[vox] Rebate hassles [was Free Stuff]

[ME]

p@dirac.org said:
> 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.


This thread keeps going, so I guess I will add my "me too"

I have managed to send out rebate requests for CD-R packs "for free" and
have eventually received rebates for 13 out of 14 of these that I sent out
to get rebates over the past 6 years. However, for hardware for computer
systems, I am only at 1 of 3 rebates received.

I think it really does matter what you buy and the reputation of the
organization that issues the rebate.

So, a kind of elongated, "me too"

(heh heh)