HPeeved

Derek was nice enough to buy me a new computer with some bonus money he got last fall.
Being that we didn't have much room in the "computer" room, we opted to move the computers downstairs into the semi-finished basement.

This necessitated the creation of computer tables / desks, workstations where we could situate the new computer, along with the old computer, and my school laptop. (And also Derek's laptop, which he uses for his online crack addiction...)

4 computers, one internet connection, many wires, much complicated madness and insanity.

I wound up having to install and situate a LAN router. Basically we had to get a box to negotiate all the computers together so that they can share with one another, and also reach the internet.

The downside, if we really wanted to share a printer, we'd have to purchase a "network" printer. The anemic ink jet Epson printers that I had been loyal to just weren't going to work on the "network". Having a single printer for each computer seemed silly, not to mention that it would take up a great deal of space.

In January, I broke down and started looking for a "network" printer.

I settled on an HP laser jet, an Officejet Pro, Model K550.

Expensive. $300. More than I've ever paid, since usually the Epsons are nearly free, they want you hooked so that you buy the ink, where all the true profit is. It seemed like a steep price. There were a few features that were nice though, it has a duplex mode. It comes with a mechanical apparatus internal to the printer that flips the piece of paper over. That is pretty cool. Saves on paper! It also has 4 different ink cartridges, so I guess that is better, because I might run out of black before everything else, right?

The bonus, HP was offering a mail in rebate of $60.

Ok, $240. Still pricey, but since a "network" print server was going to cost me nearly $150, on top of a new printer.... I took the plunge.

I despise mail in rebates.

Hate them.

You have to mail them in after jumping through all these hoops. Never get them back, never fill them in correctly, and often they get returned to you because you did something wrong, and never with enough time to turn around and mail them back in.

Or, they send you a notice that you did it all wrong, but they don't send it back to you, they just laugh and tell you that you suck, and you're never getting your money back. You can almost hear the bastards laughing.

The manager at the store I bought the printer from actually told me all about the rebate, and the cash register spit out an extra receipt, entirely for the purpose of the rebate.

Cool.

I took the printer home, filled out all the paperwork, took a copy of it with my nifty scanner, and printed it out in full real color on my new networked HP printer. It was so convincingly sharp in color that I nearly couldn't tell the original from the copy.
Great quality.

I was impressed, and very satisfied with my purchase.

According to the HP paperwork, it'd take 3 decades before my rebate would be processed and sent back out to me.

I mailed off the forms, not really expecting the money back ever. I bought the printer paying full price, knowing that likely I was ending up paying full price.

Several weeks later, I received one of those funny, folded, sealed self adhesive mailer documents. Working in payroll, I'm fairly familiar with a folded up check document sealed in its own self contained envelope. My company utilizes the same type of form for the paychecks and pay stubs.

Upon opening the letter, I was greeted with a failure notice.

According to the form, the rebate wasn't valid at the time I purchased it.

Confused, I looked over the paperwork.

UPC from the box attached as indicated? Yep

Copy of the store sales receipt attached as indicated? Yep

Model of printer clearly defined on the rebate form as one included in the rebate? Yep

Sales receipt dated for the time frame that the rebate form indicates? Yep

Confused, I called customer service for HP. Not really, it was a "help desk", a company clearing house devoted entirely to issues revolving around rebates. (Go figure that they'd need an entire outsourced company to deal with rebate disputes....)


In talking with several people, and a supervisor, I wound up with no satisfaction.

I was explained to that the rebate was only for online purchases of HP products.

"Sir, the rebate form was only available online, and was not valid for any purchase at a store at the time you made a purchase of the qualifying product. We suggest that you go back to the store that sold you the product, and make them refund you".

I explained repeatedly that the store gave me an HP rebate form, clearly from HP, clearly showing the model of printer, the date of validity, and the amount to be rebated to me.

They kept claming that it was for online purchases only.

Ok, then why would it ask for a dated "store" sales receipt? If I bought it online, it wouldn't be from a store would it?

If it came from HP's own website, the paperwork would seem fairly silly, no? HP already knew I bought the printer if I get it from their website? No?

After several disgruntled conversations, which usually terminated with me asking for someone in a position of higher authority, I reached my limit. I took all the information I could, and resigned myself to the fact that I'd never get my $60.

I really didn't think I would get it. Honestly. But I was kind of eager for the fight, the chase, the hunt, the kill.

I started calling HP, daily.

I wrote a nasty letter.

I sent several such letters.

I resigned myself to the fact that HP wins, and I lose.

After 4 weeks of daily phone calls, I ceased my assault.

I got my rebate in the mail yesterday.

$60.

That puppy is in the bank. I think I'm going to use it for ink cartridges. They are $15 per cartridge, and I need 4.

Worked out nicely.