The only rebate I will throw away would be the one that doesn't cover the cost of the postage it takes to mail it. So basically, if the rebate is over 49 cents (currently), I'm going to go to the trouble. Because I HATE to be ripped off! It's not that I'm cheap insomuch as I feel as though if a company promotes a product by saying you will get money back after a purchase, I damn well better get my money back after the purchase.
And here we come to my annual game with Johnson & Johnson, makers of Acuvue contact lenses. I've gotten anywhere from $25-$75 in annual rebates, based on their whim, for my son's contacts. Here are their game rules:
1. Get an eye exam and contact lens fitting.
2. Purchase an annual supply of contacts in-office or in-store (NOT online from 1-800-contacts)
3. Fill out an online rebate form. Here's where they get you: you are forced to give them an email address so that they can harass you every week to change your contacts. They call it, "A free contact lens-change reminder service."
4. Print out the rebate form. Because submitting it online would be too simple.
5. Make copies of the eye exam receipt and the contact lens receipt.
6. Cut the box tops off of the contact lens boxes.
7. Put all of this in an envelope with the correct amount of postage and mail it.
8. Wait 8-10 weeks for your rebate. Note: I did not say rebate 'check'
9. Receive your Visa prepaid card in the mail.
10.Call the 800 number on the card to activate it.
11.Only use the Visa card where you know you will be spending the full amount of the card, otherwise it's a hassle to use again at some retail establishments, who insist on knowing the exact amount left on the card. And I'm not about to carry around a post-it note that says $4.53.
Guess what? I ALWAYS win this game!
Good for you, Bijoux! I tend to give up on these things if they get too complicated.
ReplyDelete"It's not that I'm cheap insomuch as I feel as though if a company promotes a product by saying you will get money back after a purchase, I damn well better get my money back after the purchase."
Great attitude! Go get your money!
I think they are counting on people to give up, so I won't give them the satisfaction!
ReplyDelete*clapping wildly*
ReplyDeleteYou GO, girl!!!!!!
I can only remember using a mail-in rebate once. It was when I bought an HP computer many years ago and it WAS a hassle, but I did it because it was a substantial amount of money that I was able to use towards getting a new printer for my computer. Yahoooo!
Great post!!!!!
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Thank you for your support and enthusiasm, Ron!!!!!! You crack me up!
DeleteThat's great - good for you! I do rebates sometimes, but admit, I try to avoid things that have rebates just because I don't like not getting the discount but I also don't like jumping through all the hoops. Just give me a freaking discount!
ReplyDeleteIt is annoying that they just don't give the discount. I also dislike companies that make you send in something before they will give to a charity. I refuse to support that nonsense.
Deleteyeah, i'm a rebater though there are fewer companies doing that these days. and you are correct in that they get a sales boost at almost no cost as the studies say that even for the simplest rebate programs the highest 'participation fulfillment' is in the neighborhood of 40%. it's an amazing racket if you let them win, keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteYou can count on me to be in the 40 percent!
DeleteYears ago when Staples, Circuit City, and OfficeMax were in the midst of their rebate wars I averaged 1.75 checks/month for a period of 3 years .....
DeleteI remember doing rebates for son's contacts, now he orders them through 1-800-Contact (and pays for the himself, LOL), but I never remember getting that big of a rebate for them; must have been the brand that he got had a smaller rebate. Nope, I don't do rebates, very rarely. I think I did one recently for Comfortis flea thingy for Koda. I don't do surveys either where you can either get a free sandwich or a few dollars off at the pet store or entered into a contest for a gift card at the store, but hubby will do some of those things. My reasoning is I work 40 hours a week so I don't want to hassle with stuff like this on my "down time" but it does seem like it is profitable for you!
ReplyDeletebetty
I actually do surveys through a few online resources for cash and Amazon credit. But I don't work, so I have the time!
DeleteThe only rebate I ever do is when I put a worm back on the hook.
ReplyDeleteActually, that's only because I rarely buy things with rebates. But when I do, you bet I send them in. It's free money!
I've been noticing a lot of wine rebates lately, but a $2 rebate on a $12 bottle of wine isn't worth it to me when I can get an equally good bottle for $10. I think they are shooting themselves in the foot with that rebate.
DeleteI've never come across this 'rebate' thing - don't know if such things are available here....in any case there is NO WAY I could go through all that crap!! - you deserve a medal as well as a rebate!
DeleteWhat the heck? They don't have rebates there? And yes, they are counting on people not going through all that crap!
DeleteMark - I've been trying to reply to your last post for the past few days, but after hitting 'Post Comment,' nothing happens. I tried on both my ipad and desktop. I'm not sure what's up!
Deleteyeah, rebates are mostly and American phenomenon. They were rare in the good old days until Pres Nixon instituted a price freeze that also froze discount prices causing a great deal of profit losses for companies. a number of companies then started using rebates more widely in place of discounts so that any future price freezes would not hurt them as bad and found that the rebates not only spurred sales but at the same time most rebates were not claimed so it was win-win. for them.
Deleteanother pathetic obscure thinky thing from xavier. you're welcome.
I've never seen anything as complex as that in the UK. Either you get a discount on something (instantly applied) or you don't. No way I'd go through all that palaver just to get a few quid. What sort of sadist dreams up these crazy schemes?
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy, but $25 back on $100 worth of contacts is worth it to me.
DeleteOh, sweet! That prepaid Visa would come in handy!
ReplyDeleteI'll let you know what I use it on......in July, when it finally gets here!
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