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Articles of Confession

Why I Avoid Mail-in Rebates

i was out of the office for 10 mins or so. since the CEO, CFO, and boss were all out of the office this morning, i decided to run to the bank to deposit some checks.

i got a check from this rebate company for my cell phone.

i got the phone for $250. there were 2 rebates for $125 each, but i had to wait for 6 months to send in for it. so i did. you can check your status online after 4 to 6 weeks. i did. one rebate posted as having an error because my purchase date was not on the paper work. it was.

i talked to someone and asked them to recheck the paper work. they won’t. they said the paper work gets destroyed when its entered into their system. i ask about my second rebate being in the system. its not. they said to fax in the paper work again for the date correction, and just resubmit the second rebate completely since it never got entered into their system. i do. my timeline gets reset and i have to wait the 4 to 6 weeks again for the updates to show. i do. finally both rebates are entered into the system with no errors.

next, more waiting —an unknown time— to get the checks sent to me. i wait. no check, no change in status. i wait. no check, no change in status. i wait. no check, change in status! there is a problem, not with my rebates, but with ALL rebates. something happened which caused them to have to re-enter all submissions into their system. the same submissions that got destroyed.

so i get to wait some more. i do. searches are unavailable for about two weeks when i can finally pull up my submissions again, but with an incomplete status and also with a message. please wait up to 4 weeks to see a change in status for your submission. i do. no change. please wait up to 4 weeks to see a change in status for your submission. i do. no change. please wait up to 4 weeks to see a change in status for your submission. i do. change! my enteries are there. they are complete. for an unknown time, i have to wait for them to send me a check. i do.

i was out of the office for 10 mins or so. since the CEO, CFO, and boss were all out of the office this morning, i decided to run to the bank to deposit some checks. only one was for $125. i guess i have to keep waiting for my second check.

so i will. after 14 months, what’s another few weeks of waiting.