Menards Class Action Alleges Deceptive Rebate Program

Menards has been hit with a class action lawsuit by consumers who claim that the home improvement company offers a delusive rebate program.

Plaintiff Amy Childers says she visited the Menards website to purchase fence panels during an advertised “11% Off Everything” promotion.

After she completed her purchase, she allegedly downloaded the rebate coupon that corresponded to her purchase from the Menards’ Rebate Center online. She then filled out the coupon and mailed it to the address listed on the website.

Childers says she waited the six-to-eight week period for the rebate to be processed but did not receive anything in the mail from Menards.

Then, in December 2018, she was told her purchase did not qualify for the 11 percent off rebate because the items she purchased were on sale and therefore did not qualify.

Childers claims the fact that the items were on sale, and thus ineligible for a rebate, was not disclosed to her prior to her purchase. In addition, she says she didn’t see any language informing her that her purchase was not eligible for the rebate at any time during her purchase.

“Menards breached its contract with Childers by failing to send the rebate checks to Childers at all, or by failing to send the full amount promised,” the Menards class action lawsuit states.

The plaintiff says Menards created the mail-in rebate program to “reduce the issuance and redemption of rebates.”

Also, the Menards class action notes that Menards intentionally and systematically fails to pay the 11 percent rebate to those who have followed the correct process of attempting to obtain the rebate.

“Menards’ rebate process systematically denies its customers the full value of the rebates that they earned by following the terms of Menards’ rebate program, purchasing items during the rebate promotional period, and timely submitting the required rebate paperwork,” the plaintiff states.

The Menards class action wants Menards to stop its “unfair, deceptive and illegal practices,” which includes its misrepresentations of its rebate program. The plaintiffs also want Menards to provide the rebates to those who have dutifully followed the rebate process.

The Menards class action lawsuit also claims that the company’s rebate program is “the best of both worlds” as they can sell their items at full price knowing that numerous customers will never receive the rebates to which they are entitled.

“Menards’ rebate process is designed to deny rebates that its customers earned by the terms of its rebate program after purchasing items during the rebate promotions and timely submitting the required paperwork,” claim the plaintiffs.

The Menards class action point to hundreds of online complaints about Menards’ rebate program and state that after customers send in their rebate forms, they have no way of tracking their specific rebates. They state that the only way to contact Menards is through an online form or a P.O. Box number.

Do you shop at Menards and haven’t received your promised rebates? Let us know in the comments section below.

The plaintiffs are represented by Eric J. Haag of Atterbury, Kammer & Haag, S.C. and Sabita J. Soneji and V Chai Oliver Prentice of Tycko & Zavareei LLP.

The Menards Rebate Class Action Lawsuit is Childers, et al. v. Menard Inc., Case No. 3:20-cv-00107, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

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