I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. I only recommend products that I truly believe would be helpful. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
This Rakuten (Ebates) review will go over is Rakuten legit, is it a scam, how does it work, and tips and hacks for making the most money.
Note: Ebates changed its name to Rakuten but all the functionality remains the same.
One of my favorite ways to save money is by getting cash back on my purchases. There are websites such as Ebates that give you money for shopping through their link.
My Ebates review will show you how, why, and when to use it to get the most value.
With more than 60% of Millenials shopping online, Ebates is a great way to earn money on purchases you are already making.
But is Ebates legit? Or is it a scam?
Let’s look at these questions more in depth.
Rakuten (Ebates) Review: Is Rakuten Legit?
Yes, Ebates is legit (not a scam). I have been using it for several years and love how easy it is to get paid to shop.
I first signed up for Ebates in 2012 but it took me a while to use it. Once I did, I started making money. The only downside at the time was that I had to remember to click through the website before going shopping.
Ebates introduced a Chrome browser extension, which was a game-changer. It flashes to alert you when you’re on a website that offers cash back through Ebates. All you have to do is click on it and get redirected through Ebates so you can get a percentage of your purchase back.
There’s also an iPhone app, which can be useful when looking up and buying things on your phone.
Rakuten acquired Ebates in 2014 but the name didn’t change until recently. I’ve updated the review to include the new name, but I still call it Ebates so you’ll see me use both throughout.
Ready to try it out? Sign up for Ebates and get your $10 bonus! :–)
Does Rakuten (Ebates) Really Work? How?
Ebates.com is a website that has a relationship with many online vendors that you likely shop at regularly. Vendors such as Target.com, Amazon.com, JCPenney.com, Lowes.com and many, many more.
When you go to the Ebates portal and click on a link to shop online at a particular website, you’ll be redirected and can shop as usual. You will also get paid a percentage of what you spend as cash back just for going through Ebates.
The cash back offers differ for each vendor depending on their agreement with Ebates. Some vendors even offer a specific amount of cash back, such as $7.50 or $10 for each purchase made through the cash back portal.
Doing a quick search for a particular retailer you want to use will give you an overview of how much cash back you can get.
Related: Save money on groceries with the Ibotta app
Is Rakuten (Ebates) a Scam? Any Downsides?
Ebates is not a scam. It’s a legitimate website that gets paid by vendors they have a relationship with for referring customers to them. They share part of their commission with their customers to help get more people to go through their links.
It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
I’ve made more than $300 to date from the Rakuten (Ebates) cash back portal. It’s is a great way to get paid for shopping and buying things that you were already planning on buying such as Christmas presents or that new outfit you’ve been wanting.
The only other downside that I can think of is that it’s hard to remember to go through the Ebates cash back portal when you are shopping online.
In fact, there’ve been many times I’ve forgotten to use Ebates and made a purchase only to realize that I missed out on free money after the fact!
However, I’ve found a great solution – the Ebates cash back extension for Chrome.
Now that I have the Ebates button, it alerts me every time I’m on a website that offers cash back. All I have to do is click the button, and it does a quick redirect through the Ebates portal.
It’s been a game-changer when it comes to remembering to go through Ebates.
How Do You Get Your Money from Rakuten (Ebates)?
You will get a check in the mail every quarter with your earnings for the last three months. This allows Ebates to deduct any earnings if you end up returning any of your purchases made using the portal.
When you get the check, just deposit in your account and you’re good to go. Here’s one of my checks as an example:
Review of FAQs about Rakuten (Ebates)
Chances are you still have questions about Rakuten (Ebates) and how it works. Below are answers to common questions about the cash back portal.
Is Rakuten (Ebates) secure?
According to the Rakuten website, the company takes privacy and security seriously. Your information and transactions are protected behind limited access servers and a corporate firewall.
Nothing is 100% safe online so keep that in mind when clicking through the Ebates website or handing over your credit card info.
What stores are on Rakuten (Ebates)?
Rakuten has a relationship with more than 200 stores. Here are some stores that offer cash back through the portal:
- JCPenney
- Groupon
- Walgreens
- The Container Store
- World Market
- Lands End
- Kate Spade
- Old Navy
- Clinique
- Aeropostale
- Banana Republic
- BCBG
- Bare Minerals
- Blue Apron
- Carter’s
- Coach
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Kroger Ship
- Neiman Marcus
- New York & Company
- Nordstrom Rack
The amount of cash back you will receive varies from store to store and depends on their agreement with Rakuten.
Here’s a screenshot of some stores on the Rakuten (Ebates) portal:
How does Rakuten (Ebates) work with Amazon?
Here is how Ebates works with Amazon: there are rotating categories that offer various cash back percentages. These change every quarter so check the portal to see if your purchase will qualify for one of the categories.
If you’re lazy like me, just go through the portal for all Amazon purchases. That way you don’t miss out on any cash back.
What if the cash back doesn’t show up in my account?
Sometimes you go through the Ebates portal to make a purchase, but your shopping trip doesn’t get recorded. Tracking cookies don’t always work.
You can still get your cash back. Just fill out this form and you should see the money in your account in a few days. Another option is to talk to customer support but they are not always helpful.
How does Rakuten (Ebates) work in store?
Ebates also introduced the option to earn cash in store at select retailers. To get started, select an offer from a store where you plan to shop. You can do this through a computer or using the phone app.
Link the offer to your credit or debit card. This means entering your card information and storing it with Ebates. Pay at the store with your linked card and earn cash back.
Links are valid for one purchase only so you will need to re-link the offer if you plan to shop again at the same store.
Related: 6 Painless Ways To Save Money
Rakuten (Ebates) Tips, Hacks & Tricks to Maximize Earnings
Want to earn more money with Ebates? Below are my best tips, hacks, and tricks to help you maximize your earnings and make money with Ebates.
Get paid $10 to try out Rakuten (Ebates) today
If you’ve never tried Ebates before, don’t forget to claim your $10 bonus just for signing up and making a purchase. Creating an account with Ebates is free.
Start by clicking my referral link so you can claim your $10 reward. This is what you will see when you land on the page:
To be transparent, I will also get a thank you for referring you to their site – it’s a win-win for everyone. This also means you can get a thank you bonus for referring your family and friends (more on that further down).
Check Rakuten (Ebates) before you buy anything online
Don’t forget to check Ebates before making an online purchase. There are thousands of stores on the portal so there’s a good chance the one you plan to use will be on there.
Make sure you set your browser to accept cookies since this is how Ebates tracks your purchase. If you disable cookies on your browser, you won’t be able to earn cash back. Cookies is how cashback sites like Rakuten (Ebates) track your purchases.
Make a purchase within 24 hours of clicking the link. To be safe, I like to click the link right before making a purchase so I know my session was tracked.
Download the Rakuten (Ebates) browser extension
If you’re serious about earning free money with Ebates, download the Chrome browser extension.
Let’s be honest – remembering to go through the Rakuten portal every time can be a pain. In fact, I used to miss out on cash back all the time because I’d forget to go through Ebates.
The Chrome browser extension was a game changer for me. It flashes to alert me when I’m on the website of a retailer that offers cash back through Ebates. It even tells me how much I can get on my purchase.
All I have to do is click it and my online session gets recorded so I can get paid. The extension even turns green to show that you’re good to go.
Now, I almost never miss an opportunity to make money on my purchases.
Use online coupons
Another great thing about Ebates is the fact that you can get even more savings by using a coupon code besides going through the portal link. Once you click on the website link through the Ebates cash back portal, you’ll be redirected to the online store.
Do your shopping as usual, and when you go to check out, you can enter a discount coupon if you have one.
Sit back and get double savings – cash back from going through Ebates and also savings from the coupon. It’s like magic!
Related: 7 Easy Ways to Find Coupons for Organic Food
Whitelist Rakuten (Ebates) if you have an ad blocker
If you have an ad blocker, it can interfere with Ebates tracking your shopping session via cookies. If your session doesn’t get tracked, you won’t get your cash back.
Whitelist Ebates with your ad blocker to ensure you don’t miss out on any free money. Click the settings on your ad blocker and select the option to whitelist a website then add Rakuten.com to the list.
Click the link right before making a purchase
Just to be on the safe side, I prefer clicking on the link to an online retailer right before I go shopping. This way I know nothing will interfere with the Ebates cookie and prevent me from making money on my purchase.
If you downloaded the Chrome extension, it will tell you if your session is being tracked. If not, just click on it to ensure you get your money.
Download the Rakuten (Ebates) app
Do you use your phone to make purchases? Download the Ebates app and you can use it to make purchases on your smartphone and still get cash back.
The app is free and easy to use. You can also use it to keep on top of your cash back, check if your shopping session got recorded, check for new promotions, and so on.
Stack Rakuten (Ebates) with a gift card and coupon
For even more savings, you can buy a discounted gift card and use it to shop at your favorite online retailer. First, go to Raise.com (don’t forget to click using Ebates so you can get 1% cash back).
Find a discounted gift card to a retailer where you plan to shop. Once you buy the gift card, use it to make a purchase at the online store. Go through Ebates to get additional cash back and use a coupon if you can find one.
Stacking your savings in this way will net you the best price on your purchase.
Watch for double and triple cash back bonus promotions
Ebates regularly runs promotions where they offer double or triple cash back on select online stores. Make sure you sign up for their emails so you can be alerted when they’re running a special.
They run a lot of sales around major holidays or events so you can often find coupons you can use to save a lot of money. It’s a great way to get the most bang for your buck!
In fact, one of those sales is how I got to try Blue Apron for free! Ebates usually offers $7.50 cash back if you sign up for Blue Apron through their link. I got an email that they were running a triple cash back sale, offering $22.50 for new customers who sign up through their portal.
I had a coupon for $40 off my first purchase of Blue Apron so I combined it with the triple cash back offer. I paid $20 out of pocket for my first Blue Apron delivery and got $22.50 cash back. Ebates paid me $2.50 to try Blue Apron! 🙂
Refer friends and earn cash for every referral
Ebates wants you to refer your family and friends so they can earn cash back from the online portal. To entice you to promote it, they will pay you a referral commission for every person who signs up and uses your link.
Commission payouts vary depending on current promotion but run between $10 and $25 per sign up.
Important Note: Please don’t refer people to Ebates just to earn referral commissions. As I mentioned before, I only recommend products and services I use regularly and believe will be helpful to you. Don’t recommend Ebates to others if you don’t enjoy using it.
Is Rakuten (Ebates) Worth it?
Ebates is a great way to make money with little effort. Not only can you get cash back on purchases you were already planning to make but you can also combine Ebates with online discounts and coupons.
Since Ebates is free to use, it’s another great tool to add to your money saving tool belt. It’s one of the best ways to earn money for free on the internet.
Sign up for Rakuten (Ebates) for free and get your $10 welcome bonus!
More Ways to Save Money
If you’re looking to save money on your shopping, then I highly recommend checking out these ideas!
Amazon Prime – With free unlimited two-day shipping and no minimum purchase required, Amazon Prime is the perfect solution for your holiday shopping. You get a FREE 30-day trial membership for signing up through my link. I absolutely love my Amazon Prime membership!
Ibotta – Get cash back for purchases, including groceries, clothing and more! Download the app on your phone, check it before heading to the store so you can add any rebates that interest you, then shop as usual. When you get home, just scan your receipt and enjoy the cash back. It’s such an easy way to get some extra cash!
Liked this post? Pin it for reference!
