I spent hundreds of dollars on ALCON Daily Choice lenses. They were more expensive than what I had been using, but the $200 rebate made the cost comparable with my previous lenses.
On January 31, 2017, I successfully submitted the materials for my $200 rebate and received confirmation from the ALCON website that everything was in order and that my rebate (Alcon Visa Card) would be shipped in 2 to 3 months. I remembered this rebate last week. I finally located my Rebate Number (you MUST have this number in order to check on your rebate), and a few moments ago the website told me that my rebate should be received in another 3 to 4 weeks.
IF, I receive this VISA card at the end of July, 2017, it will have taken 6 months to get my rebate. Personally - after watching the operation of the website and reading other coments on the web, I think that the Visa cards are shipped out ONLY IF the consumer makes a follow-up on the rebate web-site. I have screen shots of all steps I have taken, so there is evidence of everything I have written above (except the assumption that the card is shipped only if an inquiry is made).
IF you are still waiting for your rebate AND have your rebate application number, the website to check your rebate is: alconchoice.com/existing
For rebate related questions there is also a toll free number: 1-(855) 344-6871. The wait times ARE LONG, as one might expect for an operation which seems to not send out rebate cards.
#2Author of original report
Wed, July 26, 2017
I have my card now. The PIN was the last 4 digits of the "Reward Card" number. I logged on to https://www.prepaidcardstatus.com and changed the PIN. The instructions for the card say it can be used as a debit or credit card, BUT MAY NOT BE USED at any merchant outside the United States and MUST BE USED by 12/17.
More conditions. I will update this report after I use the card in the real world.
#3Author of original report
Wed, July 05, 2017
Within 2 hours of filing this report and tweeting a complaint using #ALCON hashtag.
Received a response from @360Helps. This is the company handling the ALCON Rebates. Even though it was late afternoon, June 30th, before a long July 4th weekend for many, withing 2 hours everything was cleared up about this rebate (I think).
For anyone in a similar situation, know that the procedure for claiming your rebate is AFTER successfully submitting your documents online (be SURE to make a note of your rebate claim number at that point), you receive an email saying that you have submitted for the rebate. THEN, after your rebate is approved, you receive another email asking you to make a choice between a hard or soft card. Soft cards are returned via email; hard cards are mailed and received 7-10 days after your election.
I am waiting for my hard card and will update this report once it arrives.
Looking back, I feel that misinformation was a culprit in this "misunderstanding." At no time was I told to watch for an email regarding my rebate. The email itself was from "[email protected]," which I did not notice in my emails since it was in the SPAM folder. I WAS NEVER TOLD that the next step would be making a response to an email. The implication of all communications during the rebate submission process was "wait for your card; receipt will take from 6-8 weeks."
The process is disingenuous at best. There are many steps which I know at least 70% of my acqaintances would find challenging. Submitting pictures or scans of your documents as the first challenge. BUT THEN saying wait 6-8 weeks for your card to arrive (implying it will arrive physically) while sending an email challenge from an unknown email address is another HUGE stumbling block. It is not fraud, but I wonder if some sharp class action lawyer would find, if rebate records were subpoened, that the majority of rebates were never claimed. If so, I submit that all the arcane steps to obfuscate the procedure and delivery are working to limit exposure of ALCON to actually pay these rebates.