Rebate story with happy ending

A couple of weeks back I bought a Targus Groove backpack because I was carrying too much crap around on a daily basis. For $17 after rebate it's was a steal. It's a great backpack so far.

Last week, Targus sends me a little postcard in the mail stating that my rebate submission was incomplete and that I did not include the original UPC. I did, of course, include the UPC taped to the submission form. It was obviously overlooked or lost.

I didn't make copies of the rebate submission because a copy of the UPC isn't valid for anything. If a copy is proof of UPC, why isn't it valid in the submission?

I sent an email to the rebate processing center (or rather, I filled out a form and have no proof I actually did anything) and explained that there was no way to successfully fulfill the rebate requirements since the rebate center lost my original UPC. I still have not heard a reply. I figured this was typical of most rebate processing centers. That is, they exist solely to prevent customers from getting rebates, not make sure they are properly fulfilled.

I contacted Targus nicely (it's a manufacturer's rebate) -- much more nicely in fact than their customer service website works -- and explained that I did not want to return this backpack but if the manufacturer would not honor a valid rebate, I would be forced to return it as sold with an inaccurate description. I simply asked for a duplicate UPC and could provide proof of purchase. That would make everyone happy. Targus declined in a polite and timely manner.

Now I am ready to return the item to Circuit City. However, their mail order returns require the original box and UPC. It's hardly likely I would have kept this anyway since the UPC is a big tag on the bag.

I was just about ready to give up when I decided it was worth at least one call to the rebate center. I was blown away that their phone tree was rather simple and after explaining to the CSR that I included the UPC in the rebate and did not make a copy since a copy wasn't valid for anything, she simply asked me for the number on the UPC code.

I am really not sure how I was supposed to know the UPC code, but I promised I would look and my records when I got home and call back. After hearing that, she promptly put me on hold for 30 seconds and came back saying she validated my rebate.

I used to make copies of all my rebate submissions, and stopped doing it because I never ran into problems. I still haven't had a rebate rejected, but I will now make copies. It would have been very gratifying to have a copy and offer evided the rebate processor screwed up the rebate.

So,

• Targus makes a good backpack for the price. The Groove is great for a lifetime warrantied backpack.
• The Targus customer service website is onerous, but if you pass their multi-page registration test, they do reply quickly. I suspect this is because in my case the answer to my inquiry was "No."
• Make copies of all your rebates, not because they are valid for resubmission, but because it would be gratifying to tell the rebate processor you are correcting their mistake.
  
• Don't expect email to help with your rebate processing.

They come in matched pairs I see

So you can protect yourself from bullshit on both the right and the left.

$250,000 Intelligent Design challenge

Leave it to Boing Boing to get a good jab in at the "Intelligent" Design folks:

"We are willing to pay any individual *$250,000 if they can produce empirical evidence which proves that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster."

Be sure to read the fine print.

And read about the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Best Optical Illusion

Wow, I had to break out the paint program to believe it, but yes, they are the same shade.

Ex Post F*ckto Parking

New Orleans decided that illegal parking meters with unenforceable expiration indicators are now enforceable and legal.

They decided that they are legal as of January 1 2005. Prior to that date, they were not legal.

They legalized them in August 2005. Back to January 1 2005.

Not a single mention of "parking was problem", but instead the city's lost revenue is the sole concern.

linkypoo.