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04-29-2019, 01:57 PM
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#1
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Member
City: Denver
Vessel Name: Mile High
Vessel Model: Gulfstar 44 MC
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 19
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Rebate problem
I wanted to reach out and see if anyone else is having problems with rebates from electronics manufacturers. My wife bought me a new VHF for Christmas and has processed her rebate according to all directions. The manufacturer has even acknowledged the receipt of her rebate request and indicated that the check is on the way.
The original request was sent before the end of December and the acknowledgement of the check being sent was well over a month ago. Problem is, this is all done via their website and no one will respond to an email or phone call.
If this is a common scenario, it seems we ought to be able to bring some collective weight to get better service as customers of these suppliers. If this is isolated, does anyone have a good contact for someone with Standard Horizon?
Thank you for your help!
Steve and Jeanette
MV Mile High
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04-29-2019, 03:33 PM
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#2
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Valued Technical Contributor
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,785
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Manufacturer's routinely delay rebate checks for months. Yours is going on about four months and that is unusual. They probably lost your rebate filing or worse, intentionally dumped it.
In these cases, I have had good luck addressing a simple email to the chief executive explaining the problem and what I want them to do about it. These emails are handled by a "fixer" team and they usually jump right on the fix. Names and email addresses (of the fixer for the CEO) are usually found in the investor relations section of the companies web site- usually not their on line sales site.
This has worked out well for me with the horrible service cable companies. I am a little surprised that Standard Horizon does this. I did a little research and Standard Horizon is owned by Yaesu and their web site gives me a Japanese version but I can't read that of course. Maybe use the contact us button on the Standard Horizon site. Maybe they have "fixers" there.
David
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04-29-2019, 03:43 PM
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,189
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I bought a suite of Raymarine electronics a couple of years ago. Filed for rebates online and very quickly got a debit card with the $500 rebate.
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04-30-2019, 01:22 PM
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#4
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TF Site Team
City: Westerly, RI
Vessel Name: N/A
Vessel Model: 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,162
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It varies from vendor to vendor. It is not uncommon to wait months. The Petit rebate checks from spring commissioning arrive in late Summer (3-4 months). However, they are getting a large volume of their yearly business over a few short months in Spring.
I wouldn't worry about it.
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04-30-2019, 03:08 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Wifey B: I hate the concept. Give a discount, an immediate rebate, not some mail in. What they're hoping is to save money by people not mailing it in.
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04-30-2019, 03:26 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Warwick RI
Vessel Name: Lollygag
Vessel Model: 34 Mainship Pilot Hardtop
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 872
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If it is a publicly traded company they will have a contact for investor relations. Reach out to them, they are usually responsive in getting your issue resolved as they want to avoid any negative press. Same thing goes if there is a press contact these folks also can get the issue into the hands of a decision maker.
I used to be in charge of handling complaints which reached "office of the president". By the time it got to me I was empowered to make the issue go away.
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04-30-2019, 03:32 PM
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#7
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,828
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I would try Boat US Consumer Helpline. They will step in to help get satisfaction for consumers... and it gets written up in their magazine so awareness is widespread if vendors dont respond.
__________________
Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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04-30-2019, 03:45 PM
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#8
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,682
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Rebates are usually not handled in house. Standard Horizon will contract with a third party to manage rebates. Contact SH and work your way up through the system. They don’t like it when a subcontractor makes them look bad.
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04-30-2019, 04:11 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lollygag1
I used to be in charge of handling complaints which reached "office of the president". By the time it got to me I was empowered to make the issue go away.
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You're who I always called as I'd simply ask for the "office of the president." I knew it wasn't really his or her office but it was someone empowered and representing the president and it generally got things done.
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04-30-2019, 05:47 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Warwick RI
Vessel Name: Lollygag
Vessel Model: 34 Mainship Pilot Hardtop
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 872
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Depending on the company the "Office of the president" can consist with a number of people. Their job is to get the issue resolved and to follow up for satisfaction. I enjoyed it and got some great stories of what caused the issue in the first place. Some were quite bizarre and funny.
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04-30-2019, 09:12 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lollygag1
Depending on the company the "Office of the president" can consist with a number of people. Their job is to get the issue resolved and to follow up for satisfaction. I enjoyed it and got some great stories of what caused the issue in the first place. Some were quite bizarre and funny.
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I know it's sometimes a large department. However, it generally serves it's purpose well. I remember long ago I had a "trip to nowhere" on American Airlines. I was first booked to fly to NY on another airline that cancelled all their flights due to snow. However, American assured me they were flying and landing (different airport) and even spoke to and got assurance from the pilot. Of course, they refused to accept my discount fare ticket so I had to buy a new one. I was just flying up for the day for a meeting. Flight going just fine until we get the announcement we're 30 minutes from landing but visibility slightly less than required so we'll be slowing for a bit. Next it's that visibility still the same so we're going to circle. Then next it is that we can't continue circling due to fuel so we're headed to Syracuse. Next thing they announce is that we're about to land....in Buffalo. Don't know what happened to Syracuse.
We get off the plane and they tell us to get in a line and they'll arrange lodging for us and fly us to NY on Saturday. Well, I have no need to go on Saturday, so go to the front counter and ask where can they take me. They can fly me to Chicago, then back home to NC. Second funniest part was there was a huge group on the plane going to Toronto. They were telling them they'd fly them back to NYC on Saturday and then to Toronto. One man asked why in the world would they do that, why not just put them on a bus and take them to Toronto. Finally someone figured out they could do that. The funniest part, however, was that NY airports didn't reopen until Monday so the rest of the group had a weekend in Buffalo and many had just planned to spend the weekend in NYC.
Now, a stewardess quietly informed me it was airline policy to refund trips to nowhere, when you end up right where you started without ever leaving an airport. I sent in all the paperwork and waited weeks on weeks. I called their office in Tulsa and was told they couldn't find my paperwork, but that they had stacks and stacks of paperwork they hadn't gotten to yet. I said, I'd be glad to fax a copy to their attention. The answer was "no, I already have too much work on my desk, you'll have to send it back in and start the process over." Now, meanwhile Amex had put the charge on hold but now their time limit on that was about to end. I called the office of the President. My Amex was credited within 2 hours. That's when I found out "Office of the President" really works.
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04-30-2019, 09:17 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,330
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BandB
Wifey B: I hate the concept. Give a discount, an immediate rebate, not some mail in. What they're hoping is to save money by people not mailing it in.
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Spot on! Any mfr offering a rebate not delivered at point of sale is hoping, one way or another, actually paying out may be avoided. If not they`d give an immediate discount via the retailer.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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04-30-2019, 09:37 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceK
Spot on! Any mfr offering a rebate not delivered at point of sale is hoping, one way or another, actually paying out may be avoided. If not they`d give an immediate discount via the retailer.
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Wifey B: Yes, for those sending it in they actually add costs and most use a third party for it.
It's like the old Reader's Digest sweepstakes, giving away $5 bazillion. But they'd send out 90% of it in 50 cents to $2 checks and no one would deposit those so they'd only pay out 15-20% until the government stepped in.
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