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    Rakuten

Rakuten

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Overview

Rakuten has a rating of 2.7 stars from 2,124 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Rakuten most frequently mention credit card, referral bonus, and family member problems. Rakuten ranks 5th among Cash Back sites.

  • Service
    187
  • Value
    151
  • Returns
    64
  • Quality
    121

This company does not typically respond to reviews

Positive reviews (last 12 months): 18.2%
Positive
2
Neutral
0
Negative
9
View ratings trends
61
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How would you rate Rakuten?
Top Positive Review

“Amazing Rakuten! Thanks so much Susan!”

Tetiana K.
5/7/24

Rakuten team are the best service I've come across in the US. We are refugees from Ukraine and we are very grateful to Rakuten for such joy as excellent service, impeccable work, patience, respect for the client and professionalism. I will be happy to buy everything only through the Rakuten service. This is a great savings and a great pleasure to know them! Thank you Susan!

Date of experience: 5/6/24
See positive reviews
Top Critical Review

“Thieves”

Cory C.
12/11/24

They never pay what you actually earned. I have yet to have a single transaction pay what was advertised. Even after purchases have been verified they just delete the payout for no reason. 100% scam!

Date of experience: 12/1/24
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Reviews (2,124)

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (796) customer care (55) shopping trip (51) customer support (36) response time (19) credit card (31) gift card (35)
Thumbnail of user stevena61
Missouri
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
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November 14th, 2016

The site itself is great if you do a lot of online shopping. They even have some in store ebates that can be used. However, this review is about the customer service. I reached out to get a new "big fat check" printed. Not only did they respond quickly, they apologized for the "delay" and got a new check printed and sent out to me without any hassle. THAT'S customer service

Date of experience: November 14, 2016

Thumbnail of user cc66
Illinois
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
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September 29th, 2013

I want to clarify some points made by critics here. Yes, you have to spend some time and attention to your shopping. Shop a little first, before going to Ebates so you know about what is available. Open a site through Ebates, and buy on that site opening, and you will get your rebate. You may or may not get other offers available, like free shipping, however, because some sites only give one discount. I have always found Ebates pays out on schedule without a fight, even on big ticket items.

Date of experience: September 29, 2013

Thumbnail of user kims180
Maryland
1 review
1 helpful vote
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July 24th, 2016
Verified purchase

I purchased a dress online at Macy's using Ebates and it was one size too large. I went to the store and exchanged it not knowing that they would credit me and then ring me up as a new purchase. A couple of days later I noticed that the cash I received from Ebates was now deleted. I emailed them questioning the transaction and they were very fast to respond. The correct thing would have been to return the dress at Macy's and re-purchase it through Ebates.
With Ebates outstanding customer service, they refunded me the full amount, understanding that I made a mistake. Thank you for working with your customers.

Date of experience: July 24, 2016

Thumbnail of user kims109
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
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October 6th, 2015
Verified purchase

Being retired and on a fixed income I save where I can. Since I don't drive I get most items online. Amazing how between ebay bucks, ebates and other online retail % off savings can add up. Customer service is excellent. God bless you! Jesus is our hope for the future!

Date of experience: October 6, 2015

Thumbnail of user alvinr18
Kentucky
5 reviews
16 helpful votes
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January 12th, 2016

I bought a titanium diamond ring from Rakuten in November. They were all too happy to help me until they got their money. A stone fell out days later and after a month of emails i cannot get a response from them or the seller. Be careful out there people.

Date of experience: January 12, 2016

Thumbnail of user kathleenm122
Florida
1 review
11 helpful votes
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December 19th, 2017

Ebates picks and chooses which rebates they want to honor. Over the last several months I have to to keep track of every purchase, then fight with Ebates customer service to get my rebates. Making everything so difficult and unpleasant. Right now if someone asked me about Ebates I would have to tell them to watch everything to make sure you get your money as promised; or stay away from Ebates because they will honor their own site.

Date of experience: December 19, 2017

Thumbnail of user loriannc
Massachusetts
5 reviews
16 helpful votes
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June 11th, 2018

Shopping made Easy for me since 2013. I am shopping on-line anyway and just enter through Ebates to the store I want to shop at and as commercials states I get PAID to shop. Ebates also organizes my favorite spots on a guide making it even easier... Ebates has been awesome to deal with. If have questions about purchases... they respond quickly and with understandable explanations. Would Recommend to anyone (and you even get paid for that, too)... who shops On-Line. They pay you in the form you choose. I personally just want the check. But they again give options...

Date of experience: June 11, 2018

Thumbnail of user lisag63
California
1 review
1 helpful vote
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March 5th, 2015
Verified purchase

I love Ebates! It is great to get money back for things I am going to buy anyway. An awesome way to save money on online purchases. Customer service is also top notch. Any issues I have had are always resolved in a timely, professional, courteous manner. Ebates, you rock!

Date of experience: March 5, 2015

Thumbnail of user joannak8
Wisconsin
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
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September 14th, 2014
Verified purchase

I really thank you for your comprehensive reply. Ebates goes out of its way to be customer friendly! So often we get a recorded message on the phone or no reply. It's so refreshing to actually feel like a person and not just some number that a company is replying to. Ebates ROCKS! Please pass along this message to your supervisor, manager and higher ups! Ebates have never not responded... nor left me waiting for a reply. Many, many thanks!

Date of experience: September 14, 2014

Thumbnail of user christinay4
New Jersey
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
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December 22nd, 2014
Verified purchase

I've been using Ebates for just over a year. I am always so pleased to get a rebate (in the form of cash back), especially for merchants who never offer a deal, just by using Ebates. It is super easy to use and for every online purchase I make, I get a check in the mail a few times a year. For the rare occasional hiccup that sometimes can occur, I get the absolute best customer support. It's always a real person, not automated response. They are super friend and quick to help me out. You will be so happy once you sign up and start earning cash back today. Happy shopping!

Date of experience: December 22, 2014

Thumbnail of user giselleg2
New York
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
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July 8th, 2015

Thank you Ebates Customer Care Center! I was having an issue with the link to verify my address and I contacted the Customer Care Center. Alexis R responded quickly and was kind enough to walk me through the steps after I told her what my problem. Not only did the second response come back quickly but she described in detail what I needed to do and I was done in minutes! It can be a little frustrating when technology refuses to work your way but with the kindness and patience Alexis showed, I was a very happy camper after my experience. Have a question, ask! They are awesome!

Date of experience: July 8, 2015

Thumbnail of user annetteg5
North Carolina
1 review
2 helpful votes
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February 3rd, 2015

I bought a photo scanner from this site. It arrived in a reasonable time frame. However, the product did not work. I first contact the seller... no response. Then I got rakuten customer service involved. They gave me the run around for 2 weeks. Finally I contacted the people at Google (as Rakuten is a Google Trusted Store). As soon as Google stepped in I received a full refund, a $10 gift certificate to use on Rakuten (not that I will buy from them EVER) and a $25 gift card from Google for all my troubles.

Date of experience: February 3, 2015

Thumbnail of user rebeccab35
New Jersey
1 review
1 helpful vote
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December 6th, 2014
Verified purchase

Ebates has wonderful customer service, always there to provide you with the best at all times. I so appreciate their prompt replies to any and all emails and for always posting my cash back when I am curious as to where it is... they rock!

Thanks!

Date of experience: December 6, 2014

Thumbnail of user patriciah54
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
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May 28th, 2015
Verified purchase

This site rocks! I was having trouble getting my ebates reward from a certain store and I emailed customer service and right away they fixed the problem. They credited my account without making me wait even though they didn't receive credit for my purchase yet. Their fast and friendly and make it easy 2 receive money for purchase I'm going to make an any ways.

Date of experience: May 28, 2015

Thumbnail of user denac3
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
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May 13th, 2016
Verified purchase

I noticed that I did not receive cash back from a recent Pep Boys order. I reached out to customer service and within hours they had researched my request and credited my account. I am very impressed with the turn around time!

Date of experience: May 13, 2016

Thumbnail of user bettyc183
Georgia
1 review
1 helpful vote
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April 28th, 2019
Verified purchase

It is very hard to use Rakuten in-store at Walmart. I don't know if the app works or not. Otherwise I love the online set-up and don't have to worry about searching for stores since the app pops right up on a valid site. Thank You

Date of experience: April 28, 2019

Thumbnail of user jewelk5
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
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March 21st, 2016
Verified purchase

I had purchased airfare and could not see the transaction on my account. I sent an email and got a very quick response explaining the credit doesn't come until after the travel date and could take a while. I am new to ebates so I appreciated the explanation and was told it would be helpful to read the fine print(which I know I should have done to begin with) Thank you Bridget for your help.

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: March 21, 2016

Thumbnail of user tamn6
New York
15 reviews
22 helpful votes
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March 7th, 2021

Shop directly through their site and get paid. I've been a member with them for 2 years now and have legit made about $1090. 00.
Every time i shop online, for instance i want to shop on Macy's. Instead of going directly to Macy's, i would log onto rakuten and then click on Macy's. That's it! You'll see the percentages they offer at the time. It can be from 2% and there's times especially around the holidays they'll pay up to 10%. Once you complete the order you'll get a notification how much you earned from the order. They don't pay you right away. You'll get the check after each quarter. Which is fine because it's like finding that $20 under your couch when you least expect it. Each quarter i would get like $50... or so mailed to me. Depending how much i spent and if I did not return any items back.
It gives them 90 days to see if you returned your items. If you do then you don't get paid by them. All in all Rakuten is legit and I always go through them first.

Service
Value

Date of experience: March 5, 2021

Thumbnail of user andrewk129
New Hampshire
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 30th, 2017

They keep their word and have awesome customer service. They will work to make sure you get your cash back! No other service I use can say the same. They work with many merchants and their cash back rates are pretty damn good. Overall, you gotta get an account! Damn I love them so much I should start getting paid by them! If Ebates sees this hit up your boy and toss him some dough!

Date of experience: December 30, 2017

Thumbnail of user peggyb25
Ohio
1 review
0 helpful votes
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November 5th, 2015
Verified purchase

I had an item that didn't get bonus cash on. Sent email and instant response from customer support. After a few emails back and forth to verify the item belonged in the rebate and it was all done. Great and quick customer service is hard to find these days but they went way above and to resolve it right away was amazing.

Date of experience: November 5, 2015

Thumbnail of user joys35
Pennsylvania
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
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September 26th, 2015
Verified purchase

What a wonderful way to save and take advantage in addition to what you'd buy save from every sale and coupon code you use anyway when shopping on-line! Lots of choices, fantastic customer service, and attention to detail to make it SO user friendly, even for hesitant seniors! Thanks so very much for your service, Ebates! No gimmicks here:-))

Date of experience: September 26, 2015

Thumbnail of user nulln53
India
1 review
0 helpful votes
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April 24th, 2019
Verified purchase

It's good. I love Rakuten. Since our founding in 1997, Rakuten has helped shape the way people shop online, offering Cash Back, deals and shopping rewards on the world's largest selection of products and services. To date, our 12 million members in the U.S. have earned over $1 billion in Cash Back at their favorite stores.

Date of experience: April 24, 2019

Thumbnail of user brandonc282
Singapore
1 review
15 helpful votes
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May 15th, 2020

Don't bother using Rakuten, the customer service sucks. I helped my mother order a book and I helped her make an account since she isn't tech savvy. Rakuten detected it and thought that its me making duplicate accounts (why would I make duplicate accounts... There's no sense in doing that right) and they closed both mine and my mother's account. With that, a pleasant experience turned into disappointment. Their customer service doesn't listen to reason at all...

Date of experience: May 15, 2020

Thumbnail of user cindyf28
California
36 reviews
159 helpful votes
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September 26th, 2018

I have used ebates for years along with Honey. Ebates has faithfully paid back all monies that I have earned every three months with no problem and will let you opt for a gift card instead that is worth more than the earned cash amount. Gift cards are sponsored by companies such as Overstock and Old Navy so this is a win-win deal. For example, say I earned 35 dollars in cash back but chose to get a gift card that you can redeem a few weeks earlier than waiting for your check to be deposited in paypal. Overstock may offer me a 37 dollar gift card and old navy 37.50. How can you lose?

Date of experience: September 26, 2018

Thumbnail of user lenw12
New Jersey
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
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February 2nd, 2015
Verified purchase

Stephanie at Ebates handled an issue on my account with excellent customer service! She stayed in close email communication with me and took the route that quickly resolved the issue for me, rather than causing me to have to wait days or weeks with extra follow-up on my part. That's how a company takes good care of (... and retains) it's customers! Nice job -- thanks Stephanie and Ebates.

Service

Date of experience: February 2, 2015

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From the business

Rakuten is the new Ebates! Rakuten is the premier Cash Back shopping site that pays you. Join today and start earning Cash Back at your favorite stores. How does it work? We pay members Cash Back when they shop at over 2,500 stores, plus find them the best deals and coupons. With over 12 million members and $1 billion in Cash Back paid out, Rakuten is the easiest and most rewarding way to shop. Become a member today and start shopping smarter. Follow us for the latest sales, member-exclusive offers and more.

Business History

Ebates is the pioneer and leader of online Cash Back Shopping. The company was founded in 1998 by two Deputy District Attorneys in Silicon Valley who used to prosecute online fraud & identity theft before starting Ebates (so you can be sure we are very into secure online transactions!). So go ahead, sign up and start shopping now. Joining Ebates is always free - you'll never pay us anything. And four times a year or more, we'll mail you a Big Fat Check, or transfer the money to your PayPal account if you'd prefer. We can even send the money to your favorite charity. All 100% free.

Company Representative

Thumbnail of user ebatess
Ebates S.
Typically does not respond to reviews

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