When a government rebate ends and companies suddenly say:
“We’re matching the rebate!”
…what they’re really saying is:
“We were pocketing it all along.”
Let’s break it down:
- While the rebate existed, you paid full price and the government subsidized the company’s inflated margin.
- Now that the rebate is gone, the company “matches” it with a $3,000 discount… but the product hasn’t changed.
So who benefited from the rebate? Not you.
That money passed straight through you to them.
It’s not a promotion, it’s a confession.
Honest businesses don’t play rebate shell games.
They adjust, and keep customers front and center.