A couple of weeks ago I posted about a less than positive experience I had when making a purchase from Rogers, including the hassle of the mail-in rebate process.

This time its Staples.  Now Staples at least allows you to complete the rebate online.  I thought this was a good thing.

However, they make you type in a 12 digit UPC barcode number, a 6 digit rebate offer number and a 17 digit ID number.  The latter, they call an “Easy Rebates ID Number” because keying in 17 digits without error is so easy.  Anyway, whatever, I did all that and hit submit.

What happened next is the annoyance.

I made the purchase and completed the online rebate on March 7^th.

On March 8^th, I received the following email from Staples:

Rebate Claim Number XXXXXX

Thank you for submitting your rebate claim online.

Over the next few days we will confirm your purchase details and you will receive another email updating you on the status of your rebate.

Thank you,

STAPLES Business Depot Rebate Centre

If you have any questions, please do not reply to this message. You may contact the Rebate Centre on the web at staples.rebatestatus.ca, or by phone at 1 (866) 464-1122.

A day later (March 9^th), I received the same email again:

Rebate Claim Number XXXXXX

Thank you for submitting your rebate claim online.

Over the next few days we will confirm your purchase details and you will receive another email updating you on the status of your rebate.

Thank you,

STAPLES Business Depot Rebate Centre

If you have any questions, please do not reply to this message. You may contact the Rebate Centre on the web at staples.rebatestatus.ca, or by phone at 1 (866) 464-1122.

Then later in the day on March 9^th, a second email.  This one confirming that I had indeed bought the product – thanks for confirming Staples! – and notice that I will be receiving yet another email updating me on the status of my rebate in (quick order) 4 weeks. 

Rebate Claim Number XXXXXX

Details of your rebate claim are as follows.

Department: XXXXXX
Submission ID: XXXXXX

We have confirmed that you have bought this product. We are in the process of verifying that this rebate meets all terms and conditions (i.e. Limit per household criteria, returns, etc).

You will receive another email updating you on the status of your rebate within approximately 4 weeks.

To access the status of your submission during processing, you may contact us at:

Online: XXXXXX
Customer Service: 1 (866) 464–1122

Thank you,

STAPLES Business Depot Rebate Centre

If you have any questions, please do not reply to this message. You may contact the Rebate Centre on the web at http://staples.rebatestatus.ca, or by phone at 1 (866) 464-1122.

To date, I have had to submit some information online (fine), but I have now received three emails, am expecting a fourth and I’m sure at least a fifth after that. 

All this to get a $20 rebate they could have easily just knocked off the price I paid at the cash register.