This is mostly about bad experiences I have had primarily regarding companies. Many are about "Mail in Rebates" which in my opinion is almost another word for "Bait and Switch" marketing, or down-right fraud.

Once in a while I am delighted with the service or a product I buy. I will list them here. But, I should say I have a bit of a guilt feeling about even putting them here with so many negatives. Maybe I will move them to a different web page.

Bad experiences. Or Companies on my Avoid list

• APC Uninterruptible power supply. I got two different reasons why they could not honor the mail in rebate. Each was technically wrong: The first the model number they said they did not have a rebate on was wrong--not the one I bought.

  When I wrote and complained and pointed out their error, I got another reply that the rebate period had expired. It hadn't when I first sent in the correct rebate forms, etc.

• Maxtor USB connected external hard drive. I got a reject notice, just a printed post card, from the same Texas address as the above APC reject notices--same format on the card with different company names.

  I complained to Fry's Electronics where I had bought both, fellow said he would check into it and get back to me. It never happened. Complaining to Fry's is time wasted.

• West Marine Garmin Map 176 GPS. When I got it home and turned it on, it had a bread-crumb trail and way-points set at Lake Tahoe. I had been sold a used, or returned, one as new. I contacted West Marine's main office and complained. I got an apologetic phone call from the San Jose store where I bought it offering an exchange. A "Tip of the Hat" to West Marine. When I took it into the store they claimed it was a mistake. ??? And offered me a new, more expensive Garmin Map 176C which has a color display. Unfortunately, I accepted the color version. Big mistake! You cannot see the display in the daylight. It is the most useless GPS I have owned. (Out of about a dozen.) I called Garmin Technical Support to see if I could have the color display replaced with a monochromatic display. Yes, I could buy a second one! Otherwise get lost. In a way I can't blame Garmin for West Marine's screw-up, shortly and wisely they discontinued the 176.

• Fujitsu LifeBook Notebook computer. Fry's had this with a $100 Mail in Rebate. When I got home I noticed the rebate forms said "No P.O. Box addresses." Fujitsu is local, so I called them and said if they could not send the rebate to my P.O. Box I would return it to Fry's. I was told they could wave that requirement with no problem. So I kept the laptop. Many emails, phone calls, and promises. I have never got the rebate. I feel sorry for the people who work for such a "Chicken Shit" company. Actually, the engineering and design of the computer was very good. But, a company who screws it customers, will do the same to the people working for them. My recommendations: Don't buy anything made by Fujitsu, and if you work for them: Wake up, there are far better places to work.

• Canon S3 camera I bought on the internet from Beach Camera. That rebate story is here. I called Canon and they steadfastly claimed they did not offer a rebate, but months later and several calls to Beach Camera I did receive the rebates. They were from Canon!

• SanDisk Sansa c150 2GB MP3 Player. This was a refurbished unit sold at Fry's for $59 with a ten dollar rebate. What a disaster. When I got home and opened the package, there was no instructions or information at all about even how to turn it on or put in the batteries. I put in a battery and pressed a "Menu" button and it came on. After some experimenting I eventually got it to play an FM radio station. Which was OK with the tiny earphones that you put in your ear. No markings as to which earphone is right or left. As an FM radio it is much inferior to an old Sony Walkman I must have had for at least 5 years. I could not figure out how to turn it off! Ultimately, I removed the single AAA battery, and threw it in the box. In my 73 years I don't ever remember being so unsatisfied with anything I have bought. I got onto the internet and found a SanDisk web page and several reviews of the c150. Nobody has much good to say about it, except it is cheap; and runs down the battery too fast, and the sound quality is poor. I am so pissed off I haven't sent in the rebate--I get sick when I look at it or think of SanDisk. SanDisk must want pissed off customers. They will never get this one again.

Better Experiences. Or Companies I like.

• Garmin StreetPilot c330 Fry's was selling units Refurbished by Garmin for $179.99 in their stores. I am very happy with it, and told a friend about it, he liked it so well he did a web page about it. It came with everything you would get with a brand new unit, except not as fancy of box. I cannot find a scratch or mark on it. I suspect Garmin found a manufacturing defect they corrected, and then decided to dump them through Fry's--rather than undermine the prices on more expensive units.

  On their web site Fry's is selling it for $129.99 The offer may still be on.

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