Hewlett Packard HP Cashback offer is just a trick to entice you to buy London, UK Nationwide

Finding myself needing a new printer in February 2015 I looked at a number of makes and models, amongst which I liked most a Hewlett Packard one but it was a bit over my budget. However, I found mention of a £40 Cashback offer if I bought direct from HP, although there was conflicting information online as to when the offer ended. Some pages said 31 January, some said 30 April.

At this point the complexities of dealing with HP should have warned me off them. If you look for information on their web pages you find yourself going round and round in circles, likewise if you try to find out how to contact them. Eventually I found a suitable phone number whose operative confirmed the offer had been extended to 30 April, and I was given another number to call for re-confirmation.

I ordered the HP printer as it was now more affordable to me. Delivery was prompt, and I heeded the advice to register it, doing this the following day. No invoice was received, I had to email HP to ask for one, and there was no further information about the Cashback, but I felt sure I would be contacted. When this did not happen, I uneasily searched again for information online, where I found nothing concrete, just vague suggestions that one had up to 60 days to claim.

Eventually I started sending emails of enquiry to HP, the replies to these always directed me to different departments until one day I was given the phone number for printer cashback, where a man told me I should have registered for the Cashback. The one I had completed was just to register the product, it seems. This was news to me, but there was little response to my remark that my psychic powers must have deserted me. (I must add here that I have not spoken to anyone on a HP phone number whose first language was English.)

Following his advice, I emailed full details which, I was told, would be presented to the head of department for consideration. By return of email 5 days later, I was informed there were "rules and regulations to the promotion" as detailed in an attached 5-page pdf of T&Cs, and I had not met the terms of contract as I was now outside the registration period. My further email of protest has not been replied to, they appear to have chosen to ignore it.

So don't be taken in by any such offer, take the higher price as being what the goods will cost you, for it is my opinion that they intentionally set out to make it as difficult as possible for you to get any Cashback.