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Mac + printer discount = scam?

J

jimbo110

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 10, 2006
82
4
Denmark
Some time ago Apple launched a campaign to get a discount to a discount if you did buy a mac with a printer. I rushed to buy a new imac and printer to get my discount. I filled out the application and send it to Apple. After 3 months I got a letter to send bar codes from the box. I normal person would not have kept them but I did. I did send the bar codes A.S.A.P. and never heard a word ever since. Then I send a new letter complaining why I didn't get my discount with a copy of the previous letters and bar codes. Today I got a letter that says the they received my application to late. My application never came to late! I have done everything just in time. This smell like a scam to me.

I'm starting to be embarrassed to be a apple user and all the people I have recommend switching to Apple. I'm so sad to be disappointed by a company I TRUSTED! It's like being betrayed by a friend you trusted. I'm starting to think that this promotion was never meant to give me my discount. Hope anyone have any advice what to do.
 
In the terms and conditions it does state what has to be included and how so by not including the barcodes to begin with your application was incomplete. Apple gave you a chance to fix this but unfortunately it seems like it all came too late in regards to the time frame of the offer.

I was in a similar situation two years ago however it was down to the barcode not being on the delivery box.

To get it resolved I phoned them up and politely explained the situation and I was granted the rebate. There will be a phone number to call either on the letters your received or the original form, give that a call and say that you tried to do everything in good faith and see how it goes.
 
I got my rebate within a week of submitting the rebate request. The rebate submittal can now be done online. No UPC codes were required.
 
Yeah, not a scam. But they'll hold you to ever letter of the rules for the rebate or you'll see nothing.
 
It does say in the instructions, to include the barcode from the box,
I have never seen a rebate that does not require this.
It is to protect them from scammers
 
I received my apple printer discount - no problems at all.

This is known as 'breakage' in the rebate industries. rather than give you $100 off the printer as an immediate discount, you have to jump through a few hoops to get the $. They must have calculations of the approximate breakage rate (i.e. those that never send it in, mess things up, etc.) and they plan accordingly. If you do it right =$. if not, not sure what you can do. Try searching consumerist.com for tips, but probably SOL.

If they didnt require UPC codes, you could submit unlimited rebate forms.
 
I got my rebate within a few weeks of submission.

With all rebates, you have to read the conditions carefully, because these rebate companies will get you on technicality if you do not conform to the conditions. (Apple does not process its own rebates and it's not Apple's fault that you didn't follow the terms of the rebate).
 
Agreed

I clipped the UPC codes and sent everything right in. Took a while, but nary a problem.
 
I had no problems getting my rebate either. It does say to include them to begin with. The guy at the Apple store made sure I was very understood on how to go about the process because he said they can be picky about it.
 
I got stung by a rebate like this too. Before I ordered I asked what I should send since you don't get a receipt when you buy online. The staff weren't sure so when I got my printer and mac I cut out all the barcodes asked for, printed off copies of every single correspondence I'd had with Apple in regards to the order, invoices etc etc. After two months I got a letter saying my application had been unsuccessful because I hadn't included a receipt. :mad::mad:
 
Spanky Deluxe said:
I got stung by a rebate like this too. Before I ordered I asked what I should send since you don't get a receipt when you buy online. The staff weren't sure so when I got my printer and mac I cut out all the barcodes asked for, printed off copies of every single correspondence I'd had with Apple in regards to the order, invoices etc etc. After two months I got a letter saying my application had been unsuccessful because I hadn't included a receipt. :mad::mad:
Click to expand...

IIRC, what you're supposed to do when you order online is send in a printed copy of the order form you received after you ordered your computer. The instructions on Apple's website under the printer rebate do tell you to do this.
 
11800506 said:
IIRC, what you're supposed to do when you order online is send in a printed copy of the order form you received after you ordered your computer. The instructions on Apple's website under the printer rebate do tell you to do this.
Click to expand...

I sent them *everything*. Everything they emailed me, my online order printed out at various stages o the process, seriously everything. The envelope I sent them was an A4 full sized envelope and was at least 0.5cm thick.
 
I sent mine in a few months back, and it came in.
I don't think you can blame them, they set certain deadlines and requirements for a reason. Now what you could do is maybe call the Rebate firm that apple deals with for this printer deal, and talk to a manager..?
 
DeuceDeuce said:
Maybe they just disregarded it since you sent to much stuff.
Click to expand...

I did ask them what they thought I should send since it was an online order (this was a couple of years ago when there were *no* specific instructions for online orders). They said "err... just send everything". If they did for some reason disregard it because I sent too much stuff then that's not on either now is it?
 
Never Got It

This is from a year back (May 2007). Got a Macbook Pro and a multifunction printer at the same time from an Apple Store. Sent in everything they needed as per the instructions a couple of weeks later (on time). Two months go by and no rebate check. Try the online rebate status check - no record of a rebate application. Call up Apple, the response with an air of finality is that they have no proof of me having submitted a rebate.

The original UPC stripes are in the letter I sent them and they won't entertain the fact that I bought the two items on the same receipt as sufficient proof to send a rebate. What the F* am I supposed to do? Go postal? I didn't really need the printer, got it only because it was 'free'..

Had another bad experience a couple of months later. Turns out that the DVD that contains the utilities and X11 stuff is unreadable. Never had to insert it before, its bad out of the box. Call up Apple. The first thing I hear is that I am over the 3 month software support period and as I have not yet purchased AppleCare, they won't discuss anything related to software without a per incident charge. I convince the lady that I am not asking for support, but simply stating that the media that came with the box is bad and could they send me a replacement. Disbelief on the phone. They ask me to go to an Apple store with the original media and perhaps they could help. I go with the disk and my laptop, just in case its a laptop drive issue. The Apple store confirms the DVD is bad but they have no spare copies that they can give me and I should try AppleCare. Back on the phone. Same discussion. Finally, they agree to send me the DVD and I should receive it in a week. Three weeks go by, no DVD in the mail. I am getting frustrated, I really need the X11 stuff. Back to Apple Care. Explain everything again. First, disbelief that I have not yet received it. Then, another long hold while the rep searches to see if they have the exact version of the DVD in stock; its been 5-6 months now since the purchase and OS X Tiger has moved up a couple of revs and Leopard is a couple of weeks away. Promise to send it to me again, again it never shows up.

@!#$!%@@@

( Okay, so I hate writing a negative review. And lest the above give anyone an idea that I am here simply to gripe, I will balance the above by saying that I love my Mac and its been running like a charm since I got it. I only hope I never have to depend on Apple Care, no confidence there. Yeah, finally forked up the dough! ).
 
With discounts my rule is if I don't receive it at checkout I don't buy whatever it is. This "mail in rebate" crap is just that, crap.
 
The $100 rebate worked great for me last summer. But you have to follow the letters exactly. If the rebate required you to send in the UPC code and you didn't, it's your fault. There was no scam, you just didn't do exactly what was required, so it's no rebate for you.

But I don't like rebates, as -- the expectation is that most people won't apply for the rebate. I will use large rebates like when it essentially gets me a free printer. But I no longer buy small items on the basis of a rebate.

But hey, I just got a 10% rebate on a Logitech remote. I really didn't think they'd honor it (I was buying the remote regardless), but four months later, I got my $20 check from Logitech! So follow the rules, mail the rebate in immediately, and as a rule the rebate will be fulfilled.
 
GSMiller said:
With discounts my rule is if I don't receive it at checkout I don't buy whatever it is. This "mail in rebate" crap is just that, crap.
Click to expand...

For the most part, I agree. However, I'd suggest contacting your cc company. it may be too late but it's worth a shot
 
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