I've been aware of people complaining about the rebate industry for a long time, but have never encountered any problem until dealing with OnRebate.com. This company's process is dedicated to creating as many obstacles as possible to prevent rebate money from reaching consumer's hands.
I order an Ultra SD card from ZipZoomFly.com for $42.99 that offered a $30 rebate. After receiving my order, I tried to use the OnRebate.com website to process the rebate. This is where diversions and barriers began.
OnRebate.com successfully avoided paying my rebate with their first round tactics-impeding and delaying the process so a deadline cannot be met. Elsewhere on this website you will see discussions of their second round tactics if your application sucesssfully reaches them, and their third round if you end up trying to cash a check they've issued.
Incidentally, this information applies to regular rebates. If you pay them a premium, they offer to transfer the money to you electronically, perhaps honestly.
The most significant tactic OnRebate.com used on me was to simply not respond to a web-submitted application. Their site tells you the process will grind to a halt until you receive an email, which may take several DAYS! As an e-commerce software developer, I knew I was in trouble when I saw this, as it is simple not the way legitimate business systems work on the web.
After you wait out the several days with no response and then try contacting OnRebate.com's email support address, you will be in for another screen telling you to wait several more days.
After you wait out those several days, try contacting the vendor with a CC to OnRebate.com. My response came within hours, in the same chipper tone OnRebate.com always uses when publicly called out, as they will in their rebuttal to this tale of woe.
How many days have passed? Is there still time to make the deadline? Toss your paperwork in the mail and watch what happens when tracking your rebate on their website.
Fortunately, this is the only bad rebate experience I've had. I'll avoid anything associated with OnRebate.com and ZipZoomFly.com going forward, and will add my name to the complaint lists kept by the Attornies General of Florida and Maryland, and the Federal Trade Commission. Writing those letters will take less time than waiting for OnRebate.com support.
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