An Offense To Sensibility: The Mail-In Rebate
Winston Smith, American Patriot
I think I finally saw the height of absurdity the other day when I saw an
advertisement for some entirely forgettable product that was priced $3.99,
and that was after a $1.00 mail-in rebate for the price you would actually
pay of $4.99, a sales tax of 7.75% not included.
The minute I hear some Customer Service Representative tell me in a
telephone sales pitch about a "mail-in" rebate, my first words in
interruption are: "Stop right there! Don't give me the nonsense of the
mail-in rebate...I don't even consider it as part of the incentive to
buy---if anything, it's an instant disincentive!---and especially when the
price of a USPS postage stamp and the time and effort in licking the
envelope and putting it in the mailbox represents a substantial fraction of
the rebated amount, if it does not entirely exceed it at all?"
I think most of the CSRs who hear this are taken off his or her balance.
But maybe not.
Is there anyone out there who is an apologist for the Mail-In Rebate?
Really and truly??
Is it an automatic turn-off? And if so, does anyone go the trouble to
contact the manufacturer or vendor to tell him that if he really wants to
sell the product at the reduced price, to stop the invasion of privacy by
trying to get customer demographic information or to at least pay for it by
offering a rebate that is at the very least 75% or more of the product
price??
Anthony Matonak
....
> Is it an automatic turn-off? And if so, does anyone go the trouble to
> contact the manufacturer or vendor to tell him that if he really wants to
> sell the product at the reduced price, to stop the invasion of privacy by
> trying to get customer demographic information or to at least pay for it by
> offering a rebate that is at the very least 75% or more of the product
> price??
I vote with my wallet. Easier than tracking down CEOs.
Anthony