Best Buy offers HD rebates

MINNEAPOLIS – Now that Blu-ray has won the high-definition format war, Best Buy hopes there will be no hard feelings.

The retailer said Wednesday that it will hand out more than $10 million in gift cards to customers who put their money on the vanquished HD-DVD technology.

Eligible customers will get $50 gift cards for every HD-DVD player or attachment purchased at a U.S. Best Buy before Feb. 23, the day HD-DVD-maker Toshiba ceded the contest to Blu-ray.

Gift cards will be mailed automatically to Reward Zone members, customers who ordered online and those who purchased a service plan. The cards should arrive by May 1, Best Buy Co. Inc. said.

Everyone else must call 1-888-237-8289 with a proof of purchase.

There’s no need to junk your HD-DVD player, of course. But if you don’t want old technology cluttering up your den, Best Buy on Friday will expand its trade-in site at www.bestbuytradein.com to include HD-DVD players.