Unfortunately, TCA handles a lot of rebate submissions for the types of items I purchase. They are always slow and always unresponsive in comparison to the other fulfillment services. Of the 6-7 rebate claims I've had to track down over the years, TCA was the service involved for at least 4 of them.
But with determination and patience, I've always prevailed. Until now. Here is my story.
A $50 Samsung CDRW drive rebate submitted to TCA per all requirements in September went unanswered. I contacted them in December and was told they were running behind and to give it another 8 weeks to get entered into the system.
A call in early March resulted in them saying it must have been lost and to resubmit it to a specific address. Done.
A call in mid-May resulted in the same response, with the same instruction from them to resubmit. This phone inquiry was for a late Pinnacle promotion submission as well, so I resubmitted both in the same mailing.
In late June, the Pinnacle rebate was paid. So I know someone at TCA received and opened the envelope.
In late July, another telephone query resulted in them saying that the Samsung rebate was never entered and that it probably was deemed void since it was over 6 months old. My recourse? Resubmit of course! Even the rep agreed that this was probably futile and suggested I write to Samsung as a last resort.
I'll do better. I'll make my case to the New York State Attorney General and the FTC. It won't get me my $50, but it will help construct a file that has surely been created by now on the fair business practices of this very casually-managed company.
When TCA entered into their fulfillment contract with Samsung, they accepted certain agency responsibility and with it, legal liability. One or two complaints probably wouldn't initiate regulator activity, but a clearly established record of negigence and non-performance might. I encourage all readers to invest in a stamp or two to do the same.
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