They had an 800 number, but no one ever answered. Businesses stand by the claim that any apparent resistance is unintended or meant all in the name of making sure the person on the application actually purchased the product. If instructions aren't followed carefully and any step is omitted or not executed adequately, the rebate could be invalidated. And getting the most meticulously crafted application into the mailbox does not spell victory. Fulfillment companies may need to be nudged along with phone calls and e-mails.
Instructions usually advise senders to expect a check in four to six weeks.
Yet the waiting period can stretch from several weeks to several months. Office Max and a string of other companies are trying to make the refund process easier. At its stores, a monthly flier indicates all of the products offering rebates. A shopper can list all eligible purchases on one form. If they buy five different things, they can put them all on one form and it saves on postage.