Cash back rip off?

[aardvark7]

I bought an A7iii as a backup camera in October, principally because of the £300 cash back offer.

I followed all the procedure, supplying all the details, and was informed that I would receive the money in due course. Indeed, supposedly the money has been paid.

However, I am yet to see a penny. Despite my asking, Sony have still not supplied any proof that they have made the payment: no receipt, no transaction details, not even confirmation of the bank where they supposedly sent the money.

I'm beginning to believe that I won't ever see my cash and Sony will hope I just give up. The reality, though, is that despite being a full time professional using Sony equipment I am now going to seriously consider switching to Canon.

Has anyone else had such shoddy service, are you still waiting for your cash back, and how long have you been waiting?

[Joe_Dohn]

The T&C mentions that the process takes 28 days after an initial wait of 30 days, so if 2 months have passed on the day you purchased the camera, just give them a ring and check the status directly.

[aardvark7]

With respect, I don't see why I should have to spend half my day trying to talk to the right person on the phone when a company the size of Sony should make this as slick and simple as possible.

It has been 2 months since purchase and over a month since notification that payment has supposedly been made, but I have nothing. I've contacted via email, but just get fobbed off. Such behaviour mirrors that of scam artists who keep you waiting and waiting and waiting.

It looks like I'll be swapping kit to Canon in the very near future.

[Win_88]

I'll try passing this to my Sony contact to see if there's something to do about it.

[aardvark7]

They have been in touch, thank you, but they have provided different 'evidence' of the payment to that other 'customer service' have shown.

I am still without the cashback and still completely in the dark as to whether it has actually been paid and the fault lies elsewhere.

[Joe_Dohn]

Have you tried checking from the bank's side? Maybe the issue is not from Sony's end?

[aardvark7]

I have been in touch with my bank, even though it shouldn't be necessary at all, and they have nothing.

They have told me that Sony need to provide a 'Payment transfer number' or an ARN number.

If they can't give me either then they have been lying from the start. They won't have sent the cash, nor have investigated the issue.

[moose84]

I am in the same situation with awaiting a significant cashback. Everything all good with the cashback request and submitted documentation. Got an email two weeks ago claiming the payment has been made and that it would show within a couple of days on my bank account. Still nothing. I tried to reply to this email with the case number, but there's been no reply. If money has been transferred it shouldn't take longer than a couple of days to get the money on your account.

Let me know if you find out more and who to call for the matter, I will do the same.

[Win_88]

Hi @moose84 I thought that was the case but it turned out the payment was made by Link Network. Sony also uses a vendor called World Pay for cahsback payments. Worth a second look imo

[aardvark7 · Accepted solution]

I am going to publicly apologise to Sony for my error, as the cash has actually been paid.

It had gone through prior to my receiving the notification and I can only blame my carelessness for not checking earlier. I had been following my account for the period afterwards and, not surprisingly, no further payment came.

Bizarrely, on the two occasions when I rang Santander to check, they also said that nothing had been received from Sony, so I'm clearly not alone in this 'blind spot'.

I was wrong and feel the need to declare it with a full and unreserved apology.