Office Depot Falsely Denies Man's Rebate

You know what this is? This is a picture of Dan’s rebate form and UPC code, the very UPC code that whoever does Office Depot’s rebate processing says wasn’t attached to his rebate form. Yes, Daniel is the kind of person who takes pictures of all his rebate materials before sending them in, just in case something like this should occur. Companies love rebates because they can get you to buy something thinking you’re going to get a deal, and then if you fail the rebate process, they still get to keep all your money. Even if you do everything right, they still might deny it. Why? Because the rebate company has a certain quota, their contractually agreed upon “redemption rate” of rebates to deny that they have to meet. If too many legitimate rebates get in, guess they have to “figure out” ways to meet their numbers. Inside, the correspondence between Office Depot and Dan and a full-sized pic of his rebate and UPC code…

brotherrebatebig.jpg

Thank you for visiting the Office Depot Mail In Savings Center. Our records indicate that the submission we received was missing one or more of the required items. We want to ensure that you receive your rebate so we’ve placed your file on hold and we mailed you a notice on 3/28/2008 indicating: Your submission did not include a UPC bar code from a valid Brother Product.

To ensure that you have ample opportunity to send in the missing information, we’re holding your file open. Would you please forward the copy of the UPC barcode to the special handling address below? Please be sure to keep a copy for your records.

Office Depot Mail-In Savings Center
Attention: Resubmit Department
PO Box 317006
El Paso, TX 88531-7006

Or by fax to:

Office Depot Mail-In Savings Center
Attention: Resubmit Department
#1-866-238-3145

Upon receipt, we will apply the missing documents to your file, and re-attempt to process your rebate. Please feel free to check the status online in approximately 2-3 weeks after you send the information back to us. If you have any questions, or do not see a change in status within that tie frame, please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone at 866-541-0284.

Sincerely,

Natalie O.

Customer Care

Dan replied:

Please review the originally submitted paperwork again. The card I received from you states that I did not include the UPC code. This is not true. The code was physically attached to the upper right hand corner of the rebate form. I have pictures of the form and the UPC code attached to it, taken before mailing. If you’d like to review them I can forward them to you through e-mail.

I feel that you need to bring into compliance whoever you contract your rebate processing to. What is being done to your customers is ILLEGAL. While I took pictures and have documentation, I’m sure that many people do not, to them your lies cost money.

I will forward a copy of this letter to http://www.consumerist.com to be placed on the site as a warning to other shoppers who are considering making a purchase at Office Depot.

Sincerely,

Dan V.

Instead of calling it a rebate they should just call it a lottery game.

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