Not too many people will pass up a bargain, and in fact there are many that have become savvy bargain hunters. For some this has led them to look at the cashback offers that are so prominent on the internet. For many, these have become quite popular because they are a way to save a few dollars on different types of purchases.
Ebates.ca now Rakuten
One of the most popular entities online offering this type of rebate service was Ebates. Who has now become Rakuten. There was a lot of fanfare and advertising for this brand change. There are several other similar services offered online.
How Do The Rebates Work?
The process is simple. A buyer purchases a product through Rakuten, then receives a percentage back based on that purchase. The company makes a small percentage off of each sale that is paid by the merchant provider. So basically it is a share the wealth concept between the buyer and the rebate service. The internal workings of the process is a little complex but not something that the buyer of products has to worry about. Tracking of purchases is done through the system so the rebate service knows who to pay. So in essence every time a purchaser buys something they are basically getting a discount because they are getting money back.
Is It Worth It?
There are a few questions that arise concerning these rebate companies. One is do they work? Second is are they a scam?
There are a lot of people that use these services and are most pleased with them. Quite a few have been using them for years. Something else to consider his that usually scams are quick to surface and just as fast to disappear. Ebates.ca was in business since 1999 before they sold out to Rakuten. So that lends to their credibility.
Common Complaint
Some complaints that are often heard is that people didn’t receive their cashback. The problem is the turnaround from the time of the purchase to the rebate service receiving their money can be quite lengthy. This holds up payments from this service to the purchaser.
The Process
How the service works will depend on which cashback platform is being used. Rakuten is one of the popular ones because of ebates.ca. There are some different options for making some extra money at Rakuten so it’s worth studying their site in detail.
You are not going to get rich with these types of services, but you are going to enjoy some savings when making the right purchases. The one pitfall to avoid is binge shopping just because you are going to get a deal.
