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These cash-back deals are all the same these days in that almost all the companies make it as difficult as possible for you to claim the cash-back. If too many people successfully claim their cash-back, the company makes a loss and some small outfits have even gone bust and people have lost their cash-back.
In my long experience there are three rules for dealing sucessfully with cash-back offers and you'll be ok:
1) Make sure that the company you're dealing with has a reputation of being financially secure and doesn't base its entire business model on cash-back; or is part of a larger company. If it goes bust then you'll probably lose your cash-back.
2) You must be the kind of person that's well organised (not the average person!). If you 're not then you'll inevitably forget to claim at the right time and in the right way. You must be capable of following the cash-back T&C's to the letter. You must also be prepared to be able to prove in a Small Claims Court that you have kept your side of the bargain. So keeping screen prints of the original offer and communicating only using Recorded Delivery is a ABSOLUTE must.
3) You must have bulldog-determination when it comes to following up. If you don't then you will fail because of the myriad of excuses these companies use not to pay you (application lost in the post etc. etc.). Just follow the T&C's to the letter and calmly threaten the company with the Small Claims Court if it fails to follow its side of the bargain. Carry that threat through if necessary.
I have had a number of cash-back claims during the last few years. One only paid after I served them with a Small Claims summons (including paying me the £30 court fee). I'm currently in a row with Phones4U who have, so far, lost my application, paid me the wrong amount and almost always fail to return my calls. It doesn't matter. I know I have the documented proof I need in a Smalls Claim Court each time I come to a payment deadline.
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