Canon Rebate Shady Behaviour

illuminati919 · December 27, 2006

Does anyone know any discount codes for online stores, I am looking to buy a Canon 17-40L a little cheaper then regular. Anyone know a code for BH Photo for this month by any chance ?

****mod edit: this started as a request for some deal codes in Flea Market, but has turned into a rebate debate, so it's been moved to Big Picture 1.04.2007****

****and then merged with the "Shady Behavior" thread, as we're discussing the EXACT same thing****

douglas · December 28, 2006

illuminati919 wrote:

Does anyone know any discount codes for online stores, I am looking to buy a Canon 17-40L a little cheaper then regular. Anyone know a code for BH Photo for this month by any chance ?

DigitalFoto has it for $651.89 + $6.99 budget shipping.
And the canon rebate for $45.00 until 1-14-06

dogwood · December 28, 2006

douglas wrote:

And the canon rebate for $45.00 until 1-14-06

If you can get the canon rebate. And trust me-- you'll be fighting for this one. They have a company called Young America handling their rebates this time around and they're notorious for "keying errors" and losing your UPC codes and telling you your paperwork was wrong and anything else to get out of issuing you your rebate.

It's so bad, several state attorney generals (Mass. & Iowa) are suing them over their fraudulent rebate process.

Yeah, I've gotten previous Canon rebates no problem-- this time 'round I've been through the ringer :cry (they owe me $800 but decided I was only eligible for $50-- until I called them and they miraculously "found" the missing UPC codes they claimed I hadn't sent).

The Canon forums over on dpreview are full of similar (and worse) tales about this particular rebate. So what I'm saying is-- don't factor the rebate into your total cost. Even if you qualify and follow the steps EXACTLY-- you still may never get it.

illuminati919 · December 29, 2006

Thanks guys. Looks like DigitalFoto would be the best way to go.

luckyrwe · December 29, 2006

Next time anyone does a rebate, VIDEO TAPE the process and cover it all, right down to sealign the envelope, then putting it in the mail, and see what you get back. Could be evidence.

wholenewlight · December 29, 2006

luckyrwe wrote:

Next time anyone does a rebate, VIDEO TAPE the process and cover it all, right down to sealign the envelope, then putting it in the mail, and see what you get back. Could be evidence.

And ALWAYS send rebate submissions with signature confirmation - and maybe certified mail if the rebate is a large one.

RandySmugMug · January 1, 2007

luckyrwe wrote:

Next time anyone does a rebate, VIDEO TAPE the process and cover it all, right down to sealign the envelope, then putting it in the mail, and see what you get back. Could be evidence.

make good copies of everything and send registered mail

I have never failed to get a rebate from anyone, sometimes you have to call and then mail the stuff in a 2nd time but it always works.....
Nikon is very fast on theirs...i'm still waiting on 4 canon rebates but i have no doubt i will eventually get them

Dee · January 1, 2007

Canon Rebate Story

RandySmugMug wrote:

make good copies of everything and send registered mail

I have never failed to get a rebate from anyone, sometimes you have to call and then mail the stuff in a 2nd time but it always works.....
Nikon is very fast on theirs...i'm still waiting on 4 canon rebates but i have no doubt i will eventually get them

I bought a printer last November that had a mail-in rebate. I photographed everything and sent the envelope registered. That wasn't the problem. The first check arrived, but my name was spelled wrong.

I went back over my photos, and printed clear as could be my name was easy to read. Sent an e-mail and they told me they canceled the check and would send me another. After a wait of a month or so I received the replacement check. This check, too, had my name spelled incorrectly! I immediately e-mailed them, and was told I'd have to wait a month, and then e-mail them again. I did that, and e-mailed them again. Again, they told me not to cash the check as they canceled it and would be issuing a new check. At this point I can't remember if it was the third or the fourth check that finally arrived with my name correctly spelled! It was an interesting adventure.

At least, I did, finally, get my $20 rebate check. Can you imagine how much it cost them to cancel and re-issue checks for me?

Oh, and then my printer "died" -- overflow ink error message, and instead of repairing it, I got a brand new printer.

Did I mention, or could you possibly guess, I HATE rebates! And, I have another one to submit for my CF card.

Oh, the other rebates I submitted (to two different manufacturers) arrived in a timely manner with my name spelled correctly.

illuminati919 · January 1, 2007

People buy computers at my store which usually have like 8 mail in rebates, I bet not even half of them come back to the customer, one of the biggest marketing schemes ever in my opinion.

ian408 · January 1, 2007

illuminati919 wrote:

People buy computers at my store which usually have like 8 mail in rebates, I bet not even half of them come back to the customer, one of the biggest marketing schemes ever in my opinion.

It is. And usually, they want originals for everything meaning you're screwed
if something requires repair and they want the receipt...ugh.

There are a few folks that will give you the rebate up front which is very
nice.

controld · January 2, 2007

Canon Rebate Shady Behaviour
Not sure if this is the right forum - but I felt compelled to share this.

Before I start pouring on the negativity - let me say that I ordered from B&H and those guys were great. It was my first time using them and I have since returned several times.

I purchased a large volume of Canon gear in December, in part due to the double rebate program being offered. I received a postcard (which I almost tossed as junk mail) stating that the rebate submission was missing warranty card copies.

Then the next day I received a partial cheque. The balance missing is potentially the combination of 2 or 3 products, but there is no information on either the cheque or the post card as to what item they are rejecting. *All* warranty cards were photocopied onto 2 pieces of paper to reduce the risk of something going missing so for there to be only 203 items missing when there were 4 copies per page is not possible. Further more - all UPC codes were stapled to one sheet of paper for similar reasons. I couldn't have made it easier for them.

I called the toll free number on the post card and was put on hold for 15 minutes, which I spent reading posts on consumeraffairs.com of stories identical to mine, with most people never receiving resolution. Not encouraging. Finally the rep on the phone returned to say that she had processed the missing dollar amount (which she got from me at the start) and I should receive that in 30 days. This, of course, will be past the rebate window, so if I don't I am not sure what my options are.

It appears to me this is a 3rd party that Canon has contracted rebates out to - so I can't say they are being willfully deceitful, but based on the volume of complaints I read online it seems they are at least turning a blind eye to very shady activity running under their brand.

Has anyone else had issues in receiving the full rebate amount from Canon on a purchase? Is this the behaviour of a 3rd party and are Canon and B&H aware of this pattern of behaviour? Just curious...

- Mike

claudermilk · January 2, 2007

I have not messed with Canon's rebates myself (missed the window by a couple of days

), however have read many, many, many posts regarding the same issues. From reading those, here is what I've gathered: Yes, they use a 3rd party. Yes, the 3rd party place likes to play stupid games. Yes, if you keep after them & keep sending more copies the check will eventually show up.

Your story is about the same as I've read before & expect to read a bunch of similar ones again.

DoctorIt · January 2, 2007

there's been some discussion about this in this thread:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=50087

controld · January 2, 2007

I find it disappointing that Canon would allow this to continue if that is the case. It has certainly dampened my enthusiasm for their products. Especially when you consider the range of Canon mount lenses available from Sigma and friends. My next lens purchase will take this into account.

- Mike

controld · January 2, 2007

dogwood wrote:

If you can get the canon rebate. And trust me-- you'll be fighting for this one. They have a company called Young America handling their rebates this time around and they're notorious for "keying errors" and losing your UPC codes and telling you your paperwork was wrong and anything else to get out of issuing you your rebate.

It's so bad, several state attorney generals (Mass. & Iowa) are suing them over their fraudulent rebate process.

Yeah, I've gotten previous Canon rebates no problem-- this time 'round I've been through the ringer :cry (they owe me $800 but decided I was only eligible for $50-- until I called them and they miraculously "found" the missing UPC codes they claimed I hadn't sent).

The Canon forums over on dpreview are full of similar (and worse) tales about this particular rebate. So what I'm saying is-- don't factor the rebate into your total cost. Even if you qualify and follow the steps EXACTLY-- you still may never get it.

I have a post over in Cameras about my experience so far in trying to get my rebate. They short changed me $170 and now claim to be sending it. We shall see - but as mentioned above - be prepared for a hassle in getting your rebate.

- Mike

dogwood · January 2, 2007

RandySmugMug wrote:

make good copies of everything and send registered mail

I have never failed to get a rebate from anyone, sometimes you have to call and then mail the stuff in a 2nd time but it always works.....
Nikon is very fast on theirs...i'm still waiting on 4 canon rebates but i have no doubt i will eventually get them

Randy:

Make sure to check the status of your canon rebate (www.web-rebates.com/canon). That's where I noticed they weren't planning to issue the full rebate and luckily I caught it in time.

Trust me folks-- the rebate issue is being discussed over on dpreview in a big way (check any of the Canon forums). There are MANY, MANY people submitting absolutely everything correctly, yet the folks handling the rebate (Young America) still find a "keying error" or something else wrong. A couple of phone calls and a lot of time on hold and somehow it usually turns out you really did submit everything correctly.

Canon dropped the ball on this one, no doubt about it. I understand why rebates are attractive to Canon, but this time around there are simply too many tales of "key error" and "missing UPC codes". I've yet to hear or read about ANYONE who has not had to call and complain and be put on hold multiple times in order to recieve the proper rebate (and calling is not one of the required steps for the rebate).

RandySmugMug · January 4, 2007

dogwood wrote:

Randy:

Make sure to check the status of your canon rebate (www.web-rebates.com/canon). That's where I noticed they weren't planning to issue the full rebate and luckily I caught it in time.

Trust me folks-- the rebate issue is being discussed over on dpreview in a big way (check any of the Canon forums). There are MANY, MANY people submitting absolutely everything correctly, yet the folks handling the rebate (Young America) still find a "keying error" or something else wrong. A couple of phone calls and a lot of time on hold and somehow it usually turns out you really did submit everything correctly.

Canon dropped the ball on this one, no doubt about it. I understand why rebates are attractive to Canon, but this time around there are simply too many tales of "key error" and "missing UPC codes". I've yet to hear or read about ANYONE who has not had to call and complain and be put on hold multiple times in order to recieve the proper rebate (and calling is not one of the required steps for the rebate).

thx...I have been checking it weekly...i read about these scams for years...the contracted companies eliminate a certain % thinking the submitter will blow it off.....

i just checked and my $250 is in the mail....i guess that's a 'the checks in the mail'...at least the amount is correct

I have a 2nd one in step 1...

I wonder if Canon knows how much better Nikon is at this....I usually get my Nikon rebates in 4 weeks

BeachBill · January 4, 2007

On the subject of rebates (we should really take this discussion elsewhere), nowadays I only buy rebated items at Staples. Their easy online rebate system is the best. No photocopies, no mailing anything, simpe online form, no mistakes caused by someone transcribing your information to their computer, etc.

But as another poster said, I too try to shop around for the instant discount deals.

Cason · January 4, 2007

I agree.

Because everytime I see that this thread is updated I'm hoping to see a code for Jan07 on BHPhoto. Then I read another entry about rebates...

DoctorIt · January 4, 2007

RTP wrote:

I agree.

Because everytime I see that this thread is updated I'm hoping to see a code for Jan07 on BHPhoto. Then I read another entry about rebates...

I agree with you... off it goes.

this is the BH code thread (here), I'd like to just keep one, rather than have someone make a new thread each time.

surly · January 4, 2007

those buggers
I phoned Canon today. I have seen my rebate as "processing" on the web-rebate site multiple times only to disapear later. Calling them and speaking to a "manager" didnt help.
Canon is supposed to call back in 48 hours.
Its 830 bucks that I wont stop fighting for but I wont be sucked in by rebates again. Heck Staples owes me $200 as well and its been a while from them too

danejasper · January 5, 2007

surly wrote:

I phoned Canon today. I have seen my rebate as "processing" on the web-rebate site multiple times only to disapear later. Calling them and speaking to a "manager" didnt help.
Canon is supposed to call back in 48 hours.
Its 830 bucks that I wont stop fighting for but I wont be sucked in by rebates again. Heck Staples owes me $200 as well and its been a while from them too

I just put together my submission package and am sending it off now - with confirmed delivery. They owe me $230 worth of rebates, so I want to make sure that I get them!

-Dane

David_S85 · January 5, 2007

When I am ready to send in a rebate, I arrange the forms, UPC's, and everything that's going into the envelope (including the addressed envelope) all together and take a picture of this grouping.

I don't put a stamp on the envelope.

I take it to the post office window, request a metered label which has the date and proper postage, I then take another picture of the envelope again as they are about to send it off.

That way, if ever there's a dispute, there is no way they can argue that I didn't include a required item, or fill it out properly, or mail it in time, or address it to the wrong address.

It takes several additional minutes to do it this way, but it is several additional minutes well spent.

sirsloop · January 5, 2007

Did you pre-qualify for the items on the website prior to mailing in the papers? I personally don't trust some random person to go through 203 papers and get it correct. If they get your letter and already have YOUR list on the website, then all they need to do is go through sheet by sheet and check things off. It sounds like you had quite a large purchase! HA!

As far as rebates go... ehh... I don't like them. Fact is, I'd still buy the stuff WITHOUT the rebates so getting them is certianly nice. I'm sure they do thousands of these rebates correctly and we always hear about the few that get screwed up. I suppose its the way they handle their inevitable errors that counts

controld · January 5, 2007

Surly/Dane - Hang in there and keep on them in this case. Their web tracker claims my missing amount is approved now - but not mailed. Interesting that it could be approved after a phone call when the postcard stated I was missing documentation (which they never asked about when I called).

David - Good advice for future consideration... although if they set their mind to screwing you I'm not sure even that would help.

Sirsloop - I'd love to give them the benefit of the doubt, but based on the sheer volume and similarity of the complaints on forums like consumeraffairs.com and dpreview.com (plus the two pending state class action suits) it seems evident this is standard business practice for these Young America clowns that handle these rebates. Canon's handling of this is irresonsible in my opinion. Promising a rebate and then expecting people to feel fortunate if they get it is not legitemate.

- Mike

XHawkeye · January 5, 2007

Last spring I sent my rebate and got my money 11 weeks later.

This fall I sent my rebate but got no web site or email confirmation that they received it. USPS says they did and I did prequalify. Called and was told it's in "processing" stage. Have to wonder if they're telling me that to get me off the phone. They've had the rebate 10 weeks so we'll see.

My rebate is only $50 (on a 70-200 2.8 IS) but I feel for those with triple rebates.

wxwax · January 5, 2007

I avoid rebates, based on the hassles I've read about. Not worth it to me.

Sam · January 5, 2007

Canon unfortunately has allowed them selves to get sucked into the rebate quagmire. While many fine manufactures may not actively want to participate, there are not many companies who have the courage and character to cease this dishonest, and fraudulent practice.

I will clearly state, “ Manufactures rebates are a SCAM! One definition of scam is to cheat or swindle as in a confidence game.

Of course the stupidity and greed of the American public continually demonstrates to these same companies that the scam works, and increases sales, and profits. Can you even in a drug-induced euphoria imagine a CEO going into a board of directors meeting and saying, “yes our profits are up 16% this quarter due to the rebate program, but I believe it’s an unethical business practice and am going to discontinue the rebates?” Faster than a politician taking money there would be an opening for a new CEO.

No major manufactures would voluntarily debate this statement in a court of law or on say a national TV program, or any large forum. They know the outcome, and it’s not good for them.

Sam

windoze · January 5, 2007

i know that a lot of people complain about canon's rebates. There are many forums with threads crying foul about the canon / young america on how they handle rebates. personally, i have never had a problem with canon's rebates. I ALWAYS PREQUALIFY my rebates on the rebate website. They ask for very specific documents, and sometimes people send the wrong "portion" of the warranty card. I always send certified mail. I know this doesnt make your situation any better, i just wanted to point out that The Canon Rebate Program has always worked in my case.
So if anyone from CANON is reading here... you can always "reward" me for my kind words......

troy

aktse · January 5, 2007

For some reason, I decided to check on my canon rebate status while away at Christmas. To my surprise, the web site listed that I had TWO errors! The web page listed that I was missing the copy of the card and the UPC system. I freaked out, but couldn't do anything until I went home and verified that I had the copies.

When I got home, I saw that I not only did everything correctly, but also pre-qualified when I submited and taped on the UPC system. I was going to wait until I got the rejection card in the mail, but after reading the threads the other day, I decided to give them a call.

https://www.web-rebates.com/canon/CIWC-FA05/faq.asp

I think "they" optically scan everything that you send them. The idiot that I spoke with was able to resolve all issues and my check is on its way to me; he seemed to know that I taped the UPC onto the form itself. I don't know what number is on the reject post card, but I recommend the one that is listed in the FAQ. Everything was resolved within 10 mintue (including waiting time), and most of the time was spent correcting him since he couldn't add correctly! I can't be too mad at him... my check is on it's way according to the status.

ballentphoto · January 5, 2007

It seems to have bitten the people that bought the 5D that were trying to get the $500 rebate. On the 5D forum on DPReview they are raving mad about the whole mess. UPC codes showing up as invalid and taking a loooonnnnggg time to get the rebates sent to them and often times (at least with the people that are posting) less than anticipated. Seems like the Young America company is really fouling up and in the end messing with Canon's reputation. I really hope those people get their rebates.

I had considered a 5D when I learned about the rebate, but with all the issues I heard about I am glad that I did not bite

Canon Rebate Shady Behaviour

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