How long is too long to wait for a rebate?

Recently, I posted several stories about my experience buying a new washing machine by leveraging the power of price-matching policies. That’s an erudite way of saying, getting one store to undercut another’s price.

I’m happy to report my new GE front loader  (a CR Best Buy, to boot) is working like a charm, knock on wood. It’s so quiet, compared to my old top-loader, that it’s barely audible. I’m amazed at how the washers – and detergents, too, have improved and become so much more efficient over the years.

One of the hooks that made my purchase a whale of a deal was that the washer came with a $100 mail-in rebate. Given a choice, I’d rather see the washer discounted by $100 on the sales floor. But that’s just wishful thinking on my part. I’m always wary of rebates because companies will look for any excuse not to pay off. In fact, four out of 10 people who are eligible for rebates never collect, for one reason or another. 

Three of the biggest reasons they go uncollected is because consumers forget about them, miss the deadline, or don’t submit everything they’re supposed to. And the greater the dollar value of the rebate, the more hoops you have to jump through. Blame the strict rules on fraud. Companies say con artists are ruining it for honest folks.

Normally, you can expect to wait four to six weeks for your rebate request to be processed, six to eight weeks tops. So imagine my surprise when I read the fine print on the rebate form for my washing machine that said I’d have to wait up to 16 weeks for my check to arrive. Sixteen weeks! I can’t come up with one reasonable explanation for that long a wait. Can you? What’t the longest you’ve ever had to wait to get your rebate check? And have you even been disqualified over some technicality?

As much of a pain as rebates are, I'm not about to let one I'm entitled to slip through my fingers. To better your chances of getting what’s coming to you, here’s our tried-and-true advice:

• Read and understand requirements, including deadlines, before buying.

• Copy rebate materials and put them in a folder, in case the company rejects your claim or loses your submission. Record the latest date you expect the rebate.

• If the rebate form is available online, print it immediately after buying the product. The form might be removed from the Web site after a promotional period.

• Don’t wait until the deadline. If the company says something’s missing, you’ll need time to get it.

• Keep an eye out for your rebate check, which might resemble junk mail.

• If the check seems late, contact the company. If you’re left unsatisfied, file a complaint with your state’s attorney general or the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or 877-382-4357.

Comments

[Julia]

I bought an HP Printer with a $50 rebate. I had to submit about 5 pieces of evidence to get the rebate which I taped to one piece of paper so they could not get lost and stapled it to the claim form. I then made a copy of what I was sending to them. 60 days later, when I checked their website it said they were denying my rebate claiming something was missing from my documentation and a letter was in the mail telling me what it was. I immediately got on the phone to them and asked them what was missing, telling them I had a copy of what I had sent them, which I had double checked before I sent it in and had just checked again. The woman went off the phone and then came back and said "you are right everything is here". I got my rebate because I was tenacious but I wonder how many people are denied and just accept it. I was left wondering if it was sloppy employee checking or deliberate company policy.

[Jess]

I once had to wait 5.5 months for a grocery rebate offered by a wine company. There weren't any problems with the submission... the processor was just sloooooow. Most of the appliance rebates I've dealt with have actually arrived in a timely fashion, so hopefully yours will too.

[Danny Mestas]

Having worked at Best Buy for four years, I can honestly say that I have mastered the mail-in rebate. Here is what makes my life easier (a bit technical) when it comes to rebates.

Read the fine print: There is usually a customer service number or a website that lets you check your rebate status.

Make a copy of everything: Even better... I scan everything to .pdf

Create a calendar entry: I create an appointment in Outlook a little over the expected date that the rebate should come (usually 4 to 6 weeks). Make the reminder occur sometime in the middle of the day. In the body of the appointment, drag and drop the PDF of all the info that was scanned. Also, paste/type the website/phone numbers of the rebate center to check the rebate status.

I have only ever missed 1 rebate because I mistakenly forgot to send the UPC and couldn't find it during the time alotted to resubmit. It was a fluke...

[milodog]

I try to do what Danny Mestas had mentioned but not in such an easy way, with that said I must say to Danny.... you are a genius, I have been using Outlook for so long and had no idea that I could drag and drop data into the message field. From now onwards I will scan a receipt for a major purchase and create an entry for that day with the scan as an attachment. Good job Danny!!
milodog

[Nate Ocean]

By far the worst experience was with Symantec, in order to get my rebates for Norton Suite. There were four rebates involved with multiple coupons to be sent in for a total of $100 in rebates.

It took nearly 9 months and 3 reorganizations of Symantec's rebate system from California to India to Miami before it got straightened out.

Symantec's staff couldn't understand the difference between their own terminology of "proof of purchase" and "proof of prior purchase". They also, apparently, neither read nor comprehend the English language as well.

[JimInDTW]

Any item offered with a mail-in rebate is automatically off of my potential purchase list. I know that I will not mail the paperwork in on time, or have the interest in following up when I don't receive the rebate.

If a company wants my business-keep it simple and put the item at a fair sale price and I'll buy it.

[Kate]

I've never had any trouble with mail in rebates (knock on wood). I've noticed lately that many companies are now offering rebates in the form of a prepaid debit card, which I do not like. Now I always check the fine print, and rethink my purchase if a prepaid card is offered.

[nursedude63]

I will generally not buy things with rebates as I would prefer the price be knocked down up front. Being from Canada most of my rebate experiences have been with Future Shop or Staples. I have to say that Staples is by far the best store I have dealt with for ease of rebates. They print out an extra sales slip and have actually taken the time to point out what part of the UPC code I have to send in. As well they have used websites where I could track the progress of my rebates.