Hewlett-Packard Rebate Ripoff! Internet

In September of 2005, I bought a digital camera and an all in one printer. I learned the hard way buying my complete computer system from HP that I had to jump through hoops to get my rebate which they finally paid after I got quite angry with them, that I had to do my homework, I did. Before I bought my printer and camera from HP shopping I called them and was told, by a very nice lady, what to do exactly and did all that she said to do. After about 3 months I got a letter stating that I hadn't completed the forms correctly so I called them. The lady I talked to said "oh you do have everything we need but your printer isn't on our rebate list" I ask her why because I was told that it was or I wouldn't have bought it. She couldn't tell me exactly so I asked to speak to her supervisor who, very poiitely, told me that my printer had to have a memeory chip in it to qualify. When I told her that the lady I talked to said that it would qualify she just told me that I should have read the form that I got. When I reminded her that I only received that form from HP AFTER I bought the merchandise she didn't say much. She did say that I filled out everything correctly and had more than they needed, and I did. I think it is a shame that a company like HP has to resort to such tactics, they make good stuff so why not just discount the merchanise period. I told her that I would never buy another HP product again, she made no comment. I am now looking for a laptop and in the past I would have just gone online and ordered it from HP but now I won't, I am looking at Dell and IBM. I was a very good customer of HP; I don't think this is a good way to treat good customers or to keep them. Very short term thinking which is quite costly. They might want to think about that.
Thanks, Van Crosby

Van
San Diego, California
U.S.A.