Home Depot Rebate Gift Card Problems?

[bjbina]

I am just wondering if anyone else has had problems with the Home Depot Gift Card rebate program. You know, they run campaigns like the Spring Power Tool campaign where they say buy $X power tools and get a gift card for X bucks. Well, the last three I have submitted have not resulted in anything, no letter, no response, nothing, nada. I called them this morning and said to resubmit the paperwork, which I will. The person appologized for the problems with the program and said that they are working to make it better...hmm honesty but also acknowledging that what they had didn't work.

By the way I sent in a Kohler rebate last summer and never heard anything. I come to find out that they have a record of it but claim they never received the UPC. Again no letter on status. This spring I have a cabinet and power tool puchase for $500 that I am looking for and they can't find it.

Am I the only one whose requests fall into the dead letter office? I am typically a fan of the Big Orange Box. What are you experinces?

Thanks, Bruce

[DT]

My $50 gift card for a Dewalt purchase arrived in about 2 weeks last year.

-- Dennis

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I generally don't do anything with rebates if I can help it for exactly this reason. OTOH, I bought a John Deere lawn tractor from HD about two years ago and got a gift card (worth either $200 or $300, I can't remember) within a reasonable time. Didn't have any trouble spending that one, either.

[peter]

There is a list of qualified brands and disqualified products. If your purchase (supposed to be one item > $X, not many smaller items totaled $X) is deemed disqualified, they would probably just ignore you.

[Rudy]

I make Xerox copies of everything, read the form carefully and comply with each step. I get a check every time.

[..........]

[bjbina]

A followup. I tried faxing my documentation to the Home Depot rebate center, as directed by the customer service rep. A short fax of 3 pages went through fine, but I have a cabinet order that is 11 pages long and the fax appears to disconnect after 4 pages. While it may be a problem on my end (my fax has worked fine before and still does...tested to another number) I cannot fax that one to them.

Now this morning, I am getting practically a constant busy when I try to refax to them. Their rebate fax number is 480-656-9853.

The rep this morning acknowledged that they have recently changed rebate processing centers and are backed up in processing. The address I was given to contact them is:

Home Depot Attn Customer Service PO Box 134 Niagra Falls, NY 14302

Apparently the change was made duing the time the Power Tool Rebate was being done and the Cabinet rebate. All in all I have $525 in rebates coming to me that they have no record of receiving.

I asked about what are they doing to assist/compensate customers for the trouble this is causing and was told that they are not enforcing the time limits for processing.

I guess the answer is do the following:

1. Check your rebate status. Call 1-866-805-7328. They will ask for zip code and name.

1. Refax your rebate to the above number or resubmit your rebate via mail.

2. If the above fails to work, contact your local store manager and/or the attorney general of your state.

I suspect that this is a class action suit just waiting to happen.

Also, I echo the experinces of other people in that in the past these rebates and gift cards had been nearly flawlessly executed. It is just I noticed the program appeard to go South last fall and has not worked as in the past. I do hope they get it working again.

Thanks for listening

Bruce

[e-mail] wrote:

[bjbina]

Peter,

Thanks for the comment. Actually, I bought a nailer combo that I had been told might be included in a gift card program and later was informed after processing that it didn't qualify as a hand tool. A few weeks after the disqualification letter, I got a card for half the orginal value from them as a token of appreciation and wanting to assure that everything was fine. Mind you I did not complain about the rejection letter to anyone. The Home Depot did that on their own. And yes, when I submitted the rebate I thought it was a stretch to call the pneumatic nailer a hand tool. So I guess I have gotten accustomed to a pretty good level of service at the Box.

For example, one Sunday morning, my wife and I were there and heard the in store announcement that ALL in store pergo was price reduced. This was a miskate as at the time they were closing out the low end pergo. We had a project for the Pergo Prodigy stuff in mind and asked if they would honor the announcement. They acknowledged the mistake and gave us the Prodigy at a significant (like 40%) discount. And yes, the next announcement I heard while loading the 20 boxes of flooring was the correct version.

Overall, they seem to be in the business to make people want to come to them and be helpful. While doing that, they seems to make truck loads of money.

Bruce

peter wrote:

[MichaelInNC]

Me too! I bought over $400 worth of stuff in April and just today received an email from them saying that my rebate was rejected :( because it was postmarked past the expiration date. That's B.S.!! :eek: I know I sent it in on time. Those ^%!@$^@ are not going to ever get my business again if they don't come through on the rebate. If you call the 800 number, it's just an automated system. You can't talk to a person. I sent them an email, but it may take a letter to the corporate offices in Atlanta to get satisfaction. :rolleyes:

I'm going to follow this up, on principle if nothing else, but customers should not be made to jump through hoops to get what was promised.

Next time I need tools, I'm going to Lowe's. :nod:

Michael

[Ed]

I put Home Depot in my shit can a year ago and haven't been back since over their Rebate Fraud practices. I purchase in the neighborhood of $15K/year in supplies for my small Tile and Trim Business but Home Depot thinks its better to screw me out of a $20 rebate than get $15K of business a year off me. I don't know who their bean counters are but my math says this is bad for business.

But hey, they can throw their hands up in triumph because they won and screwed me for $20.....

I don't do business with Rebate Frauds

Regards,

[sky]

A tale in a similar vein:

Christmas 2005, I received two gift cards,

one was from the blue box, the other from the orange box.

With Spring 2006 bursting in air. I located the blue card, but couldn't find the orange. I made a purchase from the blue then went to the orange to see what their policy was if I couldn't find theirs.

Orange told me that if I didn't have the card, I was S_O_OF Luck, and they gave me the impression they wouldn't mind using the gifter's money for eternity if the card never showed up. Like my wife would say 'tough titty'

So out of curiosity I went back to blue to see what their policy was. As long as I had a receipt, and they could trace it back blue would honor the receipt.

!Even If You Had The Receipt! Orange wouldn't even try to trace back, You had to have the card. Well luckily, I found the card, and all ended well, but I don't go to orange any more.

And, Yes I know, I'm more careful about where I put things now.

HO! HO! HO!

Ed wrote:

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Those cards go directly from the mailbox into my wallet. That way I don't lose them and it's handy for when I'm ready to use it.

That being said, I seem to vary my shopping from blue to orange to blue again on a semiregular basis. One guy will piss me off so I swear them off forever. Then the other one will screw me in some way so I swear them off forever as well and go back to Borg #1. Neither of them is so good or so bad as to earn either my faithfulness or my emnity completely. Each sucks in its own special way.

[sky]

I received mine in Christmas cards, which were moved, numerous times until I finally nailed them down. You know.....making room for the next gift, thank you's, clean-up, and organizing left-overs. HO! HO! HO!

The above is exactly what I was thinking. And I was too harsh to exclude orange for eternity, but at the time I was thinking 'Herd mentality'

I enjoyed your references to:

'I seem to vary my shopping', 'One guy', 'Then the other one will screw me', 'The Borg', 'Neither of them is so good or so bad', and 'each sucks'

Thank you, Mortimer, For renewing my Hope, and Faith in Humanity!

Regards........Sky

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

We aim to please. You're welcome.

[Ed]

I guess I am lucky in that the Lowes I use is an anomaly. This specific one employees knowledgeable people in the field that is related to the department they are working in, they honor their rebates and gift cards without question, they gave a small time tile and trim person as myself a 10% contractor's on-going discount and they always remember my name when I go in. I have also had zero problems with returns of anything under their 90 day return policy again no questions asked beyond why is it being returned.

Now I know that all Lowes are not the same and the one I use just might be one of a kind but our local Home Depot is as worthless as t*ts on a boar hog. No one knows their ass from a hole in the ground much less the products in the department they are working in that day. Their employees seem to be in a different department every time I would walk in when I use to frequent their store. They don't honor rebates and/or gift cards and they run you through the ringer on returns and they still might not honor their own return policy. They also stopped establishing "small time" contractor discounts. And the store manager didn't know why I laughed at him when he suggested I just buy a skill saw blade to replace my wet saw blade since they didn't seem to have any wet saw blades on the rack. Damn! where do they come up with these idiots? And this guy was probably making a pretty nice size salary.

Regards, Ed

[WhyMe]

Spent $2400 on a new Portable Generator and a chop saw...had it delivered, sent in every piece of paper I was provided with...6 weeks later, received email with following:

We are currently unable to approve your rebate for the reasons listed below.

Your sales receipt or Special Services Customer Invoice, Customer Service Agreement or Will Call was missing transaction information. Your sales receipt or Special Services Customer Invoice, Customer Service Agreement or Will Call was missing transaction information. Your sales receipt or Special Services Customer Invoice, Customer Service Agreement or Will Call was missing transaction information. Your sales receipt or Special Services Customer Invoice, Customer Service Agreement or Will Call was missing transaction information.

You will receive a letter or postcard describing these problems. The letter or postcard may have instructions on how to correct these errors.

Originating email had this Customer Service: 800-301-9207.

Called the number and entered the info to track my submission...at the very last step, it gave me an option to speak to a Cust Srvc rep. Informed me the record shows they either did not receive, could not read, or could not validate the "Customer Service Agreement" (CSI). I checked my documents and found a "Special Services Customer Invoice" (SSCI), but no CSI. Went to the store I bought it from....and requested the CSI as I did not receive one with my original documents......20 minutes later they gave me a copy of the SSCI ! ! ! She looked at me like I had 3 heads when I told her I needed the CSI and not a copy of the SSCI.....no help here, so I called the 800 # back..was told they were the same thing......and additional information was now available and the problem was they were unable to read some number in the validate area of the receipt.........this is a $500.00 gift card ! ! ! I transcribed the clearly visible information onto the fax cover sheet as well as corrected the misinterpretation of my address...I am convinced the idiots that input these have less than a pea sized brain and are likley South Florida high school graduates. The phone reps were pleasant and helpful though..sounded like midwestern accents (being from Wisconsin I am ya know)

I faxed the requested info in a few minutes ago....will wait and see what happens....too bad..I am also a big HD fan and this promo drug my butt out to drop a couple grand when I otherwise would have waited........as of this moment, it wont happen again. Home Depot is

1.2 miles north of me and Lowes is less than a mile.....guess which direction I will think about heading on my next "pick a little someting up" trip

[mnbarrister]

2 years ago we were suppose to receive $250 in gift cards for purchasing a Kohler Tub, toilet and sink. I am an attorney and followed the submission information to the letter....nothing came. I called, spoke to someone and within 2 weeks the cards came. Recently the feds enacted a law that puts the burden on the company to pay the rebate if you can provide evidence of submission....

[marvel5]

I sent my rebate paperwork certified mail, arrived May 6, still waiting. Complained, the rebate was in the system, spoke to phone contact, the system has been modified, anticipated receipt of rebate gift card for $500 is mid-august. My purchase was a GENERAC gen, 2K item. My suspicion? I think HD is deep doodoo, and this is only one manifestation of big the problem is. I believe I am going to send the LOCAL manager a certified letter telling him of my intent to sue in small claims court locally, using his name acting as agent for the company. Home Depot now doubt has errors and omissions insurance, or has attorneys on retainer. I am Pensacola, and it is a fairly easy process to file. Once HD finds that managers in multiple cities are being summoned into court to answer small claims actions, no doubt this whole debacle would be cleared up in a hurry

[bobmct]

How about contacting your state's attorney general who should have jurisdiction over consumer situations like this. Sometimes, at least here in Connecticut, a simple contact from the AG's office will get them rolling.

Good luck.