Rebate: A Cheap Ploy

Over the years smartphones and carriers a like have grown and evolved. Offering more power in the form of handsets, while offering better coverage and pricing from respective carriers. 

But there is one thing that hasn't changed: rebates. 

I'll be honest, I hate rebates. I prefer shopping at places like Best Buy where they do away with them. The reason I hate them is because carriers always seem to "lose" them, or they inform you that "you didn't provide the right info". 

Now you're probably asking yourself, Why do rebates still exist? Well in my opinion, they exist as an opportunity for carriers to make extra money handset you've already purchased. When you buy a device that's $200 after a $50 mail-in rebate, you're really paying $250 until you receive that rebate in the mail. More often than not, you never receive it. I've dealt with this so many times it's maddening. But carriers keep them in effect because they bank on the fact that you will either forget to fill it out, or you'll fill it out incorrectly, and after that is all said and done you are still required to wait at least 6 weeks before you receive compensation. By the time 6 weeks is up you've most likely forgot about the rebate in the first place, so you are oblivious to the fact that it never arrives. In my personal experience, these people never call you when there is an error in your forms. You have to call them to find out any information. Who would remember to do that after 6 weeks?

Now I'm not saying this happens to everyone, but this situation creates the opportunity for it to happen to anyone. So, why do have rebates again?