Things have slowed down a bit here at work, so I used some time this morning to follow up on overdue rebates. Rebates are great and I absolutely love them since they often allow me to get stuff at much better deals than I otherwise could find, but you have to keep on top of them and follow up when necessary (see my list of rebate collection tips) I had three companies on my hit list, and here is the status on each:

American Telecom (ATS): This is one that I let go on for way too long. I am owed two rebates totaling $30 for a cordless phone package I purchased from Office Depot on Black Friday 2006. I contacted the company initially in March 2007 and was told I needed to activate a prepaid calling card or some other gimmick in the box. I had already done this, but fine, I called and “reactivated” the card and contacted them again to let them know it had been done.

Fast forward to September 2007 - I still didn’t have my money, so I try calling the customer service number on the rebate forms. It’s been disconnected! I then look up the manufacturer online and send an email to their customer service. I get a note back a couple of days later stating that they no longer use the original rebate processor and were now fulfilling those rebates from their corporate office. I was assured that my information would be forwarded to the appropriate department and I would be paid.

Well, it is now late February 2008 and I still don’t have my money. The next logical step for me is to file a BBB complaint, which I did this morning. If that doesn’t work, on to the AG’s office it will be.

Buy.com/M2 Processing: I should have known there would be an issue with this since Buy.com was involved (see the Connect3D fiasco, which has still not been resolved). To use the pitiful $10 gift certificate they issued me for complaining about the Connect3D rebates they screwed me on, I purchased a little tool set that was $10 with free shipping. During the checkout, they had an offer for a free magazine subscription or $10 rebate to be fulfilled by M2 Processing as a thank you for making a purchase. I don’t need any more magazines lying around my house, so I opted for the rebate and sent in my form and documentation. This was in late October, and as of this date I still don’t have my money.

There is no contact information on the rebate form, but thanks to the fine folks in the forums over at SD I was able to find email addresses for M2 Processing, and I still had the email for buy.com from the Connect3D fiasco. I sent off an email demanding payment within 14 days. I just sent the email so no response yet. For anyone else waiting for this rebate, here are the email addresses I used:

• hordway@m2mags.com
• service@m2mediagroup.com
• support@customerservice.buy.com

Atdec: This one was from a free after rebate flat screen TV mount I bought from MacMall.com last October. I actually bought both a flush mount and a tilt mount (different rebates, but both free) and received my rebate for the flush mount but not for the tilt mount. I called the customer service number after I found on their website no record of my submission and they took my submission info over the phone. They said it would be 6-8 weeks before I get my check, but at this point I am optimistic. The rep I talked to was probably one of the nicest I’ve ever dealt with at a rebate center.

I still have some of the diabetes monitor rebates to follow-up on, but since I have some that are overdue and others that aren’t due yet I will hold off so I can take care of all of those at once. And so the waiting game continues…