Rakuten
Trustpilot Rating – 4.5/5
Get cashback on your purchases via this money-saving app which has over 14,000+ 5-star reviews on Trustpilot. Rakuten gives commission to you which can be cashed out through a check or PayPal. There are more than 15 million people using Rakuten, which has o’er 3500 registered retailers.
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$10 Welcome Bonus
Device Friendly App
Referral Perks
Have you ever heard of Rakuten before? Does saving money on every purchase sound like a great plan? I bet it does! Rakuten is a cashback mobile application or website that helps you save money on every online purchase. This Rakuten review will serve as a guide to help you figure out what it does, how it works, and the benefits attached to being a user.
Without further ado, let’s dive straight into the discussion.
What Is Rakuten?
Rakuten is a cash-back, money-saving mobile application or website that you can download on your smartphone for free. It comes with no monthly costs, and there are no additional requirements. With Rakuten, you can get a commission on every purchase from over 2500 retailers registered on the platform.
This platform functions like an affiliate marketing business. Through a link on the Rakuten website or app, members of Rakuten can shop at their preferred online retailers and marketplaces. Rakuten then receives a customer referral fee from these shops, and a portion of this merchant payout is given to you, the customer.
When you shop using this cutting-edge affiliate marketing platform and website, this business platform gives you, the customer, the chance to receive cash back. You can earn money as a Rakuten member by purchasing anything from holiday gifts to household cleaning supplies.
How Does Rakuten Work?
Rakuten is a straightforward mobile application or website with a responsive and user-friendly interface. It’s also easy to use, and all you need to do is sign up on the platform and choose a store out of the available options.
However, you will only receive Rakuten cashback if you return to the shopping website directly after clicking the link. You can see the amount of cashback you’ll receive after purchasing each store link.
The cashback you receive from Rakuten depends on the store and the items you buy. Also, the cashback percentage may occasionally change following store promotions and offers.
You can also enjoy the benefits of double cash back! For example, if H&M typically offers 2% cash back on orders placed through Rakuten, you can get 4% back on your order thanks to double cash back. It’s a great way to increase your earnings for items you must buy.
Using the Rakuten browser extension is your alternative method of shopping through Rakuten.
You can forego visiting the Rakuten website once you’ve installed the browser extension.
How Do You Get Started With Rakuten?
Getting started with Rakuten is as simple as taking candy from a baby. Let’s go over the steps required to get started with Rakuten.
1. Sign up on the platform
Download the Rakuten app first, then sign up with your preferred email address and password. Interestingly, after your first purchase, you also receive $40.
You’ll need to include your mailing address if you prefer to receive your cashback via check. On the other hand, Rakuten will request your PayPal information if you prefer a direct deposit into your account.
2. Install the Rakuten browser extension
Once you sign up with an email address, Google account, or Facebook account, you will be asked to install the Rakuten browser extension. Browser extensions make online shopping so much easier.
After installing the browser extension, you will always get cashback and coupon alerts when you shop online.
Join Rakuten now and earn a $10 welcome bonus!
3. Start shopping
After creating an account on the website, you can search for the retailer you want to buy from, click through to their website, and carry on with your normal shopping routine.
On the other hand, when you visit websites that qualify, browser extensions will automatically appear, telling you how much money you can get back and for what purchases.
When you purchase a good or service using the extension, the app, or the website, Rakuten is notified of your purchase and you are given cashback the following day. However, payment is deposited to your bank account quarterly. It’s important to note that when you use your Rakuten Cash Back Visa card for the first time to make a purchase, you will instantly receive a $10 cashback bonus.
How Can You Increase Your Income With Rakuten?
There are several strategies to help you make more money from cashback applications like Rakuten. They include:
1. Make use of Ad blockers
To get the best deals, you must turn off all Adblockers, so you don’t miss out on amazing opportunities.
2. Don’t disable cookies on your browser
Make sure that cookies are enabled in your browser because Rakuten needs to be able to track you as you move from their site to the website from which you are making a purchase.
3. Leverage the browser extension
You won’t ever miss a cash-back opportunity with the Rakuten browser extension. It would pop up a reminder for you to activate your cash back even if you forgot to visit Rakuten before visiting the website where you want to make the purchase.
4. Download the app
The Rakuten app is useful if you’re on the go and is free to download and use. You can scan products, use in-store coupons, and check out the newest special offers.
5. Use your military discount
You can take advantage of exclusive offers and discounts on Rakuten if you qualify for a military discount.
How Do You Get Paid With Rakuten?
You must purchase a qualifying item from Rakuten to receive a cashback; when you click on the item, you will be informed of your eligibility.
Make sure you use a link on Rakuten to access a website so that your purchase can be tracked and you can receive your commission share. Every three months, you will be paid either by Paypal or a check they call a “Big Fat Check.”
You must have more money in your Rakuten account than $5 to qualify for a payment; otherwise, it will roll over to the following payment period. Also, note that the most cashback you can get is $50.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Rakuten?
Let’s go over the pros and cons of Rakuten.
- Pros
The pros of using Rakuten are as follows:
- Many stores are available to shop from.
Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are some of the more well-known retailers on the site’s rebate list. Rakuten offers cashback on purchases made at more than 2500 retailers.
- Easy to use
Rakuten is easy to use. Simply log in to the Rakuten website, select the store you want to shop at and proceed as usual.
- Referral benefits
Rakuten’s referral program is another excellent feature. You can receive cash payments from Rakuten for referring customers.
As long as the people you recommend use Rakuten to get cashback, they will currently pay you $30 for each. For you to receive the commission, they must use Rakuten at least once to purchase greater than $30.
- Cons
Some drawbacks to using Rakuten include
- Payment is quarterly
Rakuten will mail you a check for your cashback each quarter if you’ve met the minimum withdrawal requirement. In other words, you shouldn’t count on getting paid every month for your shopping trips.
- You might be a victim of impulse buying.
It can be simple to buy items you weren’t planning to buy because they were “on-sale” if you have trouble managing your finances. I’d advise sticking to your original shopping schedule and making an effort to avoid impulsive purchases.
- No cashback for returned goods.
You won’t receive any cashback on goods you return to the stores. You might also not receive any cashback on goods that are not tracked, so it’s essential you shop through the Rakuten website.
Rakuten Review: Is Rakuten Worth It?
If making extra money, and saving money on expenses sounds like a great plan, then Rakuten is worth it! The app is super easy to use, and most importantly – it’s FREE.
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