Unreceived Menards rebate checks

[CampingJosh]

To each his own, but I will happily take advantage of the people that forget/lose it/etc to get a cheaper product. The fact of the matter is, because they are counting on people to not send it in, the product is discounted much more than they could do if they simply discounted it.

IE, Menards free after rebate or even "Make A Buck". I'm well aware that a company cannot make money paying me to take product. Certainly there are people not getting their rebates for a multitude of reasons, but if it's because they forgot to send it in or they lost it, then I absolutely think it's their problem. I, OTOH, am diligent about rebates. We have an entire binder dedicated to rebates, every one that is sent in gets recorded and tracked. If it doesn't show up, or it shows up in the wrong amount, it's addressed promptly (and usually taken care of). And on many occasions I get paid to take products because the company is banking on other customers that must not be sending them in...

Yep. I just refuse to play the game.

When you advertise something and count on it not being true to a percentage of the people participating, that's just not a business that I want to involve myself with.

 

[Spear Dane]

I loathe mail-in rebates. I won't participate in them, and I find myself staying away from the stores that advertise them.

Exactly. I sent one in back in 2013, one of their periodic 11% sales. I'm still waiting... Personally I think they are scams.

 

[Ericpwp]

Never had an issue. I suspect there are a few postal workers with some nice tools. They don't check ID when cashing them in.

 

[CHCRandy]

Never had an issue. I suspect there are a few postal workers with some nice tools. They don't check ID when cashing them in.

Yeah, I think I have been asked for ID 1 time. Not just tools, they have food, clothes, sun tan oil.....it's like a thrift store anymore. I like Lowes 11% rebate, they email them to me and usually get within 2 weeks, plus I get to use my 10% off and get Ebates rebate.

 

[indyjohn]

We cashed in approx. $3k in Menards rebates last year and never had a problem. Now that the project is completed we've done a few hundred in rebates this year with no problems. YMMV

We cashed in a little less but we received coupons for all the rebates we submitted for. And yes it sometimes took a couple months or more.

 

[Snapdragon]

In the spring I sent in for a rebate check of about $300, and by August when I hadn't received it, I emailed them. It had been issued at the beginning of July. They sent a replacement. I wonder how much of the loss of rebate checks is theft and how much is tossing them away thinking they are junk. They are just a plain white postcard looking thing with hardly any marking on them.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Mine took a good 3 months last time. Give them a call and ask if they’ve shipped yet.

Or just shop at Lowes with your Lowes credit card and get 5% every damned day (or 6mos SAC on purchases >$400), no BS mail ins. Oh, and they have higher quality stuff, the stores are laid out better, and have a better selection of stuff without the distractions of pets, grocery, greeting cards, etc. And they have better customer service/return policies.

I'm done with them even though I have to drive past them to get to Lowes. Seems every time I run in for a quick "gotta have it now!" emergency more often than not they dont carry what I need and end up having to go to Lowes anyway to buy it after wasting time stopping there.

 

[Cameramonkey]

In the spring I sent in for a rebate check of about $300, and by August when I hadn't received it, I emailed them. It had been issued at the beginning of July. They sent a replacement. I wonder how much of the loss of rebate checks is theft and how much is tossing them away thinking they are junk. They are just a plain white postcard looking thing with hardly any marking on them.

This is no accident. They COUNT on that happening. Coupled with bad memory, they WANT us to forget about them and throw them away because they dont realize what it is. Think about it; When you write a check to someone and mail it off... Wouldnt YOU want them to not cash it? After all, that is money you dont have to spend if they dont.

What I know about their accounting practices, this does not surprise me in the least. They dont do anything illegal, but they sure do everything they can to milk every last penny out of those they deal with.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Or just shop at Lowes with your Lowes credit card and get 5% every damned day (or 6mos SAC on purchases >$400), no BS mail ins. Oh, and they have higher quality stuff, the stores are laid out better, and have a better selection of stuff without the distractions of pets, grocery, greeting cards, etc. And they have better customer service/return policies.

I'm done with them even though I have to drive past them to get to Lowes. Seems every time I run in for a quick "gotta have it now!" emergency more often than not they dont carry what I need and end up having to go to Lowes anyway to buy it after wasting time stopping there.

Eh, different strokes for different folks. I see a lot of complaints that Menards doesn't carry name-brand or good quality tools (which is almost always the argument trying to be supported when people say Meanrds is lower quality). Those arguments almost always come from people looking for Dewalt. It's no secret that Lowe's carries a lot of Dewalt and Menards doesn't carry any. But I see plenty of Hitachi, Bosch, etc at Menards. I think that argument is BS.

You know what is also no secret? Menards is almost universally cheaper than Lowe's on identical items. For the exact same brand, with the exact same barcode, Menards is 5-30% cheaper. So your 5% you get on your Lowe's card simply just brings their stupid prices down closer to the level of Menards regular price. But I get 2% on my Menards card... and for the longest time, using coupons (until Menards stopped taking them) I could get another 15-20% off any item I wanted. Make all the arguments you want for Lowe's, but having been a big spender in home-improvement stores over the last decade I will happily drive right past the Lowe's in my hometown to go to the Menards 30 minutes over.

Oh, and customer service... I've NEVER had a good CS experience at Lowe's. Even returning an unwanted, unopened item at Lowe's seems like pulling teeth. Menards, I walk in, return it, continue on. I think this must be something highly dependent on stores. My Lowe's sucks, my Menards rocks. Maybe yours is opposite. Heck, I bought a special order item at Lowe's last year because I liked the one offered by Lowe's slightly better than Menards (a rare thing for me). They never even notified me when it came in, I had to call and ask if it had come yet. When I went to pick it up it took them 1 hr 40 minutes to find the item. And it's not like it was a small item that got misplaced, it was a $1,000 item bolted to a pallet... at Menards, as long as I have my paperwork, I don't even have to go into the store, I just pull through the yard gate and I'm usually loaded within 10 minutes.

BTW, sorry for continuing the thread-jack making this a Menards vs. Lowes thread.

 

[Snapdragon]

Menard's is my go-to and Lowe's is my second best. Home Depot = desperation.

For those of you waiting for rebate checks, it will likely be a small white double-thickness postcard with a return address of Elk Mound, WI, and not much else. If anyone else in the house sorts mail, have them be careful not to toss it.

 

[WebSnyper]

Or just shop at Lowes with your Lowes credit card and get 5% every damned day (or 6mos SAC on purchases >$400), no BS mail ins. Oh, and they have higher quality stuff, the stores are laid out better, and have a better selection of stuff without the distractions of pets, grocery, greeting cards, etc. And they have better customer service/return policies.

I'm done with them even though I have to drive past them to get to Lowes. Seems every time I run in for a quick "gotta have it now!" emergency more often than not they dont carry what I need and end up having to go to Lowes anyway to buy it after wasting time stopping there.

I go to Lowes for big stuff like appliances, etc as they have done me very well on those, along with their card which often runs 12, 18 or sometimes 24 months same as cash, etc.

But I've had better luck finding small specialty items at Menards than I have Lowes. So I'm in Menards more for the small stuff, but I probably overall spend more (due to the larger ticket appliance items) at Lowes, if that makes sense. I have had no issues returning anything to either store as both have been stellar in that area for me.
I have had Lowes go above and beyond on some customer service items so can't say anything bad about them in that respect.

Menard's is my go-to and Lowe's is my second best. Home Depot = desperation.

For those of you waiting for rebate checks, it will likely be a small white double-thickness postcard with a return address of Elk Mound, WI, and not much else. If anyone else in the house sorts mail, have them be careful not to toss it.

Definitely agree on Home Depot. I have not been to one since the Menards and Lowes were built out in Avon several years ago.

On another note, if anyone wants to see at least what is supposed to be delivered to their house from a mail perspective, sign up for this: https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action

You get a daily email with scanned images of the regular sized mail (not magazines and packages, etc) of the mail that is supposed to be delivered to your house on a given day. Now if someone upstream from that steals it, obviously you won't know. Good for folks who may have kids or others getting mail from the box and potentially misplacing something. These scans are being taken anyway, so might as well put it to your own use.

 

[JettaKnight]

I'm done with them even though I have to drive past them to get to Lowes. Seems every time I run in for a quick "gotta have it now!" emergency more often than not they dont carry what I need and end up having to go to Lowes anyway to buy it after wasting time stopping there.

I'm the exact opposite. I check Lowe's because it's on my way home - they never have "it". I feel the same way about Kroger or Walmart - I generally regret ever walking in the door.

Menards typically has what I'm looking for.


I'm a little miffed I spent $300+ last week, now it's 11% off. However, I will confess that once when checking out, the customer in front of me left without their receipt. When I went to grab mine, it was there too, but the customer long gone.

I sent it in with mine.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I'm the exact opposite. I check Lowe's because it's on my way home - they never have "it". I feel the same way about Kroger or Walmart - I generally regret ever walking in the door.

Menards typically has what I'm looking for.


I'm a little miffed I spent $300+ last week, now it's 11% off. However, I will confess that once when checking out, the customer in front of me left without their receipt. When I went to grab mine, it was there too, but the customer long gone.

I sent it in with mine.

As long as you go to the store during the 11% sale and your purchase was within 2 weeks of when the 11% sale starts you can get an 11% rebate matching form. You have to ask the service desk (the one by the registers, where the mgrs. are) and you have to send a copy of your receipt from those purchases in the mail with it.

IE, the week before 11% began I made 2 very large purchases at Menards. 11% started. I walked into my menards, asked for an 11% matching form, they gave it to me, I mailed that form (like a normal rebate slip/form) with copies of my original receipts to Menards rebates along with some other rebates I sent. I expect to receive the 11% match on those purchases (as long as they were made within 2 weeks of when the 11% sale starts).

I'm a bit unclear on if you get the 11% on the full purchase amount or if it's only on regular price items. I've only done this a few times and I didn't keep good records of the previous times I did the matching. However, if you do it the other way around I know you can "double-dip". IE, you buy something regular price during 11% and the next week they put it on sale. They have a 2-week low-price guarantee. If you go in after the 11% ends and the sale price begins, you get the full difference between regular price and sale price back, and the rebate you get in the mail is the full amount.

 

[CHCRandy]

Eh, different strokes for different folks. I see a lot of complaints that Menards doesn't carry name-brand or good quality tools (which is almost always the argument trying to be supported when people say Meanrds is lower quality). Those arguments almost always come from people looking for Dewalt. It's no secret that Lowe's carries a lot of Dewalt and Menards doesn't carry any. But I see plenty of Hitachi, Bosch, etc at Menards. I think that argument is BS.

You know what is also no secret? Menards is almost universally cheaper than Lowe's on identical items. For the exact same brand, with the exact same barcode, Menards is 5-30% cheaper. So your 5% you get on your Lowe's card simply just brings their stupid prices down closer to the level of Menards regular price. But I get 2% on my Menards card... and for the longest time, using coupons (until Menards stopped taking them) I could get another 15-20% off any item I wanted. Make all the arguments you want for Lowe's, but having been a big spender in home-improvement stores over the last decade I will happily drive right past the Lowe's in my hometown to go to the Menards 30 minutes over.

Oh, and customer service... I've NEVER had a good CS experience at Lowe's. Even returning an unwanted, unopened item at Lowe's seems like pulling teeth. Menards, I walk in, return it, continue on. I think this must be something highly dependent on stores. My Lowe's sucks, my Menards rocks. Maybe yours is opposite. Heck, I bought a special order item at Lowe's last year because I liked the one offered by Lowe's slightly better than Menards (a rare thing for me). They never even notified me when it came in, I had to call and ask if it had come yet. When I went to pick it up it took them 1 hr 40 minutes to find the item. And it's not like it was a small item that got misplaced, it was a $1,000 item bolted to a pallet... at Menards, as long as I have my paperwork, I don't even have to go into the store, I just pull through the yard gate and I'm usually loaded within 10 minutes.

BTW, sorry for continuing the thread-jack making this a Menards vs. Lowes thread.

It's funny how I am in these stores 5-10 times a week....and my post could be the same as yours if you just swap the store names. I hate Menards. I hate how some material is inside and some outside, I hate the cheap shingles they sell, I hate the way you have to make material returns inside a security gate, I hate their delivery service, I hate how they usually have 2 lanes open and no self check out. I am not a real fan of Lowes either but I go there often (3 times today). Personally, if I need lumber I would rather go to a lumber store like 84, shingles I would rather go to North Coast or Reese, misc. stuff go to Wal-Mart.

 

[jd4320t]

I received an email reply today. They asked for the rebate numbers so they could look into them. Seems silly because they were included in my first email to them and they should already have access to their rebate data.

 

[CHCRandy]

I hope you get it figured out. I know Lowes got me for a $300+ rebate here a while back, sent me a non compliance letter.....I in return called them and they approved it but then they sent another non compliance. I just gave up and let it go after that. I think they hope we forget.

 

[CountryBoy19]

It's funny how I am in these stores 5-10 times a week....and my post could be the same as yours if you just swap the store names. I hate Menards. I hate how some material is inside and some outside, I hate the cheap shingles they sell, I hate the way you have to make material returns inside a security gate, I hate their delivery service, I hate how they usually have 2 lanes open and no self check out. I am not a real fan of Lowes either but I go there often (3 times today). Personally, if I need lumber I would rather go to a lumber store like 84, shingles I would rather go to North Coast or Reese, misc. stuff go to Wal-Mart.

I have NEVER seen my lowe's have more than 1 checkout lane open. There can be 10 people in line in that one checkout lane, 4 lowes employees milling about drinking coffee or talking at the service desk, and yet I have to wait 30 minutes to get checked-out because they won't open another lane.

I can totally understand your frustrations with the security gate thing and making material returns to Menards. That is a little frustrating, but at least Menards has clearly defined door numbers/locations for their materials and they have special areas for special-orders so they don't have to go looking through an entire warehouse for almost 2 hrs to find your item that is on a big pallet.

 

[Snapdragon]

Irrelevant to this thread, but ignorant sales people are everywhere... once at Menard's I had to ask four people for wooden dowel rods before I found someone who knew what they were. Millennials kept thinking I meant towel rods. Once at Lowes when I was in a big hurry to find 2 inch #10 wood screws, a lady brought me bolts, and when I told her that wasn't right because they needed to be for wood, she brought me nails. How do you do a job day in and day out and stay so clueless? I'd be ashamed.

 

[cburnworth]

I am waiting on 2 checks. It says processed nov 6th. I got rebates from lowes and did them online, rcvd gift card in less than 2 weeks. Mailed menards in september.

 

[jedi]

I loathe mail-in rebates. I won't participate in them, and I find myself staying away from the stores that advertise them.

Agree same here. I really dislike the menards one as its not even cash back but a store credit so you are not really saving.