Complaint / Review
Symantec
Falsley stated my correctly submitted rebate as INVALID

I purchased Norton SystemWorks for Macintosh on March 15. I mailed the rebate info the very next day. For a $50 rebate, the requirements listed on the rebate form were to enclose:

- the rebate form (check)
- a store receipt with purchase price circled (check)
- proof of purchase OR
- original UPC code from bottom of the box (I sent BOTH)
- proof of previous ownership of a Symantec product, of which "furnishing the previous product's original CD" was listed as acceptable proof (check)

I attached the rebate form, receipt, proof of purchase AND the original UPC all together with tape and placed in a padded envelope, just in case the CD snapping would be considered grounds for invalidating the rebate.

Can you tell I've had experience with Symantec before?

I was impressed when I received an email only 9 days later, providing me a link to the status of my rebate. The site had nothing to report other than "processing" and since the rebate form had said up to 10 weeks for delivery of a rebate, I let it sit for a couple of weeks before I checked again. Good thing I made photocopies of everything I sent because the status now said:

Rebate: No Reward Will Be Issued
Promotion: 03~68678 $50 Mail in Rebate with Purchase of - Norton SystemWorks for Macintosh 3.0 (NSWM)
Submission Type: MAIL-IN
Date Received: 03-24
Status Detail: Invalid.
Invalid Reason: Missing Proof of Purchase or Original UPC

You have GOT to be kidding me. I taped everything together carefully to avoid exactly this problem. I have no choice but to believe that Symantec baits the consumer with a rebate, intentionally making it difficult, if not impossible to redeem.in my case they have even gone so far as to FALSIFY AS INVALID my correctly submitted rebate to avoid paying.

This experience has renewed my resolve to never again purchase another Symantec product. I will also copy this letter to Symantec corporate, the store I purchased from, as well as all other local stores in my area carrying Symantec products that advertise rebates.

I will make sure to let all friends and associates know about this site so they can read and decide for themselves whether Symantec is the type of company they want to do business with. Symantec is not the "only caterer in town", apparently, they need the lure of these rebates to keep us buying.