For specific FAR deals, see: FAR Deal roundup

What Is Free After Rebate (FAR)?

Free After Rebate (FAR) simply means you buy an item and then receive a rebate equal to the purchase price, so the item ends up being effectively free. For example, this Kaspersky software originally costs $45, and then offers a $45 Rebate Visa Card. That’s why the merchant lists the price as $0.01.

A rebate is different from a regular discount. After you make the purchase, you usually need to submit some materials to prove that you bought the item, and then the merchant sends the money back to you in the form of a check, Visa gift card, store gift card, or similar payout.

A store giving away free stuff sounds too good to be true, right? And the answer is: of course it’s not that simple. Free items only go to careful people, while careless people end up paying the bill. The business model is straightforward: with every FAR deal, there are always people who forget to submit the rebate or forget to include an important document. When that happens, the customer doesn’t receive the rebate, and the merchant keeps the money. Of course, for those who successfully complete the rebate, the item really is free. If you know how to play the game well, you can even come out ahead.

Where Can You Find These Free Deals?

FAR is a promotional tactic used by merchants, but it naturally appears less often than regular discounts, since the store is essentially giving the item away for free. Based on years of observation, common merchants that offer FAR deals include:

  • Staples: 1c copy paper, 1c antivirus software, free shredders, free office supplies, and more
  • Newegg: free antivirus software, various refurbished mice and keyboards, computer accessories, and games
  • Frys: free antivirus software
  • Amazon: product samples
  • Kohl's、Macy's: free small kitchen appliances
  • Tigerdirect: various computer accessories and antivirus software

Looking at the types of items that commonly show up as FAR deals, they are mainly:

  • Computer software: antivirus or internet security software from Kaspersky, Norton, and McAfee; some older games
  • Computer accessories: keyboards, mice, fans, and power supplies, with refurbished items being the most common

How Free After Rebate Works

If you want to take advantage of FAR deals, the first thing you need to understand is how to do a rebate. Otherwise, even if you find a FAR deal, you could still lose money if the rebate is not completed correctly. Below are the two most common rebate processes.

Staples Easy Rebate

Staples rebates are probably the most reliable and easiest rebates to complete. Below, I’ll use a FAR Kaspersky purchase I made online at Staples at the end of 2016 as an example:

  • Find a FAR item online, such as Kaspersky Internet Security
  • After purchase, write down the Order Number
  • After clicking Next, you’ll fill in some personal information for rebate delivery. Once completed, you’ll receive a rebate Tracking number so you can check the status at any time. Usually, you’ll see a result within a few weeks. As long as you don’t return the item and the information you entered is correct, there should be no problem.
  • Once your rebate is approved, after a short wait you’ll receive the rebate as a check, Visa gift card, or Staples gift card

If you purchased the item in a Staples store, you can also use the Easy Rebate system. Just choose in store and enter the Rebate ID (the ID appears at the bottom of the receipt, so be sure to keep all receipts after purchase).

Standard Mail-in Rebate

Other than Staples, most merchants do not offer such an easy online rebate process. Usually, you need to mail in forms along with the product’s UPC barcode to a specified address, and the rebate is approved only after review. The process is as follows:

  • Buy the qualifying item, such as a FAR Kaspersky antivirus product on Newegg
  • On the product page or order page, you can find the rebate requirements for that item
  • Fill out the form as required. After you receive the software, cut out the UPC code from the product packaging, attach it to the designated spot on the form, and mail it together with the Invoice (downloadable from Newegg) to the specified address.
  • After the rebate is approved, you’ll receive an email, and after a little while you’ll receive your rebate check or Visa gift card

Rebates from other merchants are generally very similar: fill out the form, cut out the UPC, attach it, and mail everything in.

How to Profit From FAR

If the item you get through FAR is something you can actually use, that’s already great. But sometimes we do FAR not to get the item for free, but to make money from the deal. Here are a few examples of how FAR can be used for profit.

  • Convert discounted gift cards into cash value with FAR: For example, if you buy a $100 Newegg gift card for $80, then use it on a FAR deal and get $100 back through the rebate, you come out $20 ahead.
  • Stack with shopping portals: With FAR, what you pay is offset by the rebate. So if you also clicked through a shopping portal and earned 5% cashback on the purchase, that cashback is usually not affected by the FAR rebate. In other words, FAR effectively earns you an extra 5%.
  • Stack with AMEX Offer: The Staples Kaspersky example above was combined with an AMEX Offer Staples $100-$20 at the end of last year. That means I effectively got an extra $20 from the AMEX OFFER for free.
  • Stack with coupons: Sometimes merchants also release coupons such as $X off $Y. If you use FAR items to reach the spending threshold, you may end up paying less than the rebate amount and profit right away.
  • Resell FAR items: According to the terms, FAR items generally are not supposed to be resold. However, some people still sell them on eBay or locally to make additional profit. You’ll need to judge the risk for yourself.

If you can combine several of the methods above, then you’ve truly become a FAR expert.

Things to Watch Out For

  • Rebate items usually have a limit, often per household/person. Be careful not to buy over the limit.
  • Rebates are only valid for purchases made within a certain time period, so always confirm the details on the rebate form.
  • Be very careful when submitting a rebate, or you may end up being the one paying out of pocket in the end.