Rebate Information Tracker 1.0

[JohnnyFlash]

Rebate Information Tracker is a program that runs on any PocketPC 2002 device with an ARM or X86 processor. It is used to enter information about and keep track of all of your pending rebates. You can see screenshots and try out a demo version at http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?productId=81885

[Pony99CA]

Rebate Information Tracker is a program that runs on any PocketPC 2002 device with an ARM or X86 processor. It is used to enter information about and keep track of all of your pending rebates. You can see screenshots and try out a demo version at http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?productId=81885
I checked the screen shots (in between Handango errors :grumble:), but had some questions.

First, in the second shot, price is listed twice. Shouldn't that second price actually be the rebate amount (like on the data entry screen in the third shot). I've shown those screens below.

http://www.handango.com/pictures/387184/pic2.gif http://www.handango.com/pictures/387184/pic3.gif

Second, does this create a reminder for you to check the mail for the rebate? When I have a rebate, I do something I saw Ed (I think) mention -- I create a task reminding me to check the mail for the rebate.

The task says something like "Check for <product> rebate". For the typical 6-10 week rebate delay, I set a start date for six weeks, an end date for ten weeks and a reminder for six weeks. If the rebate isn't there when the reminder goes off, I snooze it for a day.

If I want to be really detailed, I can enter any information like

Store
Purchase date
Purchase price
Rebate amount
Mailing date
Rebate status contact information
UPC numbers

as a note for the task.

So, finally, what benefit does this provide over that procedure? It groups the rebates in one place, but I could do that in Tasks with a Rebate category. It also presents the data a bit more nicely, but is there something more I'm missing?

Steve

[JohnnyFlash]

Hi, thanks for your interest. In regards to the screenshot, the price and rebate amount are the same to simulate one of those "free after rebate" items. My intention was to make the two prices the same. Do you think it is misleading? I can change it to make things clearer.

Currently the program does not allow you to set a reminder. This is actually my first program and I wanted to put it out there for some input from users. I apologize if this was not the way to go about it, but I wanted people to try it out and give me some comments on what I could add to it, what they liked/disliked, etc. I can add the things you mentioned (reminder, extra information) for my next update. Thank you again for your interest and comments. Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Also, what error do you get when you follow the link I provided? When I click on it I can get to the page.

[Pony99CA]

In regards to the screenshot, the price and rebate amount are the same to simulate one of those "free after rebate" items. My intention was to make the two prices the same. Do you think it is misleading? I can change it to make things clearer.

Look at the second screen shot (or the first one that I posted). The third and fourth lines are both labelled "Price". The third should say "Price" and the fourth should say "Rebate Amt.", right?

Currently the program does not allow you to set a reminder. This is actually my first program and I wanted to put it out there for some input from users. I apologize if this was not the way to go about it, but I wanted people to try it out and give me some comments on what I could add to it, what they liked/disliked, etc.
There's not really a "right" way to do things, but there are some generally accepted methods. Did you have anybody else beta test the program? If you're the only one who has used the program, and didn't have a few people try it before you released it, that's generally a bad idea. Deveopers can be too close to catch all of the problems, and the more eyes that look at your program before you release it to the public, the better. That label issue I mentioned above is a good example. :-)

When you start charging for a program, people expect a finished (tested) product. You have a demo, which is good, but if people using the demo don't like the program, they may just delete it and never tell you what they didn't like. That's another reason for beta testing; people are supposed to tell you what they like and didn't like.

Also, what error do you get when you follow the link I provided? When I click on it I can get to the page.
Don't worry about that -- they were Handango errors. The first times I tried the link, I got some message about a "servlet container" telling me to try back.

I had actually posted that message in my first post. However, right after posting, I tried the link again, and it worked. I went back and edited my post and deleted the message and adding the comments about the screen shots. When I tried to visit the page again to actually link to the images, it took a very long time.

As I said, they were Handango problems; they were probably doing site maintenance or something.

Steve

[JohnnyFlash]

Again, thank you for your input. I realize what you were trying to tell me about the two "price" labels. Sorry for not catching it earlier. I'm also changing the program to freeware. At this point I'm still learning and have no right to charge people for my "experiments" :) Hopefully someday I can make a program people need and only then should I consider setting a price (maybe).