Rebate Reality

You see the offers all over - money back after you buy. But with rebates, follow-through is critical, or you might not see your cash.

The Road To Your Rebate

When buying
When you go to purchase your product, Fran Mitchell of the Consumer Action Center, says you should make sure you'd still buy the product - even if a rebate wasn't part of the deal. That's because many times, people don't follow through and never realize their savings. If you still buy, be sure you obtain all the necessary paperwork when you pay for the product, including rebate receipts and forms to send to the company offering the rebate.

Immediately after the purchase
Mitchell says you should immediately fill out all the rebate information when you get home. Otherwise, you may forget and miss the deadline to get your money, or lose the paperwork you'll need to collect your money.

Weeks after the purchase
Once you send in your paperwork, your work is not done. Make a note on the calendar for the date you expect to receive your rebate. Also, be sure to file away copies of everything you sent away. That way, if you receive a letter saying you didn't send all the necessary paperwork, you'll be able to dispute the claim, and resend the information. In many cases, you won't need the information, but it's nice to have, just in case.

Bright Idea!

If your patience runs out, go back to the retailer where you bought your product. They should either help move things along with the manufacturer promising the rebate or they may even offer to pay it themselves.

Experts say when it comes to rebates, it pays to get in the know before you bite.
The Federal Trade Commission offers some simple words of wisdom. "If the offer seems too good to be true, it usually is," says Michael Dershowitz, senior attorney for the FTC.

Ask Blake Couch. He's one shopper who says he took the bait only to wind up in a net of red tape. He was supposed to get $80 back on computer memory chips, but says the manufacturer never delivered.

"This process of trying to get this particular rebate was incredibly frustrating," Blake says. It not only took eight months to get the refund - it didn't come from the manufacturer. In the end, Blake convinced the store that sold him the goods to honor the rebate.

REBATE RULES

FTC attorney Michael Dershowitz says the FTC requires companies to deliver rebates within the promised time frame or within 30 days, if they don't specify a time. If you don't get your rebate, file a complaint with the FTC or Better Business Bureau

Rebates aren't the only thing to beware of. Retailers often offer extended warranties to go along with their products, but those warranties don't always make sense.

EXTENDED-WARRANTY WOES

The Consumers Union says you may want to think twice before buying extended warranties. Stores and their staffs often earn commissions for every warranty they sell - so beware of high-pressure sales techniques.

No need?
According to the Consumers Union…
> Fewer than 20% of products covered by extended warranties are ever brought in for repair
> Most problems with a product happen in the first 90 days, while the original warranty is usually still in effect

Protect Yourself!
Follow this advice from The Consumers Union
Avoid breakdowns by buying products with solid records of reliability
Consider paying with credit cards that double initial warranties. WARNING: You may need receipts and original packages to make claims. Read your credit card agreement
Having problems with an extended warranty? Your local and state consumer protection agencies, including the state insurance commissioner and state attorney general can help

Read more smart consumer tips and strategies
from Fox11 Eyewitness News Online

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