Saturday, April 2, 2005

Best Buy to Drop Rebates -- 5:34 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that Best Buy will drop rebates within two years. While I have a hard time buying the argument that rebates are too hard or cumbersome, rebates are still one of the world's biggest rip-offs. I had to enter all my rebate information as a to-do in my PDA so I could keep the companies honest. My favorite line came when I called to inquire why my rebate was several weeks past the 6-8 week time frame. The person said, "It has been approved; we'll expedite it for you." Hey, Johnny, why didn't you just send it out in time? Why did it take a phone call for you to "expedite" it?

Companies like rebates because many people just forget to send them in. I've had some rebates that were almost impossible to send away for because they both required the original UPC from the product. In another case, the UPC was rendered illegible by a big sticker slapped on there by a Best Buy trained monkey. Not long ago, a Best Buy higher-up had the unmitigated gall to complain about rebate fraud (people would buy things, send in for the rebates, and then return the product). Suffice it to say, I didn't shed many tears. Thankfully, this process is going the way of all flesh. Thanks Slashdot.

The Master comments: Retailers like gift cards pretty much for the same reason. Most of the electronic retailers have established shell companies in states that allow them to reclaim unused gift card balances as profit after they expire. Nice. They must hate me, since I spend those babies the day after I get them. My current gift card application will be a Sony 400-disc CD Changer. That new model is VERY sweet :-)

News for 04/02/2005

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