Online Rebates and Shopping: Are Discount Coupon Codes Too Good to Be True?

Once in a while you may find online rebates that appear too good to be true. While there are worthwhile (and legitimate) bargains available from many e-stores, there are some things you should watch for.

Discount coupon codes arranged by e-stores have the potential to save consumers money on many products. How can you tell if an online rebate is too good to be true? Here are a few tricks to keep in mind.

Must Fill Out a Questionnaire or Provide Additional Details

Often less-than-reputable e-tailers will use the guise of giving discount coupon codes
to get consumers to fill out extensive surveys or provide personal information. If the retailer you're shopping with requires this sort of information before you can use online rebates, move on.

No Customer Service Department

If you are giving your business to a company that you have not done business with in the past, make sure that the business has a customer service department, and that there's a live voice on the other end of a phone call. If the only way to reach customer service is electronically, that should be a warning.

Ask for Money

If a site demands you pay first for discount coupon codes, move on. online rebates work the same as paper coupons, and you shouldn't have to pay.

Limited Time Offer

Although there may be above-board online rebates that do not expire, that's not the way it usually works. Most retailers do include an expiration date on any discount coupon codes on offer.

There's No Restrictions

The vast majority of discount coupon codes are going to come with certain restrictions. If you can't find any fine print along with your online rebates, dig a bit deeper.

Store Links Don't Hit the Store

If a link on an online rebate brings you to a third party site, rather than to the retailer supposedly offering the coupon discount, that should raise concern. Remember, discount coupon codes are designed to bring in business. Would any business, on the street or on the computer, offer a coupon and then send you to another site or store?

The best way to protect yourself from "too good to be true" discount coupon codes is to deal with companies and retailers that you know and trust. Increasingly, well known retailers now also have an online presence, so take advantage of online rebates for your favorite retails.

Of course, some discount coupon codes that seem too good be true may actually be for real. There have been 50% off online rebates offered on sites such as www.dealsharks.com that were legitimate.

Uncertain? Then the best step is to ring the customer service department and request validation of the coupon discount. (Remember, if you can't reach a person, don't do business with that online store). The customer help representative should tell you 100% if the discount coupon codes or coupon discount is, at the end of the day, too good to be true.