A recent analysis by Extrabux, a cash-rebate Web site, found that the best time for students to buy and sell textbooks was from Aug. 20 to Aug. 26, as well as Jan . 7through Jan . 13
In fact, the discount on the Sony Ericsson TM506 isn't bad; the Open Box discount knocks off an additional $95 on top of the $50 Web rebate dropping it down to $15.
The California program received a steady 300 to 500 applications per month from June to October, according to statistics on the rebate project's Web site.
Automakers routinely publish their latest rebate plans on Web sites, while consumer sites like Edmunds.com and message boards on Yahoo.com abound with leads to the best deals.
Or getting an e-mail three days later saying, 'Actually, we're out of stock.' " On the Web, the rebate sites let users apply for rebates online, but the process does not always work.
Customizing a simple, fast system that included a 3-gigahertz Intel Pentium 4 800 FSB processor, an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128-megabyte video card and a Soundblaster Audigy sound card resulted in these prices: Voodoo, $2,634; Falcon, $2,396; Hypersonic, $2,207; and Alienware, $2,005 after an $85 rebate available at its Web site.
In May it launched Live Search cashback, a rebate program that gives Web shoppers up to 60% (or more) off electronics, designer shoes, handbags and cosmetics.
A check of Toyota's Web site showed no rebates on the 2007 Tundra pickup in the metropolitan New York area, but a $3,000 rebate in Detroit.
After some initial — ahem — setbacks, the Sidekick Slide is back up on T-Mobile's web site for $199 after rebates and discounts.
(To collect the rebate, there's a form on Delta's Web site: delta.com/contactus/pages/baggage_rebate/index.jsp).jsp
Internet experts say the range of prices on the Web that can often make a rebate seem worthless are a reflection of the chaos in the world's newest shopping place.
