Boycott Rebates

How are rebates ever part of a recipe for good customer service? They ostensibly serve two purposes - they create two pricing tiers, one for those who bother to submit the rebate and one for those who don't. They also discourage returns by making you cut the UPC symbol off the box so you can return it. There is also a third purpose: fraud. A company can benefit themselves by putting inept rebate fulfillment on a rebate so that fewer rebates get processed. I've been having an increasing problem with this lately. Electronic rebates are just as stupid? Why make something that serves no purpose more efficient. Just get rid of it!

How about just plain low prices? Best Buy is going in this direction. More power to them.

For those of you who regularly fill out rebates - you should revalue what your time is worth - I assure you it is more than what it takes to fill out that rebate form.

The only way to combat this is through an organized boycott. Don't buy products that require rebates for you to get them at a good price!