Post by David MaynardMy point then, as now, was your criteria for 'deducing' is flawed, as the
millions of rebates that go through with no problem at all attest.
Put another way, human fallibility dictates that, given sufficient volume,
there will always be "hundreds" of problems to make your kind of deduction
from.
Here's another article that bolsters your position, which is backed by
several retail/marketing research firms and the Merchandising Chief of
a large retailer known for having one of the most prolific rebate
programs in the retail industry (which is now ending mail-in rebates):
--Only about one-third of national retail consumers who buy merchandise
with mail-in rebates actually send away for the refunds and take
advantage of the sale price, according to America's Research Group.
"That statistic means that 70 percent of shoppers who thought they were
purchasing a bargain actually cheated themselves out of the 'sale'
price," notes Vero.--
OfficeMax Ends Mail-In Retail Rebates
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060703/cgm010.html
Notice a common theme? (hint: it doesn't say consumers are getting
cheated by retailers or rebate processors...but themselves)
There is virtually no evidence supporting deliberate fraud or
conspiracy to deny rebates, except for personal anecdotes and baseless
speculation. Years of data showing up to 70% of consumers reliably
fail to submit rebates is more than enough to make rebates profitable
for the manufacturer, retailer, and rebate processor without any need
or impetus for deliberate deception or fraud. Why 'cheat' someone out
of their money when you don't have to?
Even the computer technician in the Newsweek article who redeems more
than 100 rebates per year feels that rebates translate into significant
savings for him and does not say he has ever been defrauded. He files
complaints automatically when rebate checks don't arrive in the stated
timeframe, which may or may not influence his success. I don't start
rattling chains or threatening to file complaints until the rebate
check is overdue by at least one month. I rarely have to do either, a
fair percentage of checks arrive late but they arrive without any
additional action on my part.
Rebates may not benefit consumers as a whole, but when the blame for
this falls onto those consumers, who cares? Credit does not benefit
consumers as a whole, either, because of the growing number of
consumers who load-up on revolving debt in pursuit of instant
gratification through conspicuous consumption and material worship.
Many of my friends don't blink at the thought of charging $2000 for a
new widescreen television or spending $10,000 over and above what they
need in safe reliable transportation when buying a car
(luxury/performance options, trim packages, more expensive models,
aftermarket accessories, prestige factor, et. al.), then complain they
'can't afford' to buy a home, go to the doctor, or build any savings
(after $300 ~ $600 or more goes out every month for credit card debt,
payments and insurance on their upscale vehicle, premium cable or
satellite television service with every option/upsell, et. al.).
Consumers who fail to submit rebates are making choices based on their
own priorities (they have better things to do than rebate paperwork),
just as those consumers who load-up on unsecured revolving debt at the
expense of savings, retirement, and even their own health (e.g. I have
$2000 to spend on that cool television but not to pay that stupid
doctor bill). Should we eliminate credit because a disturbing [and
rising] number of consumers fail to keep their materialistic desires
in-line with their means, choices based on their own priorities?
As far as consumers finding rebate submissions as 'complicated' - lol!
I have never dealt with a rebate submission I would characterize as
'complicated'. Different rebate promotions have slightly different
requirements and instructions. Some require the original UPC, some
accept a copy. Some require the original invoice/receipt, some accept
a copy. Some require a signature, some do not. Some require
alternative proof of purchase such as the screen capture of a competing
software program, some require the competing program's installation CD.
Sorting through these slightly different requirements doesn't require
an advanced degree. High school equivalent reading skills and an
attention span longer than a flash bulb is all that is required.