Best Buy Starts Sending Out HD DVD Rebate Gift Cards
Posted by Tyler Pruitt
closeAuthor: Tyler Pruitt
Name: Tyler Pruitt
Email: tyler@formatwarcentral.com
Site: http://www.tylerpruitt.com
About: As a life long Geek, Tyler is pretty much addicted to anything that has to do with technology. He became hooked on HDTV in early '04, and hasn't looked back since. Tyler is a HD video content addict, and has been since the days of recording HD movies onto D-VHS tapes.
At his day job in the aerospace industry, he is never too far away from the latest FWC related news thanks to Google Reader on the iPhone.See Authors Posts (352) on April 6, 2008
Filed Under: Format War, HD DVD, Retailers
We were very surprised when we found our Best Buy HD DVD rebate had arrived in the mail this soon. The amount we received was $150 ($50 for each HD DVD player), as we had purchased 3 different HD DVD players from Best Buy since the formats launch in April ‘06. If you are a rewards zone member, look for your $50 rebate in the mail any day now.
We do applaud Best Buy for offering some kind of retribution for the folks that purchased HD DVD players from them.
Related posts:
- Best Buy Extends Peace Offering to HD DVD Buyers
- HD DVD/Blu-ray Sunday Ad Wars Pt. IX
Do you actually have to return the player?
No. If you bought the player/X-Box drive you will get the points. If you have not received your points by the end of May give Best Buy a call. Don’t plan on using the points for more HD-DVD’s though since they cleared them all out of the store. I saw them on their site still but not at very good prices yet.
HD DVD owners picked and side and lost. They should not get ANY rebate for that fact. So sorry that you picked a side that lost, but that is life. Blu-Ray owners should get one as well for helping win the format war.
@jared….get your head out of your ass. Its a good way for bestbuy to have money spent at their store, seemingly there arent many things that cost less than 50. Its a way that they believe if you bought hd dvd chances are you want hi-def so your going to buy a blu ray player…and I work there so Ive seen people say when I get my card I’m coming here to get myself a blu ray player. People like you make me laugh at the just pure ignorance you portray..by the way. Congratulations, you had nothing to do with winning the format war
Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that – Blu Ray player owners can still walk into the stores and pick up a new release (or catalog) title. Best Buy is sending these gift cards out for those who may think to themselves “Well that’s the last new technology I’ll buy.” You should write to the DA and have them send you out a gift card if you feel that way.
@Mehar – You don’t have to return the player
*Sorry that was the BDA, not DA. : )
I think it was to avoid any cries from HD DVD owners when they dropped the discs from the stores recently. They originally said they would carry the discs and now do not. So, this perhaps softens the pain somewhat..?
Got mine in todays mail (4/7/08). I purchased my player about a month before Toshiba announced they were pulling out. Got mine for $110 with the two movies in the box, got to pick two more off the shelf for free, and then there are the five more you had to mail away for. Now, they send me a $50 gift card! The way I see it, I got a new DVD player (I needed a new one anyways for my regular DVD’s anyways) and 9 HD-DVD’s for $60 when you factor in the gift card. It up-converts great and there are still a lot of HD-DVD’s out there (many at good prices right now). All in all, I think I came out ahead:-)
hey joe, Im with ya, I got my employee discount and all the same things you received (took some work), we came out ok…but I think all hd dvd’ers can agree, we arent on top
Why so serious, Jared?
Well – BB didn’t have to do this, but it’s good business to have done so. For those who have actually invested in the format with purchasing 2 or more players and dozens of titles ($1000~3000+) – the $50 is a drop in the bucket. For those who bought the $120 (give or take) player bundles – they made out pretty good.
Mehar – If you want, you can return the player to Best Buy, won’t give you anything for it.
Wasn’t there a store that required you to return the player? Or was it CC that allowed full refunds at a certain time for the players? I know for certain that the limited time that Costco sold the Toshiba D3 (Limited to Costco / Sams) that those were returnable for a refund.
Best Buy also has a trade in program via internet – you can get a quote for your player & all your software (haven’t seen anyone else do that yet …) and if you like the quote you mail it in for your gift card (no cash back as far as I read). They’re doing big things. : )
Cry babies that backed a losing format. End of story!!!!!!!
Amazon started a similar program. I got a coupon code for $50 off of a future purchase today. Valid through April 2009.