# rebates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2000, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050 "2000-03-21T09:08:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/1 "2000-03-21T09:08:00Z")
how do these people make money by giving full rebates? one example is [cyberrebates.com](http://cyberrebates.com) i think that maybe they invest your money and make profit from it and then return it to you… * * * Check out my site: [Chief’s Domain](http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi) ---
**Author:** ![LucyVanPelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@LucyVanPelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LucyVanPelt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/2 "2000-03-21T11:09:00Z")
Funny you should ask. No I don’t have the answer but I was thinking the same thing today. I bought a set of disks for $15.00 with a rebate for the $15.00. I actually received the check so it wasn’t a rip off. * * * Keep smiling it makes 'em wonder what you’ve been up to. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/3 "2000-03-21T13:25:00Z")
They make money because the response rate is so low. I personally have neglected to send in for some of the rebates I’ve been entitled to. One I did send in for ended up being a lot of work, because it didn’t come through and I had to call and send in a copy of what I sent the first time. * * * _It is too clear, and so it is hard to see._ ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/4 "2000-03-21T16:01:00Z")
Zen is right. Only one in five people actually mail it in & get a rebate. If you noticed lots of stuff on the net is free. No mystery. To get a new comp going you often must take the loss. Plus, Im sure they resell your address & email address to telemarketers. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/5 "2000-03-22T02:30:00Z")
Doesn’t answer the OP, but a friend from work swears by rebates (and coupons). She shops at one of the warehouse stores – says the place abounds with rebate offers. She never buys something **just** cuz it’s a bargain. She’s bragged about getting all these checks in the mail – hasn’t been stiffed once. Very frugal chick. But she spends a lot of time shopping, and watching out for stuff, and filling out forms, and mailing them in, etc. It’d be easier to just get a second job, the energy she puts into it, methinks. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/6 "2000-03-22T17:07:00Z")
[cyberrebates.com](http://cyberrebates.com)? I tried that after reading it here yesterday and it says ‘we are too busy, come back later’ ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebates/9050/7 "2000-03-23T07:17:00Z")
I love my grampa. Really. But he’s a cheap old bastard who will buy it if it’s on sale and prefers beer with names like Pabst Blue Ribbon. A couple of years ago he bought 2 cases of beer because it was on sale for half price, and with the rebate he ended up making $1.50 on the sale. Of course, he didn’t read the label close enough to realize it was non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee Light. He’s still trying to give it away 🙂