CompUSA Rebate Ripoff Brookfield Wisconsin

TotalActivism,

Let me try to focus on the point. Apparently you feel a need to stick up for the everyday employees. You're right about that. They're the ones at CompUSA that do all the work and handle the products and services while sometimes dealing with jerks. I respect them and the work that they do.

But ask yourself, who makes the policy decisions about how these rebates work -- or don't work? That's the point. Do you think someone at CompUSA headquarters is going to publicly debate the dishonesty that's built into this whole rebate scam? I doubt it. They have the power to say "no more rebates" but they don't do that because they're also raking in their dirty dollars.

You know, it doesn't matter if it's a five dollar rebate or a hundred dollar rebate or a 5 cent rebate. If it's promised, it should be honored. Don't you think so? Yes, my time is valuable as your is. Face it, these rebates are dishonest. That's how these scam artists make their money.

No, I'm not the reason that good employees get burned out. Greedy business scams designed by corrupt corporate execs in their skyscraper penthouses are the reason good employees get burned out.

Anyway, I appreciate your sticking up for the employees at CompUSA or anywere for that matter. But remember there are also corporate EMPLOYERS who need to be held accountable for their ethics or lack thereof.

First let's start with your comments of everyone at CompUSA out to screw you over. This is most likely not the case. You did not get your rebate off the bat, and you deciding to raise hell until you got it. What if you came into the store with your submitted rebate information and asked for help' getting the problem resolved? Would that make the underling that you refer to any less able to help you? (I'm sure your professional position is nowhere near store management level)

You seem like the type of guy that turns not getting your $5 rebate into a capital offense. Managers at stores like CompUSA are given Management Discretion to handle ANY customer problem like yours. (and not even bat an eye) Believe it or not it takes profit off the bottom line. (which adds to the rest of the decent populations inflated prices) Why offer rebates or promotions like this if you are going to pay it at the store level when a disgruntled customer comes in expecting the world?

All you seem to want is an apology for your valuable time. You don't care that the manager at the store had nothing to do with the rebate that you might have sent in late, or not at all in the first place. Perhaps you sent it in correctly (and let's face it, when you put a human in the equation things at times go wrong) and you deserve your rebate.

Here is my suggestion >>> Be Nice. Be understanding. Put yourself in the employee's shoes. It would be quite similar to what you most likely do every day would you like fries with that

You're the reason that good employees get burnt out. You EXPECT the world to cave for you without you even putting in the time and patience to bring resolution to an obvious mistake.

I'll tell you what. I dare you to consider your daily job for a second. How would you fell if some disgruntled customer was yelling LASS ACTION!! CLASS ACTION!! because of a mistake that was possibly made, not by you, but by an outsourced company that you used?

My thoughts on this are: Yes you do owe the employees an apology. No you don't owe charity $15 for this. Become a good person and donate to a charity because you want to, not because I show you a different perspective. And yes, you need to react to daily life differently. You are not above ANYONE that works at CompUSA, not the manager, not the cashier, not the rebate employee that could have made a mistake. (and not the underling)

I DARE you to respond to this I'll promise to give common courtesy, and perhaps while you're at it you could show a little decorum while you're at it.

If I'm wrong I'm sorry (I'm not above that, are you?)

- totalactivism
- Brookfield, WI

Almost exactly as predicted, I received a reimbursement for the amount of the electronic rebate (plus tax) from the store. It didn't come easy though. First, I got the runaround from the person at the business desk... telling me there was absolutely nothing that the store could do, it was my responsibility to take it up with the company. I explained that since I had already met my requirements to the letter, it was not my responsibility to take it up with the company and wait on hold for an hour to deal with them. I then asked for the manager. He wasn't "out of town" as I predicted but responded to the intercom request for an "M.O.D. to the business desk." When he came, I asked him, "What's an M.O.D.? Manager of the Day? No, "Manager on Duty," he said. I explained that I had met all of my responsibility for the rebate and it was up to him to deal with any problem. Making it clear that I expected a resolution, I also took the opportunity to tell him (in a "public" voice) that CompUSA's involvement with this rebate company reflected poorly on their own business ethics and recommended that they get out of the rebate business or else take some responsibility to straighten it up. He then gave a signal to the business person and ran away, apparantly not eager for any more conversation.

Amazing! The business person officiously clicked a lot at the keyboard and suddenly was able to reimburse the amount of the rebate to my credit card. I guess there WAS something CompUSA could do after all.

I didn't get an apology and was treated rather coldly but I expected that and wore a warm coat. I treated them respectfully because I feel sorry for the people that work there and have to cover for the corporate higher-ups who perpetuate this dishonesty and insulate themselves from any responsibility for their cowardly complicity in these rebate ripoffs.

It remains to be seen what will happen with the other rebate.

Again, I DOUBLE DOG DARE anyone in authority at corporate CompUSA or ERebates to respond to this note. I know your type and know you have more greed than honesty or courage. I'd love to be proven wrong ...but... well, I don't expect it!