Sprint nixing Palm Pre mail-in rebate?

Mail-in rebates are a hassle. Fiscally, they’re just as good as cash, but the mental overhead in dealing with mail-in rebate forms and whatnot is just more than some people want to deal with. Those people are likely going to be headed to a Best Buy or RadioShack retailer to pick up their Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre, where the Sprint (NYSE: S) retail partners are offering instant rebates on the Palm Pre. But, Sprint is apparently mulling the option of replacing the $100 Palm Pre mail-in rebate with the instant variety – or so goes the rumor from PalmGoon.

The rumor comes from one of PalmGoon’s Sprint sources, and is said to be a minor discussion within Sprint. But, as PreCentral notes, Sprint stores have already been stocked with Palm Pre forms that confirm the Palm Pre’s mail-in rebate.

Still, the move would make sense. Sprint would presumably want to attract more customers to its stores (and away from its partners), where it makes a killing on accessory-sales (like Palm Pre cases and the TouchStone dock). And, it seems Palm has changed their website to reflect the Palm Pre’s $199.99 retail price as being ” “after rebate and service agreement,” where before it referred to “mail-in rebate and service agreement.”

[Via: PalmGoon]