Have you ever purchased a product that had this "GREAT REBATE OFFER" attached to it?? Only to get home, fill out all of the forms, following directions to a "T", wait, wait & wait, then have to write the company to find out why it's been twice as long as they suggest that you need to wait and you still have NOT received your rebate!!

Well, here's my very own story of just such a happening. Way back on December 26th, 2003, I purchased a NEW Sony DVD-Recorder for my computer at the "Sale" price of $169.77 from Office Depot in Redding, CA. The ONLY reason that I did purchase this unit at this time, was because there was a $30 REBATE for Sony AND a $30 REBATE from Office Depot. That would give me a total cost of only $109.77. Now that was a price that I could live with, eh!!

Right off there was an initial problem when I read the rebate forms, as almost all rebate forms state that the rebate can not be mailed to a "post office box" number or address. I live in a rural town where we have NO mail delivery to our home or a "physical" address, and MUST USE a POB NUMBER!!

So what I usually do is include a "form" letter that explains my problem, that my local Postmaster states it would be illegal to withhold any rebate due me. I usually have no problem in receiving my rebate, just having to wait a LONG time. That is ... until this last rebate offer!!

When I arrived home from Redding, CA (which is 47 miles away) on the 26th of December, I filled out all of the rebate forms, made copies of same and the receipt, as the "Originals" were requested to be sent in with the rebate forms. Then on February 9th, 2004 I received my first $30 rebate check from Sony.

I then waited another 3 weeks without receiving my $30 refund from Office Depot, so I wrote them a follow-up letter stating that I had already received my $30 rebate from Sony on the 9th of February. I also stated that if I didn't get a response from them by March 15th, 2004, that I'd be forced to report their lack of response and payment to the Better Business Bureau and/or take legal action to receive my $30 rebate.

I then waited until March 24th to send my second follow-up letter, since I had heard nothing from Office Depot, nor received my $30 rebate at that time. Still NO response or contact until April 2nd, 2004 when I received an email from an Office Depot "Customer Relations Assistant", stating that I could go to a web site and check on if or when my rebate was approved or sent out.

I did check this web site. Found out that my rebate had been "Approved" and mailed to me on 3/23/04. I then finally actually received it TODAY on April 7th, 2004!! Approximately 98 days of "HELL", eh!!

And for what?? . . . To receive $30 of MY OWN MONEY!!

Now because of all of this stress and time that I've spent on trying to find out why there is such a big problem in receiving rebates and finding out that a lot of other people have the same concerns and problems that I've had. I've decided to use some of my web space and time to help others and hopefully make the various companies understand that they need to offer us "consumers" more friendly Public Relations in these rebate matters OR ... maybe even start giving us "Instant Rebates", right!!

So now it's up to YOU!! If you've had a problem or if you're having a problem right now in receiving your own rebate(s), please send M E an email and let me know all the necessary information.

Hope to hear from you real soon,
Bill "Rebate Hell" Keef ;-))

Make copies, make copies, make copies. A minimum of 2 sets, especially if the original receipt print out is very "light" or hard to read.

Make copies of rebate forms, UPC labels, original receipts and make sure your copy has the phone number to call about info on the rebate or better yet a web address. Sometimes the phone number it's at the bottom and you may miss it when coping.

BTW . . . Did I Say Make Copies!

I've not had much bad luck with rebates, as I keep copies to follow up if it's taking longer then they said. Remember that it's not usual to wait 8 to 10 weeks to actually get your rebates. So Pateniences really is a Virtue, eh!!

OM rebate books are crap to work with, go to their rebate center on their web site and do the rebates individually.

BTW . . . MAKE COPIES!!

Please Note:
Some of the following info was collected from various web sites, while searching for more information on other people's rebate experiences.

Personally, I have had few problems with rebates in the past. The annoying parts are having to do EXACTLY as EACH Rebate states and to make copies of everything. Period!! I would encourage rebates to save money, but you should think about each sale item to see if the rebate is worth it or not. Sometimes, if you just check out all of the "Sale" inserts in your local newspaper, you can find another store with the approximate price. Without having to send in a rebate, eh!!

I wouldn't bother with the cost of a registered or certified mailing of your rebate, but you DO need to make copies and make sure they are readable. For example, "supposedly" some stores always keeps the ink low in their registers so the receipts print light and are hard to copy. Make sure if they are light, you copy them twice while you still have the originals. If they are light and you only have one copy, your screwed if someone requests a copy of that one.

And if there is a lot of fine print, make your copys at like 150% to 175% larger so you can read it later on. Especially if there is a phone number. Most of the time you shouldn't have a problem but when there is one, a call and the offer to send the copies usually get it going. They count on people forgetting about the rebate and not following up. If you call towards the end of the projected due date, spit out the amount, date you sent it, any quotes from the coupon and to send copies, they usually back off fast and get it out. If they know your on top of it, they usually figure you're not going to let them off the hook. Keep the pressure on, eh!! ;-))

Just invest in a pocket folder and keep track. Try to be as organized as possible, because this is your hard earned money. NOT THEIR's, RIGHT!! What I personally do is print out all the info on one of my letterheads and then hang it up in VERY PLAIN sight in my office. That way I must look at it every day and it stays in my mind!!

One more thing ~ since you have a computer anyway, make up pre-printed address labels and include them in your rebate mailing. Saves a lot of errors and it's another way you are telling "them" ... that you don't want any screw ups. I also check off the requirements on the coupon to double check I have everything and to let them know I sent everything.

Lastly, open a "free" email account that has wording like it's for tracking purposes (example: RebateTracker@KeefCountry.com or RebateHell@KeefCountry.com) and use that when the coupon asks for an email address. The rebate houses don't seem to sell the names (I've never received junk mail in that account) but by having an email addy that sounds rebate-serious, you may avoid another pitfall.

Remember ... they count on most people not bothering to submit the rebate and even then, they count on the 6 to 8 week period to help you forget that you sent it. And for the people that do remember and complain, they know that 80% of them cannot produce any copys and that's the end of that.

Don't let them keep YOUR money!! No matter how small!! Work the system if you must purchase an item that offer's a rebate!!