Like many cashback sites, Rakuten is also considered the potential one. Sometimes, when we hear the phrase “free money,” we always think negatively about whether they are giving the real money or cashback in real or not.
But whenever I think of the Rakuten cashback system, I always have positive feelings because it is considered the most trusted website on the internet.
Rakuten: The Most Trusted Website
So, if you want to avoid any scam, you should join the Rakuten cashback website. The most trusted website gives a lot of cashback on your online shopping and a sign-up bonus.
With the help of the Rakuten cashback system, you will get the cashback and save a lot of money during online shopping by using their services. It reminds you that Rakuten is an affiliate marketing company that helps its users earn cashback by shopping on their site. By understanding Rakuten’s overall business model, you can use their site to save money more confidently.
It is to note that Rakuten is a Japanese word that means optimism, and the website is made by keeping in mind optimistic thinking. So Rakuten is a unique website that embraces new ideas and is committed to acting on them. With every passing day, Rakuten progresses towards a more optimistic tomorrow.
Let’s dive into the detail about the Rakuten cashback system.
What is Rakuten?
The old name of Rakuten was Ebates; however, now it is known as Rakuten. It is an amazing cashback site that will give you cashback for making additional online purchases through their website. Moreover, you can earn money from online shopping by using their browser extension.
You can earn anywhere from 1 % to 40% cashback on almost anything you purchased through Rakuten if you want to earn through Rakuten. Keep in mind that there is an age limit, so you can use this platform if you are above 18. Normally the website has partnerships with more than 2500 retailers.
The most popular stores with which it has partnerships are Amazon, Sephora, Target, Nordstrom, Walmart, and much more. If you are a shopping lover and do online shopping regularly, you will be eligible for cashback through Rakuten in a very short time.
While reading this post, you have a question in your mind whether Rakuten is a scam or not. The answer is definitely no it is not a scam website even it is considered respected in the category of the most renowned and reputable cashback websites.
How does Rakuten make money?
As I also discussed earlier, Rakuten is an affiliate marketing company, and nowadays, everyone knows what we mean by an affiliate marketing company. Here, the companies reward the influencers for getting consumers who buy from their site or store.
Rakuten receives a commission from retailers when you buy products through it. By splitting this commission with you, Rakuten encourages you to continue to make purchases with them.
Everyone benefits from this!
Rakuten offers two ways to pay cashback once you have accumulated it. Depending on your preference, you will receive either a physical check or the balance via PayPal.
Features of Rakuten
Getting started: sign up bonus.
Rakuten is a very potential and easy-to-use website where you have to sign up and make your own Rakuten account. Firstly, you have to generate a password and enter your email address.
Make sure that you memorize your email address and the password to remain logged in to your Rakuten account anytime. It is unnecessary to link your bank account or credit cards unless you want to redeem from in-store cashback.
After all, all you need is to provide the mailing address or a PayPal account to get your cashback reward. But you do not have to worry about the security charging your card or anything.
When you log in to the account, you can easily search for your favorite store or the site for discounts and promotions. Rakuten makes it easier for you by offering different hot deals, double cashback stores, categories, and much more on its site.
So, when you decide to shop at a particular store, Rakuten will take you to that store through its site. Most surprisingly, you will not feel any difference, and you might think you have visited that website originally.
Chrome extensions are available for those who do not want to click through Rakuten every time. This extension will always pop up whenever your purchase is offering cashback. Once you click the Rakuten button at checkout, you can continue.
Security
Many people are insecure about signing up for any cashback website, but it is a secure and trusted website if we talk about Rakuten. To use this website, you don’t need to enter any payment information, which means that you are good to go.
However, the only necessary is to sign up with an active email address.
So Rakuten is very sincere about how they use your information. On the other side, Rakuten also uses location tracking to get the marketing data they usually sell to a third party.
Choosing out of the location tracking might limit certain available features if you have to choose out of the location tracking. We all know that collecting and selling marketing nowadays is normal practice, so you should know how companies use your data.
However, if we talk about cybersecurity, Rakuten is a certified website with PCI registered. They securely encrypt sensitive information, such as your credit card number.
Browser extension
As I also discussed earlier, you could go for a browser extension if you do not want to go to the Rakuten website again and again. Here in this section, we will discuss the browser extension in detail.
Keep in mind that browser extension is the most useful feature of Rakuten, with which you are always reminded to use their website to get the cashback on additional purchases.
So, if you feel pain in navigating Rakuten to make your online purchases, you can go for your browser extension. First of all, download the Rakuten browser extension.
Here the extension will track you on our retail partner site. The browser extension will give you a little pop up at checkout to indicate that you are eligible for cashback rewards. By clicking the button, you can earn cashback on your purchases.
In-store shopping
If you are present in the physical store of a retail partner, then no problem. Rakuten gives you in-store cashback purchases as well. You have to activate the in-store offer through the site or the mobile app. You should also need to attach your credit card to the system so that it can track your purchase.
So, when you make your purchase, the retailer will confirm the purchase and then send it to the Rakuten website. Note that it only takes some hours but some days for the store to confirm that you purchase from the particular store.
But before that, you can see the cashback in your balance, which is the most amazing thing about this platform. You might be bothered by the fact that the in-store offer is valid for only one purchase.
You have to reactivate the in-store offer if you plan to purchase another install. So many people find this thing difficult and mostly go for online purchases. You should remember that in-store offers are the best way to earn cashback.
Customer support
The customer support offered by Rakuten is quite limited. You can find a help section at the bottom of their site if you scroll down. However, it simply redirects you to a knowledge base page that includes frequently asked questions. Their contacts page appears to be based on a ticket system.
A specific question is asked, and then you are prompted to describe your problem. Rakuten’s services seem to be used by most people without much assistance. Their knowledge centre indicates that tracking a check or checking your cashback balance are the most common issues.
Rakuten Pricing
You can use Rakuten for free. There are no hidden fees. Rakuten doesn’t charge consumers for this service since retailers pay it upfront to refer people to their stores, making it a logical choice from a cost perspective. Rakuten emphasizes what you get back rather than how much you pay.
Rakuten’s retail partners offer different amounts of cashback. On average, consumers can earn between 1% and 40%. Product and retailer cashback percentages vary.
You will receive a higher cashback rate when purchasing outdoor products through a target. For instance, target offers 1-5% cashback on overall purchases but 20% cashback on all outdoor products.
Rakuten Referrals
What You Will Learn
Rakuten’s rewards program also allows you to earn cashback when referring friends.
When you refer someone who makes a $25 or more purchase through Rakuten, you earn $5. You can even earn $25 for every referral you make on Rakuten. Furthermore, they will give your friends $10 if they use your referral. This is a win-win for everyone!
Rakuten has frequent promotions, such as double cashback and hot deals on specific stores and items. Find out about special BOGO deals, promo codes, coupons, etc. Keep track of deals by setting your notifications to notify you of deals.
As part of Rakuten’s recent partnership with Expedia, you can get discounts on flights and hotels for your next vacation. Booking on these sites through Rakuten can give you cashback on even major purchases, making vacations more fun.
Pros and cons
Although Rakuten is a great service, it does have some limitations. Here are some advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
Referral program:
Rakuten’s referral program is one of the most impressive. Referring your friends will earn you $5 – $25 on your cashback, so encourage them to spread the news to earn cashback.
Ease of use
It is very simple to use Rakuten. You can use their site to connect to the website you want to shop. Alternatively, you can download their browser extension and save yourself a minute or two. Going directly to the site can provide benefits, including finding hot deals. In any case, Rakuten is simple to use.
Cashback:
We are all here for a reason. You can use the cashback to put more money into savings or pay off debt. Cashback rates as low as 1% can add up quickly. Many stores offer up to 40% cashback, enabling you to boost your quarterly cashback payouts. Just imagine what you can do with that extra cash!
Variety of options:
No matter what you buy online, you are likely to find it through Rakuten, turning any purchase into an opportunity to earn cashback.
Cons
Encourages impulse shopping:
However, you are still spending money even if you get cashback. It is easy to make impulsive online purchases when cashback is offered, especially when purchasing is as easy as clicking a button.
Keep an eye on your budget when shopping online.
Cashback is not available on nearly all products in stores:
Think again if you just thought you could get cashback from Walmart on the latest iPhone. Almost every store will have items they don’t offer cashback on, and these are likely to be their most popular products.
Only pays cashback accruals quarterly:
If you want immediate gratification, it can be frustrating. Moreover, Rakuten only pays cashback after you have accumulated $5 or more in cashback, which encourages you to shop at Rakuten more often. You’ll have to wait until next month’s payout if you don’t meet that minimum.
FAQs
Is Rakuten a good company?
Our company has a great team, great benefits, and a great company to work for. Every Friday, there is free breakfast, lunch, and happy hour. The teams are excellent. This is a nice company to work for.
Does Rakuten charge a membership fee?
There is no cost to join Rakuten. After joining, you can earn cashback from your purchases right away.
What are the steps for referring a friend to Rakuten?
Each Rakuten member has been assigned a unique link, which can be found by signing in to Rakuten and visiting the Refer-A-Friend page. Send it to them via email, text message, or social media to share your link with friends. You both earn your reward if they sign up via your link and make a qualifying purchase.
Why is Rakuten so cheap?
Rakuten doesn’t charge consumers for the service because retailers pay Rakuten upfront for referrals, making good sense from a cost standpoint. When you shop at Rakuten, it’s not about how much you pay; it’s about how much you get back.
Final words
Rakuten is an amazing website of affiliate marketing as well as it is also well known for giving a good amount of cashback to its users. If you don’t want to visit the Rakuten cashback system website continually, install the Rakuten extension on Chrome to avoid going to it repeatedly.
After installing the Rakuten extension, you can easily navigate to your online purchases, where it will pop up you about the cashback you are getting on a particular product.
So, on the whole, Rakuten is considered a reputable and renowned website perfect for getting a high amount of cashback by purchasing and referring to your friends and family.