While rebates strike me as some irrational ways for retailers to try to scam their customers (after all, they do rely on you not submitting the form), at least Staples is making steps in the right direction. I bought a SanDisk 256 MB USB drive at the store today, and the pricetag implied that there would be an EasyRebate. Not knowing what an EasyRebate was, I asked the cashier at the checkout, and she pointed out that there was no need to send back the UPC code off the back of the unit or send in a copy of receipt.
Instead one needs to head to StaplesEasyRebates.com and enter two numbers off the receipt (Rebate offer number, which describes the rebate in their system, and the ID, which describes this exact purchase and is unique to the receipt). No paper submissions at all, but you have to leave your postal address, phone number and e-mail address with Staples. One would wonder why they still bother doing the rebates instead of just cutting the price. I guess they figure that they will get your address and info once you want the money back, and if you don’t want to give that up, you end up paying higher price.
So while rebates still feel like a scam the retailer is trying to pull, at least Staples is making the steps into the right direction – facilitating submissions to be as easy as possible.
Where is my $ 10.00 rebate check??? I read that you were not good at sending us the rebates. MY ID number is 07371127043833103. My rebate tracking number is 126639611. This was submitted on 11-29-2004. I would like an answer from you. I have read so many complaints on line about your failure to sent us the rebates. I will never shop there again if I do not get the rebate in the mail and will also file a complaint over the internet like others.
It has been 6 1/2 weeks since I submitted my rebates and I received an email today saying I would receive a check in 4 more weeks, even though the rebate policy says it will be 4 to 6 weeks. I, too, will not be shopping at Staples using rebates in the futures.
I’m still waiting for my $8.00 on a purchase of a Slimline Pencil sharpener. My tracking # is 122828179. I bought the sharpener in October 2004, received a letter stating the rebate had been received. There were no problems or issues mentioned in the letter. $8.00 may not mean alot to you but it does to me. Therefore, I will no longer shop at Staples and will warn others of your poor customer service and questionable ethics.
Plesae sent $40.00 Dollar Two ITEMS 11/08/04 tracking#124728240 branches
Brother mfc printer
The receipt states log onto http://www.stapleseasyrebates.com and follow the directions for your rebate. I have been looking for a half hour you sites are terrible and very confusing. Good way to avoid sending a rebate…make to hard to find
Scully, dude, get some help! I have always gotten my rebates in a timely manner from
Staples. Guess it is all in the delivery!
I bought a Panasonic 2Line phone on 12-08-04 and am due a $30 rebate the rebate was sumitted 12/08/04 the tracking number is 129149947.this is the worst rebate system I have ever used.The webb sire is unreal also
Today I purchased a Fax machine from Staples and was
told when i questioned the rebate procedure that it is
very simple. I have been reading letter and looking for
an hour and still have not found the right screen to fill out!!!
Can you make this more omplicated? where do I sign up for the 2 $10/00 rebates I have.
I too sent in a rebate for $20.00 on a Sterling COmmunications v.92 Soft Modem (SKU 487054) My rebate tracking number is 125371805.
Where is my rebate? You said 4-6 weeks. I could have bought the modem some place else with a discount in the store. i expect to hear from someone very soon!
I too have a problem with the NEW Staples better way for rebates. I submiited 2 when it was first introduced, I got an immedaite eMail stating the check will be on its way in about 30 days, and that they were acknowldeging my submission. A week later on another it, a Epson printer it was a diif story. I submitted the info on line, I get an eMail stating they cannot at this time confirm my purchase. (with the store), so I figured a few days late they will, 30 days later nothing on the website to indciate they found my purchase info. I go to the store for help, they take my copies, they call me 5 days later and say resubmit online my rebate request. I do, and I get a message I have allready submitted the same offer. Then I go back to the store, they give me papers to sign and they sign and submit for me to have the amounts sent even though no online process completed. 5 days later the website shows THE CHECKS WERE SENT AND CASHED. So back to the store to start over agin.
Staples rebates are a nightmare. Sent in 5. Received 2. Eight weeks later, check on other 3. “Good News,” says Staples, for whatever reason we’ll finally process 2 of your remaining 3 rebates but allow 4-6 weeks for processing. On the remaining rebate, send us the serial number even though nowhere on the rebate form is that information required. I asked them for a copy of their form that requires the serial number and to also give me the Staples contact that handles disputes. What a suprise I didn’t get a response from Staples.
I purchased an HP A810N Desktop and a HP MX704 17in CRT Monitor. When I registered for the rebate itr said that I would get $50.00. It should be $50.00 rebate on each one. My Tracking # is 141894336. Can you please advise? Thank you
I purchased an HP A810N Desktop and a HP MX704 17in CRT Monitor. When I registered for the rebate itr said that I would get $50.00. It should be $50.00 rebate on each one. My Tracking # is 141894336. Can you please advise? Thank you
Staples Rebate Center is the pits! I just ordered one of their package laptops with an “instant rebate”, “free” printer and a “free” digital camera. I spent over an hour on the phone getting passed back and forth like bad potato salad and finally asked that they RMA the items as I did not want them because I could not seem to get the advertised rebates. Never again!
I’ve also had a bad experience with a Staples rebate. I’ve gone back and forth with Parago about it ad infinitum, and it has become clear that they’re either massively incompetent or massively dishonest; what’s not clear is which. I’ve posted my entire story at http://www.mit.edu/~jik/staples-story/, and I’m keeping that page current with updates as they occur.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN PATIENTLY AWAITING TWO SEPERATE REBATES ON THE STAPLES EASY REBATE WEBSITE.THEN I GO ONLINE AND FIND ALL OF THESE COMMENTS. IF THEY WON’T EVEN SED BACK 8.00 AND10.00 REBATES , I GUESS I CAN STOP LOOKING FOR MY TWO 50.00 REBATES FOR A COMPUTER AND A PRINTER. I WILL NEVER ENTER A STAPLES STORE AGAIN . I WILL JUST LOOK FOR THE BEST PRICE ELSEWHERE WITHOUT A REBATE. GOOD BYE STAPLES.
“…Staples is making the steps into the right direction – facilitating submissions to be as easy as possible.”
You get paid to say this? This is ridiculous. Easy as possible? Absurd.
[Disclosure: I got screwed by a Staples "rebate."]
If Staples really wanted to go on the right direction they would just knock the amount right off the sale price!
First, rebates were a mail in coupon you picked up, or was in the box. Then the rebate form printed with the reciept. Now we have to go to a Website and submit name, address, phone, email and then, get this! we have to print the page and mail it after submitting!!!!!
Sheesh…. Fraud is what it actually is.
Bought HP printer ink packs for a HP 3745 printer, supposed to get a HP rebate for film paper and some other items, thios was in March of 2005, easy-rebate said, HP had such a response they ran out of the promotion products, so told to wait andother six weeks, then HP people take over, as Staples and HP have this relationship and so called agreement, well today I talked to HP rebates, they said it was mailed, WELL, I never got anything in the mail idiot!
So yeah, it’s the ENRON business models alive and well in America, ripp off, lies, fraud Advertising, I’m calling my local TV consumer station program with this one, they get results when nobody else can!
THEN, you have the theives working in the Post Office too, but that’s another problem and issue right?
BS
stay away from rebates in general and from pny in particular. the vendor is depending on people’s bad memory. if you follow all the instructions, which is no easy task, the rebate company will claim that your submission was not postmarked in acordance with the offer.
I two have been cheded out of my 20.00 rebate from Staples.I bought a griphiscard for my comp. on 7/16/05 . Thank you for SPREADING the word.[tom]
Three rebates sent in. All three denied for not sending in documentation that WAS NOT LISTED as being required to be sent in with the rebate forms (yes I have a copy of my rebate form and what I sent). One (PNY) for limit per household exceeded (funny, I am the only one at my house and I have NEVER bought ANTHING from PNY except the item I sent the denied rebate in for). STAPLES SUCKS and I WILL SPREAD THE WORD!
I am like everyone else I to am trying to get a second rebate from staples.I bought 2 40gb gigabank elite 40.$10.00 rebate on each one.Did the easy rebate deal,Well they sent me one $10.00 dollar rebate for one,I am still fighting them for the other $10.00.they keep telling me they lost my information,when I sent them everything they needed in an email.I think the people they have filling these rebates are ripping the people off as well as staples.If they don’t want to fulfill there rebates,why don’t they just do instore instant rebates and cut out all the bull,they are trying to pull.make it EASY on all there customers.
I tried the “EASY” (hahaha) rebate from Staples. I’ve been waiting twelve weeks, they said 4- 6, I’ve emailed 5 times and called twice. Still nothing. Does anyone know who to report them to that might change things?
I purchased 5 items at Staples the day after Thanksgiving, 2005. I submitted one item on the “easy rebate” website, the the other 4 required mail-in of documentation. I received the “easy rebate” about 7 weeks later, but have not received the other 4 as of this date. They had a screaming deal on DVD+ and DVD- packs along with a great deal on a Scandisk 512 SD card. I’ve read that this whole thing was a scam and that hardly anyone is seeing a rebate.
I will never shop at Staples again….. what a bunch of crooks!
OK all of you peopl need to get lives and stop complaining to get rid of rebates. If you hate them so much why do you keep applying for them.. I admit I work in a rebate center. I love helping my customers get there rebates provided they do everything correctly, which includes keeping copies, That has to be the most important thing. I will also admit that we handle several different rebates (staples, circuit city, officemax, ace etc… ) most of them are handled. Now if you purcahse a san disk, HP, playo etc. most of the time they do not come to our center. When you apply on staples easy rebate they are directed to different centers that process the rebates. If you were to look at your rebate form they would say mesa arizona, and no el paso tx, or miami FL. It is just a system so you dont have to go through the hassel of mailing them in.
We have to locations that you may be speaking with. Guatamala has to be the most stupid fucking people, and I would reccomend asking if your canada or guatamala because they NEVER provide the correct information, and you guys are the ones paying for it. Trust me I know. I have went into sooo many records that the have fucked over royally.
Any one who has purchased they products between 11/25 and 12/31 there was a 6-8 week period because we have hundreds of thousands of rebates coming in. Same as faxes allow at least 2 weeks for them to be updated. Especially now since Guatamala is handling them and they dont know how to do faxes. Sorry to admit but it is probley getting deleted if its to hard for them to understand.
I would really reccomend for the most part mailing them into us. to our resubmissions address.
I forgot one more little thing, will you please stop telling us to get real jobs. We live in a very small community that the only thing that is keeping us going is our Mill thats is on the verge of shutting down. Just last year our hospital lost 37 beds. I am a nursing student trying to work my way through school. They are teachers, accountants, welders and electritions (the list goes on) who work there but with out leaving the town we love soo much this is our only option. So stop calling us down saying we are all a bunch of uneducated junkies looking for our next fix. We have families that we love and need to house, cloth and feed.
I purchased 2 packs of 50 CDs at Christams with each having a $10.00 rebate. After nine weeks I called to check the status of my rebates, and they had no record of me sending the rebate form. They told me to fax them copies of my rebate receipts and explain to them the situation. Two weeks later I went on line to check my status and again they have no record of me. I emailed a letter of complaint to the Staples PR manager, and have yet to hear from her. This is definetely a fraudulent business practice. Suck me into purchasing CDs with the promise of a cheque coming, which lowers the total cost. I will complain to the BBB and keep sending complaints to any Staples Manager. I like to see them ignore me which will add more credibility to my story. My advice to anyone: DON’T BUY ANYTHING AT STAPLES WITH A REBATE OFFER! It isn’t worth the hassle. I will also boycott them for ever.
Guatamala again was handling the faxes they are sooooo fucking stupid they dont know how to read they f****** faxes Im surprised they know their own names. Thats why your fax didnt go through.. Canada is handling them again.. I wish we could take the info over the phone like some of our other companies for staples. It would make life soo much more easy. For you and us. We just need a system to look up the info..
Don’t waste your time. Shop somewhere else.
The fact is you can buy almost NOTHING electronic and pricey at the major stores that DOESN`T have rebates attached so telling people not to shop at X store or not to buy products with rebates is pointless..The system needs to be fixed or just done away with..Just take $150 off the price of the laptop and be done with it..Why make your customers jump thru hoops and wait months to get their money back and hope they didn`t forget to dot an i or cross a t on the form..I know the real answer is that these companies take all the rebate money and invest it in a short term CD to make some extra profit so I`m sure it won`t stop
Easy rebates—-sounds good huh—truth is they are not so easy—filling out the form was easy—getting customer support isn’t—-took 3 weeks to get a reply—thats easy??—-simply fix for me is to go back to online buying and forget about rebates—-the only place that gives the rebate game a good name for me is http://www.tigerdirect.com—-I buy from them also—-and always get the same level of service—A+—-people of staples—-why do you treat us the customer the way you do—-have you forgotten the pwer of the buyer and the allmighty dollar—-anyway—-you dont car and it shows—-ba bye.
I went to the big doorbuster sale on black Friday, 11/2007, bought a $1000 worth of stuff with the promise of my $500 rebates no longer than 6-8 weeks, and guess what, we are way past 8 weeks. I need that money back. I thought what a great deal and that this would definitely be where I start next year, but NO WAY, I have waited way to long, and not even sure I will get my $500 back. This is scary.
I submitted my easy rebate information to Staples on January 21, 2007. I received an aknowledgement of receipt email from the Staples rebate people. The advertised time frame of the rebate is supposed to be 4-6 weeks. On January 22, 2007 I received an email stating my rebate is being processed.
I waited until March 8th, that’s 6 1/2 weeks after they told me it was being processed, to send an email inquiry about my rebate.
I got a canned response from a customer service drone that said:
Thank you for your rebate inquiry. We are pleased to inform you that your submission has been received and validated, and it is in the final stages of processing. Your rebate check should be mailed in the next 15 days. Please note that the check will be printed on a postcard and will not arrive in an envelope.
We appreciate your participation in this promotion. If there is anything else we can do to assist you, please contact us at Staples.rebates@parago.com. We are always happy to help.
You can also track the status of your rebate, using the Tracking Number above, at http://www.StaplesEasyRebates.com.
Wendy
Rebates Customer Service
My response to Wendy was as follows:
Thank you for the response to my inquiry.
I am very disappointed to hear that it will be another two weeks to get my rebate. You received my rebate information on January 21, 2007. That means you have had it for over six weeks already and you tell me it will be another two weeks till my check is mailed. This doesn’t seem like an ‘easy’ rebate to me. This is far from the 4 – 6 weeks you advertise in the faq section of the easy rebates site. See below:
12. Why will it take 4-6 weeks for my check to arrive if I submitted all the information online?
Once your rebate submission is received, Staples initiates a verification process and the product’s manufacturer is invoiced. This can take 4-6 weeks to be completed. Though in most cases, you will receive your rebate sooner than that.
I did everything required of me to qualify for this rebate, why must I wait well beyond the advertised time to receive my rebate?
This type of service from a retailer that offers rebates is what creates the level of contempt that I and many others feel for those retailers.
My response to Wendy went unanswered.
Then I sent another inquiry on March 16th and got the same old crappy canned response. To which I replied as follows:
I want Staples to do something about this or my next posting will be to as many websites that cater to disgruntled customers as possible.
I don’t normally have this kind of problem with Staples rebates, however, I will not be ignored and do nothing about it.
I emailed again and got the same old canned response from Lori that I got from Wendy. Like I said in the previous email, I will not be ignored.
I finally talked to a customer service person who gave me more of the same dreck. I requested to speak with a supervisor and he said he would put an expedite on my rebate, but it would still be at least 2 weeks before I see it.
This is the second time that I have had trouble with Staples Easy Rebates. They advertise 4-6 weeks for fulfillment and so far it has been 8 weeks and they are telling me it will be at least 2 more weeks.
How long will the retail public put up with this nonsense?
All I want is what they promised, my rebate in 4-6 weeks.
Needless to say I have nothing but contempt for Staples for allowing Parago, their rebate fulfillment agent, to treat us, the consumer, like this.
TJ
I purchased a SanDisk 2GB Cruzer M2 USB 2/19/07 and have not received my rebate. Also the SanDisk is faulty and will not work.
I purchased a phone that was supposed to be free after a $20 rebate. I thought I had done everything according to the not-so-easy rebate process. Two months later I learned that the rebate was denied because I had not activted a phone card that came with the phone. The requirement to activate the card was at the very end of all of the terms and conditions about what needed to be done to receive the rebate. At the beginning of the terms was the usual stuff about what you needed to do. Then came all types of boilerplate…eg., what to do if you have questions about the rebate, not to file any fraudulent submissions, etc., etc. Only then (way after most people would have stopped reading) did it mention anything about activating the card. The personnel in the rebate departement were very rude about the matter.
My wife and I purchased a “bundled” Computer/Monitor/Printer offered at a special price, with rebates shown in the ad (I have a copy) of $50 for the computer, $50 for the monitor, and $70 for the printer. We paid in full the specified price, and received the register printouts for the rebates, and our credit card purchase total price. We assumed the re bate info matched the ad (it seemed to), but after we finally received two checks from the manufacturer (Hewlett Packard), one for $50 and one for $70, we find that the register printout said they would send us a SINGLE $50 rebate for the bundled computer and monitor, and $70 for the printer. Staples has ignored our protests now for a YEAR and I left a package for review by our Kernesville, NC Staples store manager. I have had NO ACTION on this. They IGNORE my requests for follow-up, and apparently consider the matter closed. I have copies of ALL the paperwork, including the ad, which I feel misrepresented the rebate, and Staples owes me the $50 still not received. They say HP is at fault, always getting them in trouble! Why didn’t they CHECK the ad, before it was printed and distributed? I wonder if I should go further with this study in frustration, and get the BBB’s involved, and possibly even try to enter an action in our local small claims court? What do all of you think? Would much appreciate your comments by e-mail. We should all get after these money-grubbing people, who try to take our money, then weasel out of the full rebates!! My email address (if they allow it to be shown) is “rpaul 71820@writeme.com“.
This is additional info related to above action – This Sunday (6-10-07) Staples had an ad in our Winston-Salem Journal, almost identical to the previous one to which we responded, and again they offer a special “package deal” which states rebates of $50 for the computer, $50 for the monitor, and $70 for the printer. We had also opted to buy the “updated” computer, which had the lable-maker, etc. installed. The extra $100 for this was, of course, not involved with the rebate. I have no way of knowing whether the register print-out given to the purchaser of this “package” deal will state that there will be only one $50 rebate for the packaged computer and monitor, but would not be at all surprised if it does! Once one signs this register printout, one is “locked in” for the terms and conditions stated, and one will have to ACCEPT THE LOSS OF $50, because you WON’T GET IT BACK!!! LET THE BUYER BEWARE!! HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH THIS?? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THEY “ROBBED” OF $50 ??
Anybody wants to, please email me, and maybe with group action, we can get this matter set before the attorney-generals of all the states involved! STAPLES CAN’T SAY NOW THEY DIDN’T KNOW THE AD SAID $50 FOR THE COMPUTER AND $50 FOR THE MONITOR !! (The printer is not involved). There will be no “statute of limitations” here – the ad is deceptive, misleading, and deliberately intended to DECEIVE you!! If you want to see how many complaints there are against Staples for the various rebate offers, see the websight titled “Staples Rebates Complaints”.
Further to my above comments. anyone reading the latest info, will you please enter your reply and/or comments HERE, instead of writing to me at my e-mail address. My various security filters and firewalls may not allow your reply to get through, but if you write here, I will check back often to read what you may want to say about this whole BAD situation. Let’s let the guys up front know we are TIRED of getting no action, and WORSE, NO REFUNDS!! Help me stop misleading and deceitful ads that get you to buy! Once hooked, it’s TOO LATE!! Thank you!
Let’s all go to the BBB and complain about Staples and Parago, Inc. Parago is some bullcrap ad company. Let’s take them down. WE ARE ALL OWED SOME MONEY!!!
I purchased a digital camera before Christmas 07. I was able to get a 10.00 rebate as well as a printer. The person working make an error and had to redue the sale. I was told the online rebate was as easy, you know like the easy butten. I have tried to get my rebate many times, this last time I received a card in the mail saying that I had a deadline to apply. This whole process is not what it seems and because of that I will not purchase another item from staples, and I will also reccomend that people really take a look at this so called easy rebate before they purchase. In the past I have had good service, but this whole thing has turned me off to staples.
Sure has been interesting reading. I’m in the same boat. I have been dealing with this 10.00 rebate since Feb 2008, have sent many e-mails and called several times and receive the same story. I guess it is time to file a complaint with the better business system
I bought a computer at staples. the printer that i bought along with it had a rebate, aswell did the bit defender securtity system. the problem is each of the seperate rebates want the original pc cut out. I sent the original cut out with my first rebate which I recieved with much hassel. Now I am confused as to how can I get my bit defender rebate which must have also been purchased with a pc to be eligable for the rebate.
Hey, people – this isn’t staple’s website. So all of you posting your rebate numbers and claim numbers… what in the world are you thinking? NOBODY FROM STAPLES IS READING THIS PAGE.
Go into a staples store and ask to speak to the manager. They have a number they can call to contact the rebate center and resolve issues with easy rebates for you.
Or you could just post your frustration on some random blog rather than doing something to actually solve your problem.
I know it’s been years since this blog started. It makes me laugh how many of you have problems. I’ve found Staples rebates to be incredibly easy. I filled mine out with a few minutes of getting home after buying some paper. Sure it took a few weeks to “verify my purchase” and now it says “verification complete” and I’ll just keep waiting until it comes in the mail. Rebates are a hassle, but this has nothing to do with Staples. Putting the form online makes it a lot easier, if you can’t do it that way, just mail it in. Don’t blame Staples.
I recently bought a laptop from staples,it included a hp printer,that had a 50 dollar mail in rebate offer.I recently received a giftcard from staples to that value.The reason given was ,the party that administers the rebate is having financial trouble.However on checking the on line flyer this week,staples still has the mail in offer on the same bundle.You would expect that in view of the current financial situation of the party that administers the rebate ,that they will no longer offer that rebate.That rebate was supposed to be a cheque for 50 dollars to be spent by me ,at a time and place of my choosing.So those of you who plan to buy any products from staples ,be very cautious of those mail in rebates.
Hey Candice … are you still waiting?
What makes ME laugh is that I applied for a Staples “easy rebate” more than 3 months ago and I still don’t have it. (And yes, I was “verified”, too.) At this point, I don’t expect to get it. Maybe it’s not Staples’ fault (or maybe it is) but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re touting these things in their stores, which means they’re misleading consumers if the “rebates” are bogus.
Consumer rebates are largely a scam anyway. Check out this story:
http://www.ottawasun.com/Money/2008/12/08/7669526.html
Anyone in Canada who’s been unable to get a rebate, either online or in the mail, can complain to the Competition Bureau (number in story above). That’s what I’m going to do.
EASY????? you have to be kidding. I called to verify my amount and was given a $46.00 balance as I had waited to long to use it or some excuse. I was assured it was valid and followed the instructions on how to use it and was told it expired. I called the center and was told it was valid with a balance of $41.00. This all within two days. I then attempted to use it after being assured it was valid with the $41.00 balance and was told (the very next day) that the balance was 20.00 by the clerk at the check-out. This is enough for me and as for shopping at Staples–I have had enough of that activity also.
Has anyone ever thought to stop and think, the reason the rebates are mail in or online, is because the rebates come from the manufacture not the retailer? That is the reason. Staples has nothing to do with the rebates, except have their name on it because that is a verification for where you bought the product.
Also, I have submitted several rebates on staples easy rebates website and received every single one of them. I have never had a problem. Of course I take my time, read the directions and have patience.
You either enter into a link for store purchase, ordered at terminal at store or online purchase. You enter the info for rebate offer number, rebate id or order number and then the next page you enter your info. Then hit submit, what is so hard about that?
And I thought this was common knowledge, but manufatures don’t always approve rebates because 70% of people forget about their rebates, therefore, the manufacture gets to keep that money. That is why there is still mail in rebates. Again confirming the rebates are not from staples or any other retailer, but the manufacture.