@#&* You, DirecTV Rebate Department
New here and like what you read? Subscribe to my RSS feed for more. And thanks for visiting!
I realize part of the reason rebates are so popular with businesses is that the customer buys their product because of them, but then fails to actually get the rebate. Some people are just lazy or forgetful enough to neglect to do so. Or, often, the company make the process a big enough pain that the customer fails to fill out the form correctly or just flat out gives up on the process. Or, they ignore you and hope you go away.
DirecTV appears to be employing method #3.
We initially signed up with DirecTV when we moved out to the countryside, choosing it over it’s competitors mainly because of one channel (that we haven’t even added to our lineup yet): Sentanta Sports. I’m a rabid rugby fan, but you can’t watch it anywhere in the US as far as I can tell, except on Sentanta. But that doesn’t really make a difference to the matter at hand, does it? 
When we signed up, they were running a $100 rebate promotion. So of course, I eventually got around to submitting it (but well before it was set to expire). Unlike some of my rebate attempts in the past, this was an utterly painless process that took less than a minute on DirecTV’s site. Almost immediately received my confirmation email stating the “Please allow 6-8 weeks to receive your $100 rebate check by mail” boilerplate. I naively assumed that actually getting the rebate might be as painless.
Nevertheless, my calendar popped up yesterday to let me know that it had been eight weeks since I had initially submitted the rebate, so I made a mental note to look into who I should be harassing soon. But what do I find in my email inbox today but another brief email stating “Your rebate submission has been received! Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing.” Going to the rebate site, I find their contact form, spent several minutes tracking down all the minutiae they require, put in my brief, cordial note on the problem (despite my initial impulse to word it along the lines of “What’s the deal with this latest email? Where the !$@! is my rebate already?“), and hit submit. Blank page, but for two words:
Illegal Request
@#&* You, DirecTV Rebate Department!
Rick said,
Wrote on May 19, 2007 @ 2:20 am
did you get it fixed?
Sean said,
Wrote on May 20, 2007 @ 12:40 am
No, but I did get them to send me this email:
Six times. (So far…)
Art Dinkin said,
Wrote on June 12, 2007 @ 10:29 am
Call them. Ask them if they would be okay if you “processed” their bill for 16 weeks before paying it. Let them know that unless they credit your account within the next week with $100, you will “process” a complaint with the state attorney general as well as whatever regulatory agencies may apply.
That is what I did with DirecTV about 2 years ago (this is not a new or temporary issue). They credited my account. Truthfully that has been the worst of my experience with them. They are much better than Mediacom cable. My only other let down with DirecTV has been the MLB Extra Innings package. It just doesn’t cover the games I expected it to. Oh well, caveat emptor. I won’t be purchasing any premium sports packages in the future.
Art
Sean said,
Wrote on June 12, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
I like the ‘Ask them if they would be okay if you “processed” their bill for 16 weeks‘ Art, wish I would have thought of that…
I did get my rebate incredibly quickly after my initial complaint (plus a little bonus), but a complaint to the FTC still went out. I just shouldn’t have to threaten to get what was promised. But then, I almost never have what I’d call a good experience with rebates — there always seems to be some glitch that requires some extra effort to actually get the damn thing rebated.
So far, I too am a fan of DirecTV, other than this rebate business. No experience yet with any of their premium lineups. I’m going to wait until the Rugby World Cup to sign up to Setanta, so hopefully my experience will be better than yours come September…
renate inge caperilla said,
Wrote on September 12, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
I talked with a Neal ID#100252844 in July.
I was promised by him that beginning with our Sept. Direct T.V. bill we would see a $10.00 credit (to our valued customer) for six months! When I called about it today-IT WAS NOT ON THE SEPT. BILL-I was told there was no record of this credit. I am so tired of being promised credits and then not getting them![
Also, the bills from Direct T.V. are so confusing because you don’t apply all the credits due IN ONE MONTH.
I am looking to go back to Bright House!
At least with them your know what you are buying!