Rebate update

Hi All, When last checking my rebate status I saw the message: "Error(s):

Our records indicate that the lens/body number submitted is a duplicate,

The product for which you submitted does not qualify for this promotion by itself." I am

only seeking $20.00 for the 580 Speedlight. Would anyone have a phone # or email

address in which I could contact them. I'm just about ready to give up on this stinking

$20.00, it's not worth the hassle. TIA

<< it's not worth the hassle. >>

 

Which is exactly why companies, and not just Canon, offer rebates. They make it so difficult to get them people give up.

there is an 877 # on the web-rebates.com/canon site after you check your status. Good luck.

All these BS rebates, including all companies, are counting on the consumers give up because "it's not worth the hassle". This should be considered "mail fraud". The total non-paying rebates is enough to bring the CEOs/presidents/VPs/... in criminal courts and be jailed for the rest of their 2 lifetimes.

 

BTW, once you cut out the UPC, you are no way to return a defective product.

It's underhanded. I'm a pretty smart and persistant guy (if I say so myself). I'm pretty good at following clear instructions. And, I've only been successful in actually receiving about 50% of the rebates that I qualify and apply for. What has happened to me quite a bit is that I send in (or at least they say I sent in) the wrong bar code or other required item. By the time I get the notice, I've thrown the box and everything else away.

 

There needs to be a class-action lawsuit against a couple of the worst offenders (Staples).

I got my $15 rebate on a 28-135 IS. But I agree Canon made it much more difficult than it needed to be. The rebate thing seems to be am american phenomena. In Australia, if a product is on sale you just get a discount at the point of purchase, no filling out forms, cutting out barcodes, citing UPS numbers, no hassles. Lets hope this nonesense doesn't spread.

I mailed mine in a while back and it's still in step 1 out 5 steps. hmm...

Don't even start me on rebate fraud.

 

However, maybe this site could add a section in the community section where people could post their bad rebate experiences like we do with camera retailers.

 

I strongly agree about the class action suggestion.

I keep a "tickler" file on mind to remind me when they are overdue by 30 days. You can't imagine (you probably can) how often when I call they say: "it was going out today".

 

I guess now we will have to change the old three most common lies joke to 4 most common lies.

This rebate nonsense won't stop until people just stop buying products on which rebates are offered. If the original purpose of the rebate (to stimulate sales of a particular product) is not achieved, maybe rebates as a retail promotional tool will wither away.

 

When I buy at a bricks-and-mortar retail store, and deal with a salesperson, I automotically refuse to consider any product for which the salesperson informs me a rebate is available. My usual counter is "Submitting rebates is too much work, and I only get the checks for about half of the rebates I send in. If you really want me to buy this product, sell it to me for the price less the rebate."

 

This rarely (but occasionally) works, but at least I'm planting the message. All I can do is "vote with my wallet." Of course, this is much less effective with Internet stores, where the communication with the salesperson is little or none, but I still avoid rebated items whenever possible.

Everytime I get those funky rebates, I think that Charities should have a table at the exit of Best Buy and offer to take the rebates off your hands, have them fill them out themselves and get the money. Probably not legal, but I would love to see a Fortune 500 company take money away from a charity.

<p><i>All I can do is "vote with my wallet." </i></p>

<p>I normally don't advocate litigation, but in this case, I'd love to "vote with some lawyers". Rebates with the expectation that some people won't really bother is still a little shady, but legal. Rebates with the intent to confuse the consumer out of their money is illegal - <b>IF<b> somebody can prove intent.</p>

Ohh boy, I already posted this, but I was missing 320 dollars from the cash in with canon for quite a while, but after all, phone calls, letters and resubmissions, I received a check for the balance. trick was, to keep copies of everything you send in, and then follow up if you dont get them in time.

I didnt bold it.. I dont know why it is bold... perhaps that last person didnt </bold> (/bold) and it spilled over to my post.... Ah..

this is </b> strange

Maybe it was me. </b>If so sorry. That is very weird. :)

>>I strongly agree about the class action suggestion<<

 

Too bad King George doesn't :)

There are at least two things you can do to help bring about change, in addition to just not buying with rebates. You can file a complaint with the consumer protection office in your jurisdiction (often the Attorney General of your State) and with the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Keep in mind that basically the FTC long ago abdicated actual enforcement of consumer problems except for a very few cases (IMO). Instead, they "gather information" for tracking and possible regulation. A few years ago, our Arizona AG's office had more employees for this State that the FTC did for the entire country. Don't know if it's changed. And the Commission has to vote on whether to take action in most cases, so politics are involved. Then some cases have to go the Dep't of Justice (different feds working for the US AG) for litigation. Gasp. Local AG offices are often quite political as well, but it helps if lots of folks file complaints and bug them. And you can contact local news media and local, state and federal politicians. So, there definitely are things you can do!

One thing I love about this BBS software is that open tags STAY open, no matter what.

<i>See what I mean?

Now everything is bold italic.