Furnace and Air Conditioner Rebates

Rebates . . . are they for real? Do furnace companies mark up the price just to artificially discount the price to the customer?

As a consumer myself I also question at times if a rebate is for real. Recently I purchased a vehicle and the dealer had me sign a paper allowing the manufacture to send the rebate to the dealer and the dealer would give me the rebate in the form of a discount on the vehicle. Sounds legitimate, but is it?  Or did they just mark up the price, say I was getting a rebate, discount the price, then have me sign a paper saying any rebate goes back to the dealer. And since I’m a skeptic, was there really a rebate or just a way to show and advertise a discount? I don’t know, but what I can tell you is how rebates work in our industry and how to tell if it’s on the up and up.

Most manufactures have a marketing campaign in which the rebate is mentioned. Check their website. For example, www.lennox.com and see what current rebate offers they have.
 
When offered a rebate, ask how you’ll get the money. If it’s an “instant rebate” or shows as a discount to the final price, ask to see the manufactures flyer describing the rebate.
If the rebate is a “mail in” rebate, it’s normally legitimate. Another indication is if more than one local dealer offers the same rebate.

Be cautious when one dealer offers a better or higher rebate offer than the others. If this happens, ask for a copy of the manufacture’s rebate offering. The dealer should be able to provide a bulletin from the manufacture that shows the amounts and for what products. In this case ask if they guarantee the rebate and the amount they promise. Also ask what if you don’t get the rebate as offered will the company you’re dealing with pay the difference.

Read the fine print. At Manwill Plumbing & Heating if you choose a furnace or airconditioner and we say you’ll get a rebate we guarantee you’ll receive that amount. If you receive anything less, we pay the difference. On the other hand, some company’s fine print states they are not responsible for third party rebates, which means if you don’t receive what they offer, they’re not responsible.

Who’s responsible to file for the rebate? It’s the consumer’s responsibility, but at Manwill Plumbing & Heating we file the rebates for you. Sometimes the forms are long and confusing, but since we deal with it every day, we take the hassle out and do the paperwork for you.