I purchased a Soyo P4VGA motherboard from Tigerdirect.ca on 03/22/04 and received the item I believe a week later, 03/28/04.
I completed the rebate form and cut the UPC code from the box the motherboard came in. Rebate was sent to them within 24 hours.
Checking your website www.verifyrebate.com from time to time I didn't see any indication of a problem, but checking today I see the following information:
Store: TigerDirect (TigerDirect.com / TigerDirect.ca),Global and Dartek
Product Name: SY-P4VGA
Offer Duration: 03/10/2004 - 03/16/2004
Postmark Date: 04/16/2004
Amount: $62.99
09/14/2004 17:26:36 Non Approved
Reason(s):
*Invalid UPC Code
So I email their rebate center to inquire. I receive this response:
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Dear Sir,
We are sorry for your inconvience. Unfortunatley, the people who proofed the rebates found the UPC barcode to be invalid. While we understand your frustration, there is nothing that can be done.
Best Regards,
Rebate Department
SOYO Inc.
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To which I respond:
Good day.
Did you just call me a liar ?
Or are you calling your own company a liar ?
Are your own barcodes not valid?
I removed the UPC from the box on YOUR product and submitted it to you in the proper (plenty) amount of time. Fulfill your obligation and honor my rebate.
If a word such as "Unfortunatley" can get through your email support spell check, how can I trust the validity of your proofers?
I would like someone in a position of management to respond, as this is absolutely unacceptable.
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Their response: (I actually was pleased at this response!! way to go Annette!!)
Dear Mr. M
If you can e-mail copies of exactly what you had mailed in for your
rebate, I will make an attention to my manager for an approval if all is
correct. Thank you.
Rebate Dept.
Annette
SOYO INC.
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My response to Annette's request for copies of information submitted:
Thank you.
Sorry for the delay, but I have located my copies of the UPC and Packing Slip.
I apologize for my previous email, it was written in haste and the tone of the previous email agent and lack of options presented struck a nerve with me. I respond to cust serv emails for a job as well - I am truely sorry.
I have attached the three scans of my documents, and also put them up on my webspace if you can't view attachments ( Our email software at work doesn't permit any attachments to be opened, ever... ).
If you could please do anything possible to speed up the process, I would really appreciate it.
(AT THIS POINT I HAD PUT UP SCANS OF THE COPIES OF 3 DOCUMENTS - PACKING SLIP, REBATE FORM AND UPC - ON MY WEBSPACE FOR THEM TO VIEW, AND ALSO ATTACHED THEM TO THIS EMAIL MESSAGE.)
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I received this email response on October 6th:
Dear Valued Soyo Customer,
We are sorry for your inconvience. We are having technical difficulties in our Rebate Dept. While we are trying to correct these problems, we are asking our customers to please be patient with us during the unfortunate setback. We assure you that your rebates will be processed by October 1st. Thank you again for your patients.
Best Regards,
Rebate Department
SOYO Inc.
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ALLRIGHT! An admittance of fault, and promise of fulfilling the rebate and sending me my money! Awesome!
The date them mentioned (oct 1st) bothered me, given i recieved the email oct 6th. I reply thanking & confirming processing date.
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I can wait, not a problem in the least - I wish to confirm you meant November 1st not October 1st - currently it is october 6th.
Thanks again
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I received the same initial canned response as a reply :(
Dear Sir/Madam,
Our records indicates your rebate(s) was not approved. Here states why
you were not approved. INVALID UPC CODE
We do apologize for any inconvenience there may have been. Thank you.
Best Regards,
Rebate Dept.,
Soyo Inc.
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In reply to this email I re-quoted all previous correspondance to ensure they had all the info regarding Annette's request for info, and the next agent (way to sign your name, BTW!!! :[ ).
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Posted below is our entire conversation, newest responses are at the bottom. It has been indicated your rebate processing is encountering problems that has adversely affected my rebate. It has also been mentioned you will honor my rebate, despite your latest response. Apparantly you wish to send out canned email responses before reading
previous correspondance.
I HAVE PROVEN MY REBATE WAS SUBMITTED CORRECTLY.
I HAVE ALSO PROVEN YOUR SPELLCHECKING UTILITY FAILS. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN YOUR "PROOFERS" RESULTS.
HONOR THE REBATE.
If you cannot honor this rebate, please either have a supervisor or manager contact me directly via email or by telephone 204-333-2471 as your Tier 1 Customer Service has repeatedly done everything possible to not allow me to obtain what is rightfully mine.
If it were $20 I would not raise such a fuss, but we are talking about a $60 USD rebate here.
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I then receive the exact same response.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Our records indicates your rebate(s) was not approved. Here states why
you were not approved. INVALID UPC CODE
We do apologize for any inconvenience there may have been. Thank you.
Best Regards,
Rebate Dept.,
Soyo Inc.
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This is where it stands. Will make a phone call to set things straight when i find the time. Currently it is more important to me to let others know SOYO is by far one of the most hassling companies regarding rebates. It disgusts me that they are able to get away with this, not even respond to my request for a manager, and keep my $62 USD!!!!!! :(
Graham
winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Tiger DirectClick here to read The *EDitorial: The Marketing Rebate Rip Off ...Manufactures invent reasons why not to pay the consumer