Netgear False Advertising

You've got a PM headed your way. I'll see if I can get this straightened out for you.

I would like to thank Siigna for assisting after waiting nearly 9 months I have now received the promotion drive.

Thanks Siigna you are a star.

Martin

Thanks for the update..

[quote="mnicholl"]I purchased the ReadyNAS 2120 as at the time of purchase Netgear were offering a free second hard drive. I provided all details according to the T&C's.

The drive never turned up and I contacted Netgear in December 2010, I was told an investigation would be complete and a drive would be issued. The reason the drive was issued was due to the required paperwork not being delivered.

Well still no drive and the previous correspondence is quite convenient....

I've had a similar problem and had all but given up on receiving the advertised free disk as part of the Netgear promotion until I saw your post. I purchased mine in August 2010 and waited and waited and eventually entered into correspondence with Netgear Customer Services. I was initially told that the delay was due to low stock levels and then got the same reason given for lack of fulfillment ie. incorrect paperwork. In January 2011 I resent a scan of the claim form together with the package barcodes as requested and even provided the Royal Mail ref no for the recorded delivery - whose tracking system showed receipt at Netgear together with a signature on the 3rd September 2010. Didn't hear anything back from Netgear from that moment on.

Copy of free disk claim form, barcodes, recorded delivery, proof of delivery - not sure what else I could have done really. Customer service to date has been abysmal which is a shame because the product is great - anyone remember the "hoover free flights" promotion from years ago, this whole thing feels a bit like that...

So I'd appreciate it if Netgear could contact me and make this right please, the HDD is probably only about £20/30 wholesale to Netgear and I could probably get it myself for not much more but it's the principle that counts here and like mnicholl I feel that the promotion misrepresented the product offering if it fails to fulfill it's promise.

wilson72: shoot me a pm and I'll get in touch with you.

While I have never had a problem receiving any rebate that had been offered on Netgear products that I have purchased. Last year I was eligible for and applied for two rebates, one NAS units and one switch. All arrived in the time frame set forth in the documentation.

However, that being said, many people have apparently had problems, and I have had problems with other companies. Not to mention the Mail In Rebate (MIR) is a hassle in all cases. My suggestion is that all manufacturers should pay heed to what some do, and that is to configure an instant rebate. My first NVX was configured with a free 1TB drive from an on line retailer. At the time the drive was selling for about $90. I ordered the NVX (with free drive) and three matchin drives. The NVX and drives were shipped together.

I know that companies use probability in valuing the reserve for the rebates, because not all people will order the free drive, nor will all complete and send in the paperwork for a MIR. In the case of my NVX, I could have ordered the NVX with other drives not subject to the free offer and thus would have passed on the free drive. If it is a cash rebate offered at the time of purchase, offer a lower rebate. I would much rather have gotten an instant $80 rebate than a $100 MIR.

For a while many manufacturers seemed to be moving in that way. Car manufacturers had honed this to a fine art. They can adjust the rebate offered through the dealers on a monthly basis, and even vary it by region. Think of the impact if you enter a slow period and you offer a two week $50, $75 or $100 rebate, deductible at the time of purchase. The company would not have to set up a laborious process of having people cram the rebate forms, copy of invoice (different for each vendor) and a copy of the product bar code which has to be cut off the box or peeled off with a blow dryer. Tons and Tons of paperwork. Shoot, you could even tailor it by vendor.

Just my opinion. I will get off the soap box now. I will close that no rebate would ever convince me to buy an NAS other than a ReadyNAS. With three of the little 4 bay guys, I guess I really stuck on them.

I had an issue with the rebate stuff last week (not with a Readynas, but with the GS724v3). The requirement to provide original serial number and original UPC is a pain - in my case I inadvertently lost the UPC code (when I discarded the packaging). That cost me a $75 rebate.

While I like the switch (and my 3 ReadyNas, my WiFi router, media players, etc), this was annoying; and I would prefer an instant rebate or some other easier method than mail-in.

The rebates should be online. In Australia the NetGear rebates are done online, so I don't see why they can't be done online elsewhere. A photo or two, plus a copy of the invoice proving purchase should be sufficient in my opinion.

I think the demand for the UPC/Serial No sticker is a result of people buying a unit, copying the invoice, applying for the rebate and then returning the unit for a refund. To get the UPC/Serial No. sticker off you basically have to mutilate the box and then render the item non-returnable.

An instant rebate that occurred at the point of sale would be reflected on the invoice and if the item were returned, only the net amount would be refunded. Several years ago, Best Buy did this and the invoice had a warning that only the purchase price less rebate, which is fair. Since I haven't bought an item from them for which there was an instant rebate in a while, I don't know if they still do that or not.

On line filing would certainly work and could be attached to the registration. You register the item, give them your personal information, attach a PDF image of the invoice and you're done. Of course the fly in that ointment is that the registration is the company and most use 3rd parties to handle rebates. Of course that is also where the companies have problems, for the 3rd parties don't really have the company's reputation as a priority.