I just opened the where's my cash request, then they asked for order proof, then they responded saying why it didn't come thru automatically and honored it in the same message, didn't have to fight for it.
here are the 2 messages they sent to me...
"Hello Palani,
It has been determined by adidas that this order was placed in a manner which gave the credit for the sale to another website that partners with this store. As a result, Ebates has earned no credit for this sale and Cash Back cannot be awarded.
In most cases, this is caused by
Visiting any other sites during the shopping session, especially any sites that offer shopping rewards, coupons or discounts. Visiting other sites can result in the store giving the credit for your purchase to another site/affiliate.
Using or even attempting to use any coupons, offers or promotions that were not offered by Ebates. This could be due to coupons/discounts/promos offered from coupon sites or special promotions offered to members of a merchants email list or rewards program. Basically, any special offer not exclusively offered by Ebates.
More information on these topics can be found at
http://www.ebates.com/help/exclusions.htm.
If you would like to discuss this further please feel free to respond to this email. We would be happy to assist you and help ensure that you earn credit on all your future purchases."
"Hello Palani,
Adidas has declined our request for credit for this order due to the reasons mentioned. As such, we are unable to credit you for this order. When using Ebates it is important to only use the coupons/discounts listed on our site, as the use of any other coupon/discount, including those provided directly by the merchant, will render your order ineligible to receive Cash Back. Please see our Help/FAQ page for more information.
Please note, it is up to the discretion of the merchant on whether to credit Cash Back for ineligible purchases or not. In this case your order was not credited due to the use of a non-Ebates discount.
Today, we have added a $20 promotional bonus in your account as our way of letting you know we appreciate your membership and understanding in this matter. The bonus amount will show as pending (as shown below) until you place your next order and that order posts to your account. Once the order posts the $20 will be approved and reflected in your account balance."