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Best Buy Working Towards Ending Mail-in Rebates

Posted by Zonk on from the customer-service? dept.

chibbie writes "Best Buy is finally working towards ending mail-in rebates by 2007. Rebates will still be around, but you will be able to file them online, and receive your check much quicker. I guess this means Best Buy doesn't hate their customers after all."

3 of 418 comments (clear)

  1. Corporate Spin by Tadrith · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The idea that Best Buy actually cares about their customers boggles the mind.

    This has absolutely nothing to do with that. The fact is, Best Buy is running scared since the FTC recently made CompUSA responsible for the rebates they had offered. They were required to put out a good sum of money to make good on those rebates.

    From http://www.twice.com/article/CA6301701.html:

    "Best Buy announced in April 2005 that it intended to eliminate mail-in rebates from its portfolio within two years in an effort to improve customers' experience. The announcement also followed a warning from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in March 2005 that retailers will be held accountable for all rebates they advertise, including those sponsored by vendors. The edict came after the FTC ordered CompUSA to make good on hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rebate claims."

  2. Re:It's Not Enough by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Willingness to do senseless work determines who falls in what camp--it's just like coupon clipping.
    You only knock coupon clipping because you don't do it.

    I can't imagine that anyone about to spend over a thousand dollars on a TV or computer @ Best-buy would turn down a 10%, 15%, or 20% off coupon.

    My mother regularly saves 30%~50% on groceries because she clips coupons and uses her frequent shopper card. She saves the reciepts to show me and everytime, I ask her when the supermarkets will just start giving her food for free.

    Rebates and coupons have low redemption rates, which is why bargain hunters spend much less on the same things you and I buy every day. If rebates were rung up at the register, the savings offered would drop like a rock as the rate of redemption headed for 100%.
    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  3. I don't do rebates by Carpal+Tunnel · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have also always received my rebate... eventually, but I have never taken advantage of a rebate without feeling taken advantage of.

    Let me get this strait. You want me to buy something at a marked up price, then spend the time and energy (time is money) to send in proof that i bought your product. Then, months later, after you have earned interest off of my money, i get some of it back, only to have saved a few dollars anyway?

    Oh yes... lets not forget about all those poor souls who didnt follow your directions properly, or forgot to send it in on time, or god forbid decided not to bother!

    Somehow this whole process disturbs me. It is a backassward coupon scheme, and i refuse to ever buy a product with a rebate (unless the pre-rebate cost is low already). I am almost always able to find the same product for only a few dollars more somewhere else without a rebate, and to me that is worth it.

    Anyone care to enlighten me on how rebates benefit me?