(03/22/15) Sunday’s O Gauge Promotion from Menards!

Wouldn't be easier to just discount all your "O" Gauge items 11% right up front regardless of a customer placing a order on line, calling it in by phone or standing in one of your stores making a purchase. If I was a customer of yours I would fill like a dog jumping through a hoop. Also, who wants to wait six to eight weeks for a check.

True- But this is a promotion to encourage repeat business. 

(I worked in retail for 20 years.)

More particularly, it's a rebate program to drive traffic to the retail stores.  Also, since it's a coupon program, a significant percentage of coupons will never be redeemed so the "11% off" may be considerably less in aggregate sales. 

Kunde,

If you want return customers. Give them a great product, at a great price and stand behind what you sell. Be there when your customer needs you. We did it for thirty years and it worked for us.

Jim, I understand your point and agree with you in principle.  However, if you remember just a few years ago, JCPenney took a "one low price, all the time" philosophy. No coupons, no weekly sales, just week after week of the same great prices. They failed miserably. It seems that if the public doesn't have a chance to PERCEIVE they're getting a bargain, they won't bite.

Put a different way, if you ever watched The Matrix, you'll recall that there was a point in the movie where the Matrix confessed that it was actually Matrix 2.0. The first time around, they made a utopian existence. It failed. The human psyche requires the injection of trial and tribulation to offer the brain a challenge in order to become stronger.

I agree Jim, I was in the retail auto parts business 40yrs and word of mouth led to opening 7 stores.

Art

Just to clarify, Menards rebates come in the form of a merchandise credit that is good ONLY on a future purchase at a Menards store.  It isn't a check you can deposit in your bank. 

There is a Menards store about 20 minutes from where I live.  Have shopped and purchased during the 11% off sales, the rebates are okay if you have a store nearby.

Carl Orton,

I can only speak on our business. I know nothing about Penny's other than my wife has an account there. Also, I never watched The Matrix. I know nothing about it.

I think the people that benefits most from the 11% rebate, is the USPS. The rebate "check" isn't in an envelope, and you don't have to prove it's yours at the store.

Nothing against Menard's. I'm in their store at least once a week. Out of 5 rebate forms sent in, I've only gotten 1 back. Not Menard's fault by any means.

People will complain about anything.  This 11% rebate that Menard's has multiple times per year is great as it applies for on-sale items too.  I have gotten every rebate I've ever sent in back.  I understand that it's not as great of a deal for those who don't have one nearby, but it's nice for those of us who do.  It's not like Menard's is just a train store and so it's worth getting up in arms about this.  It's a home improvement store that also happens to sell a very small amount of trains and  many train enthusiasts can benefit from these 11% rebate sales.  The rest of the year, Menard's has different sales every week for its train products.  Just catch it on the right week and you will get it for cheaper.

I have a bunch of Menards rebate certificates in the drawer now, holding till the Nov Christmas train stuff hits the stores. Will be getting most of my yard supplies this week at Menards which will result in another nice Menard rebate certificate. I did not realize that I could use the 11% rebate on line, will have to check out the online train stuff.

Bill,

Unfortunately, credit checks cannot be used online but they never expire so collect them as long as you would like!

Thank you,

Mark the Menards Train Guy

For those that don't have a Menards in their area, I could probably trade cash for your rebate check. Seems I'm in Menards all the time needing something...

Not to get off topic.......But CONGRATS to Menard's for Paul's 4th place at California Cup race today!!!!!

I sent this to customer service;

received your email for the 11 percent savings on train items.  however it does nothing for us mail order people out here on the west cost!  how about some savings for us?

by the way the flat cars by the case are doing very well at the san diego 3-railers in the san diego model railroad museum. 

lots of repeat business!

thank you!