Action: Rebate check is accompanied by an apology

Around the first of December, I purchased an Envision monitor from CompUSA that was advertised with an $80 rebate. I immediately sent in everything requested and kept copies. I waited two months, contacted the company and was told my request was nowhere to be found and I should submit it again. After yelling a little, I was given the phone number of a Greg at the fulfillment house in Arizona. I called him and was told to send the copies by fax, which I did.

I still don't have my rebate. You get such good results that I am giving up and forwarding everything to you. Mary Hise

Response: Debra Sjogeren, public relations coordinator for CompUSA in Dallas, said she has contacted the company's third-party rebate center, and it has issued and mailed a check for $80 to you. You have been contacted, she said, and offered apologies for the delay.

Reaction

Our recent response to a reader who wanted to know whether she needed her own set of golf clubs was that most courses would not allow sharing because it would add to the time of play. Several readers called to point out that we had missed the obvious. While most courses would frown on or prohibit the sharing of clubs, they said, you don't have to rush out and buy them. Most clubs, we now know, offer them for rent.

Recent recalls

The following products were recalled between March 14 and 20:

About 37,000 girls' iridescent, hooded winter jackets by S. Rothschild & Co. Inc.; the rubber petal and metal snap can break off of the jacket, posing a choking hazard to young children. The recalled jackets, made in India, are blue, lilac, pink, raspberry or magenta and come in various sizes from 3/6 months to 6X, with style numbers 52913, 52813J, 12913K, B2913, 32813, 12816C, 3281J, 82819D, 82816D, and 32816C. The jacket labels include the words "Little Impressions," "Rothschild," "Izzi's Kids," or "Clockwise." Major retail stores nationwide sold the jackets from May through December 2002 for $25 to $45. Call toll-free 1-800-301-3411 between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. weekdays.

About 40,000 Woody dolls sold from January 2000 through January 2003 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Disney's Vero Beach Resort, Magic of Disney and Flight Fantastic shops located at the Orlando International Airport and Disney's Worldport shop in Pointe Orlando, by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; buttons on the Woody doll's clothing can detach, posing a choking hazard for young children. The recalled 13-inch doll is a cowboy named Woody, a character in the animated films Toy Story and Toy Story II, and is wearing blue jeans, a red/yellow-checked shirt, a black/white-spotted vest with a sheriff's badge, and a red-patterned bandana. Call toll-free 1-866-228-3664 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays; Web site: www.waltdisneyworld.com. This recall does not involve items sold at the Disneyland Resort, through the Disney Store, the Disney Catalog, DisneyStore.com or at other retail outlets. Talking Woody dolls are not part of this recall.

About 1,250 "Five 40" brand bicycle helmets by MOSA Sports for failure to pass impact testing under CPSC's Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets; riders are not adequately protected during falls and could suffer head injuries. The black, white or red helmets have a label inside the helmet with the number "990803" and model name "540." Sporting good stores nationwide sold these helmets from October 1999 through September 2001 for about $25. Return to store where purchased or MOSA Sports for a refund or free replacement helmet. Call toll-free 1-800-804-0211 between noon and 7 p.m. weekdays.

More than 1.5-million Snugride car seats by Graco; some seats may be missing hardware used to attached the carrier to the base, and in a sudden stop or crash the carrier could detach from the base. Graco is starting to notify owners this month. Owners who do not receive the free adjustment within a reasonable time should call toll-free 1-866-473-0163 or 1-800-345-4109.

Uncoded, 12-ounce plastic bags of Master Chao brand Sweetened Winter Melon candy by Ho's Trading Inc.; product contains undeclared sulfites, which pose risk of serious or life-threatening reactions to those allergic to them. Return to place of purchase for refund. Call (718) 622-2288.

Sources: SafetyAlerts at www.safetyalerts.com; Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov, toll-free 1-800-638-2772; Food and Drug Administration at www.fda.gov.; USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, toll-free 1-800-535-4555; government food safety information at www.foodsafety.gov; National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline, www.nhtsa.dot.gov/hotline, toll-free 1-888-327-4236.

-- If you have a question for Action, or your attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write: Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, (727) 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, (800) 333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request. Names will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright