coupon ping
The ones I’ve seen are something like debit cards, can be used most anywhere. Read the fine print, some of them lose their value over time.
Looks like most of the rebates on their website are with pre-paid Visa cards, which can be used anywhere that accepts Visa. I looked at one of the forms for the rebate and it stated it’s good for 120 days plus whatever days are still in the month it’s issued. YMMV.
bttt
I’ll give you $20 for it...........
If it is a Visa cash card call Visa as soon as you get the card, DO NOT USE THE CARD, then have them transfer the value to your bank account.
If you use the card even once, they will NOT transfer the remaining amount and you are stuck trying to figure out the math to burn up every penny. The big card companies will not let you swipe a card with $2 remaining on a $5 item unless you pay cash FIRST for what would be the difference.
I found this out in 2009 when I bought three new phones from Verizon and got $50 back for each phone. When I purchased phones before I received checks but now they automatically send cards unless you specifically ask for checks.
I bought a new set of tires from Discount Tire last year for my Jeep and got a $60 rebate. It was in the form of a check I got about 6 weeks later from BF Goodrich.
Even with the rebate you would virtually always do better by buying tires online and having them shipped to an installer. Sometimes chains like Walmart list closeout tires online that aren’t in their stores — I just saved $50/tire over any in-store price and still had free shipping and free mounting.
Merchant’s Tire & Auto is doing the same here, it’s a prepaid debit card, spend it on whatever you want. How that’s better for them than just knocking the price off the tires or service is another matter.
Demographics and product preference data sold to some marketing database company, probably. Watch your mail and e-mail if you didn’t decline, maybe even telemarketing if you’re not on the do not call list. That will tell the story.
If you can use it anywhere, I recommend spending it quickly. Some of these cards are set up to begin losing value after a relatively short amount of time. Use it to pay for your groceries, fill up your gas tank, etc., so that you use it quickly, before it loses any value.
Wait, a cash card? Like a Visa gift card?
I bought some tires at Discount maybe 4-5 months ago, and got a $40 rebate. It took them a good 8 weeks to send it, but it was a check for $40. Deposited straight to my bank account.
A couple years ago I bought some very expensive tires and received a rebate card. I used most of it for groceries. I checked the balance and used the rest for gasoline.
I’d have preferred a cheaper price or a cash rebate but I take what I can get.
I got a $30 rebate just like that in the form of a Visa card when I bought my wife’s cell phone. I used it right away at a gas station to buy gasoline so, yeah, its just like cash.
My personal problem with rebates is that you are taxed (sales tax) on the original amount of the products even though you’ve only truly expended a fraction of the full amount. Then, when you spend the gift cert, you’ll surely be taxed again on that amount. Kinda crappy, if you ask me.
I got $120 rebate for a set of tires I bought at Pep Boys in February.
Make the clerk who sold you the tires fill out the paperwork for you. If there’s one mistake, they’ll kick it back to you. Then make copies of everything.
Tick-tock. You’ll get postcard saying your rebate is being processed, and they’ll give you a website and a number you can track your rebate on. Make sure you do it; I think if you don’t click on it, it’s another “weeder” and they won’t process your rebate. They are relying that if they set up enough hurdles, most people will get tired of jumping at some point in the process.
Then after several weeks, you’ll finally get a “debit” card in the mail. Call the number immediately to activate and use it ASAP. And use it all in one purchase. (More on that in a minute...)
I bought some meat to stick in freezer. When I swiped the card, of course it didn’t work, embarrassing me in front of line of impatient customers. Fortunately for me, the clerk explained that even though these cards say “debit” on the front, they are processed at the point of purchase like a “credit” card. She knew what numbers to punch in, and I got my groceries.
She also told me that, even though I had about twelve bucks left on the card, it would probably never work again. You have to know the exact amount left on the card to use it again, and most clerks don’t know how to process them anyway.
I would never let the promise of a rebate be the deciding factor in any purchase, because odds are it’s impossible to collect. It was an unbelievable hassle.
I’m guessing it’s a very small percentage of people who actually get their money. What a crooked way to do business.
I got a $100 rebate on a set of tires for Mrs. Slim’s car from them. They send you a $100 prepaid Visa card good for about 6 months. After activating it on the web (easy) you just use it like a regular Visa. It took about 3 weeks to arrive.
We got our Discount Tire rebate yesterday! Spent!