Revisiting cashback services: Do they really work? – CNET

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What follows is an update of a post I wrote back in 2014. The subject: one of my all-time favorite money-saving methods. Read on to learn how to use it and, more importantly, whether it’s worth the trouble.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

You’re familiar with cashback credit cards, right? The most famous one, Discover, pays you back 1 percent of everything you buy. That’s a pretty tiny percentage, but it adds up.

Web-based cashback services operate much the same way, offering you a percentage (sometimes 1 percent, sometimes more) of your purchase in the form of a cash rebate.

For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7-inch tablet is currently on sale for $399.99. But if you visit Ebates.com on your way to Samsung’s online store, you can get a 4 percent rebate — which works out to $16. Meanwhile, over at Groupon, the refurbished Pebble Time Round smartwatch is already a deal at $129.99. Start at Fatwallet.com, however, and you’ll get 6 percent back, or $7.80.

Eyeballing the Asus ZenBook UX305 at the Microsoft Store? It’s $599, but TopCashback will give you back 1 percent of that, or $5.99.

This is not big money, obviously, but like I said before: it adds up. You save 1 percent here, 3 percent there and so on, and by the time your rebate check arrives, you could be looking at a decent chunk of change. This isn’t just for tech stuff, either — many of the largest cashback percentages can be found at stores like Kohl’s, Macy’s and Magazines.com.

And here’s the real beauty of it: Cashback services are a piece of cake to use. They’re literally a couple extra clicks on your way to shopping wherever you’re already shopping.

Which invariably leads to some skepticism. Really? A rebate just for visiting Ebates? What’s the catch? What’s the downside?

I’ve been using various cashback services for the past couple years. My take: no catch, no downside. Just easy savings. Allow me to share a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Turn off your ad-blocker

Because cashback services rely on browser cookies for tracking, and because ad-blockers block those cookies, using an ad-blocker will very likely interfere with your rebate. In other words, it might make your purchase “invisible” to the cashback service, thus preventing you from getting credit (i.e. cash) for that purchase.

The solution: Pause your ad-blocker when you go shopping. I don’t mean white-listing the cashback service’s domain; I mean pausing it globally so there’s no risk of interference. All the tracking happens behind the scenes, and you don’t want anything to get in the way.

Be patient

Although you should receive a cashback confirmation within a few days of your purchase, don’t expect your actual cash until much later. Indeed, most services work on a 90-day payout structure. This is in part to prevent people from abusing the system (buying something, getting a rebate, and then returning it for a full refund, for example). But there’s an added benefit: Your rebates will add up to a bigger payout.

Always try to double-dip

Some of the best cashback savings can be found at department stores. Who wouldn’t take an 8-percent cash rebate from Macy’s?

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Suppose you’re able to save 5 percent on a big purchase using a cashback service. Score! But you can get an even better deal if you work a little harder.

For starters, you may be able to apply other discounts, such as coupon codes you’ve received via email or found online. Once you get to the checkout page, just insert the code like you normally would. Obviously your rebate will reflect that discounted price, but ultimately you want the lowest total price you can get. (Just be sure to read the cashback service’s terms before you click through to the store, as there may be exclusions when other discounts are applied. Even so, it’s always better to get, say, 10 percent off up front than 2 percent later on.)

Even better, pay for your online purchases with a cashback credit card. That’s a guaranteed additional rebate. And if you can somehow leverage all three? Triple-dip savings for the win!

Shop around

Ebates, FatWallet and TopCashback are probably the best-known cashback services, but there are dozens of others. And within all of them, cashback rates can vary.

For big purchases in particular, it pays to shop around. If you’re spending, say, $500, and Ebates offers 5 percent to FatWallet’s 3 percent, you’re looking at a $25 rebate instead of $15.

Yes, there’s a bit more hassle involved this way, as you have to sign up for and keep tabs on more services — but that extra effort can yield bigger returns.

They work

Still skeptical? That’s OK — cashback services really do seem too good to be true. But as long as you pay close attention to the specifics of the offer (not all rebates apply to all products) and make sure to keep tabs on your purchases and payouts, you’ll get your money. I’ve used Ebates and TopCashback extensively, and I can report they’ve always delivered as advertised (even on the rare occasions I had to contact customer service for a purchase that didn’t get tracked).

Your mileage may vary, of course. But I’m a huge believer in the cashback option, and a big fan. With very little personal information up front and just a few extra clicks in your shopping process, you stand to get extra money back. It’s kind of a no-brainer.

Bonus deal: As I predicted a few weeks back, Pebble Time smartwatches are continuing to make their way to deal sites. To wit: Groupon has the refurbished Pebble Time for $99.99 shipped, with your choice of a black, white or red band. (If it’s your first time using Groupon, use coupon code WELCOME at checkout for an extra $10 off.) Click the Option pull-down and you’ll also find a refurbished Pebble Time Round for $129.99. The latter is definitely the snazzier of the two, though unfortunately it has much shorter battery life and lacks the square Time’s water-resistance. Check out CNET’s review if you want to know more.

Bonus deal No. 2: Not very long ago (I’m talking November, 2014), the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 would have cost you $600 off-contract. Today, and while supplies last, Mywit (via eBay) has the refurbished Galaxy Note 4 for $229.99 shipped, in your choice of black or white. This fab phablet (which scored top marks from CNET) comes with 32GB of storage and is locked for use on Verizon — though you should be able to get it unlocked without much trouble. Then you can take it to Sprint or a Sprint-based MVNO if you wish.