Are the mail-in rebates legitimate? How come some have a long period for redemption?
Top There are many different kinds of rebate offers. Some are manufacturer (e.g., Motorola), some are carrier (e.g., AT&T) and some are associated with the retailer. All of the rebate offers are legitimate. That said, they all seem to have different rules. Many of them require the bar code from the box your phone comes in — so don’t throw out the box, your sales receipts, or any other documentation until you are sure you won’t need it. MyRatePlan recommends that you follow the rebates rules exactly to avoid delays in getting your money — you may want to print them out before placing your order. As for the redemption period — a few of the rebates require you to wait up to 5 or 6 months before submitting your request. We’re not big fans of this, but it happens because of the way the carriers pay commissions. If a customer cancels an account before 6 months, the retailer loses the full amount of its commission. Since much of the commission goes into discounting the price of the phone
