Don't expect the rebate!!! ** updated 11/30/00 **
Nov 08 '00 (Updated Nov 30 '00)
We purchased an etower 533I in August 2000 under the impression that we would be getting $75 from the company.
Now this was an open box buy that a couple had purchased and returned earlier that day. We have in the past made open box purchases and gotten rebates. When the company doesn't rebate this type of purchase it is spelled out in writing on the rebate literature. This wasn't. Because of the unique situation, we made sure to carefully question our sales rep about our qualifying for the rebate and he assured us we did.
When we got the refusal notices (Reasons 1 & 2: invalid date and no UPC code) we called the eMachines rebate center and had them review the paperwork. We could prove we were within the date and had sent a UPC since we had copies of everything. I asked the rebate rep if the problem could be the open box nature of the purchase and she said no, that we had sent the rebate to an incorrect Department (Reason 3) and that we needed a letter from the store, on their stationary to prove we hadn't since returned the machine (Reason 4).
Weird but the store did send a letter for us and she did forward our rebate to the correct area internal to the company. (By the way, our letter was addressed EXACTLY as told in the rebate paperwork.)
After this, we received 2 more postcard refusals for invalid UPC (Reason 5). We called in again and actually had the rebate rep stumped until she asked if we still had the box. We explain, again, that this was an open box buy and she said they NEVER rebate on those because we would then be getting 2 rebates?!?! Huh? I thought we'd be getting a price cut from the store and a rebate from the company. (By the way, Reason 6 to refuse to honor the rebate.)
Now, as stated before, this was nowhere in the rebate information and the eMachines rep said they don't put it in writing in the paperwork but that our store rep should "just know" that eMachines does not rebate open box purchases. Ok, not cool but...How do they know? I asked to be sent a copy of the notice to the retailers. Guess what? There is none. At least according to my rebate rep. She then backtracked and said she wasn't sure but didn't think there was one but that the company "make it very clear". A direct quote.
I've written to the eMachines CEO in hopes of resolving this but right now I feel like a character in the Grisham novel "The Rainmaker" where the insurance company reps are told to deny the claim, deny the claim, deny the claim.
WELL GREAT! I GOT AN EMAIL FROM THE COMPANY SAYING THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE REBATE INFORMATION. ALL THAT GOES THROUGH A SECOND COMPANY. AND, OF COURSE, THEY CANNOT FORWARD MY QUESTIONS TO THEM. HMMM.... JUST CONFIRMS MY VIEW OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE HERE.
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Epinions.com ID:
Kiske
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Location: Connecticut
Reviews written: 43
Trusted by: 5 members
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