[vox] Rebate hassles [was Free Stuff]

[vox@lists.lugod.org]

On Sat 01 Nov 03,  7:10 PM, Mark K. Kim <markslist@cbreak.org> said:
> On Sat, 1 Nov 2003, Tim Riley wrote:
> 
> > I don't believe Samsung ever intended to issue my $100 monitor rebate
> > request when I sent in all the requested information (including a blood
> > sample ... not really). After all the work I did, they sent me a terse
> > email saying they couldn't read the UPC symbol. They said for further
> > clarification, call this toll number. The customer service
> > representative immediately put me on hold for 3 minutes, then he came
> > back with the same message on the email. Did I mention this was Samsung?
> 
> Sorry to hear that, but I know *I* never do anything wrong either and *I*
> never have problems.  Then again, I avoid Samsung products (especially
> computer products... their semiconductor products are pretty good, though)
> at all costs so maybe it's a Samsung thing.
> 
> It was a long time ago, but I visited Korea and was dragged through
> various government and corporate offices 'cuz people wanted me to fix
> their computers.  Every single Samsung computer I saw had *something*
> wrong with 'em.  When I asked them why it's like that, they told me all of
> Samsung's computers are like that, but they get really good services, and
> as big organizations it's more important that they get good service than
> products that don't need services in the first place.  That's the
> bureaucracy for ya.
> 
> -Mark

maybe i'm just dumb, but rebates tend not to come for me.  i've sent in
plenty.  certainly over 20 with all the trips i used to make to frys.
i'd be surprised if i got 5 back.

i've had more than one company require the original UPC.  my rebate
request got "lost".  to resolve the issue, i had to wait on the phone.
my time is too expensive for that.  at some point you just have to say
"screw this, $20 just isn't worth it".

really, i think they do tend to rely on the "it's not worth my time"
notion.  you can think of all kinds of demographics to explain why some
people get their rebates and some don't.

pete

-- 
GPG Instructions: http://www.dirac.org/linux/gpg
GPG Fingerprint: B9F1 6CF3 47C4 7CD8 D33E 70A9 A3B9 1945 67EA 951D