Do you send in your rebates?

[Lacey]

My son and I just finished filling out our 8 rebates from Circuit City. It took us about 3 hours because we wanted to make a copy of everything. We started talking and wondering how many people really send in their rebates for the items that they buy. Do you?

 

Interesting fact about rebates (thanks to Wikipedia):

 

-BusinessWeek recently estimated a return rate of just 60 percent. Some estimates have been as low as 2%. For example, nearly half of the 100,000 new TiVo subscribers in 2005 failed to receive their $100 rebates, allowing the company to keep $5,000,000 in additional profit entitled to the customers rather than the company.

[racerfan]

I always send in my rebates. I have saved over past 5 years about $5,000. I have already got my rebates ready for the things I ordered from CC online, in preparation for the items delivery, they go right in the mail as soon as I cut off the UPCs.

[conj]

Always send them in, always, always. The Staples FAR items keep the Rebate checks coming most of the year! :)

[laffnatu]

Yes, I always send them in. I sent them in yesterday. I only had 3 rebates to mess with this year.

 

$3.50 for a surge protector at STaples

$25.00 for dvd+r

 

and $80 at BB

[Lorisha]

This is exactly why I don't buy anything that you have to get a rebate for. I am just to plain lazy and forgetful to send in my rebate forms..lol

[Daisimae]

You better believe I do. My CC rebates are in four sealed envelopes ready to be mailed bright and early on Monday am. I also have copies of everything here. I just submitted my Staples rebate online.

 

If retailers are going to dangle a carrot on a stick, I bite!

[bigjimslade]

The only rebate I had this year was for Vista with the computers I got. I always send in rebates the week after BF.

 

One tip I would like to pass on is that when I do rebates I always use the automated postal machine at the post office to buy stamps. That way the stamp they give you is dated. Once I stamp the rebates I photo copy the envelopes and keep that copy with the copies of the sales tickets and rebate forms. After that I mail them off. I do this so if there is any problems I have a paper trail.

 

More info on the automated postal machine: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/press/2004/pr04_098.htm

[shanni]

I always send them in!

[elite2058]

I like Meijers online redemption, makes things a lot easier.

[Bestbuy7]

For example, nearly half of the 100,000 new TiVo subscribers in 2005 failed to receive their $100 rebates, allowing the company to keep $5,000,000 in additional profit entitled to the customers rather than the company.

Do you know how hard it was to get that $100 rebate?? I sent mines in the second day after I bought my tivo and a month later I was told the rebate expired:eek: . The rebate was a month long promo. So I had to resubmit my rebate [as stated on the postcard] and again they mailed that my rebate was invalid:mad: . I called and told them about the situation and was given my rebate after months and months of waiting .

[ES1]

I'm working on them now. Only have 8 rebates this year for a total of $104. I love the Staples and CompUSA rebate systems but even the CC rebates are easier than previously because you can enter your info online and they complete the forms for you. You still have to print them and mail everything in, but you can track them easily if you fill them out online.

 

I do miss the excellent OM rebates but I understand why they stopped doing them (because there were so many customer complaints). I probably had to resubmit 25% of my OM rebates before getting them and sometimes even had to go to the store manager for them to resubmit or give me a store credit for my rebate.

 

The most important thing about rebates is to keep a copy of everything and be willing to follow up if/when they don't come in a couple of months.

[omnicron]

I do my rebates about 14 days after purchase. This is in case I have to return a product to the store.

[youm0nt]

all the time.got everything in the mail yesterday.