Got a Great Wedding Registry Deal But Then…
Nov. 12, 2013 — -- Dear ABC News Fixer: For my wedding, I registered at Kohl's. I have been a shopper there for years and they have great rewards.
With its registry service, Kohl's offers something called Ever After Rewards. After your wedding, you get 10 percent of the total purchase price of your registry items in "reward bucks" to be used in the store.
My wedding was June 1, and I still haven't gotten my rebate. I have called over and over and over again and even reached someone in the president's office. But no one can help or tell me why I and other brides who've complained online have not gotten their rewards.
We could have listed our registry anywhere, and Kohl's made a ton of money off all of us. My guests purchased almost everything from my registry, but Kohl's is not holding up their end. Please help!
- Teresa Masters, Kansas City, Mo.
Dear Teresa: First, congratulations! Someday, this annoying rebate snafu will be a funny footnote to your wedding, like in the movies when the best man can't find the ring or the flower girl tips over the cake.
The Ever After Rewards is actually a pretty sweet deal because in addition to the 10 percent cash back (up to $200), the happy couple also gets a coupon for 15 percent off any remaining items on their registry after the wedding. The store also offers coupons to give to family and friends for 15 percent discounts on registry purchases.
The only problem was the rebate was supposed to come about 90 days after your wedding. You had waited almost two months longer than that.
We got in touch with Kohl's media relations folks to see if we could shake loose your money. They promised to look into it, and sure enough, the very next day someone at Kohl's emailed you $101 in rewards. They also threw in a free $50 gift card, which you received in the mail last week.
Your rebate runaround reminds the ABC News Fixer to remind other consumers to stay organized when it comes to rebates. A sizeable amount of rebate money is never claimed, because the consumers didn't follow through or because their applications were rejected. So apply on time and mark your calendar with the date you expect to receive the rebate.
This particular wedding rebate didn't require any extra paperwork, but for offers that do, make sure you follow the directions precisely. Rebate fulfillers have been known to reject applications that contained silly errors, such as underlining the price on a receipt when it was supposed to be circled.
Also – photocopy everything that you're supposed to mail in, including the rebate form, the receipt, the proof of purchase and even the envelope you mail it in. Send rebate requests by certified mail, return receipt requested. For an online rebate offer, be sure to print your receipt.
- The ABC News Fixer
Got a consumer problem? The ABC News Fixer may be able to help. Click here to submit your problem online. Letters are edited for length and clarity.
