Making rebates work for you

I last mentioned rebates over a year ago. I notice this week that a lot of advertising for cheap computers, with offers of "cashbacks" for anything up to $250 per computer.

I hate rebate schemes; they stink of excessive red tape and you can't shake the feeling the whole business case for these schemes is that a large proportion of customers will fail to claim their cashback.

For the customer trying to claim the rebate, this involves a lot of filling in forms, attaching the correct paperwork and doing all of this before the the cut off period.

Even if you do all of this, there's a still a risk your form might end up unopened on a rubbish tip anyway.

We recommend you don't base your purchase decisions on cashback and rebate schemes. Treat these as a bonus.

If you do buy something that offers a rebate, by all means go for it. Follow the points below to make sure you'll get your cheque.

1. Read the instructions and conditions carefully while still in the store. Make sure the shop has given you all the details. Many promotions require the invoice to be machine printed, not handwritten.
2. Deal with the rebate immediately. Don't pin the form to your fridge and leave it there. If possible, fill out the form while you are still in the store. Ask the salesperson to make copies of the documents before you agree to buy.
   
3. Confirm the cashback applies to the model you have bought. Often the scheme applies only to certain models.
   
4. Make sure you are eligible for the cashback. There are often rules that exclude businesses or multiple purchases.
   
5. Make sure you follow the conditions exactly. If the form requires you to fill it out in black pen, make sure you do.
6. Make sure all your details are correct and all required fields are filled in.
   
7. Attach all the required documents. Send copies unless the conditions state you must send originals.
   
8. Make copies of everything.
9. Consider sending by registered mail with delivery confirmation. For a rebate worth $250, the five dollar investment is money well spent.
10. If you haven't received your rebate after a reasonable amount of time, call them. Note that these cashback schemes often have processing times of up to 90 days. We think 30 is long enough.
11. Do not hesitate to complain to your state department of fair trading or the ACCC if you think your claim is not being properly processed.
    

Generally though, we'd recommend steering clear of rebate schemes, they are a pain and they shouldn't be encouraged.