I heard some grumbling about Canon doing away with instant cash rebates, such as: they are going to screw folks out of their rebates, or I don't want the prepaid card - I rather have cash or the instant rebate. From my understanding, this is new for Canon. While I can understand the apprehension, I can say my experience was, in the end, a good one, but not without a moment of anxiety. I wanted to share my experience to maybe ease folks apprehension of the program.
My experience:
Quick and dirty story (maybe). I purchased the 5D3 and it came with the Canon Pro 100 printer and a $400 rebate. Well, I forgot to submit the camera's bar code. So happen I check status of my rebate on the Canon Rebate website and it stated "program violation" - wtf I thought. There goes my $400 I thought, but hell I'm going to fight for this one. I called and the representative was a very nice and professional young lady. I inquired about the status code of the rebate and she confirmed that I did not provide the camera's UPC code. She stated that I should've received a letter about this, but I did not receive said letter and it had been about 2-3 weeks since they had processed the rebate. When I asked about losing my rebate, she explained that Canon's policy is to work with folks to make sure they get their rebates. She explained that if there's a deficiency, they notify you via mail (see above though) and you have 30 days to rectify the problem in order to qualify for the rebate. She also stated that as long as you mailed the rebate in before the due date (i.e. 1/4/14 in this case) and had a violation, such as mine, you are in compliance even if you rectify the problem after the rebate due date (i.e. say 1/15/14) because it was initially submitted timely. I sent in the UPC code and I received my Amex card this week - about 2 weeks time.
Basically, what I am saying is if you screw up somewhere in the process, it is not a lost cause. Just be sure to check the status and if payment has not been approved because of a problem, call the rebate center to rectify the problem.
Amex Prepaid Card:
Although you receive a prepaid card, you have 2 other payment options. You can have Amex send you a check (20 business days) or you can have them transfer the funds to your bank account (15 business days). I suggest this be done before you start using it, although I did not inquire about this. You need to call customer service. I chose the bank transfer route.
Rebate Tips:
1. If you are unsure which bar code to provide, cut the entire thing and send it in. They provide a picture on the rebate form, but I've seen one with only a UPC code, with the term 12 digit referred too. I have also seen where they had a picture of the entire bar code, including one with the serial number. Send it all to them.
2. Check the rebate status, so that you know where it is in the process and most importantly, the status. I was never notified about my issue.
3. Consider using priority mail, certified or some means by which you can track and confirm delivery.
4. Make copies of all documents and save them.
5. Pre-submit the rebate form via online at Canon Rebate Center. Eliminates possible errors due to poor handwriting and input errors because your information is now in the rebate system.
Please share any other tips or stories if you care, too,
Back when the mail-in rebates were the only option, there was a near-scandal about they high rejection rates from some of the third-party rebate processors that Canon (and other companies) used. While in some cases, no doubt, the consumers made errors that affected the result, in other cases rebate applications that were done correctly and by the deadlines ended up getting delayed or denied. In the end, Canon stopped doing the mail-in rebates for several years, instead going with the (preferable, I think) "instant rebate" programs.
Problems included:
Widespread reports of some processors regularly denying perfectly valid rebate applications - all required materials supplied and sent well before deadline dates. This situation ended up going in several directions, including:
1. Some consumers simply threw up their hands and figured, "guess I'm out of luck" rather than following up.
2. Other consumers who contacted the rebate processors found that merely by following up they got their rebate back on track right away. A cynic might think that the first denial was possibly a ploy to weed out as many as possible who fell into the first category and gave up.
3. Others who contacted the processors were put through the ringer, with claims that materials that they had supplied were not actually there, or that there were errors in the submission that the buyer had not made. In many of these cases, persistence paid off - including escalating the complaint above the level of the first contact. It also helped to have copies of all of the materials that had been sent in and to tell them that the copies were available.
4. Others encountered a brick wall at the processor and got no satisfaction, even when they had copies of valid rebate materials that they had sent in. In these cases, some of us ended up contacting Canon directly. It seemed that Canon intervened and we got our rebates in the end.
My experience with the old mail-in rebate process was wildly variable. In a number of cases the rebate came just as promised and without any problems at all. In the worst case, as I mentioned above, I had to go directly to Canon before I got my rebate.
It is well-known that the rebate offers depend on the assumption that a great number of eligible buyers will never get around to sending the materials in. It also seemed to be the case, based on the experience of quite a few folks, that the folks processing the rebates (who get paid for processing whether or not they approve the application) figured out that it didn't take a lot of roadblocks to make many others give up as well. Given the part that unsubmitted rebates play in the profit margins of those involved, it is easy to see why companies like Canon may be less enthusiastic about "instant rebates" where the participation is essentially 100% and the process is easy.
If you do a mail-in rebate, I suggest the following:
1. Follow the directions to the letter. Check and double check to verify that you have done it correctly and have not left anything out.
2. Photocopy everything that you send in and any other materials related to your rebate submission.
3. Send the materials well before the deadline - several weeks at least.
4. Send the materials by means that will supply you with tracking and delivery confirmation. The cost of this is small compared to the size of the potential rebate.
One more tip if you are submitting a printer rebate. Take it to the post office and tell them it is not to be machine scanned.
They want the whole chunk of cardboard taken from the box, not just he top layer of the corrugated box. When I sent my rebate in 2011, for my pro 9000 II, the envelope came back, from the post office, shredded to hell, with the upc codes missing. It was too thick for their scanning machines and it got jammed. I thought it was a loss until I called Canon and explained. This is why you make copies of everything you send it. I e-mailed them the copy and they gave me my rebate.
Next printer rebate I sent in, for my Pro-100, I had the post office flag it as no machine- process by hand only. Got my rebate in about 3 weeks.
Canon rebates have worked out well for me, no complaints.
Dan, I see there were lots of issues with Canon back in the day. I never purchased any Canon gear with a rebate until this year. At least, I can't recall any purchases. I found it strange, to be honest, that they allowed me to correct my errors. I knew for sure they would write my claim off. This was the 1st time I ever did this for a rebate and I've done quite a few rebates.
As for the switch from cash to card, they're making money off allowing some corporation to track your spending habits. If they're going to give up a few hundred for the sale, they're going to do whatever else they can to make up for it. Anyway, I just checked my status for my 24-70 and it says payment approved.
I remember seeing a story on Dateline or one of those shows and how the processing company increased their profits by denying customers rebates. I'm sure this still happens but surely people are getting smarter about submitting the proper items and following up on the status.
I presubmitted mine on 11/6 and mailed it in that same day. I'll simply use the Amex card online or regift it.
Yes, we have gotten smarter, although I've never been denied a rebate. I follow to the T, except this time I screwed up and was quite surprise to find out that they will actually notify you of errors and work with you to get your rebate.
cineski wrote:
As for the switch from cash to card, they're making money off allowing some corporation to track your spending habits.
Well, if they really want to track me buying $300 worth of gas for the vehicles over the next several weeks, that's fine with me. Because that is what I intend to do with mine. Use it the same way I would use a credit card.
Tom_W wrote:
Mine came fast too. This rebate process was a very positive experience. Almost as positive as the experience I'm having with the new 24-70 II!
That is encouraging. Let's hope that things will be different - in a positive way - this time around!
Having to jump thru hoops to maybe get MY money back on a time sensitive amex card is such a turn off for me that I am certain I will not buy anything from Canon's Holiday 2013 promo.
I just say NO Thank You to ALL mail away & pray rebate schemes.
Give me instant cash off at point of sale or do without my business.
I got an Amex $400 gift card less than a month after cutting boxes and filling some forms. Soon as the card arrived, called B&H, ordered an iPad Mini Retina.
I received my rebate for the Pro-100 printer-paper combo in about 3 weeks. I also followed the rebate instructions very carefully and used certified mail to to submit. Never had a problem with Canon rebates in the past either.
They are not mutually exclusive are they? Can't you give credit where credit due? Yes, there have been rebates gone awry. Not sure if Canon's or third party administrators fault. But, this time they got it right. So kudos or praise for a properly working system. I prefer to have a glass half full mentality. Your mileage may vary.
