Screwed by Canon rebate.

Check this thread, it may hold some ideas for you...
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=21375382

--
Skip Middleton
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
www.pbase.com/skipm
"John" wrote in message
...
I know that the institution of rebates is meant to rip you off so I'm quite
anal about paying attention to the details and ALWAYS sending in the rebate
with delivery confirmation. The delivery confirmation at least minimizes
the "Sorry, we never received your rebate" or "Sorry, we didn't receive
your rebate in time" excuses.

I read the rebate forms several times looking for the "gotcha's". I know I
go through way more trouble than I should for $20-$50 but it's the
principle. They make it as annoying as possible to claim a rebate so that
most people won't bother. I'm the one that bothers.

I send in my rebate to Canon along with all the rebate form, purchase
receipt and I cut out the UPC code from the box and put that in the
envelope. My new tactic is to use wide tape and tape the UPC code to the
rebate form.

I checked on my rebate status just now.

Error(s): An original qualifying UPC was not included

Yep. No matter how hard I tried, Canon still managed to screw me over.

Since they want "an original" qualifying UPC", my copy won't suffice.

Canon, the next time I'm in the market for a product I'll remember this
incident.

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 02:53:51 GMT, "Mike Russell"
-MOVE wrote:

You may be able to start a chargeback procedure against the retailer via
your credit card company. This is a somewhat cumbersome process, but much
easier than going to court, and may get the retailer going to bat for you to
avoid the chargeback.

As I understand credit cards, you won't get any satisfaction from the
retailer this way; the retailer doesn't offer the rebate, and the sale
isn't made with any expectation of getting he rebate from the
retailer.
IOW, the retailer has nothing to do with the rebate.
Unless, of course, the retailer DOES have something to do with the
rebate (COSTCO often handles rebates on items they sall, for
instance).
But, unless the retailer explicitly offers to handle the rebate, the
retailer is out of the loop.
--
Bill Funk
replace "g" with "a"

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 04:04:49 GMT, "JohnR66" wrote:

"John" wrote in message
.. .
I know that the institution of rebates is meant to rip you off so I'm quite
anal about paying attention to the details and ALWAYS sending in the rebate
with delivery confirmation. The delivery confirmation at least minimizes
the "Sorry, we never received your rebate" or "Sorry, we didn't receive
your rebate in time" excuses.

I read the rebate forms several times looking for the "gotcha's". I know I
go through way more trouble than I should for $20-$50 but it's the
principle. They make it as annoying as possible to claim a rebate so that
most people won't bother. I'm the one that bothers.

I send in my rebate to Canon along with all the rebate form, purchase
receipt and I cut out the UPC code from the box and put that in the
envelope. My new tactic is to use wide tape and tape the UPC code to the
rebate form.

I checked on my rebate status just now.

Error(s): An original qualifying UPC was not included

Yep. No matter how hard I tried, Canon still managed to screw me over.

Since they want "an original" qualifying UPC", my copy won't suffice.

Canon, the next time I'm in the market for a product I'll remember this
incident.

My experiences with rebates has been 100% good including Canon in the past.
I'm the one the companies hate because I turn in every rebate offer I get
when I buy a qualifying product. I just got the Canon 70-200 f/4 L yesterday
and it has a rebate. I just tested the lens and it is awesome, so it is time
to get the rebate turned in. I hope for better luck.
John


I recently bought a Canon lens from B&H, with a rebate.
No problem with the procedure; I got the check.
--
Bill Funk
replace "g" with "a"

Skip wrote:
Check this thread, it may hold some ideas for you...
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=21375382


I checked the thread. Thank you. Apparently a bunch of other people
are less than happy with Canon's rebate scam.

I've written a letter to . I can't seem to
find any phone numbers or other email addresses on the Canon site.
Anyone know what they are?

I wonder what the purpose of filling in the rebate form on-line since
you still have to physically mail in the UPC code from the box?

Canon sucks - they pulled that **** on me with a printer I bought last year
from Ritz. I returned the printer to Ritz and they as much acknowledged
this is a typical con by Canon.

"John" wrote in message
...
I know that the institution of rebates is meant to rip you off so I'm quite
anal about paying attention to the details and ALWAYS sending in the rebate
with delivery confirmation. The delivery confirmation at least minimizes
the "Sorry, we never received your rebate" or "Sorry, we didn't receive
your rebate in time" excuses.

I read the rebate forms several times looking for the "gotcha's". I know I
go through way more trouble than I should for $20-$50 but it's the
principle. They make it as annoying as possible to claim a rebate so that
most people won't bother. I'm the one that bothers.

I send in my rebate to Canon along with all the rebate form, purchase
receipt and I cut out the UPC code from the box and put that in the
envelope. My new tactic is to use wide tape and tape the UPC code to the
rebate form.

I checked on my rebate status just now.

Error(s): An original qualifying UPC was not included

Yep. No matter how hard I tried, Canon still managed to screw me over.

Since they want "an original" qualifying UPC", my copy won't suffice.

Canon, the next time I'm in the market for a product I'll remember this
incident.

John wrote:
I know that the institution of rebates is meant to rip you off so

Yup.

[...]
I checked on my rebate status just now.

Error(s): An original qualifying UPC was not included

Yep. No matter how hard I tried, Canon still managed to screw me over.

Since they want "an original" qualifying UPC", my copy won't suffice.

In my experience, the companies initially try to cheat me out of
about 20-25% of the rebates. Never give up after the first refusal.
My collection rate is 100% over the past few years, including a
couple on which I did make mistakes.

Just as they expect a large percentage not to apply, they expect
a large percentage to accept their refusal to pay. Follow up.
Tell them you keep copies, just as most of the forms say to do.

In this case, you cannot prove that you included the UPC, so
you might think you cannot make a strong case. Not so. You
have exactly the documentation someone who follows their rules
is supposed to have. If there's no way to settle such matters,
that's their fault. Politely ask them: under the rules they
made, how does the customer show that he sent the UPC?


--
--Bryan

John wrote:


I checked on my rebate status just now.

Error(s): An original qualifying UPC was not included

Yep. No matter how hard I tried, Canon still managed to screw me over.

Since they want "an original" qualifying UPC", my copy won't suffice.

Canon, the next time I'm in the market for a product I'll remember this
incident.

Good day John. Maybe someone should suggest to Canon that they use UPC
stickers like I got with my Nikon. OK, it took forever to get the small
rebate but it did /not/ require me to take a knife or scissors to the
original box. I am not sure if the stickers came in the box from Nikon
or from the dealer.

-G

RonB wrote:
Canon, the next time I'm in the market for a product I'll remember this
incident.

You, my friend, are not the only one.

A year ago I bought a laptop package from COMP USA. The package included a
Toshiba laptop, Hawking wireless router, and a Canon printer/copier. I,
like you, expect problems with these rebate offers but the prospect of
cutting about 40% off of the package price provided some determination to
make it work.

COMP USA came across like gangbusters. We had all of their rebate checks
within a few weeks.

Hawking was quick with one check and when they faltered on a second, COMP
USA came across for them too.

CANON was a nightmare.
[...]

So even before the Canon dealings, you had one problem out of,
what, four or five rebates?

When the money is going the other way, how often do companies
fail to charge us?


They required three rebate packages to recoup the
$100 cost of the printer. All three went to different mail stops. As I
recall two were for $40 each and one for $20. I just checked my email file
and we sent no less than 19 emails to CANON. About 1/2 of these refer to
about 9 or 10 personal phone conversations I had with their (outsourced)
rebate center. At one point in the process it appeared as though one of the
rebates was going through, then we started all over when they "lost" our
application.

Finally I got one of thier managers on the phone and explained that we had
photocopies of all of the material we sent them; and we had made it a
personal challenge to make sure we got every ^(*&! penney out of them no
matter how long it took. We had most of our money within a few weeks of the
call.

They try to wear you down. Don't let them do it.

Good job, thank you. Every time someone fails to collect on a
rebate, it motivates them to inflict more of this crap on us.


--
--Bryan

MrB wrote:
I have never worked with a Canon rebate, but have worked with
several other
reputable companies. I can truly say I have never been screwed out of a
rebate.

If you've never even encountered an initial refusal, that's unusual.

I would not worry about Canon. Follow the directions to the letter,
keep copies, and watch your mail because some of these rebates look like
postal spam.

By no accident.

It is a scam because most people don't file for rebates,

It's a scam for many reasons. Parago, one of the big rebate
(non)fulfillment companies, has a question/answer in their FAQ:

Why does it take up to 8 weeks to process rebates/promotions?

We handle millions of rebates/promotions; each request is
handled separately. This level of individual attention is
why it can take up to 8 weeks to process a rebate/promotion.

Outright lie. They deliberately make it take that long, so they
can hold on to the money. When they market to the manufacturers,
Parago's line is totally different, all about how fast and
efficient their system is.

Sad that reputable companies such as Seagate get involved with
the scammers. Parago's lie appears with Seagate's name on it:

http://seagaterebates.com/promocente...n_answer.shtml


--
--Bryan

But, then knowing that it is meant to be a rip-off you still keep bending
over for it. Someone has need of a shrinks help.

ljc


"John" wrote in message
...
I know that the institution of rebates is meant to rip you off so I'm quite
anal about paying attention to the details and ALWAYS sending in the rebate
with delivery confirmation. The delivery confirmation at least minimizes
the "Sorry, we never received your rebate" or "Sorry, we didn't receive
your rebate in time" excuses.

I read the rebate forms several times looking for the "gotcha's". I know I
go through way more trouble than I should for $20-$50 but it's the
principle. They make it as annoying as possible to claim a rebate so that
most people won't bother. I'm the one that bothers.

I send in my rebate to Canon along with all the rebate form, purchase
receipt and I cut out the UPC code from the box and put that in the
envelope. My new tactic is to use wide tape and tape the UPC code to the
rebate form.

I checked on my rebate status just now.

Error(s): An original qualifying UPC was not included

Yep. No matter how hard I tried, Canon still managed to screw me over.

Since they want "an original" qualifying UPC", my copy won't suffice.

Canon, the next time I'm in the market for a product I'll remember this
incident.