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Manufacturers offer refunds to build sales, just as they offer coupons. They
hope, in the meantime, that people will forget to send them in, which means even more money for them! The typical refund form/offer takes a .34 stamp plus an envelope, averaging a total of approximately .40. If the refund form
is for $1 or less, then it really isn't worthwhile to send in for it. Try to focus your time on refunds for $1 or more, to justify the postage, time, etc.
There are four typical types of Refund Forms/Offers:
1.A direct cash or check rebate on a purchase
2.A coupon to be used on a future purchase
3.A product sample delivered to your home
4."Premium" offers, where you can send in certain requirements to
receive "premiums"; or merchandise.
Refunds can take a lot of work because you have to save just about everything... from the package to the sales receipt; but with careful organization, it is very worthwhile
and even profitable. Most require proof-of-purchase seals, universal product code seals (those vertical bars scanned at checkout), and cash register
receipts.
Why do manufacturers require so much verification?
They use the receipt to identify the store location and the product's retail
price. Manufacturers want to make sure that savings from manufacturers' promotions are passed on to customers, not kept as profit for the store. If you plan to use a rebate, save the entire package until you send it in.
The rebate process, from mailing to receipt, usually takes four to eight weeks.
Where to look for rebate offers:
Trading/Message Boards on the Internet
This is a good way to
obtain those hard-to-find forms not always available in your area, or to trade the ones that you find but don't need.
Supermarkets
Check out the customer-service counter, bulletin boards and
end-of-aisle displays. If you don't find any, ask department managers. Often the managers do not put out refund forms if they believe that there is no interest in them.
Newspapers and magazines
Check out your local newspaper's food section, as well as its coupon inserts.
Direct-mail coupon books and value packs
We all get those value packs in the mail.
Manufacturers
Call the toll-free customer
service numbers listed on your favorite products' packages and ask what rebates they offer. Ask the customer service representatives to add your name and address to a rebate mailing list. Rebate offers vary, so call often.
Also, offer compliments on their products. They will often send you cents-off or free coupons to use toward their products.
Finally, don't forget to follow the same rules for rebates as you would for coupons:
Use them to save money on the products you use or want to try.
Don't clutter your drawers or coupon file with those you'll never use. Set up a good organizational system to keep track of your forms so that you can
effectively use the ones that are useful to you, and trade the ones that are not. Organize by brand names, products and expiration dates. This will ensure easy access to them when you trade, etc.
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