Complaint Review: Best Buy

Best Buy rebates are a scam. It is well-known that companies employ rebates rather than price discounting because a certain percentage of customers will not file their rebates, and the company will not have to refun that money. But Best Buy takes it a step further.

The most recent occurrence was on a monitor purchase. I chose the monitor only because it would be cheaper after the rebate. After sending in the original (cut from the box) UPC code, cash register receipt, and rebate form, I got a postcard in the mail. It said the offer was sent in too late (the offer expired on Sept 8, and I bought the monitor AND sent in the rebate on Sept 16), and that I would not get my $60 rebate.

Never mind that Best Buy advertised the rebate that weekend in its flier. Never mind the big price tag below the monitor the day I bought it. Never mind that the cash register spit out the rebate information on September 16th, and that I sent in the rebate on the same day as the sale.

When I went to Best Buy to speak with them, they made me wait over an hour. They finally printed out a new rebate form that would be valid for my purchase, and said to re-file it. I told them I already cut the original UPC code and sent it in, along with the original cash register receipt. The rebate form specifially states it will not take copies of either. The ape behind the counter does the "talk to the hand" gesture as I was explaining this to him.

Best Buy has really gone downhill in recent years. Now they are deceiving their customers with bogus rebate offers. How about getting some balls and discounting your products instead of ripping off your customers through rebates?

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