Understanding the Capital One Shopping portal: A guide on how to earn rewards through it

Online shopping portals enable you to accumulate bonus points, miles, or cash back when purchasing from selected retailers. By logging into your preferred portal, selecting a store, and completing your purchase, you can earn these additional rewards alongside those from your credit card.

One such portal is Capital One Shopping, which helps you discover discounts and save money, even without a Capital One credit card. It provides targeted offers that are distinct from the Capital One Offers in your account, and it will automatically apply coupons to your cart.

This guide will explain everything you need to know about utilizing Capital One Shopping to cut costs on your purchases.

What exactly is Capital One Shopping?

Capital One Shopping is a free online shopping portal designed to help you save money on your purchases. It's accessible to everyone, even if you don’t hold a Capital One credit card or bank account, although some features might be limited outside the U.S.

In contrast to other shopping portals that reward you with points, miles, or cash back, Capital One Shopping allows you to earn credits redeemable for gift cards. While it's not the same as cash, there are numerous merchants available for gift card redemptions, including Walmart and eBay.

Capital One Shopping offers a convenient browser extension that you can easily download after signing in. Once installed, this extension will notify you to activate any available Capital One Shopping offers while you browse online.

To utilize it, head to your chosen retailer. You'll see a prompt in the top right corner of your screen to activate any available offers. This extension simplifies the process of finding rewards, eliminating the need for manual searches.

Using Capital One Shopping

To get started with Capital One Shopping, go to capitaloneshopping.com and create an account. You can either set up your own login details or log in using your Capital One account if you're already a customer.

You may also have the option to use a referral to boost your earnings. Capital One Shopping often provides referral bonuses when you sign up using a friend or family member's link. For example, if you create an account through a referral link, download the browser extension, and spend $10 within the first 30 days, both you and your referrer could earn a one-time bonus of $40 in rewards.

After creating your account, you can utilize the search bar at the top to locate what you need. On a specific merchant's page, simply click "Visit Site" in the upper left corner. You also have the option to select "Activate" or "Get Coupon" for any offers below, redirecting you to the merchant's site to finalize your purchase.

Similar to other shopping portals, it’s essential to click through Capital One Shopping to earn rewards (unless you have the browser extension, which alerts you to activate rewards on eligible sites). Be cautious about visiting other websites or shopping portals during this process, and refrain from using coupon codes not listed on Capital One Shopping, as this could lead to untracked purchases.

If you’re uncertain about what you want, explore options by clicking the "Brands" or "Products" tabs at the top, or choose the "Events" tab to discover current deals. Capital One Shopping now features a diverse selection of merchants, from pet supplies and electronics to hotel bookings and concert tickets.

When searching by product, Capital One Shopping will showcase various merchants offering your item, complete with details on product condition, estimated delivery times, potential rewards, and final costs after rewards. For instance, I found that searching for Apple AirPods Pro could save me over $70 when purchased from Amazon instead of eBay.

Capital One Shopping features a price comparison tool for hotel bookings. Begin by entering your destination and travel dates, then select a hotel that catches your eye and scroll down to view the available deals.

Booking through specific online travel agencies can lead to savings on your hotel stay. However, keep in mind that you typically won’t gain elite status benefits or earn elite-qualifying points or nights unless you book directly with the hotel. If you spot a lower price at a Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, or IHG property than what's offered directly, you can file a price match/best-rate guarantee request, and if approved, the lower rate will be honored.

Steps to redeem Capital One Shopping rewards

As previously stated, Capital One Shopping offers rewards as credits that can be exchanged for gift cards at select retailers. This differs from programs like Rakuten, Dosh, and TopCashback, which provide cash rewards (usually paid via PayPal, checks, automated clearing house services, or Venmo transfers).

When you're set to redeem your Capital One Shopping rewards, simply click "Redeem Now" under the "My Rewards & Savings" section to order gift cards.

From this point, you can explore your redemption choices. Currently, there are over 50 retailers available for selection.

Which credit card is best to use with Capital One Shopping?

You can use Capital One Shopping without a Capital One card. However, several Capital One cards are excellent choices for these purchases, including:

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 2 Capital One miles for every dollar spent on all purchases.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase.
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on all purchases.
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.

For more recommendations, check our list of the best cards for online shopping.

In summary

The Capital One Shopping portal can help you save money, even without a Capital One credit card. While it doesn't provide cash back, it offers gift cards at various retailers and distinguishes itself with useful price comparison features and the option to search for and apply coupon codes to your purchases. Additionally, the Capital One Shopping browser extension simplifies activating available offers and earning rewards while shopping online.

In summary, utilizing Capital One Shopping is an easy and effective method to enhance your savings on purchases — so sign up today.