Rebates. Great way to save or just a marketing trick?

Rebates

If you’re a disciplined person rebates can be a great way to save.  The folks offering those rebates are betting that you won’t mail them in within the required period of time.  Their also betting that even if you mail in the rebate, you won’t  follow all of the instructions and/or remember to follow up later to make sure that you received your check.   The fact is that it’s  a safe bet for them a good amount of the time.

Most people believe that they’ll remember to mail in the rebate, but the fact is that life offers many interruptions and distractions and it’s  really easy to forget.

The moral of our rebate story:

If the only reason that you’re buying the product is because of the rebate,  figure out a way to alert yourself to follow up later.  You can do this on a wall calendar, PDA or just sticky notes posted in a location that you frequent often.  Also, be sure to read all of the instructions carefully and follow them carefully.