Shopping Portals 101

Shopping Rewards 101: Get Paid to Buy Things You Already Want

You're going to shop online anyway. Might as well get paid for it.

I'm not talking about coupons or deal hunting (though those are great too). I'm talking about actual cash back that hits your account just for clicking a link before you buy. It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Retailers pay these platforms a commission for sending them customers, and the platforms share that commission with you.

Two platforms dominate this space: Rakuten and Capital One Shopping. Both are completely free. Both will save you real money. And you should absolutely be using at least one of them.

Rakuten: The OG Cash Back King

Rakuten has been around forever (it used to be called Ebates). Here's how it works: you go to Rakuten's website or use their browser extension, click through to the store you want to shop at, and boom. You get a percentage back on your purchase. That's it.

The cash back rates vary. Sometimes it's 1%. Sometimes it's 10% or more during special promotions. Amazon is usually around 1-2%, but other retailers can go much higher. We're talking Macy's, Nike, Home Depot, you name it. Thousands of stores participate.

Every three months, Rakuten sends you a check or PayPal payment. It's real money. Not points. Not store credit. Actual cash you can spend however you want.

The browser extension makes this even easier. It automatically pops up when you're on a participating retailer's site and reminds you to activate cash back. No need to remember to go to Rakuten first.

Capital One Shopping: The Price Tracking Powerhouse

Capital One Shopping (formerly Wikibuy) takes a different approach. Yes, it gives you cash back at certain stores. But its real superpower is price comparison and coupon testing.

You install the browser extension, and when you're shopping online, it automatically searches for better prices at other retailers. It also tests every available coupon code at checkout. You know how you usually Google "promo code for [store name]" and try a bunch that don't work? Capital One Shopping does that for you in seconds.

The rewards here come as credits you can redeem for gift cards. Not quite as flexible as Rakuten's cash, but still valuable if you shop at the stores they offer.

And here's the kicker: you don't need a Capital One credit card to use it. It's free for anyone.

Use Both (Yes, Really)

These platforms aren't competitors in your wallet. They're teammates. Use Rakuten when you know exactly where you want to shop and you want that cash back. Use Capital One Shopping when you're price comparing or hunting for coupon codes.

Sometimes you can even stack them. Check Rakuten for cash back rates, then let Capital One Shopping test coupons at checkout. Free money on top of free money.

Your Action Plan

1. Sign up for both Rakuten and Capital One Shopping. Check our [rewards page](https://perksacademy.com/rewards) for referral links that might give you a sign-up bonus.
2. Install both browser extensions. They'll remind you to use them.
3. Before you buy anything online, check if either platform has a deal for that store.
4. Don't buy something just because it has cash back. That's not saving money, that's spending money.
5. Let the rewards accumulate. It feels small at first, but it adds up fast.

This isn't a get-rich scheme. But if you're already shopping online (and you are), you might as well get something back. A few clicks for hundreds of dollars a year? That's an easy win.