Ebates: Boost Your Savings with Online Cash Back

With the rise of computers and the internet, shopping has become super convenient, letting you buy anything from clothes and home decor to groceries and electronics without leaving your house. All it takes is a simple click.

Cashback sites, apps, and browser add-ons have jumped on the online shopping trend, making things even easier. Ebates.com is one popular option among these. But before diving in, it’s a good idea to look at what Ebates offers and consider the pros and cons to see if it’s right for you.

How It Works

Ebates is a cashback site that rewards you with money back when you shop through their partner stores. You don’t shop directly on Ebates but rather through affiliate links they provide. They have over 1,600 stores to choose from, like Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohl’s, Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Petco. When you create an account and shop using their site, you can get a cashback of 1 to 6 percent. It’s basically like shopping at your usual stores, but you have this added step of going through Ebates.

Getting Started with Ebates

To start, just sign up with your email, and you’ll get a $10 gift card to a store of your choice. You don’t need to attach a credit card or bank account to your Ebates account. Browse the stores you like on the Ebates website, start shopping, and earn cashback. After you pay, points will appear in your account within one to six days. Ebates holds onto these points for 60 days to guard against purchase cancellations.

Payments are sent out at specific times through PayPal or as a mailed check. Once you’re signed up, you don’t have to do anything extra. You simply shop as usual, earning cashback effortlessly, especially if you have the Google Chrome extension.

Cost

Signing up for Ebates is totally free. You won’t be charged to access your cashback. However, part of your cashback goes to Ebates because they’re splitting the earnings from referring you. Even with this, using Ebates doesn’t cost anything, and most cashback sites take a portion of your return anyway.

Pros & Cons

Pros:
– You can earn gift cards and money by signing up, shopping, and referring friends.
– There’s a wide range of stores to choose from.
– It’s free and easy to use.
– Customer service is dependable.

Cons:
– Some users have had issues with tracking orders and occasionally missed payments.
– On Amazon, cashback is only available in certain categories.
– There’s a 60-day wait for the payout after making a purchase.
– Payouts are only made four times a year.

Comparison

Swagbucks is another cashback platform similar to Ebates, but it lets you exchange points for gift cards and coupons. While you can get PayPal gift cards, one point equals one cent, so you need more points for a good payout.

TopCashBack offers some of the highest cashback rates and has partnerships with over 3,500 retailers. They credit your cash within a week and allow withdrawals as soon as your cash is pending, giving all the commission they earn from affiliates. This makes them a tough competitor to Ebates.

Who It’s For

If you’re a frequent online shopper and Ebates has the stores you love, it might be perfect for you. There’s no cost to sign up, and you don’t have to do anything extra to earn cashback. If you’re going to buy something online anyway, why not earn a little back with Ebates? So, for those who shop a lot online, don’t miss the chance to save some money using Ebates.