[Cube] Compusa-Help

[Morning, A.J.]

Quoth Jim Sofa :

> I recently purchased a computer, monitor and printer
> combo at Compusa.
> The deal was for me to receive rebates.
> I'm owed about $300 or so because Compusa and
> Envision, the Monitor company, said I didn't send the
> barcode with my rebate forms.
> Now, I'm a librarian and know what a barcode is and I
> sent all I thought they needed very carefully.
> Nevertheless, they said they didn't receive the BC
> from the monitor and that I'm out of luck.
> My only mistake was in not making a copy of the BC
> from the monitor, but only because I thought the
> orginal from the box would suffice and that a
> reputable company such as Compusa would pay me my
> rebate.
> So far, only HP (the printer manufacturer) has given
> me my rebate.
> I asking for advice and providing warning to future
> purchases from Compusa.

    I wouldn't necessarily single out CompUSA for this kind of problem. Any
retailer can (and often will) fine-print you out of a rebate if it'll save
'em a buck. While it's quite unethical, the real question is whether what
they're doing is legal. Those who've advised you to call the Better Business
Bureau are right. I'd go a step further, and write to the Congressperson who
represents the district where the store is located. If there's a local TV
station with an "on your side" segment, write to them.

    What I would do first?  Write to CompUSA's corporate address and explain
exactly what's happened, and request that they fulfill their end of the
deal. Always give them a chance to either make you happy and save the day,
OR fill you with retailer-hating rage. It's their call, in that case.


Cheers,
A.J.
--
"...there is more to life than gears and horsepower -
not much, admittedly, but you get the point"
                                                         -- Road Kill