Rakuten

What is Rakuten

Rakuten is a rewards and cash back service that pays its members for shopping at its network of partner retailers. Originally founded as Ebates in 1997, the company was acquired by the Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten in 2014 and later rebranded. Its headquarters are in San Mateo, California. The core function of Rakuten is simple: when a user clicks through a Rakuten link to a partner store and makes a purchase, the store pays Rakuten a commission. Rakuten then shares a portion of that commission with the user in the form of cash back. This model allows consumers to earn money on purchases they would have made anyway, making it a popular tool for online shoppers.

Rakuten Features

Rakuten offers several features designed to make earning cash back easy and accessible.

• Online Cash Back: The primary feature allows users to earn a percentage of their purchase amount back when they shop at over 3,500 partner stores through the Rakuten website or app.
• Browser Extension: The Rakuten Cash Back Button is a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. It automatically alerts you if a site you are visiting offers cash back and allows you to activate it with one click. It also finds and applies coupon codes at checkout.
• In-Store Cash Back: Users can link their credit or debit cards to their Rakuten account. They can then activate in-store offers and earn cash back automatically when they use the linked card at participating physical retail locations.
• Mobile App: A fully functional mobile app for iOS and Android lets users shop, activate offers, and manage their account from their smartphone.
• Refer-a-Friend Program: Members receive a unique referral link. When a new user signs up through that link and makes a qualifying purchase, both the referrer and the new member receive a cash bonus.
• Welcome Bonus: New members are typically offered a sign-up bonus, which is awarded after they make their first purchase meeting a minimum spending threshold.

Rakuten Pricing Plans

Rakuten is a completely free service for consumers. There are no membership fees, subscription costs, or hidden charges to use the platform and earn cash back. The company's revenue comes from the commissions paid by its retail partners for directing customer traffic and sales to their websites.

Rakuten Free Plan

There is only one plan, and it is entirely free. All features, including the browser extension, mobile app, in-store cash back, and online shopping portal, are available to all members at no cost. Users simply need to create a free account to start earning rewards on their purchases.

How to use Rakuten

Getting started with Rakuten is a straightforward process.

1. Create an Account: Go to the Rakuten website and sign up using your email address or a social media account. This is free and takes only a minute.
2. Install the Browser Extension: For the best experience, install the Rakuten Cash Back Button on your preferred web browser. This ensures you never miss a cash back opportunity.
3. Start Shopping: You can either search for a store directly on the Rakuten website or app, or you can go directly to the retailer's website. If you have the extension, a notification will appear to activate cash back.
4. Activate Cash Back: Click the activation button on the Rakuten site or in the browser extension pop-up before you start shopping. This will set a tracking cookie so Rakuten can credit your purchase.
5. Shop and Check Out: Add items to your cart and complete your purchase as you normally would.
6. Earn Cash Back: After your purchase is verified by the retailer, the cash back amount will be added to your Rakuten account. This can take from a few hours to several days.
7. Get Paid: Rakuten sends out payments every three months. You can choose to receive your accumulated cash back via PayPal or a physical check, often called the "Big Fat Check".

Pros and Cons of Rakuten

Pros:

• Completely Free to Use: There are no fees for members.
• Wide Range of Stores: Partners with thousands of retailers across many categories.
• Easy to Use: The browser extension makes earning cash back almost effortless.
• Multiple Earning Options: Earn online, in-store, and through the mobile app.
• Reliable Payouts: Established company with a long history of paying members.

Cons:

• Quarterly Payouts: You have to wait up to three months to receive your earnings.
• Minimum Payout Threshold: You must have a minimum balance (typically over $5.00) to receive a payment.
• Tracking Issues Can Occur: Occasionally, a purchase may not track correctly, requiring a support request.
• Cash Back Rates Fluctuate: The percentage of cash back offered by stores can change frequently.

Rakuten integrations

Rakuten does not offer integrations in the way a typical SaaS tool does. Its primary integration is with web browsers through its official Rakuten Cash Back Button extension, which is available for:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari

This extension integrates directly into the browsing experience to provide automatic alerts and one-click activation for cash back and coupons at partner store websites.

Rakuten Alternatives

• Honey: A browser extension owned by PayPal that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout. It also offers a rewards program called Honey Gold, which is a form of cash back.
• TopCashback: A direct competitor that often promotes having the highest cash back rates. It operates on a model where it gives 100% of the retailer's commission back to the user.
• Ibotta: While it started with a focus on grocery receipt scanning, Ibotta has expanded to offer cash back for online shopping through its app and browser extension, similar to Rakuten.
• Capital One Shopping: A free browser extension (available to anyone, not just Capital One customers) that automatically applies coupons, compares prices across retailers, and offers its own rewards on purchases.

Rakuten API

Yes, Rakuten provides API access through its affiliate network platform, Rakuten Advertising. This API is intended for publishers, developers, and advertisers, not for individual shoppers. It allows developers to programmatically access product catalogs, promotional links, and reporting data to build their own shopping applications or websites.

To get an API key, you must first be approved as a publisher in the Rakuten Advertising network. Once approved, you can access API credentials through your publisher dashboard.

Here is a conceptual example of an API call to search for advertisers:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
"https://api.rakutenadvertising.com/linklocator/1.0/getMerchByAppType?app_type=2"

Developers should consult the official Rakuten Advertising developer portal for complete documentation and instructions.

Rakuten Affiliate program

Rakuten's core business is its massive affiliate network, Rakuten Advertising. For individual users, the primary affiliate-style program is the Refer-a-Friend program.

• How it Works: Every Rakuten member gets a unique referral link. You can share this link with friends and family. When someone signs up using your link and makes a qualifying purchase within a specific timeframe, both you and the person you referred receive a cash bonus.
• Commission Rates: The bonus amount is not a percentage but a flat fee. For example, Rakuten might offer a "Refer a friend, you both get $30" promotion. These amounts vary and are often increased during promotional periods.
• How to Join: If you have a Rakuten account, you are automatically part of the program. You can find your unique referral link in your account dashboard under the "Refer & Earn" section.
• Getting Paid: The referral bonus is added to your Rakuten account balance and paid out with your regular cash back earnings on the quarterly payment schedule.