[geeks] Rebates

[Chad McAuley]

Lionel Peterson wrote:
> 
> If an item is available from one retailer for, say, $100 with a $20 rebate 
> (effective price is $80) and the same part is available from a different 
> vendor for $90 without a rebate, which would you buy from? What is the 
> threshold for deciding to go with the rebate part? 
> 
> Lionel

In that specific case, definitely the $90 vendor if we're talking retail 
stores.  Online vendors I could go either way, depending on shipping 
charges.  In general though, I don't mess with rebates much unless the 
price before rebate is what I'd be willing to pay for the item anyway 
(which in my experience with retail stores usually requires a 
combination of instant and mail-in rebates).  That way, if I forget to 
send off the rebate (which has happened before) or they reject it for 
some BS reason (which hasn't happened yet, knock on wood) then I've 
still purchased the item for a price that's reasonable to me.