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Sandisk off my list

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There is just too much fine print and red tape involved.

You pretty much have to jump through hurdles to get what you thought was a "good deal." They actually design all these obstacles so they won't have to pay 100% of the claims made.

In the industsry, they call this "breakage" and they plan it so a significant portion of the people motivated to buy due to a rebate never get a rebate. By doing this a $10 rebate offer may end up only costing them an average of $6 per sale made.

My feeling is... if they want to put something on sale, then just cut the price ("instant rebate"). If I have to fill out forms, meet deadlines, send in proof of purchase, send in my reciept and dot every "i" and cross every "t", then I will pass on the deal.
--
Marty
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132/show/
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132
Olympus E-30
Zuiko 9-18mm
Zuiko 14-54mm II
Zuiko 40-150mm I
Zuiko 70-300mm
Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 macro

 
Marty4650 said:
. . .

My feeling is... if they want to put something on sale, then just cut the price ("instant rebate"). If I have to fill out forms, meet deadlines, send in proof of purchase, send in my reciept and dot every "i" and cross every "t", then I will pass on the deal.
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I agree. When I went to buy my last memory card the salesman tried to push Sandisk. I probably would have bought it but when he mentioned the rebate I asked what the fastest Lexar card cost. Even counting Sandisk rebate the Lexar cost less so that's what I walked out with. This is one case where a rebate cost Sandisk a sale. This was for an SDHC card but something to watch out for with cameras that use CF cards is that according to Rob Galbraith's website, Sandisk's latest super high speed CF cards only work in the latest DSLRs. So it works in Nikon's D300s but it won't work in my D300.
 
mark kay said:
I called the rebate number listed on the card and they told me BestBuy is not an authorized dealer.
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Did they tell you that, or simply that BestBuy was not participating in the rebate.

How did you find out about the rebate? It's not on the SanDisk site, and any retailer that is participating in the rebate has this rebate form on their site.

Here's the form from the B&H website

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/FrameWork/Rebates_Promos/010210_SANDISK_T-00003527.pdf

And here it is on the Adorama website.
http://www.adorama.com/pdfs/rebates/sandiskextreme_010210.pdf

That form has a list of the 85 vendors who are participating in the rebate. BestBuy is not on the list.
mark kay said:
Ok this is deceptive. Do you really think that BestBuy buys these cards off the back of a truck as someone indicated. NO WAY. BESTBUY by definition has to be an authorized dealer. The advertising is deceptive.
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Again, what advertising are you referring to? BestBuy (at least their website) doesn't mention the SanDisk rebate, at all. Adorma, B&H, etc. all have the list.
mark kay said:
What is should say is that rebate only valid purchase from selective dealers.
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You mean like this?
mark kay said:
mark kay said:
Terms and Conditions: Activate card upon receipt, use card prior to valid through date. Receipt or confirmation, bar code and reward form must be postmarked by January 15, 2010. Limit three cards per redemption claim. U.S. residents only. Offer valid only for purchases made between September 27, 2009 and January 2, 2010 in the U.S. from one of the participating retailers listed on this form.
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Oh, and do be sure to read the excellent post by Joseph T. Lewis III elsewhere in this thread...

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=33757270

--
Rahon Klavanian 1912-2008.

Armenian genocide survivor, amazing cook, scrabble master, and loving grandmother. You will be missed.

Ciao! Joseph

http://www.swissarmyfork.com
 
Good catch to those that read the rebate form and caught the authorized versus qualified, and the list of participating retailers. The devil is in the detail, or in this case the fine print....
Doug J said:
Check the SanDisk website for 'where to buy'. I entered the zip code for Wilmington Delaware and 3 Best Buy stores are identified as dealers, complete with maps and phone numbers. It's hard for SanDisk to first identify a dealer via their website and later state they are not authorized.

http://www.sandisk.com/sandisk-support/where-to-buy

Send them a screen capture and advise them your next step will be to contact the state Attorney General's office to file a consumer fraud complaint.

Best regards,
Doug
--
http://pbase.com/dougj
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--
Best regards,
Doug

http://pbase.com/dougj
 
mamallama said:
Better or equal for the same class card: Lexar, Kingston, Transcend, OCZ. I've used them all with satisfaction.
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Just because you've used them with satisfaction doesn't mean you have a clue about what you are talking about.

I'm obviously wasting my breath trying to educate you about CF cards - but to other people reading this who DO want to LEARN something about CF quality, performance and reliability - Sandisk has been the BEST card for years.

Too bad mamal... doesn't have a clue that Lexar has performed very poorly in Nikon cameras for several years now. And you are throwing the dice if you trust your images with a card like OCZ.
mamallama said:
If a company does me wrong for a $5 rebate, I move on. What is there to stand up for? $5 rebate?? These rebates are not something I base my budget or life decisions on. They are basically a marketing gimmick.
Click to expand...
Yes. They are a marketing gimmick. And if it was only $5 then I would completely agree with you - In that case it wouldn't even be worth a moments thought.

But guess what - Sandisk rebates can often be worth up to something like $240 if you buy 3 cards !

Is that worth something to you ?

And let's compare $5 with what I've spent on CF cards. The last time I bought 3 cards it cost me nearly $1,000. But those where 3 of the biggest fastest cards IN THE WORLD at the time - and guess what ? I bought them weeks before Sandisk EVEN ANNOUNCED TO THE PUBLIC that those cards were available.

And I've spent $6,000 or $7,000 on CF cards in the last 7 years and I've got somewhere in the area of 140 gig of cards and I've always had very fastest cards.

But I should listen to you because you've been "satisfied" with your cards ? Shut up.

--
Bill,

http://www.pbase.com/billmcintyre

 
Marty4650 said:
There is just too much fine print and red tape involved.
Click to expand...
Agreed. And this case is a little different than the many cases I've mentioned in the past where the rebate company said people didn't qualify for the rebate because they didn't send in the proper documentation when, in fact, people DID.

In this case, if the rebate form didn't list Best Buy as one of the proper stores then the OP is probably SOL.
Marty4650 said:
You pretty much have to jump through hurdles to get what you thought was a "good deal." They actually design all these obstacles so they won't have to pay 100% of the claims made.

In the industsry, they call this "breakage" and they plan it so a significant portion of the people motivated to buy due to a rebate never get a rebate. By doing this a $10 rebate offer may end up only costing them an average of $6 per sale made.
Click to expand...
Actually, Marty, I think you will find that the percentage of rebates actually paid out is MUCH, MUCH lower than the 60 % estimate you quote. Someone in the industry could probably give us accurate numbers, but typical rebates successfully cashed in, on average, are probably only 20-40 %, and with the stunts that Sandisks rebate company has been going through for several years this fraud of a company has been trying to reduce the percentage cashed even lower than that.

--
Bill,

http://www.pbase.com/billmcintyre

 
PerfectPoms said:
It's only the 64 gig card that is not compatible with many cameras.
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Understood, as it was the only one Rob noted as such. When I wrote "Sandisk's latest super high speed CF cards only work in the latest DSLRs" I was thinking of all of those super high speed 64GB cards, not the other new offerings. I can see how that could easily be misinterpreted so thanks pointing this out. How long before there's a 128GB version though? BTW, at $895.99 (well, Adorama has them for $699.99) I'm not very likely to buy one any time soon. Are you dreaming of a D4 with dual CF slots? Think of what you could capture with one of those puppies! Alas, but a dream. :)
 
Wow, someone's been taking this way too seriously!!!!

I've been using Kingston and Ridata cards for YEARS in 5 different cameras (1 P&S, 2 bridge-prosumers and 2 DSLRs) and I am very satisfied. Never had a single problem with any of them.
PerfectPoms said:
mamallama said:
Better or equal for the same class card: Lexar, Kingston, Transcend, OCZ. I've used them all with satisfaction.
Click to expand...
Just because you've used them with satisfaction doesn't mean you have a clue about what you are talking about.

I'm obviously wasting my breath trying to educate you about CF cards - but to other people reading this who DO want to LEARN something about CF quality, performance and reliability - Sandisk has been the BEST card for years.

Too bad mamal... doesn't have a clue that Lexar has performed very poorly in Nikon cameras for several years now. And you are throwing the dice if you trust your images with a card like OCZ.
PerfectPoms said:
If a company does me wrong for a $5 rebate, I move on. What is there to stand up for? $5 rebate?? These rebates are not something I base my budget or life decisions on. They are basically a marketing gimmick.
Click to expand...
Yes. They are a marketing gimmick. And if it was only $5 then I would completely agree with you - In that case it wouldn't even be worth a moments thought.

But guess what - Sandisk rebates can often be worth up to something like $240 if you buy 3 cards !

Is that worth something to you ?

And let's compare $5 with what I've spent on CF cards. The last time I bought 3 cards it cost me nearly $1,000. But those where 3 of the biggest fastest cards IN THE WORLD at the time - and guess what ? I bought them weeks before Sandisk EVEN ANNOUNCED TO THE PUBLIC that those cards were available.

And I've spent $6,000 or $7,000 on CF cards in the last 7 years and I've got somewhere in the area of 140 gig of cards and I've always had very fastest cards.

But I should listen to you because you've been "satisfied" with your cards ? Shut up.

--
Bill,

http://www.pbase.com/billmcintyre

Click to expand...
--
Raphael.
http://raphaelpics.zenfolio.com/
http://1x.com/member/4716/raphaelpics/

 
Rappasol said:
Wow, someone's been taking this way too seriously!!!!

I've been using Kingston and Ridata cards for YEARS in 5 different cameras (1 P&S, 2 bridge-prosumers and 2 DSLRs) and I am very satisfied. Never had a single problem with any of them.
Click to expand...
Don't waste your time explaining to him. Obviously, he's been brainwashed by SanDisk and is ignoring the fact that independent test by groups like THG show SanDisk to be good run-of-the-mil cards, but pricey.

--mamallama
 
PerfectPoms said:
And I've spent $6,000 or $7,000 on CF cards in the last 7 years and I've got somewhere in the area of 140 gig of cards and I've always had very fastest cards.

But I should listen to you because you've been "satisfied" with your cards ? Shut up.
Click to expand...
Wow!!! $7,000 for 140 Gigs of CF cards??? SanDisk has robbed you blind. No wonder you want that rebate.

--mamallama
 
mamallama said:
Rappasol said:
Wow, someone's been taking this way too seriously!!!!

I've been using Kingston and Ridata cards for YEARS in 5 different cameras (1 P&S, 2 bridge-prosumers and 2 DSLRs) and I am very satisfied. Never had a single problem with any of them.
Click to expand...
Don't waste your time explaining to him. Obviously, he's been brainwashed by SanDisk and is ignoring the fact that independent test by groups like THG show SanDisk to be good run-of-the-mil cards, but pricey.

--mamallama
Click to expand...
Yes, some of the other cards are as reliable as Sandisk - but I guess you haven't bothered to study which cards have been the fastest for years.

Now of course if an inexpensive card is all you want then any brand will do. But some of us care about which card gives us the absolutely fastest performance.

But you don't seem to care about that.

Some of us do.

Sandisk - pricey ? Yes. The fastest ? Yup.

--
Bill,

http://www.pbase.com/billmcintyre

 
I'd had quite a few rebate disputes. And in each case, Best Buy either mediated with the rebate company, or honored it themselves if the rebate company refused.

If you got the rebate form from best buy for the Sandisk, it's 99.9% likely Best Buy will reimburse you even if the Sandisk rebate company doesn't.

Make sure you open a case with Best Buy and Sandisk directly. Working solely with a rebate company is like talking to a wall.
 
Is it worth all this grief?

I just avoid rebate offers like the plague.

If you have to go to this much effort and "fight for" what they promised you, then it's just not something that benefits consumers. And if we keep using rebate offers, then they will just keep running them.

If people just ignored these "discounts that really aren't discounts" they would go away....
--
Marty
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132/show/
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132
Olympus E-30
Zuiko 9-18mm
Zuiko 14-54mm II
Zuiko 40-150mm I
Zuiko 70-300mm
Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 macro

 
mark kay said:
I called the rebate number listed on the card and they told me BestBuy is not an authorized dealer. Ok this is deceptive. Do you really think that BestBuy buys these cards off the back of a truck as someone indicated. NO WAY. BESTBUY by definition has to be an authorized dealer. The advertising is deceptive. What is should say is that rebate only valid purchase from selective dealers. It is not the 20 dollars-- it is the deceptiveness. I wasted my time cutting and mailing
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If you are referring to the Rebate running from 9/27/2009 to 1/2/2010 it does say from selective dealers, called qualified dealers. Here's the wording of Rule3:

Your sales receipt (original or a copy) or a copy of an email or online order confirmation from one of the qualified retailers listed on this form, that includes a purchase date, showing purchase of an eligible SanDisk product.

It lists the qualified dealers and Best Buy is not one of them. Seems clear to me that not all authorized dealers are participating.

I don't see any deception. I think you are confusing qualified with authorized .

--mamallama
 
Marty4650 said:
Is it worth all this grief?

I just avoid rebate offers like the plague.

If you have to go to this much effort and "fight for" what they promised you, then it's just not something that benefits consumers. And if we keep using rebate offers, then they will just keep running them.

If people just ignored these "discounts that really aren't discounts" they would go away....
--
Marty
Click to expand...
I cheat with rebates. First, I never go for an item with a rebate that isn't worth the time of filling out forms, cutting off labels, packing the whole thing up and shipping it off. Second, if I'm going for the rebate, I read the directions. Third, I carefully follow those directions, after photocopying every bit of the material to be shipped.

So far, the few rebates I've applied for have all come through on time, with no hassles.

--
Charlie Self



http://www.charlieselfonline.com
 
I agree with you.

1) It has to be worth it. $5 off a 100 pack of DVD-R ain't worth my time (I learned the hard way). However, a Fuji $100 Rebate on a Finepix FD100fd was well worth it ($268-$100=$168 for a Dpreview best buy....heck yeah!).

2) I don't think I've ever done less than triplicate copies of everything I send. Even a copy of the outside of the envelope showing I correctly put on the rebate center address. And in one case, a photo of me putting the envelope into the mailbox (some dark days in rebate land).
 
Chill out Bill.
PerfectPoms said:
mamallama said:
Better or equal for the same class card: Lexar, Kingston, Transcend, OCZ. I've used them all with satisfaction.
Click to expand...
Just because you've used them with satisfaction doesn't mean you have a clue about what you are talking about.

I'm obviously wasting my breath trying to educate you about CF cards - but to other people reading this who DO want to LEARN something about CF quality, performance and reliability - Sandisk has been the BEST card for years.

Too bad mamal... doesn't have a clue that Lexar has performed very poorly in Nikon cameras for several years now. And you are throwing the dice if you trust your images with a card like OCZ.
PerfectPoms said:
If a company does me wrong for a $5 rebate, I move on. What is there to stand up for? $5 rebate?? These rebates are not something I base my budget or life decisions on. They are basically a marketing gimmick.
Click to expand...
Yes. They are a marketing gimmick. And if it was only $5 then I would completely agree with you - In that case it wouldn't even be worth a moments thought.

But guess what - Sandisk rebates can often be worth up to something like $240 if you buy 3 cards !

Is that worth something to you ?

And let's compare $5 with what I've spent on CF cards. The last time I bought 3 cards it cost me nearly $1,000. But those where 3 of the biggest fastest cards IN THE WORLD at the time - and guess what ? I bought them weeks before Sandisk EVEN ANNOUNCED TO THE PUBLIC that those cards were available.

And I've spent $6,000 or $7,000 on CF cards in the last 7 years and I've got somewhere in the area of 140 gig of cards and I've always had very fastest cards.

But I should listen to you because you've been "satisfied" with your cards ? Shut up.

--
Bill,

http://www.pbase.com/billmcintyre

Click to expand...
 
I almost fell out of my chair. LOL
mamallama said:
PerfectPoms said:
And I've spent $6,000 or $7,000 on CF cards in the last 7 years and I've got somewhere in the area of 140 gig of cards and I've always had very fastest cards.

But I should listen to you because you've been "satisfied" with your cards ? Shut up.
Click to expand...
Wow!!! $7,000 for 140 Gigs of CF cards??? SanDisk has robbed you blind. No wonder you want that rebate.

--mamallama
Click to expand...
 
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