We all want something for nothing, don't we? Nothing wrong with that, but is it quite right to cry foul when we don't get what we thought we'd gotten for nothing? Caveat Emptor-- it's the buyer's job to beware, and always has been.

So on the modem refund/rebate, if they had honored it, they'd have been paying the customer to try the modem-- get the original cost totally refunded PLUS receive the rebate? And it was a surprise they didn't go for that? Fair would have been to pro-rate the purchase cost based on how long you had it versus expected useful life, then deduct the rebate already paid from the remainder, due to the customer. (BTW, who was going to end up paying full price for the used modem someone else got a refund for? First reaction would be to blame the company, probably-- but is it ethical for the consumer to pass this on to another consumer?)

Not every consumer has to be a total idiot for the system to make a profit. Just enough of them. If people don't know by now to READ THE FINE PRINT, whaddaya gonna do?

~Susan