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Well, guys. It was a good run. According to this leaked internal memo to Sprint employees, it looks like Sprint could be doing away with one of the best marketing ideas I’ve seen from a carrier in a long time — the end of mail-in rebates. The change is scheduled for July 24th, it looks Sprint could be going back to the old system of doing things but this time, with a twist.
First, mail-in-rebates will only be returning for devices with a net promotion price of $150 or less. Not so bad, right? Second, in perhaps an effort to go “green,” Sprint will now give you an American Express Prepaid card instead of the old fashioned snail mailed paper checks. Well, I don’t care how happy Akon is in that picture, I’d much rather receive a check that I can deposit into my empty checking account so I can buy more v-necks and chicken nuggets. But that’s just me.
On the bright side of things, maybe the pre-paid debit card wont take as long to come in the mail which could be a plus. There was nothing worse that waiting 6-7 weeks to receive your rebate check in the mail. Also, it doesn’t look like the new/old mail-in-rebate system will affect the Motorola Photon 4G releasing on the 31st seeing how it’s going to be priced at $200. Close one, right?
[Via SprintFeed]
Looks like Best Buy will get my business on phone purchases then. I believe they still give instant and not have to mail in a rebate.
You are right on that one, good sir!
If you’re buying the high end phones you don’t have to worry about it. No activation fee through Sprint.com, which aren’t being waived as easy as they used to be.
I need someone to educate me on why businesses want mail-in rebates. They are big hassles for customers and customers clearly don’t like them. They also incur extra administrative cost for businesses. It seems to be a win-win situation to do instant rebates rather than mail-in rebates.
Then why business wants to do mail-in? Is it because that certain percentage of people forget to mail their rebates and a certain percentage of rebates got lost in the mail. So that those lost rebates from consumers make it worthwhile for business to use mail-in rebates?
You just answered your own question.
soon they will be ending their unlimited to go to caps and tiers, watch for it
That’s exactly why they do it. I know so many people that never got their money back from Sprint, because some lame excuse about the form not filled out right. Thankfully this time it doesn’t effect the high end phones, so I won’t have to deal with it. I prefer to buy through Sprint so I don’t have to worry about being charged an activation fee.
“There was nothing worse that waiting 6-7 weeks to receive your rebate check in the mail”
+1 there!
Why is the guy in the picture holding up the card and pointing at it like he just went to Hawaii on it?
Caption time:
“Hell yeah motha fuggs, I just gots me a 50 dollar gift card. ALOHA BITCHES.”
Its not some guy… ITS AKON! :D
I have to ask – how is it that you know the Photon won’t be affected? I think your logic explained above (I assume you meant the other leaked photos of this information, showing the Photon pricing math with “instant rebate” included) is ok, but could it have been a mistake? It seems odd the Photon would be the only handset without a MIR. I’m asking because I’m looking forward to getting it, but then passing on my SERO plan that I’m using the upgrade on. I will have trouble doing that (will have to wait) if it does, indeed, have a MIR because the phone has to remain active when the rebate is processed – which could be 6 – 8 weeks.