Just a friendly warning about DishStore.net/Metro25's rebate scam

[JosephB]

Well, I'm not a bottom feeder because I (the original poster) am not going to ask Claude to send me the measly $16. I do hope, however, that he updates his promotional materials to reflect both the cost of redeeming the rebate and the process.

Also, tomorrow, I plan to start a company that fulfills rebates for Dish Network, since it seems to be a gravy train with biscuit wheels

 

[JosephB]

On another note, Claude & Scott, maybe you should take this thread to your contacts at Dish Network and try to fix the process. Maybe the Dish internet response team here can also forward this up the chain.

 

[mike123abc]

The company doing the fulfillment is making money. They surcharge the retailers for the gift card fee (Claude has to pay 132 for the 125 card), so essentially the cost of the item is zero to the fulfillment company. They make their profit from the shipping and handling surcharge they charge the customer ($16 to cover $5 (or less) in postage).

Dish probably gets a dollar or two kicked back to them from the fulfillment company as part of their bid to get the contract from Dish. Dish sees it as a win/win. They get some extra bucks, they get a tracking site by a third party to watch over the retailers, and they do not have to worry about it since it is the retailers that will suffer any blame on the fees.

 

[Tampa8]

Mike, that does seem to describe the process. Honestly, it means more to Claude, the fulfillment company, and Dish than it does to the consumer. On our end I think it just comes down to what is shown as a rebate and what you actually get. Put the actual rebate on the site and that pretty much addresses the problem for the consumer.
I once again want to say I have bought from Dishstore and they are a great place to buy from. It is obvious no one from there really understood the difference in what was advertised and what the consumer was actually getting, and are looking into making everything clear.

 

[JosephB]

Indeed, I give Scott and Claude credit for a) not deleting this thread and b) providing their side of the story. I hope they make some adjustments so it doesn't come up again.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I have a few ideas. Im going to send this thread to my rep and see where we get.

 

[tom231]

As far as the $16 for shipping, if its really that big of a deal, for the person who started this thread or anyone else who gets service from us after reading this. Send me a pm with your account info and I will send you a check for $16 to cover the shipping.

The fact that you are willing to take that $16 out of your pocket to make your customers happy tells me a lot about your character.

 

[DishSubLA]

Perhaps an asterisk immediately below the "$125" rebate in a smaller, but not too small font stateing: "Subject to $16 [handling, processing, whatever] fee." Yes, it takes away from the impact of the $125 figure, but it would put the cost to the consumer right up front, and I believe, IMHO, once the potential subscriber gets over the "sticker shock" of the $16, cooler heads will prevail and as one stews over it, they will realize that they will still be getting $109 back, still a great deal and hard for competitors to match. Bottom line: provided it is disclosed up front, who is dumb enough to pass up a $109 rebate just because the "man" has gotta have his $16 cut?

It's like when you get a discount card at Sears or Best Buy or just about anywhere, they tax you on the SHELF price before the discount, NOT the discounted price. Of course, this is rarely mentioned nor disclosed in print an adult can read without a magnifying glass. Best Buy did this to me, and I didn't like it; it STANK, but ALL the retailers do it, not just Best Buy. It's how they all stick it to us. But I certainly didn't cancel my purchase from Best Buy and walk out as even after the tax charge on shelf, I was still about about $87 AHEAD. Was I to go to a competitor and pay $85 more for the same item just because I didn't like Best Buy's taxing on the shelf "value"? PLEASE!!

The OP's post was inflammatory and wrong to refer to it as a scam", but I am glad to see he regrets the use of that word. Nobody is saying they like it, but these are common business practices in out free market society, and it isn't correct to single out just one retailer for doing (however much it may stink) pretty much what all the others do. 'nuff said.

 

[yaz96]

They way this can be fixed is for Dish to get a reputable rebate company that won't rip off their customers. Never heard of a rebate company asking for money in order for the consumer to get their rebate. Unless of course, we're talking about a certain Nigerian lottery email....

Not real good company to be associated with.

 

[yaz96]

Perhaps an asterisk immediately below the "$125" rebate in a smaller, but not too small font stateing: "Subject to $16 [handling, processing, whatever] fee." Yes, it takes away from the impact of the $125 figure, but it would put the cost to the consumer right up front, and I believe, IMHO, once the potential subscriber gets over the "sticker shock" of the $16, cooler heads will prevail and as one stews over it, they will realize that they will still be getting $109 back, still a great deal and hard for competitors to match. Bottom line: provided it is disclosed up front, who is dumb enough to pass up a $109 rebate just because the "man" has gotta have his $16 cut?

It's like when you get a discount card at Sears or Best Buy or just about anywhere, they tax you on the SHELF price before the discount, NOT the discounted price. Of course, this is rarely mentioned nor disclosed in print an adult can read without a magnifying glass. Best Buy did this to me, and I didn't like it; it STANK, but ALL the retailers do it, not just Best Buy. It's how they all stick it to us. But I certainly didn't cancel my purchase from Best Buy and walk out as even after the tax charge on shelf, I was still about about $87 AHEAD. Was I to go to a competitor and pay $85 more for the same item just because I didn't like Best Buy's taxing on the shelf "value"? PLEASE!!

The OP's post was inflammatory and wrong to refer to it as a scam", but I am glad to see he regrets the use of that word. Nobody is saying they like it, but these are common business practices in out free market society, and it isn't correct to single out just one retailer for doing (however much it may stink) pretty much what all the others do. 'nuff said.

Discount card? or gift card? They just took the discount off after the sale, like you were paying cash, or with a gift card. What kind of card is that????

 

[chicagonettech]

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. I believe it is illegal to charge a fee to receive a rebate. Google their website. They are very good at responding.

 

[Ghpr13]

I think just the word "Rebate" brings the hair on the back of the necks of a lot of people to rise, just because we all had a case of "jumping through hoops" to get what was promise. There pages and pages on different websites of consumers telling their tales of the long fight to get their $5.00 rebate. Because of that, we tend to really scrutinize every rebate we see offered now, and rightly so. Unfortunately, sometimes a perfectly honest seller gets caught in the crossfire between the consumer and the rebate processor. That's seem to be what happened here.

Ghpr13

 

[JosephB]

I even figured that the rebate would be coming to me directly. The guy on the phone said he was submitting my rebate for me. Turns out he was submitting my request for the form required to submit the rebate. I'm thinking at this point the government is processing the rebate.

 

[mikethedishguy]

After having been associated with dish for over 10 years I would strongly believe what Scott and Claude have to say concerning having a 3rd Party (though if you look closly at the co it is most likly connected with Dish in some way). Dish has repeatedly forced someone else to take responsibility for problems that they incure. This $16.00 is just another example of dish taking control and forcing someone else to pay for their poor decission. Good product but not fun having to deal with on any level.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I even figured that the rebate would be coming to me directly. The guy on the phone said he was submitting my rebate for me. Turns out he was submitting my request for the form required to submit the rebate. I'm thinking at this point the government is processing the rebate.

It should be a quick turn around, let me know if takes longer than you think it should.

 

[tomcrown1]

Claude does Directtv do the same thing? If not then this does reflect poorly on dish.

 

[mpcook]

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. I believe it is illegal to charge a fee to receive a rebate. Google their website. They are very good at responding.

I agree, depending on the exact wording (which I have not seen) it could be of questionable legality. I only say this because I worked closely with the rebate industry at one time. If this is a rebate on purchase, the consumer need not pay to receive it. If it is to receive a purchase premium, that's a different story. Sounds like a fine distinction but the laws are very specific.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Claude does Directtv do the same thing? If not then this does reflect poorly on dish.

Nope, we cut Directv rebates as a company check and mail them ASAP.

Also we got a solution worked out for the Dish Gift cards, that eliminates some of the red tape.

 

[mdram]

Nope, we cut Directv rebates as a company check and mail them ASAP.

Also we got a solution worked out for the Dish Gift cards, that eliminates some of the red tape.

i can verify this, tookless then 2 weeks to get the $100 or my directv install from the time i mailed the rebate
it was a corp check.
excellent service from dishstore

 

[JosephB]

Nope, we cut Directv rebates as a company check and mail them ASAP.

Also we got a solution worked out for the Dish Gift cards, that eliminates some of the red tape.

What is that solution? Because I just checked the promo page and it doesn't look like a single thing has changed, at all.

Also, the excuse that the promo page is managed by an outside marketing company is BS. The URL for the site is rooted at satelliteguys.us.

Not trying to be a jerk about it, but I'm just trying to keep you guys honest. I didn't go so far as to file complaints with the FTC or Alabama AG, but the fee to get the rebate is illegal...