Compare an instant discount against a mail-in rebate of the same size.
An instant discount lowers the price right away, while a rebate returns money only after a claim, so the true final cost differs. A rebate's value is delayed and can be forgotten or denied, so an equally sized instant discount is usually the better deal.
Discount vs Rebate
Instant = price x (1 - discount%); rebate = price - rebate
Instant = price x (1 - discount%); rebate = price - rebate An instant discount lowers the price right away, while a rebate returns money only after a claim, so the true final cost differs.
A rebate's value is delayed and can be forgotten or denied, so an equally sized instant discount is usually the better deal.
This calculator takes 3 inputs: Price, Instant discount, Rebate amount. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.