The folks in New Jersey have a bill that would eliminate those nasty mail in rebates. You know the drill. You buy an item, take it home, cut out the UPC, fill out a form and mail it in. Maybe, just maybe in 6, 8, 12, weeks or so you get the money. But now New Jersey wants to change the game. If a retailer advertisers the product price after rebate, you get the rebate at the check out counter.

In a recent article it stated that:

“Customers should not be deceptively lured into stores by low prices that only exist after they take the product home, cut apart the packaging, fill out aggravating paperwork and then wait weeks or months for a check,” said Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Paulsboro.

Under the legislation (A-1692), retailers that advertise a product’s “net price” — the cost after a manufacturer’s rebate is applied — would be required to charge that price at the time of sale.

It then would be a retailer’s responsibility to complete the rebate redemption process.

If the measure becomes law, New Jersey would become the third state to enforce such a consumer protection, joining Rhode Island and Connecticut.

You gotta love this idea. Those rebates are nothing but a pain. Plus it is estimated that 40% of people never send in the rebates saving companies billion of dollars every year.

What do you think of this idea?

Comments welcome.

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