RadioShack and its REBATES - WHAT A RIP OFF!

(Posted Friday 4-14-2006) When I went to FRY'S ELECTRONICS - in Phoenix, AZ in mid October of 2003 I'd been forewarned about buying anything from their store that had any kind of rebate attached to it. Personally I've never had any problems with (the mailing of) rebates but looking back now I wish that I'd of taken the advice given. Maybe I should have learned my lesson that time around with how Fry's Electronics treated me with their rebate, but I guess I didn't. Then CHECKERS AUTO PARTS - were just as bad.

I purchased an external hard drive case on line from RadioShack on 2-28-06 and the day it arrived at my home I took EIGHT pictures of all the paperwork with my digital camera and mailed it all out that SAME DAY.

Three weeks later I called their toll free number for rebates and Pam told me to call back in April. This I did, which was FIFTY FIVE days AFTER I had mailed out my envelope. I spoke to an Alicia at first who told me that the rebate that I had mailed out a few days later for another item was in their system. I was concerned because the $20 rebate for the external hard drive case, was mailed out 55 days before. This as said, was NOT in their system.

I was told to call back in two weeks. I said, instead of waiting two weeks let me email you the photos I have of my submission. Alicia told me to call ANY RadioShack and they would have an email address for me?

After the call, I did, and Keith at my local RadioShack came up with NOTHING. So, I called back the same toll free number. Dana came on the phone, this was a long call and she said there WAS NO EMAIL ADDRESS AT ALL FOR THE WHOLE OF THE RADIOSHACK FOUNDATION that I could email my photos to.

Unsatisfied I asked for a supervisor. Jessica, (a supervisor) then came on the line. I asked her for the CEO's phone number. She refused to give me that. I then asked her for any email that I could email my photos to, and she also said the same thing, that NONE existed. I even offered to upload the photos into one of my OWN email accounts, give her or anyone at RadioShack the log in, information so that they could view my digital pictures (of my submission). This request was also denied. Basically her attitude was tough luck.

I told her that nothing had been returned in the mail and that it HAD BEEN posted to the correct address. Again, her attitude was, 'we can do nothing.'

This to me is unacceptable. I've got proof of my submission, including photos of the envelope with the stamps on it. I have eight photos in all including photos of the photocopied receipt, rebate form, UPC symbol and the envelope. I'm upset that as a customer all I can do is get as far as unhelpful people like Jessica regarding a matter like this.

When someone buys a product that usually has a rebate attached to it one is cautious. From experience people buy from a TRUSTED company. To be treated like this, from of all companies, RadioShack, who has been an American Household Name for decades now, is in my opinion disgusting. The customer can't even get in touch with the CEO. By the way, when I asked to speak to him or her I was told by Jesicca, "We have no OUTGOING lines to make a phone call."


I gave up and filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau that same evening. Can you believe that not ONE SINGLE email address exists in the whole of the RadioShack organisation for someone to email photographs to. I'm sorry but that is totally beyond me.

Thanks for your reading, Johnny Anderson.