Sprint to end instant rebate promotion, bring back mail-in rebates on May 7th

By on Apr 22, 2011 at 11:31 AM
mobile April 22, 2011

Last month BGR confirmed that Sprint would be launching an instant rebate promotion that eliminated mail-in rebates and instead brought users instant savings. At that time, Sprint told us that the promotion would continue for an unspecified period of time. According to a purported internal document obtained by technology enthusiast blog Spantechular, the carrier will end its instant rebate promotion on May 7th. With Sprint rumored to be launching the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet one day later on May 8th, the timing certainly adds up. When approached for comment, a Sprint spokesperson told BGR that the carrier has not announced an end date for the instant rebate promotion.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/joshwithachance Joshua Pingley

    talk about taking a step BACKWARDS.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, that was certainly fast.

  • YourMom

    Clearwire wants their money and Sprint has none.

    • Lowell Mcadam

      All carriers take an initial hit on equipment due to subsidized pricing. For instance, an HTC EVO costs Sprint around 400.00 per device. So how exactly is hoping customers aren’t going to turn in their rebates going to be a sound business strategy when they are already in the hole for the device itself?

      Frankly, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

  • Anonymous

    I make an extra effort to buy at places that have instant rebates. I hate mail-in rebates.

  • Anonymous

    Probably because of EVO 3D; everything the iPhone will never be.

  • Kobealan

    Sprint is ALWAYS doing the dumbest things……

  • Lowell Mcadam

    The instant rebate promotion was originally until 4/16, however it was extended unti 5/7. This “promotion” was what Sprint has said it was all along, a promotion. Numerous blogs and sites reported the news as if it were permanent with titles such as “Sprint does away with mail-in-rebates” etc.

    Go to any sprint location and you will see collateral that states “Instant savings for limited time”. Sprint never indicated that it was a permanent solution. On the other hand, it doesn’t take an insider to realize that they were/are testing the success rate with having no addiotnal up front costs. Outside of the people making the decisions, no one knows what the results are.

    For all we know, May 8th could be the start of a permanent instant rebate solution. Or it may be the end of the promotion and mail in rebates will become common place again. Either way, Sprint still offers the best value in the industry. Paying that rebate, and getting it back is a small obstacle when you take into consideration the hundereds of dollars you save a year with Sprint.

    • Ropeman_01

      Exactly, everybody assumes that because the promotion is through May 7th that it won’t be extended or made permanent. The fact of the matter is that May 7th is the last day in the current pricing period, and all new promotions start the 8th, which could include instant rebates. Sprint internal documents are never updated quickly for this reason, some blogger gets a hold of it and rumors fly when not even Sprint employees know for sure what is going to happen until a few days before the new pricing period starts. So everybody calm down, wait until May 8th to see what happens, and don’t take these documents seriously.

    • Jimclem

      Guess reason to get IPhone just got better.

  • Anonymous

    Sprint: The NOT Now Network.

    Sprint reps should tell the truth: “Just send us your correct rebate paperwork, and we promise to mess it up and force you to call us so that you can determine where your rebate is…and then we’ll come up with an excuse about how the paperwork wasn’t filled out properly. If you still argue, we’ll get it to you within eight months.”

    *sigh

    • Lowell Mcadam

      Because rebate issues do not happen with any other carrier, or company for that matter, just Sprint. Noted.

      • Anonymous

        Actually, they don’t happen with the frequency that they happen with Sprint. Of course, this is just my own observation.

        I have NEVER had my rebate sent to me as expected with Sprint. I have always had to call Sprint’s pathetic customer service and haggle with them for an hour just to figure out what went wrong.

        Unfortunately, many of their workers want to blame the customer for Sprint’s poor customer experience. Until they stop doing this, they will continue to be a good value with a horrible experience.

    • Ricklerush

      Once you buy the phone, YOU are suppose to send in the rebate in the mail yourself. If you did fill out the paperwork properly, I.E. Right name/number/receipt you should recieve your rebated 6-8 weeks.

  • Anonymous

    Just in time for the probable Nexus S & EVO 3D Releases.

  • Anonymous

    Wow they got this from my bro’s site, bet he’s grinning big time!

  • http://twitter.com/beeds07 Byron Sigh

    Oh well. Guess i’ll just keep going to Best Buy, who never has mail in rebates. All Sprint is doing is sticking it to their dealers and corporate owned stores, as usual…

  • Generatione

    Fuck mail in rebates

    • http://profiles.google.com/bphoffa Brandon Hoffman

      what he said!

  • http://profiles.google.com/bphoffa Brandon Hoffman

    lame FAIL lame FAIL

  • Dejan Jancevski

    Proof once again that Sprint….well…sucks. Actually, from what I’ve been able to ascertian…Sprint’s internal numbers don’t look so hot this quarter. In fact, they’re slated to report a $0.205/share NET LOSS! That’s HUGE! This company is dying a death of a 1000 cuts. First they lose iDEN post-paid subs and don’t bat an eyelash. Then they only gain a paltry 56K post-paid CDMA subs, and make a BIG DEAL about it. Now that they finally do 1 thing right, and they fall all over themselves. Typical Sprint. Promise the stars…deliver a sparkler.

    • http://www.briefmobile.com Korey Nicholson

      Does any other Post-paid carrier do instant MIR? No I didn’t think so. Verizon did it for a limited time only, and T-Mobile does it as well for a limited time during the end. Sprint as well did it for a limited time, and it was going to end 4/16…they extended it to 5/7, long then any of carrier has offered instant MIR. So please get out of here. Sprint is doing an excellent job, much better then anyone else.

  • http://www.briefmobile.com Korey Nicholson

    Does no one understand it was going to end 4/17? They extended it to May 7th…

  • Ecowfer13

    According to their “new” website, they’ve already ended the instant discount for current subscribers. I’ll be going to Verizon now…

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