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How free-after-rebate deals work

Free after rebate: Buy merchandise now and be reimbursed up to 100% of the purchase cost as a rebate.

Steps
Tips
Rebate Centers & Trackers
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Steps

1. Find a product you want that's advertised as free after rebate. (Note: Some deals may not be 100% free after rebate, but the rebate offers such a significant discount that the products end up being almost free or impressively cheap.)
2. Purchase it at listed price.
3. Once you have the product in your possession, find the rebate instructions. (We include links to online rebate instructions and forms with our deal listings whenever possible.) The rebate form is often available online, generally at a merchant's or product manufacturer's main web site or rebate center, but sometimes it is included in the product box or in printed advertising or marketing materials.
4. Follow the instructions for submitting the required materials, which usually include a completed rebate form, a sales receipt, and a proof of purchase, such as a UPC from the product box. (See "Follow the exact rebate instructions carefully" below for tips.)
5. If the rebate submission is accepted, you'll receive one or more rebate check(s) reimbursing you for up to 100% of the original cost of the product (excluding sales tax, shipping fees and postage for the rebate materials envelope). The process usually takes from 2 to 12 weeks.

Tips

When it comes to free-after-rebate deals, savvy deal-hunters:

1. Only purchase products that are genuinely wanted, needed or can be put to use by someone else. If the rebate submission is rejected for some reason, then all you'll have to deal with is minor disappointment (instead of anger and frustration at wasting money on something you didn't want in the first place).
2. Qualify for free (or lower-rate) shipping. Many merchants offer free shipping for online orders that exceed a certain amount. If you're making a purchase anyway, and find that your purchase amount isn't quite enough to qualify for free shipping, you can "pad" your order with free-after-rebate products.
3. Follow the exact rebate instructions carefully, and avoid common procedural pitfalls.
   • When placing your order, print the rebate form right away, and put it where it won't get lost. To be even safer, we recommend both printing the rebate form and saving a copy of the rebate form web page, PDF file or image to your local drive -- before placing your order.
   • If the rebate instructions are available online, carefully read the fine print before making a purchase, so that you:
     • Pay attention to dates. Purchase the product before the rebate expiration date (the "order-by" date), and make sure that you'll have enough time to submit the paperwork before the final rebate submission date (the "mail-by" or "submit-by" date).
     • Pay attention to limits on the number of rebates allowed per product, person or household.
     • Avoid combining coupons and/or rebates when prohibited.
   • Other details in the fine print may include:
     • Original rebate forms: If the rebate fulfillment company requires an original rebate form provided by the manufacturer or merchant, don't use a copy and avoid using a form produced by a merchant cash register.
     • Matching model numbers: Make sure the model numbers on the UPC and rebate form match, and pay attention to other precise eligibility requirements.
     • Copies of receipts: If an original sales receipt is required, don't send a copy. This means that if the merchant provides you with only one receipt, you may not be able to recover more than one rebate from a single purchase.
     • P.O. boxes: Many rebate fulfillment companies will not honor rebate requests sent from P.O. boxes. If your mailing address is a mailbox, find out from the Post Office or your mailbox rental company if you can use its street address and substitute the word apartment or suite for the mailbox number. (For example, use "123 Main Street, Suite #200" instead of "P.O. Box 200" or "PMB 200".)
     • Same name and address: Many rebate fulfillment companies will not honor rebate requests that involve more than one name or household address. If your name or address appears on the sales receipt (such as with online purchases), enter the same data (with the same spelling and punctuation) on the rebate form.
     • Staples and clips: Most rebates are processed in an assembly-line fashion, and it's possible for small papers can accidentally be dropped, which may cause your rebate to be denied. Some rebate-seekers swear by stapling their rebate materials together -- but keep in mind that some merchants, manufacturers and rebate clearinghouses may not accept stapled materials. If you plan to staple or clip your paperwork together, make sure it's not disallowed by the rebate instructions.
     • Residents outside the U.S.: There is no standard answer as to whether residents of Canada, Australia and other countries outside the United States can qualify for rebates and reduced shipping rates. To find out with any specific purchase, check the rebate instructions (if available online) or contact the merchant or manufacturer directly.
   • If anything seems confusing or contradictory, contact the appropriate customer service department for clarification before making your purchase. Some insiders even recommend contacting the rebate center first to make sure that what you're intending to buy qualifies for the advertised rebate.
   • An excellent article that sheds light on the rebate industry -- and provides tips on how to increase your chances of getting your rebate(s) -- is PC World's "Rebate Roulette: Still waiting for that check in the mail? Here's the ugly truth about rebates -- and how to steer clear of the gotchas," by Janet Rae-Dupree and Tom Spring (published February 2, 2004). Also recommended is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publication "Taking the 'Bait' Out of Rebates."
4. Organize rebate materials and information.
   • As soon as the product is in your possession -- and you've checked it first* -- gather the rebate materials together: the rebate instructions and form, the sales receipt, the UPC or proof of purchase, and a ready-to-mail (addressed and stamped) envelope. Keep this paperwork together until you're ready to submit it.
   • *Check the product to make sure it works and is what you want. Many merchants will not accept merchandise that has been compromised, so do not expect to return merchandise once the UPC is cut from the box or any included forms have been used.
   • Keep a paper trail. Photocopy or scan images of all the rebate materials for your records. File these -- along with relevant advertising materials or merchant web site printouts with effective dates -- in a folder for rebates in process. Record names, contact information, dates and times, and conversations with customer service representatives with regard to your rebate deals -- and store this information with the rest of your rebate information.
   • You can even photocopy or scan the mailing envelope with the current date written in the corner (where you'll later affix the postage stamp) to prove that you mailed the rebate paperwork to the correct address.
   • If submitting your rebate request by postal mail, consider using a mailing method (such as Certified and/or Return Receipt) that proves when the rebate fulfillment company received it. A slightly cheaper alternative may be to send a small a padded or cardboard mailer via Priority-Mail with delivery confirmation (the postal service doesn't currently offer delivery certification for regular envelopes). For those who can prove the receipt and date of their rebate submission, some rebate processors may take such requests more seriously and even expedite rebates. (Of course, the amount of the rebate may or may not justify the time and money spent following this extra step; every rebate-seeker should decide for him- or herself.)
   • Some companies allow you to submit your rebate information online, which is handy for instant tracking. (Regardless of the submission method, make sure to keep a paper and/or digital copy of all your paperwork.)
   • Email addresses: Most online submission forms require a working email address, but you may also want to include an email address on paper rebate forms submitted via postal mail. Some rebate fulfillment companies may use this email address to let you know that your rebate has been received and is in progress. (Of course, you shouldn't count on receiving such an email message.) If you're concerned about privacy, you may use an address from Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail or another reliable free email service. Generally, though, rebate fulfillment companies are not in the business of "marketing" -- and therefore do not collect email addresses -- so you most likely will not get unwanted commercial email as a result of including your email address.
   • Double-check your paperwork and/or online submission data for accuracy and adherence to the rebate guidelines.
   • Submit the rebate in a timely fashion.
5. Track and manage rebates.
   • Mark your calendar for the furthest date allowed by the rebate instructions. (By law, companies are required to send rebates within the time frame listed on the rebate instructions -- or, if no time is specified, within 30 days.)
   • Take advantage of free online rebate centers and trackers.
   • If you use Intuit Quicken, Microsoft Money or other financial management software, you can create a new asset account called "Rebates Receivable" and post each rebate due as a transaction, with tracking data in the memo field. When the rebate arrives, simply transfer it to your checking or savings account. This reduces the amount of financial data entry and makes reconciling your accounts easier.
   • Sometimes rebate checks can be mistaken for junk mail, so check your mail carefully. When the check does arrive, consider scanning it for your records and, because the window of validity is usually limited, endorse and deposit it ASAP.
   • If you receive a mysterious rebate check and can't match it up to your rebate tracking records, here's a tip: see if you can find a number (or series of numbers) displayed on the check above your name. This number may correspond to the department of the rebate fulfillment company (which should match the mail-to address listed in your copy of the rebate instructions) or the tracking number for your specific submission (which you can use with the corresponding online rebate center or your rebate tracker).
6. Follow up on overdue and denied rebates.
   • Review your rebate submission data and retrieve your copy of the rebate paperwork (completed rebate form, UPC or proof of purchase, sales receipt, company contact information)
   • If possible, check the status of your rebate online.
   • Contact the merchant, manufacturer or rebate fulfillment company directly. Contact information is generally available online at the company's web site, in the "Contact" or "Help" section or at the bottom or the periphery of the home page.
   • Do not contact FreeAfter.com expecting assistance with your overdue or denied rebates. (Please view our Terms of Use for more information.) You may, however, let us know if you've experienced a problem that you believe others should be aware of.
   • Record names, contact information, dates and times, and conversations with customer service representatives with regard to your rebate deals -- and store this information with the rest of your rebate information.
   • Consider resubmitting the rebate paperwork. Via certified mail or confirmed delivery, send a copy of everything you'd sent before to the rebate fulfillment company, emphasizing the validity of your original rebate request. (Always keep a copy for your own records.) Carbon-copy the merchant, the manufacturer, the Federal Trade Commission, the relevant state attorney(s) general and the Better Business Bureau.
   • If you believe your rebate shouldn't have been denied because you followed all the instructions exactly, file a complaint with the merchant, the manufacturer, the rebate fulfillment company, the Federal Trade Commission, the relevant state attorney(s) general and the Better Business Bureau.