Guide & Help
Table of Contents
Introduction
Are free-after-rebate deals 100% free?
How companies can give away free stuff — and how to make sure you get yours
Following the instructions to the letter
Finding the rebate form you need
Redeeming several free-after-rebate items in a single order
For Canadian residents: Can you get rebates and free shipping in Canada?
Getting the rebate form envelope postmarked by the final date
If you haven't received your rebate within the appropriate time frame
Inaccurate information
How many people end up really getting their rebates?
Problems with the links at FreeAfterRebate.info
If you were denied a rebate
Rebate questions and problems
Legal disclaimer
Conclusion
Welcome to FreeAfterRebate.info!
Everyone loves free stuff. (And almost-free stuff ain't bad, either.) FreeAfterRebate.info points you to free and almost-free deals from respected online merchants. How? The merchandise you buy ends up being free after you send in for a rebate.
The process is quite simple. You pay full price for at item up front and, after you receive it, follow the instructions to submit the rebate materials. (This generally involves filling out a rebate form and mailing the required rebate materials to an address on the form or instructions.) Some time later (usually about six to eight weeks) you'll receive a rebate check reimbursing you for all or much of the cost of the item. FreeAfterRebate.info specializes in listing products with rebates that reimburse you for 100% of the purchase price (excluding sales tax and shipping fees), as well as some almost-free deals ($5 or less).
We at FreeAfterRebate.info only post new deals after we've had a chance to look at them ourselves. Because we do our best to list actual deals (as opposed to rumors), our users trust FreeAfterRebate.info to be a solid source of deal information.
Are free-after-rebate deals 100% free?
Nothing in life is free, right? Unfortunately, this is true, even with the "free after rebate" deals listed here at FreeAfterRebate.info. Most deals have a small price tag, such as sales tax, shipping fees, the postage stamp on the rebate materials envelope, and your time filling out the rebate form — although there is a lot to be said for saving the time and transportation costs of purchasing products in brick-and-mortar stores.
Still, smart shoppers can get super deals on these products. In addition, you may be able to get free shipping by adding something else you need — such as a printer cartridge or office supplies — to your order to reach the minimum amount for free delivery. Indeed, many of our users rely on FreeAfterRebate.info as a resource for "padding" the purchase orders they were planning to make anyway in order to get the free shipping.
How companies can give away free stuff — and how to make sure you get yours
Companies that offer rebates know that most people don't actually bother to send in for the rebate. We've read that redemption rate statistics are from 10 to 30% — the exact number doesn't matter, because they won't apply to you. If you buy a product with a rebate, commit yourself to applying for that rebate. Print the rebate form at the time you place the order and put it where it won't get lost. As soon as the product arrives, open the box, cut out the UPC code, fill out the rebate form, and affix a stamp on the envelope.
The other statistic they don't want you to know about is the percentage of rebate applications that are denied for one reason or another. To prevent yours from suffering that fate, be sure to follow the instructions on the rebate form to the letter. This means including all of the materials it demands: usually your receipt, the UPC code from the product package, and the rebate form. If it asks for the original receipt, don't send a photocopy.
Keep a copy of all the materials that you submit for your records. It will be the only record you have if something goes wrong.
The form will give an estimate of how long it may take to receive the rebate — six to eight weeks is a common turnaround time. By law, companies are required to send rebates within the time frame promised, or if no time is specified, within 30 days.
Mark your calendar, and if the funds haven't arrived at the end of the maximum possible time, contact the rebate fulfillment company about the problem (armed with your copies of the form, UPC code, and sales receipt.) You might want to use Rebate Tracker, a useful web site that helps keep track of which rebate payments remain outstanding.
When getting any kind of deal like this, the most important thing is to read the fine print very carefully. Often you can see the rebate forms right on the web site (usually in PDF format). If the fine print is confusing or contradicts fine print elsewhere, consider contacting the company's customer service to ask for clarification before making your purchase.
Following the instructions to the letter
To ensure that you receive your rebate, it's important to read the fine print on all rebate instructions:
- Purchase the rebated product within the allowed range of dates and before the rebate expiration date.
- Complete the rebate form carefully. Send in all required paperwork (rebate form, original receipts, UPC or proof-of-purchase codes, etc.), and make sure to send it to the correct address within the allowed time frame after purchasing the rebated product. Scan or photocopy paperwork before sending original materials, and write down merchant contact information.
- Some product manufacturers require the original receipt, which means that you may not be able to recover rebates on more than one purchase in a single order.
- Carefully read the fine print before combining rebates with promotional coupons — some merchants don't allow coupon- or rebate-combining.
Finding the rebate form you need
Many rebate forms — though not all — are included in the product box. Others appear online, either at the merchant site or the product manufacturer's (such as Symantec's rebate form page). We strongly recommend that you print out the rebate forms — as well as save a copy of the rebate form web page, PDF file, or image to your local drive — before making your purchase. While it doesn't happen often, some bargain shoppers have assumed that if a rebate form is online, it'll still be there when they check later — but come back only to find it mysteriously missing. (Amazon.com, for instance, is notorious for the Disappearing Rebate Form act.)
Although we often link to online rebate forms as a service to our users, we don't store rebate forms at FreeAfterRebate.info. If you don't have the rebate form you need, please contact the merchant or product manufacturer directly. You can find their contact information on their web sites, often in their "Contact" or "Help" sections, or sometimes at the bottom of their home pages.
When attempting to redeem several free-after-rebate items in a single order, proceed with caution
Purchasing several free-after-rebate items in a single order from the same merchant or product manufacturer generally isn't a good idea. Most rebates require that you submit the original receipt to qualify. The original-receipt requirement is a method of keeping customers from buying only free-after-rebate merchandise. Since you get one receipt, this effectively prevents you from qualifying for more than one rebate. (Here's a possible exception: every time we've ordered from OfficeMax, we received two original receipts, allowing us to get two rebates per order. Your mileage may vary.)
If you absolutely must have two free-after-rebate items, first make sure there isn't a one-rebate-per-person rule; then buy the two items in two separate orders.
For Canadian residents: Can you get rebates and free shipping in Canada?
The best way to find out whether you can get a rebate in Canada is to look at the rebate form if it's available online — or contact the merchant or manufacturer directly if it isn't. We've seen many rebate forms that contain rebate amounts in Canadian dollars, so we know that you should be able to get at least some of these deals. As always, read the fine print on the rebate form carefully and, when in doubt, contact the merchant and manufacturer directly.
Similarly, the "free shipping" deals that merchants sometimes offer may or may not apply to Canadian shoppers so, again, please check the merchant's web site or contact the merchant directly before making your purchase.
Getting the rebate form envelope postmarked by the final date
Some FreeAfterRebate.info users may be reluctant to order something they want because they think they might not be able to get the rebate postmarked by the final date. It may seem that the dates don't extend far enough into the future, bearing in mind that at least 10 days pass by the time a product is ordered and the rebate materials are mailed and received by the rebate fulfillment company.
So how does this work?
Typically there are two dates to be concerned about: the order-by date and the mail-by date. The order-by date is the one that we mention in item listings — something like "Rebate expires on such-and-such date." You need to place the order for the product on or before that date. The mail-by date, which is listed on the rebate redemption form, is usually a week or two (or longer) later. That's the date by which the rebate must be received or postmarked.
Usually, rebates provide plenty of time to place the order, receive it, and send in the required materials. It's smart to check the mail-by date on the rebate redemption form before you order, to make sure there really is enough time.
If you haven't received your rebate within the appropriate time frame
You saved a copy of the rebate form, receipt, and UPC code right? The form may have a URL with which you can check the status of the rebate. Other forms have a phone number to call if there is a problem.
If you believe you are rightfully owed a rebate, be persistent in following up. Some companies are counting on your letting it go. If the rebate never arrives or arrives late, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the state Attorney General, or the Better Business Bureau. (When we hear of a company that consistently doesn't make good on its obligation, we won't list that company's products on the site.)
Most companies don't want or intend to defraud you: if you send in the rebate materials by the deadline and fill out the form correctly, you will receive your rebate.
The old "bait-and-switch" (inaccurate information)
Every once in a while, you might find a deal listed at FreeAfterRebate.info, but the product is no longer available, or the price is now higher than originally listed, or there's no rebate form. This doesn't happen often, because merchants generally want your business and don't want to alienate you with flawed information or changes without notice. But these things do happen sometimes.
We personally look at every deal before posting it on FreeAfterRebate.info, but as a consumer, you should be aware that deals change quickly on the web. Items listed at FreeAfterRebate.info may have expired before the listed expiration date, or may no longer be available. FreeAfterRebate.info often does not update or post new listings more than once a week. We at FreeAfterRebate.info do our best to deliver up-to-date information about free-after-rebate and almost-free deals, but it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure that product pricing is what you expect, that rebates remain in effect, and that you qualify for those rebates.
How many people end up really getting their rebates?
As we mentioned earlier in this guide, it doesn't really matter to you what percentage of rebates are never redeemed, because you won't let yourself become part of what the retail industry calls "breakage"—people failing to apply for their rebate. Breakage, combined with rebate applications that are rejected and checks that are never cashed, accounts for an extra $2 billion or so annually in the pockets of manufacturers, retailers and rebate fulfillment companies. (The $2 billion estimate is from Peter S. Kastner, a director of consulting firm Vericours, quoted in the Nov. 23, 2005 issue of BusinessWeek.)
But in case you're still curious about the numbers and psychology behind rebates, we did a little research on the research. Yes, the topic has been the subject of everything from grad school theses to top-secret company reports.
In a 2005 research paper by professors Dilip Soman and John T. Gourville titled, "The Consumer Psychology of Mail-in Rebates," a three-part study and extensive research and calculations led to a conclusion that, at most, half of rebates are redeemed—and most of those are for the most expensive products.
Even the retail industry itself acknowledges less-than-stellar redemption rates. A study on mail-in rebates by the Promotion Marketing Association, released in May 2005, found that redemption rates were 21.1 percent of total sales.
Why do the rebates go unredeemed? In his 2004 University of Florida marketing doctoral thesis, Timothy Silk found that procrastination, too-tough redemption requirements and losing receipts were officially among the factors to blame for consumers not following through on rebates to which they were entitled.
Now that you know some of the figures and psychology behind rebates, you'll be better armed to tip the rebate scales in your favor.
Problems with the links at FreeAfterRebate.info
Ad blockers and personal firewalls can sometimes prevent you from successfully reaching links to the free-after-rebate products we list. If you have trouble with any of the links, temporarily disable — or better yet, reconfigure — any ad blockers and personal firewalls, reload the FreeAfterRebate.info web page, and try the link again. Another possible source of this problem is that the affiliate (the "gateway" link between FreeAfterRebate.info and the merchants) may be down temporarily — if this is the case, please wait and try it again later.
While we do want FreeAfterRebate.info users to receive timely rebates consistently and reliably, we have no control over the rebate process or the policies of merchants or rebate fulfillment companies, and therefore we assume no responsibility for them.
Rebates may be refused because the rebate fulfillment company does not receive the rebate materials (form, receipt, UPC, etc.) to its satisfaction. Sometimes even a small thing can make a difference, such as including a different name on the rebate form as that on the purchase receipt, or using a P.O. box instead of a street mailing address. Ultimately it's the responsibility of the customer to make sure that the materials submitted meet the requirements for a rebate. Read the fine print. Make photocopies of material you submit.
In addition, while some customers are unfairly burned by the rebate process (which we believe occurs rarely), many more shoot themselves in the foot by not following exact directions. Our policy is to ban those products or companies with a proven negative track record, or at least warn our users of former complaints.
If you run into a problem with your purchase or rebate, your first line of defense is to call the customer service departments at both the merchant and the product manufacturer, whose contact information can be found on their web sites. Make sure to have handy all the necessary paperwork, product data, and purchase information.
Remember, FreeAfterRebate.info is solely an informational service; we do not manufacture, store, or sell products — nor do we manage rebates or investigate problems. The vast majority of our users do receive their rebates in a timely manner — and are happy with their purchases — but for the few who might be experiencing problems, please keep in mind that we have absolutely no control over rebates, rebate requirements or procedures, or products. This is why it's important for you to go directly to the source (the merchant or manufacturer) as soon as possible to find out what's going on with your rebate.
We are not in a position to negotiate or investigate problems on your behalf. The best we can do to help our users is to post warnings on potentially problematic items or to remove listings altogether (which we've done from time to time). If you'd like us to be informed about a problem that you've had with a product, merchant, or rebate for the sake of possibly warning other users at FreeAfterRebate.info, you're welcome to contact us.
To prevent problems in the first place, please make sure to read all the fine print and print out online rebates before making your purchase. Always contact the merchant and manufacturer directly if you have any specific questions. Your careful attention to detail can yield many great freebies and deals.
We personally look at every deal before posting it on FreeAfterRebate.info, but as a consumer, you should be aware that deals change quickly on the web. Items listed at FreeAfterRebate.info may have expired before the listed expiration date, or may no longer be available. FreeAfterRebate.info often does not update or post new listings more than once a week. We at FreeAfterRebate.info do our best to deliver up-to-date information about free-after-rebate and almost-free deals, but it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure that product pricing is what you expect, that rebates remain in effect, and that you qualify for those rebates. FreeAfterRebate.info assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information presented at FreeAfterRebate.info — including misprints or typographical errors — or for products, rebates, rebate requirements or procedures, shipping or other costs, merchant web sites, dates, or anything else outside of the FreeAfterRebate.info web site. FreeAfterRebate.info is not responsible for lost money and does not reimburse or refund under any circumstances. In addition, FreeAfterRebate.info makes no promises to offer guidance or assistance with the rebate process. It is our policy to support only the FreeAfterRebate.info web site, which means that we do not offer technical assistance with other web sites or computer applications. Finally, we at FreeAfterRebate.info reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
Thanks for visiting FreeAfterRebate.info, and we hope you find great deals on products you can use.