weeks. Symantec, ACE, and Staples are usually received within a month. There were a few that took over 4 months and one took more than 6 months. I'll avoid large amount single rebate unless it is from a very reliable processor such as Costco or Staples. You need to be very careful with CompUSA or CircuitCity rebates as it is the same as TigerDirect now.
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I am actually interested in getting something at Kohls this year that all have mail-in rebates too. If you are familiar with rebate offers, there are often free after rebate items that no other discount can match. I did even make money on rebates many times (free item plus free cash).
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