N.J. Consumers May Get Rebate Relief
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Do you hate filling out those pesky rebate forms after making a major purchase? Well, there may be relief for consumers in New Jersey. The state assembly will vote Monday on a bill that would require retailers do the paperwork.
How many times have you been persuaded to buy a product because of the low advertised price only to find out, through the fine print, that it's the after the rebate price.
"That kind of stuff is just not acceptable in my opinion," said New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Moriarty.
Moriarty is one of the sponsors of the bill that would prohibit retailers from advertising an after rebate price, unless they give the rebate right at the cash register. They couldn't make consumers do the paperwork to get the price they advertise.
"There are some retailers that are opposed to this but you know what, quite simply, the price shown in the newspaper should be the price the consumer pays at the cash register," said Moriarty.
According to Moriarty, nearly 40 percent of rebates, worth about two billion dollars, go unclaimed by customers each year.
Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio
