Only did Staples' on-line rebate process offer easy, no-nonsense fast rebate payment.
My experiences with DELL, ON-REBATE, HOME DEPOT, BESTBUY and now COOPERVISION'S Mimai rebate processing center have all been a fight. H.D. actually mailed the rebate in an envelope that looks exactly like any other type of junk mail - there were no identifiers on it. This was obvious to me that they hoped it would have been trashed. It was so obvious that I sent them a letter that if they did not begin using a better envelope identifying Home Depot that I would report it to the attorney general of Florida having kept a copy of the envelope.
But in all the other cases, it is always the same thing - asking for "missing" information that was sent the first time around. The requirements for Best Buy were so exact for a bundled computer/printer package that I wanted to give up and say screw it as I spent over an hour copying and sorting for the Best Buy rebates and then the Manufacturer rebates. But I have learned to keep my own records of what was sent and to note my calender to remind me to follow up.
You have articulated this rebate situation for exactly what it is. The companies that allow this abuse will hopefully get penalized buy the consumer. But praise to STAPLES!