![\"Reblog](\"http:\/\/img.zemanta.com\/reblog_e.png?x-id=ab2f68a4-5f4c-45ab-acf2-51f044394f3a\")
<\/a>Ever buy something that included a rebate so you’d essentially get the product for free or at least with a great discount?<\/p>\n
Last fall I purchased a laptop from Apple that include a rebate of over $100. I dutifully cut off the UPC \/ product serial number tag from the shipping box exactly as directed in the directions and mailed it in with the paper work. Eight weeks later I received a letter saying the rebate was denied because I’d sent them the product serial number \/ UPC, which in fact I had. Now they wouldn’t accept a photo copy and I’d already sent them the original so what did I get? Nothing.<\/p>\n
Think about it when a company offers a $25 or $50 rebate and it involves cutting up the shipping carton, filling in a long form with product numbers, serial numbers, etc what percentage of people will do it? And then if you deny them the rebate months later, it’s too late to take the product back and even though it turned out not to be such a good deal you keep it.<\/p>\n
Are rebates like Apples rebate a good marketing idea?<\/p>\n
They are one more tool that can increase the perceived value of the offer but in most cases they’re a scam. I got scamed by Apple’s rebate and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.<\/p>\n
Should you use rebates?<\/p>\n
I strongly recommend against them – unless your goal is to get people to spend once and then alienate them as Apple is. If you do use rebates, make sure you honor them. If you do you’ll have happy customers instead of people bad mouthing your company.<\/p>\n
What do you think?<\/p>\n
– Charlie
\nWhich Marketing Ideas to Use and Not to Use<\/p>\n