No More Rebates in Wisconsin?

Time to contact your State Senators everyone!! A bill (# 560) has been introduced into the state legislature that could affect our ability to get some rebates. Act now!! This bill was supposed to be voted on yesterday but the voting was delayed.

While the bill does not prohibit rebates directly, it may cause problems. The bill says:

It is deceptive advertising to advertise the price of retail merchandise as reduced by an available rebate of a portion of the purchase price of the merchandise unless the rebate is provided to the purchaser of the merchandise at the time of purchase.

State Senator John Lehman's site says the following:

... the FAIR Act does not prohibit rebates. The bill instead would require that if the advertised price includes a rebate, that rebate would have to be provided on the spot at the time of purchase. In addition, the bill would have no impact on coupons as the savings are provided at the point of sale.

“Consumers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops or wait months for rebates to get the advertised price for goods and services. People should be able to get the products they want or need for the price they are advertised at the point of purchase,” concluded Lehman.

While this sounds like a good idea it would basically amount to the residents of Wisconsin not being offered these money saving rebates. Rather than offering a lower "on the spot" price we would end up paying more.

We cannot expect stores to give us the money that companies want to refund us for purchasing their products. Wisconsin would just be listed as an exclusion in the fine print at the bottom of the rebate forms.

Thankfully, most of the products we buy are NOT advertised at a lower (after rebate) price and are therefore excluded. One exception would be products at CVS and Walgreens that are listed in the ads at a lower price once you factor in RRs or ECBs. However, since RRs and ECBs are issued on the spot they should not be affected.

Rebates that ARE affected would include deals like those on electronics (in store or from catalogs), office supplies (Max Perks), Menards (FIR items) and deals like those nearly free after rebate games at Toys R Us last year.

I understand our state senators are trying to "help" people buy saving them the step of filling out the rebate form and waiting for their money but no one is forcing anyone to participate in these rebate programs. Consumers who don't want to go through the trouble and waiting process shouldn't buy items that have rebates.

Take a minute and contact your state senator. Don't know who your state senator is? Click here and put in your address!

You can also call the Committee Members:

Senator Robert Wirch, D-Kenosha, chairman (608) 267-8979
Senator Jeff Plale, D-South Milwaukee (608) 266-7505
Senator Jim Holperin, D-Conover (608) 266-2509
Senator Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac (608) 266-5300
Senator Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin (608) 266-5400
Senator John Lehman, D-Racine, lead author (608) 266-1832 (author of this bill)

If you would like to read more here are a few links for you:
Are we to dumb to read in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin Radio Network
Wisconsin Business Voice
Common Sense with Money