How to earn extra cash back or Amex points when shopping online with Rakuten

One of the top ways to boost your rewards on everyday activities is through online shopping portals.

These shopping portals provide bonus points, miles, or cash back when you navigate to a specific retailer via the portal instead of going straight to the retailer's site. Incorporating this into your online shopping routine is crucial—especially during gift-giving seasons like Valentine's Day and Christmas.

Numerous online shopping portals exist, enabling you to earn credit card rewards, airline miles, hotel points, or simply cash for your purchases. Yet, one of the most effective platforms combines these benefits.

Rakuten, previously known as Ebates, allows you to earn cash back or American Express Membership Rewards points while shopping online. It also includes select offers for in-store shopping.

If you're new to Rakuten and sign up today, you can receive a one-time bonus of $30 after spending at least $30 on the site within your first 90 days.

Whether you're looking to combat inflation or planning for the holiday shopping rush, check out this guide, which covers everything you need to know about using the Rakuten shopping portal.

What exactly is Rakuten?

Rakuten is an online shopping portal formerly known as Ebates. It collaborates with more than 2,500 online retailers, including major names like Target and Nike, as well as smaller stores like Glossybox.com. Additionally, it features airlines such as British Airways, Korean Air, and Avianca, allowing you to maximize your rewards.

By creating an account with Rakuten, you can earn cash back or Amex Membership Rewards points on purchases made at participating retailers. Just make sure to start at Rakuten.com and click through to the merchant, or activate the offer via your browser extension (more details on that later).

How does Rakuten function?

You might be wondering how this works—earning extra cash back from online shopping sounds almost too good to be true. Simply put, Rakuten establishes marketing partnerships with various retailers, who pay commissions on purchases made through their site. Rakuten then shares a portion of these commissions with you, the shopper.

The retailer benefits from increased sales, while both you and Rakuten share in the rewards, creating a win-win-win situation for everyone involved.

How to register for Rakuten

To start earning bonus cash back or Amex points on your online purchases, head to Rakuten.com. Decide how you'd like to create your account:

• Using your email address
• With Google
• Via Facebook
• Through Apple

Next, just follow the on-screen instructions to register for your account.

No matter how you sign up, you can usually receive a $10 welcome bonus when you spend $25 or more on eligible purchases within your first 90 days on the platform.

Currently, new members can earn $30 by signing up through a referral link and making at least $30 in purchases from participating retailers (offer may change at any time). This is a fantastic way to kickstart your online shopping rewards.

Additionally, when you join Rakuten, you can earn $30 each time you refer someone using your unique referral link. This means you can continue to earn cash even after signing up.

How to leverage Rakuten for bonus rewards

After creating your account, begin all your online shopping journeys at Rakuten.com, or check your browser extension to see if the site you’re visiting offers cash back.

On the homepage, use the top search box to locate the retailer you wish to shop from.

As you begin typing the store's name, the site will automatically fill in any matching retailers. For example, I typed "Eti" while searching for Etihad Airways.

From the displayed list, choose your preferred retailer, and you will be taken to its earning page. This page will show the earning rate(s) and any relevant conditions.

To start the online purchasing process, click "Shop Without Adding" or "Add to Chrome" (or your respective browser) if you wish to install the plug-in button. If the browser extension is already installed, just click on Shop Now.

A new window or tab will pop up, indicating that you're being redirected to the retailer's website.

Rakuten will initiate a shopping session for you, and the merchant's site will appear shortly. Make sure to keep that window open. Proceed with your shopping as you usually would, and Rakuten will monitor your purchases. You can expect to see your bonus rewards credited to your account within a day or two after your transaction is completed.

To view your account activity, click on My Account in the drop-down menu at the top right. Here, you can see details of all your shopping trips and your earnings balance from transactions that have been recorded in your account.

Is everything eligible for cash back?

Typically, Rakuten calculates cash back based on the subtotal of your order. This does not include shipping fees, taxes, or other charges that are not directly related to the items or services you are purchasing.

Moreover, each retailer will have its own specific terms that you should review. For instance, here’s what you might find when shopping at Staples.com:

Typically, purchases of gift cards are often excluded from earning rewards, and you may find that certain items or brands are not eligible for cash back. Some retailers might specify that your shopping cart needs to be empty before proceeding through Rakuten. It’s important to thoroughly check these store-specific limitations to understand what rewards you can expect from your purchase.

Am I allowed to use any credit card?

Absolutely. One of the great advantages of Rakuten is that your bonus is calculated based on the purchase subtotal — the method of payment doesn't matter. Therefore, you can utilize a card that offers a bonus in a specific category or one that's beneficial for everyday expenses. Most retailers will even accept gift cards while still allowing you to earn rewards.

What about discount codes?

This can be a bit more complicated. Rakuten often showcases available discounts for specific retailers on their respective pages. If you click the Shop Now button next to any promotion on Rakuten, you can still earn cash back on your purchase (as long as you meet all other conditions).

For instance, here are a couple of recent promo codes for online shopping at Walgreens:

In this scenario, you can apply the WELCOME25 promo code by clicking the Shop Now button, and you'll continue to earn cash back — all while receiving 25% off your order of $20 or more.

However, many retailers may deny you rewards if you use discount codes that aren't listed on Rakuten. We've even seen TPG readers lose out on thousands of bonus miles. If you use a targeted offer from a mailer or email while shopping through Rakuten, you might still receive cash back — but be aware that you may not earn as expected.

How do I claim my rewards?

Rakuten distributes your earnings quarterly, following this schedule:

As shown, it will take about 45 days from the end of the quarter to receive your payment. If your balance is $5 or less at the end of these periods, it will roll over to the next quarter. Rest assured, you won’t lose any rewards; they just won't be paid until your total exceeds $5.

You can opt to receive your payment via check in the mail or as a deposit to your PayPal account, depending on what works best for you.

Alternatively, if you're thinking about travel in the future, you might prefer to earn Membership Rewards points instead.

Modifying your earning preference

In 2019, Rakuten introduced a feature allowing all members to choose between two earning types: cash back or American Express Membership Rewards points.

While many online shoppers initially opt for a check or automatic PayPal deposit, seasoned travelers might prefer to switch to earning Amex points. This option is available to anyone with a Membership Rewards®-earning card, such as the The Platinum Card® from American Express or the American Express® Gold Card.

After making this adjustment, your earning rate will transition from a fixed cash-back percentage to a specified number of Amex points per dollar spent. For example, a merchant that offers 2% cash back will now provide 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent — meaning a $100 purchase would yield 200 Amex points instead of $2 in cash back.

Keep in mind that new members are automatically set up with the cash-back option enabled. It’s advisable to change your earning preference before you start shopping if you want to earn Amex points on your purchases (though your initial bonus for enrolling will still be in cash back).

Here’s how to modify your earning preference with Rakuten:

1. Log into your account
2. Hover over your name in the top right corner, then select "Account Settings"
3. Scroll to the "How would you like to get paid?" section
4. Temporarily choose either "PayPal" or "Big Fat Check"
5. Locate the American Express section, click "Switch to Membership Rewards® points," and follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Amex account

After switching, all future earnings through Rakuten will be directed into your Membership Rewards account according to the schedule mentioned earlier. However, any cash-back rewards you’ve already earned will continue to be paid out in cash, either via check or PayPal, based on the previously outlined payment schedule.

You can modify your earning preference at any time. However, consider carefully before switching from earning Amex points to any other payment method. This change is final, and you will lose the option to earn Membership Rewards points from your account settings.

In other words, only switch away from Amex if you are certain that you no longer wish to earn Membership Rewards points — because you won't be able to revert back.

How to get the most out of Rakuten

Once you’ve begun using Rakuten to earn cash back or bonus Amex points from your online purchases, there are additional strategies you can implement to make the most of the site.

Activate in-store offers

Most earning opportunities on Rakuten are focused on online shopping. However, if you log into your account, you'll find an "In-Store Cash Back" link at the top.

This feature allows you to earn bonus rewards when shopping at select physical retail locations. To qualify, you'll need to do two things:

1. Add your card(s): On the in-store cash-back page, look for the "Add a New Card" link at the top. To be eligible for these rewards, you must enter the credit card numbers of any cards you intend to use at participating stores.
2. Link the offer: After adding your card, it's crucial to activate each individual offer you want to use. This process is straightforward. Go to the in-store offer page, find the retailer you plan to shop with, and click "Link Offer" beneath it.

Once you've completed these two steps, you'll earn the specified cash back (or bonus Amex points) whenever you use a linked card at a participating store.

Consider utilizing in-store pickup

In recent years, many retailers have enhanced their services to allow customers to order online and pick up their items at a physical location, often with curbside and contactless options. Some merchants even offer higher earning rates for these types of orders compared to standard ones.

This can be an excellent way to bypass shipping fees and receive your items faster. Plus, avoiding a traditional in-store shopping experience can save you both time and money by reducing impulse purchases.

Keep an eye out for limited-time promotions

Rakuten often rolls out special bonuses for a limited time, which can significantly enhance your earnings. Recently, we noticed increased cash back offers from various retailers, and it's typical to see even more substantial bonuses during major shopping events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Additionally, many individual retailers may provide incentives like free gifts, complimentary shipping, and buy-one-get-one-free promotions.

Keep an eye out for these promotional bonuses — or head to the email subscription section of your online account to subscribe for notifications about such deals.

Combine with credit card promotions

While shopping through Rakuten, you can still take advantage of discounts from programs like Amex Offers and Chase Offers. Because these offers typically post directly to your credit card rather than reducing the purchase price at checkout, Rakuten tracks the full transaction amount.

This is also an excellent way to utilize the annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit provided by the Amex Platinum. You can receive up to a $50 statement credit from January to June, and another up to $50 from July to December. Starting your shopping at Rakuten should still allow you to access these credits when purchasing from Saks Fifth Avenue. Remember that enrollment is necessary for certain benefits.

Invite friends or family members to join

Once you start using Rakuten, it’s a great idea to invite your friends and family to join in the fun.

When someone signs up for a Rakuten account through your referral and spends at least $30 within 90 days, you can typically earn a one-time bonus of $30. They will also receive a welcome bonus of $30 if their purchases occur within that same timeframe.

If your account is configured to earn Amex Membership Rewards, this translates to 3,000 Amex points, valued at $60 according to TPG's August 2024 valuations.

To refer others to Rakuten, simply log into your account and find the "Refer and Earn" link located at the top of the homepage.

From there, you can directly email your friends or family, or share the information via Facebook or Twitter. Alternatively, you can copy your referral link to send it via text message or through any other communication method.

Once someone registers, they'll appear in the "Your Referral Activity" section at the bottom of the refer-a-friend page. After they meet the spending requirement, they will move to the "Qualified" section. Your account balance will then increase by the bonus amount effective at the time they signed up, which will be paid out approximately 45 days after the quarter ends.

Add the Rakuten browser extension

If you prefer not to remember to check Rakuten every time you shop online, consider installing the Rakuten Cash Back Button. This browser extension works with Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge, and it will automatically alert you when you're on a participating site. Here's what it looks like when I go directly to Kohls.com instead of starting at Rakuten:

Rakuten will track your shopping trip and refresh the website when you click the icon to activate cash back. This way, you can still earn rewards on your purchase, providing a handy shortcut if you forget to start at Rakuten.com.

Get the Rakuten app

Lastly, consider downloading the Rakuten app to maximize your experience on the platform. There are several benefits to having it.

For starters, it enables you to easily check for in-store offers that you might want to activate if you find yourself shopping unexpectedly at a participating retailer. More importantly, some merchants offer rewards exclusively through mobile apps, such as Uber Eats.

Key reminders

While the strategies mentioned above can enhance your Rakuten experience, there are several important points to keep in mind:

• Allow cookies in your browser: To ensure Rakuten can track your purchases, make sure cookies are enabled.
• Empty your shopping cart: Many retailers won't provide bonus cash back or Amex points if you have items already in your cart. Before clicking through to a store from Rakuten, confirm that your cart is empty.
• Watch out for promo codes: Remember, using discount codes not found on Rakuten.com could disqualify your rewards. While a 30% discount may seem appealing, saving $5 on a $500 purchase might not justify the risk.

Final thoughts

Online shopping has become a significant aspect of consumer spending, and luckily, there are numerous ways to maximize your online purchases — including utilizing online shopping portals.

Rakuten stands out as one of the most popular options, partnering with over 2,500 retailers to help you earn cash-back rewards or Amex Membership Rewards points.

If you haven't signed up yet, join Rakuten today and start taking advantage of it the next time you shop online. You'll soon be on your way to reducing your out-of-pocket expenses for purchases you're already making.