anyone buy boxing week salt at Big Als?

[lastlight]

I'm looking for information on this sneaky rebate stunt they pulled.

At the register I'm told each bucket is going to be $45 not $35 and that there is a $10 mail-in-rebate. Ok sure. Maybe that was in fine print on their signs I didn't bother to check.

Now I'm having a hard time finding out how to even get the rebate and I've heard rumours that it's limited to one $10 rebate per address!

If this is true what a scam that would be.

Anyone have more information?

$45 a bucket is still awesome but I can't help but feel cheated still.

[lastlight]

Confirmed.

http://www.bigalscanada.com/rebates/IOSS-IORC_10DollarsOff-MailInRebate_12-14-PressQuality2.pdf

Well that's pretty lame. Guess I'll know for next year (when I still go stock up on salt because it's still a good deal lol).

[Skimmer Juice]

thats pretty sad , I went to pisces and they had it on for $35 but in small print you had to buy $50 worth of other stuff to get the deal. So I left just on principal . Not to mention there was nothing else I would need there

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

We're spoiled in Metro Vancouver cause one shop has IO buckets for $30 each year round. No rebates, coupons, etc.

On the other hand, I know some friends in small towns that are charged $70-80/bucket of IO.

[xtreme]

Same story in years past. The rebate ends up being such a hassle in the end I don't bother with it.

As for Pisces, this must be the first year they made you buy other stuff as I've stocked up there in the past without that happening.

[Skimmer Juice]

and it excluded livestock as well , so it was a pretty crap deal imo. But whatever it just keeps me from going back

[Delphinus]

I'm really choked because I specifically asked for individual receipts, and the girl told me there was no need because "it's all online now." Oh, great. Go to the website, find out, oh dear, one per person one per address, etc. - and individual receipt. Call back and ask for reprints for the other buckets and was told that's not possible because it can only be done on the same day.

There's no way this is by accident.

On principle I'm mailing in for my one rebate but I did buy 5 buckets and now sort of think it wasn't necessary because although still cheaper than normal without the rebate (what is the regular price anyhow? I'm not sure), but maybe not so much that it was worth going out of my way that day to get to the store.

If I do it next year, I'm tempted to stand in line for each bucket I buy and buy them singly. Ooopsy, I forgot I wanted another. Ooopsy, I forgot I wanted yet another. Silly me! Oh and can someone carry the bucket for me? My back hurts.

[Simons]

i agree, I was told it would be $25 each as well, but there was no mention of the rebate until I go to the store and read the fine print. In fairness, did IO change their rebate policy this year or was it always one per address?... even getting individual receipts wouldn't have helped you Delphinus in that case...

Not a happy guy either because I was told at the till that the rebate would be valid for all 4 buckets I bought.

[kien]

I'm in the same boat. I think we should all call in, or go into the store to complain. If enough of us complain maybe they will do something about it ?

[Samw]

I didn't know IO had a salt rebate. Well, lucky I didn't throw my receipt away. I'm going to fill out the form. I found the Facebook variant of the rebate:

https://www.facebook.com/InstantOcean/photos/a.216427391704231.66122.182201675126803/967115143302115/?type=1&theater

http://shout.lt/MdKj

[CM125]

I was lucky enough to check into it before hand, we bought 8 on 4 receipts and have a couple addresses we can use. Its only $5 per bucket though...

[Cody]

Has it not been the same for years with the IO boxing week deals? I remember years ago stocking up on 6 buckets and there was some sort of mail in rebate. Even without the rebate, I recall is saved me significantly on my annual cost. For 1.5 years now I've been using Salinity which also goes on sale, but not quite to the extent of the IO. Sorry you feel duped but I don't think anyone at Big Als would have purposely mislead you. I can't imagine what it is like working in any retail store from December until after New Years.

[The Codfather]

This was what I did last time I needed salt. I picked up the phone and called Jeff at J&L, he was more than happy to set me up, and it was cheaper than you'd think, cheaper than the Boxing Day sale, even with the shipping into Alberta. If there is enough of you, do a group order, I'm sure Jeff would like the business as well. The big box stores don't accommodate too much anymore.

http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt252/codfather_2009/image_zps814d124a.jpg (http://s617.photobucket.com/user/codfather_2009/media/image_zps814d124a.jpg.html)

[kien]

Wow that's brilliant !

[mark]

last year limit was 2 buckets for the rebate (again fine print (http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=103488&highlight=salt+io)). As for pallet don't need whole one myself and never had luck arranging group buy.

[corpusse]

I don't understand all these limits. The Ontario stores did it as well. Although some were nice enough to offer better pricing then big al's with no stupid rebates. In the old days I used to buy like 10 buckets and sometimes have enough salt for 2 years. I don't believe they are losing money on this.

Personally I've changed my boxing day approach to buying a ton of heavily discounted livestock and just getting 1-2 salt boxes and buying them as needed since the discounts on them are nowhere near what they used to be, vs livestock which is still 50% or more off.

[Delphinus]

It's purposely an obtuse process to discourage full participation in the rebate program. The irksome thing is that the price advertised is deceptive. As stated already, it has always been this way (what's new for me is the "one per person" limit - before, I would send in multiple applications one for my home, one for my parents house, etc. - but you can't even do that now, unless you're OK with having it addressed to a different name).

But even being status quo, maybe we really should take a few minutes to communicate that we don't approve. Frankly, the $35 price for me is not bad. If they just advertised it as "$35, or $25 after rebates, conditions apply", I might actually be less offended by this. Ok fine, they'll mail me ONE cheque for $10 as a "thank you for buying our salt." I'd be cool with that. But don't tell me the price per pail is $25 when it very clearly isn't.

Actually the pallet idea is, quite frankly, a much better option. We should make it a Canreef thing to do this on a regular basis, for those that don't already have good access to reasonably priced salt. I, for one, would not miss battling the Boxing Day crowds and overall madness..

[FishyFishy!]

It's purposely an obtuse process to discourage full participation in the rebate program. The irksome thing is that the price advertised is deceptive. As stated already, it has always been this way (what's new for me is the "one per person" limit - before, I would send in multiple applications one for my home, one for my parents house, etc. - but you can't even do that now, unless you're OK with having it addressed to a different name).

But even being status quo, maybe we really should take a few minutes to communicate that we don't approve. Frankly, the $35 price for me is not bad. If they just advertised it as "$35, or $25 after rebates, conditions apply", I might actually be less offended by this. Ok fine, they'll mail me ONE cheque for $10 as a "thank you for buying our salt." I'd be cool with that. But don't tell me the price per pail is $25 when it very clearly isn't.

Actually the pallet idea is, quite frankly, a much better option. We should make it a Canreef thing to do this on a regular basis, for those that don't already have good access to reasonably priced salt. I, for one, would not miss battling the Boxing Day crowds and overall madness..


Totally agree!!! Lets just set up a large group buy. It'll be well worth it.

Anyone want to try it salinity instead of IO?

[Skimmer Juice]

I would be in for a group salt buy , but I only use reef crystals .

[Samw]

I was lucky enough to check into it before hand, we bought 8 on 4 receipts and have a couple addresses we can use. Its only $5 per bucket though...

Seems like there's 2 rebate promo codes this year. Ocean001 for $10 with 1 per address limit. Ocean002 is for $5 with 2 per address limit and is exclusive to Big Al's. For those with 3 buckets and separate receipts, maybe send 1 rebate for one promo code and the other 2 to the other promo code.

Above in the other post is the $10 one. Here is the $5 Big Al's exclusive one: http://www.bigalscanada.com/rebates/IOSS-IORC_5DollarsOff-MailInRebate_11-12-14.pdf

"Limited time offer, available only at Big Al’s: November 1, 2014 - February 1, 2015"

[kien]

+1 for Reef Crystals group buy.

[CM125]

Seems like there's 2 rebate promo codes this year. Ocean001 for $10 with 1 per address limit. Ocean002 is for $5 with 2 per address limit and is exclusive to Big Al's. For those with 3 buckets and separate receipts, maybe send 1 rebate for one promo code and the other 2 to the other promo code.

Above in the other post is the $10 one. Here is the $5 Big Al's exclusive one: http://www.bigalscanada.com/rebates/IOSS-IORC_5DollarsOff-MailInRebate_11-12-14.pdf

"Limited time offer, available only at Big Al’s: November 1, 2014 - February 1, 2015"


didn't see that, ill have to see what I can swindle

[Eouen]

thats pretty sad , I went to pisces and they had it on for $35 but in small print you had to buy $50 worth of other stuff to get the deal. So I left just on principal . Not to mention there was nothing else I would need there


that is what happend to me, i left because it was absured. I can understand having to spend 50$ but the salt should count into the 50$

[Skimmer Juice]

that is what happend to me, i left because it was absured. I can understand having to spend 50$ but the salt should count into the 50$

yuppers and excluded livestock too. I was gonna buy 4 of the $15 hermit crabs so I could buy a couple buckets of salt lol . The hermits were electric orange hermits witch I never see anywhere so I was willing to spend $60 on 4 hermit crabs to get the salt deal but that did not even work. What ever happened to just having a sale? Golds never has stipulations for there sale prices . But golds has been out of reef crystals for like a month now. I have bought every bucket of salt I have used in the last 10 years at golds and i finally had to buy it somewhere else :sad:. Went to ocean creations and he gave me the salt for $35 a bucket but it was on back order. But at least it was a real deal no strings attached so I paid in advance that guy that owns oceans is a stand up guy
Sorry for mini rant

[btuck887]

yuppers and excluded livestock too. I was gonna buy 4 of the $15 hermit crabs so I could buy a couple buckets of salt lol . The hermits were electric orange hermits witch I never see anywhere so I was willing to spend $60 on 4 hermit crabs to get the salt deal but that did not even work. What ever happened to just having a sale? Golds never has stipulations for there sale prices . But golds has been out of reef crystals for like a month now. I have bought every bucket of salt I have used in the last 10 years at golds and i finally had to buy it somewhere else :sad:. Went to ocean creations and he gave me the salt for $35 a bucket but it was on back order. But at least it was a real deal no strings attached so I paid in advance that guy that owns oceans is a stand up guy

Sorry for mini rant


+1 for the service at ocean creations! Always very happy and welcoming when going into the store


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Nuttyreefer]

The box is for the store not for sale so be quaint. I is to be us in store not sold

[MitchM]

I bought 14 pails of salt during the sale but did not appreciate jumping through the hidden hoops for the discount.
One cashier had a strange look on her face, the next offered to ring through each pail separately for me - but if it's address specific there's no point.
I would much rather spend my money on corals and equipment.
In a few months, maybe we can organize a group buy from a vendor. (for Calgary anyways)

[MitchM]

Salt is heavy, labour intensive and low profit margin.

I would like to see vendors put out an offer (permanently) that ties in what we hobbyists need (salt) together with what benefits vendors. (higher profit margin, quick turnover)

[MitchM]

For example.
100 buckets of salt - at "x" price
All registered purchasers of the deal receive 30% off of "x" corals and "x" equipment for the next 6 months.
If you don't like the salt, buy the supplements required to suit your setup in order to be included in the offer.
Just a suggestion.

[MitchM]

The basic idea is to give a customer a reason to come back to your store only.

[The Grizz]

We got lucky this yr. by a cashiers mistake. Got charges for 12 regular pails of IO but came home with 12 pails of Reef Crystals.:biggrin:

[Mahawka]

Did anyone get their rebate back yet? I send my stuff in on the first week of January and still have not heard back from IO yet.