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Free After Rebates For Free Points Are Deceiving




For those that have been following my #milesmadness posts about a novel way to generate points, I started to track free after rebates from Newegg. Searching on their site for the free after rebates is not easy as documented here, here, and here.

I had described to the programmer what needed the change, and had him change the script and we are now able to see the true value, but here’s another snag, no thanks to Newegg. The change basically was, continue to download all active mail in rebates, but take the Newegg item and search for any instant rebates.

Review:

Remember, we are using this link: which are all active mail in rebates offers.

Rebates

 

Here is the pull from April 11:

newegg_rebates_411

As a reminder, the CPP column formula is:

I’m rounding all the points earned to the nearest 1. For the denominator, I used the American Express Business Rewards Gold for 2x Membership Rewards for the denominator and clicking through a mall giving back 1x on the purchase. All of the numbers were against the purchase price because that would be where the multiplication happens. Final price is the numerator and there’s a subtraction to lower the cost because of Newegg’s loyalty program, Egg Points, where each Egg Point is worth one cent.

Here is the pull for April 12:

newegg_rebates_412

 

 

Notice Intuit QuickBooks Online Simple Start fell off. So we jump into the product just to make sure the rebate offer really is over. It’s not true.  On April 12, I pull all active rebates, but I am expecting QuickBooks to show up, but it doesn’t.

newegg_intuit_quickbooks

 

Here is the query, nothing for the Quickbooks, despite the rebate offer is still valid on April 12, when the data was pulled.

newegg_intuit_quickbooks_search

 

What’s happening With Newegg?

So if you are running the script daily, you may need to double check the rebate offers. My guess, Newegg’s code for the active rebate is something like if current date is greater than or equal end of date rebate, then it is not active and do not show. It should be if current date greater than end date for active rebates to display correctly.

5 comments… add one
  • My problem has always been that free after rebate products are too much hassle. Is there something about newegg in particular that makes this no the case?

    Reply
  • Have you done much mail in rebate in the past?

    You are counting your chickens before they hatch, mail rebates are notorious for taking way too much effort to get paid. Or not getting paid no matter what you do. More so if you are playing any games with single use codes.

    It’s all fun until one denial ruins your numbers and you realize all your work was for nothing.

    I haven’t been following this adventure. Played the rebate game years ago and got burned a few too many times. Your script idea is a good one, not sure I’d have done it that way (ok, sure I would not, there are better ways to parse data) but the flaw is in the assumption you will get paid. Good luck.

    Used to be easy free after rebate deals on blood sugar testers, once you open the box to get the rebate requirement they can’t be accepted by donation officially but if you know any nurses or anyone that volunteers with the homeless, they will take them. http://www.walgreens.com/images/pdfs/rebates/BGMSRebate.pdf

    Reply
  • I’m so glad you both ask and to have left your feedback.

    Given that easier manufactured spend has closed up a bit, I am looking at any opportunities to generate points free or near free points. My next goal is to take the next step and jump into the market of reselling. When that happens, I’m not sure, but I’d like to have a framework and idea set before I go into it.

    I’ve done a few Newegg rebates in the past, and agreed, they’re a bit of a hassle. To me, I consider them the cost of business and to the waiting period of being paid back like portal rewards. Newegg rebates are definitely not like Staples’ easy rebates.

    Reply
  • Have you or your programmer figured out a way around rebates that are still valid dropping off?

    Reply
    • I thought about it, I don’t think it’s worthwhile to invest modify the code to fix it. The script would need to go into every product and then download the rebate end date and those details are not easily defined. The cost to benefits I don’t see it as being worthy of the investment.

      Reply

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