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Are you looking for a way to make the money you spend work for you? Maybe some extra coffee money or just a safe cashback app to help earn a few extra dollars? If so, you need to check out Rakuten. I’ve been using Rakuten for more than 5 years and made a decent amount of money over the years. Below, I will discuss and review Rakuten (my experiences) and give some advice while using Rakuten to earn cash back on your purchases.
How Does Rakuten Work, How Do They Make Money, and How Do I Make Money?
Rakuten makes money in a variety of ways, but we are going to focus on their cashback system and how they make money and their users make money.
They were originally known as eBates and during that time I thought they were a scam. Mainly I got that idea from the cheesy commercials showing actors bragging about the hundreds of dollars they were making from the site. Eventually, they changed up their commercials and their name. I started doing some research and I realized they weren’t a scam. You just didn’t make that much from them.
Rakuten works with retailers, manufacturers, and small business owners to bring them online businesses or in-store businesses. In return, these partnered companies will send them referral payments for every successful sale.
How It Works
For this model to work, Rakuten and other cashback companies need users/members to work for them. By this, I mean purchasing things from their referral links. Once the user makes an eligible purchase and the retailer approves those sales, Rakuten gets paid and will apply a small portion of that commission to the user’s account. This can vary from a few cents to several dollars (you can make even more from large purchases, like buying a computer).
The Website
The Website is the main place where you find the deals and the easiest way to gain access to the referral code. All you have to do is search for the site you want to use and click the link. Make sure to check the rules. Not all items will be eligible for cashback. Plus, you will see all the deals available including extra cashback options.
In-Store Shopping
Another great way to make money is through their in-store purchase options. Depending on your area it may be a limited list. They are mostly local restaurants, some pharmacies, and fast-food places, all you have to do is add your credit cards and select the places on the list you want to shop/eat at. Then visit those shops. After a short time, your cashback will be added. I’ve seen cashback deals range from 2% to 20% back up to a certain amount spent. There are terms and conditions, and a Privacy Policy that you can read. So far, I haven’t had any issues with my linked credit cards.
Chrome Extension
To help you find those great cashback deals, make sure to install the Rakuten Chrome Extension and install it on all your devices. As you browse websites it will tell if there’s a better deal out there and how much it is and how much cashback is offered. Click the link and it will send you to that site. It will even load the Rakuten referral link for you.
The App
If you do most of your shopping from your mobile devices. Then you need to get the app. It works great and I actually do a lot of my shopping now from the app. I have heard from the Sub Reddit Boards that people are having issues getting credit for their purchases. This could be from user error or a system error. I do not know.
Make sure the Rakuten App opens the sales page from their website and not the app from the store you trying to purchase from. You won’t get your cash back this way.
Promos
They will also send you emails with cashback deal deals, shops with 10% back or higher, and sales/deals that could help get additional money from your purchases. You can also find coupons, promo codes, and daily deals on the website and app.
Referral Program
They also offer referral bonuses. Currently, as of this review, it’s give $30 and get $30. You give out your referral link they sign up and spend $30 at one of their partner sites and the money is sent out.
Rakuten – The Review
We aren’t big spenders. We generally purchase our large items through websites if they are on Rakuten. We also do a lot of purchasing through Lowes and Walmart for curbside pickup. We make a few dollars here and there. We average about $10+ when we remember to use Rakuten. We get the bulk of our cashback from Black Friday Sales and Christmas Season sales. A few years ago, I bought an expensive laptop directly from Dell and their cash back was enough that I got an $80 payout.
I am also seeing a few more in-store cashback from the restaurants we rarely eat at, pharmacies, and other in-stores that offer cashback.
To get a payout you need to have $5.01 in verified funds and the payout is every three months by check.
Tips For Making Money from Rakuten
Over the years I’ve learned a few tricks with making sure my purchases go through and want to share them. Give these a try if you are having issues getting a successful purchase. You can also reach out to customer service. They’ve helped me in the past.
Website:
Make sure you are logged in to Rakuten.com before starting your shopping. Once you find the site you want to make a purchase from go back to Rakuten and click the store link again to make sure you have an active shopping link. Add all your items into the shopping cart and purchase. Try not to flip from windows, or tabs, or leave the computer for a while. Sometimes you might lose the payout. Over the years this has gotten better. But it’s better to be on the safe side.
Chrome Extension:
Get the extension. It will make purchasing and finding deals easier. Plus, the app will tell you when Rakuten is activated, and you should get cash back.
Make sure you are logged into the website.
General:
Please use Rakuten wisely. Not all deals are good ones and if you are buying things on there that may be more expensive just to get cash back, please don’t.
Make sure to read the terms and conditions, FAQ, and any other instructions for each store you shop at and of course for the service usage.
App:
Make sure the store loads within the app and not another app or web browser. Anything other than the app browser will not give you cash back from what I can tell.
Make sure you are logged into the app.
Why Should I Use This Service?
We all have to make purchases. Sometimes they are required and other times they are for wants. So why not make your money work for you and get some cash back for those purchases? Not all of your favorite stores will be available on Rakuten, but there might be an alternative for you.
Rakuten isn’t just for retail. They have a section for travel. You can take advantage of the different travel sites and their deals plus get a few bucks back in return. Those travel purchases can add up.
Remember, Rakuten isn’t a coupon business. You can stack cashback. The service doesn’t interfere with your own cashback/points credit card. If you are shopping from the Chrome extension, it will find coupons and you can apply them. If they work, you can save even more.
If you are comfortable, add your credit cards to take advantage of in-store shopping,
Refer your friends and family. The more you refer the more referral bonuses you get. Start using Rakuten today.
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