[Macola]

I recently purchased Office 2004 from CompUSA online, with the promise of a $50 mail-in rebate. After examining every piece of packaging for the UPC code, the only thing I could find with *any* barcodes at all was the MS Certificate of Authenticity. I didn't want to send that in, so I called CompUSA customer service to see if they'd accept a copy. After explaining the situation to the rep, I was dumped right back into the phone queue. Called again, same thing happened. E-mailed them, received a boilerplate reply that indicated they hadn't even read my message.

So, has anyone actually had a positive experience with CompUSA customer service? They may be on my boycott list pretty soon.

[DeathToWindows]

CompUSA has been on my boycott list for several years

[mitchell_pgh]

I've purchased a few things from them... the rebates are rebates. It's them trying to trick the lazy people in to thinking that they are getting a good deal knowing that less then 40% of them actually send them in.

[buffalolee]

I went there to buy some thermal grease for a CPU heatsink.

$10 = @ CompUSA. Nice looking metalic grease
$2 = @ Radio Shack. Should work just as well. Beige color.

CompUSA can be overpriced.

[Macola]

Originally posted by buffalolee:

CompUSA can be overpriced.

Agreed. I usually buy from Newegg, but this time figured I would save some cash with the rebate. Big mistake...

[mitchell_pgh]

They are overpriced, but I was able to get a 250GB HD for around $99 ($30 instant rebate and $40 mail in)

But I had to tell the guy at the check out that it had a $30 instant rebate...

[hotani]

I don't call them CompuRebate for nothing. Everything *looks* good because it has all this "original price -Rebate1 -Rebate2 -1st Born Son...." crap attached to it. Just sell me the thing and pick a reasonable price, why do we have to play a game? I fawkin hate rebates and won't even bother. I'd rather pay a couple dollars more to not have to send in a rebate.

[malvolio]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
They are overpriced, but I was able to get a 250GB HD for around $99 ($30 instant rebate and $40 mail in)

But I had to tell the guy at the check out that it had a $30 instant rebate...

A deal like that would be the only thing that could get me into a CrapUSA.
Check out ZipZoomfly. It's my new favorite on-line source of computer stuff.
They consistently have the lowest price on the price comparison sites. And they have FREE FedEx 2nd-day shipping on many items.
In the past month I bought a LaCie 250 GB Firewire HD and a 16x double-layer-capable DVD±R/RW drive from them.

[Mr Kino]

here is a fairly decent read about rebates. But i have noticed that CompUSA is the king of rebates. My friend got suckered into a free printer (after mail in rebate) when he bought his ibook. he sent everything in and never got it.



http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article...,114150,00.asp

[hotani]

I think a lot of people that fall for the rebate game fail to realize that their time and effort is worth something too. Read the last page of that article posted above (great read btw) and think about the hassle of that process for a moment. I would pay another $20 to NOT have to deal with it.

[iMOTOR]

I've always wondered if you could start an electronics store and offer reasonable prices without rebates. Or do electronics vendors make stores sell products with rebates?

[Macola]

Good article by PCWorld. I just registered a suitable domain name with a plan of setting up a grassroots-type site to encourage others to "just say no" to rebates. I don't know if it will help, but at least it makes me feel better

[malvolio]

Originally posted by Macola:
I just registered a suitable domain name with a plan of setting up a grassroots-type site to encourage others to "just say no" to rebates. I don't know if it will help, but at least it makes me feel better

Link?

[mustardman]