I was all a-flutter! (Get over it - guys can be all a-flutter on occasion)
My favorite G33k Gadg3t store had 250 MB external hard drive enclosures (firewire AND USB!) for $100 after a $50 rebate (all currency in US Dollars). Connected with my <vendor> Gold Card which gave me 90 days w/out interest or payments, I thought this a sweet gig. So I placed the order and today the items arrived.
Yes, "items". I had to put the HD in the enclosure. OK, no big deal. Then I went searching for the majikal rebate form - because otherwise I break the $100 price point and the Mrs. makes me sleep with the cats. No form. Nutz. So I look on the <vendor's> website and there is a link. Yay! It's to a place called "OnRebate.com"
I think - instant rebate because this site is OBVIOUSLY owned and operated by <vendor>. W00T!!!
So I go there. It adertises "Claim your rebate!!!" "Ultra fast rebate - get your rebate in hours - not months!!!!" D0ubl3 W00T!!!
"Enter the offer code." sez the web site. So I do. "Cool!" Sez the web site, "Enter all of your super secret information here!" So I enter my address & such. "Cool!" Sez the web site. "Enter your order number HERE!" So I do. "COOL!!!!" Sez the web site . . . "Do you accept all o f the terms & agreements that you need to click HERE to read that you know you won't read because you are a G33K and have the attention span of a retarded flea?" "YES!!!!!" Sez I. "COOOOOOOLIO!" Sez the web site. "How would you like your rebate?
1) Paper Check?
2) Donate to the Red Cross?
3) Deposit to your PayPal Account (click HERE if you do not have one)?
4) Get a <vendor> gift card?
Ummmm.... If this site is obviously pwned by <vendor> and I paid for this with my <vendor gold card> why can't I have the rebate applied to my <vendor gold card>? OK, I pick #1 (I guess it's better to be pissed ON than to be pissed OFF).
"COOL!!!" Sez the website. "Would you like the super fast rebate payment? For only $5.50 (deducted from your rebate) you will get a check via <really fast shipper> within 3 - 5 business days!!!"
Un-hunh. I spent the buck-fifty electronically. Do ya think I MIGHT get my rebate that way too? "HA HA Haaaaa! Foolish Man! Do you want that check FAST or SLOW? Pick ONE!" OK - I'll save the $5.50 and wait a few weeks. "COOL!!!" Sez the web site. "We have just e-mailed you a confirmation notification. It has a confirmation number in it which you must type in here: (Oh, by the way - it might take up to 24 hours for this e-mail to get to you. Please do not navigate from this page."
Yeah - not happinin. I check my e-mail and the note is there, with a link. I dunno, you might think that they could mention this on the web site. So I click the link and go to a website. "Cool!!!" it sez. "Now all you need to do is...."
Ready for it???
Now -remember - I have already entered all of the information needed for the rebate . . . .
"Now all you need to do is.... print out this form, sign it. cut out the shipping label and tape it to an envelope. Put this form in the envelope with the original bar code of your product you bought taped HERE and a copy of your invoice stapeled HERE. Failure to follow these directions EXACTLY will result in foreiting your rebate."
So, please tell me, why did I go through all of this faffery on the website? Why can't I just have the rebate applied to my <vendor gold card>?
There's a joke her about REbate vs MASTURbate, but I'm just too frustrated.
Thanks for letting me rant.
My favorite G33k Gadg3t store had 250 MB external hard drive enclosures (firewire AND USB!) for $100 after a $50 rebate (all currency in US Dollars). Connected with my <vendor> Gold Card which gave me 90 days w/out interest or payments, I thought this a sweet gig. So I placed the order and today the items arrived.
Yes, "items". I had to put the HD in the enclosure. OK, no big deal. Then I went searching for the majikal rebate form - because otherwise I break the $100 price point and the Mrs. makes me sleep with the cats. No form. Nutz. So I look on the <vendor's> website and there is a link. Yay! It's to a place called "OnRebate.com"
I think - instant rebate because this site is OBVIOUSLY owned and operated by <vendor>. W00T!!!
So I go there. It adertises "Claim your rebate!!!" "Ultra fast rebate - get your rebate in hours - not months!!!!" D0ubl3 W00T!!!
"Enter the offer code." sez the web site. So I do. "Cool!" Sez the web site, "Enter all of your super secret information here!" So I enter my address & such. "Cool!" Sez the web site. "Enter your order number HERE!" So I do. "COOL!!!!" Sez the web site . . . "Do you accept all o f the terms & agreements that you need to click HERE to read that you know you won't read because you are a G33K and have the attention span of a retarded flea?" "YES!!!!!" Sez I. "COOOOOOOLIO!" Sez the web site. "How would you like your rebate?
1) Paper Check?
2) Donate to the Red Cross?
3) Deposit to your PayPal Account (click HERE if you do not have one)?
4) Get a <vendor> gift card?
Ummmm.... If this site is obviously pwned by <vendor> and I paid for this with my <vendor gold card> why can't I have the rebate applied to my <vendor gold card>? OK, I pick #1 (I guess it's better to be pissed ON than to be pissed OFF).
"COOL!!!" Sez the website. "Would you like the super fast rebate payment? For only $5.50 (deducted from your rebate) you will get a check via <really fast shipper> within 3 - 5 business days!!!"
Un-hunh. I spent the buck-fifty electronically. Do ya think I MIGHT get my rebate that way too? "HA HA Haaaaa! Foolish Man! Do you want that check FAST or SLOW? Pick ONE!" OK - I'll save the $5.50 and wait a few weeks. "COOL!!!" Sez the web site. "We have just e-mailed you a confirmation notification. It has a confirmation number in it which you must type in here: (Oh, by the way - it might take up to 24 hours for this e-mail to get to you. Please do not navigate from this page."
Yeah - not happinin. I check my e-mail and the note is there, with a link. I dunno, you might think that they could mention this on the web site. So I click the link and go to a website. "Cool!!!" it sez. "Now all you need to do is...."
Ready for it???
Now -remember - I have already entered all of the information needed for the rebate . . . .
"Now all you need to do is.... print out this form, sign it. cut out the shipping label and tape it to an envelope. Put this form in the envelope with the original bar code of your product you bought taped HERE and a copy of your invoice stapeled HERE. Failure to follow these directions EXACTLY will result in foreiting your rebate."
So, please tell me, why did I go through all of this faffery on the website? Why can't I just have the rebate applied to my <vendor gold card>?
There's a joke her about REbate vs MASTURbate, but I'm just too frustrated.
Thanks for letting me rant.