Rakuten is one of the absolute best shopping portals out there – an easy way to earn extra cashback (or valuable Amex Membership Rewards points!) on your online shopping. And now it's better than ever.
Rakuten is currently offering cashback rates of up to 20% at hundreds of stores like Aveda, Dell, Saks Fifth Avenue, and countless more. Even some travel companies like Viator and Expedia will get you 15% back. See the full list – almost every retailer you can think of will get you at least 15% cashback. But first-time users can get an even bigger bonus.
Rakuten is currently offering a $40 referral bonus to new members who sign up and make their first purchase of $40 or more. That's right: Sign up, spend $40, and get at least $40 straight back . That's the biggest Rakuten bonus we've ever seen, and reason enough to start doing some online shopping through Rakuten.
It's all part of Rakuten's weeklong “Big Give Week” of bonuses. These special bonuses end Monday, May 15.
Want points to fund your future travels instead? Rakuten also now allows you to convert your cashback to American Express Membership Rewards points. You get 1 point for every cent of cashback you earn, so a $40 cashback bonus could be 4,000 Amex points instead.
No matter which route you go, it's worth checking Rakuten before making any online purchase. Rakuten is perhaps the easiest online shopping portal out there. And this Rakuten bonus for signing up and making your first purchase combined with standard cashback bonuses can add up quickly.
Thrifty Tip: Add the Rakuten browser plugin to Google Chrome and Rakuten will alert you when you can earn cashback on your purchase through that retailer!
How Rakuten Works
Taking advantage of these huge bonuses is as simple as navigating to Rakuten.com , clicking through to the retailer, and making your purchase.
First things first, sign up for Rakuten if you haven’t already. You’ll earn an additional $40 bonus after completing your first purchase of at least $40 in the first 90 days. Full disclosure: We also get a bonus, so we appreciate it if you use our link!
Whether you’re shopping at Amazon and Target or buying a Blue Apron subscription, you’ll get a percentage of your purchase price back from hundreds of stores. You’ll get paid every three months, through either a paper check or a PayPal transfer (or a deposit of points in your Amex account).
Here's an example of just how powerful stacking these bonuses can be. Let's say you need to order a fresh set of contacts with a $150 order from 1-800 CONTACTS, which is offering 20% through next Monday. Here's what you'd want to do:
First things first, sign up for Rakuten
Click through from Rakuten over to 1-800 CONTACTS, then make your purchase as normal
You'll earn 20% cashback on that $150 purchase: $30 – or 3,000 Amex Membership Rewards points
You'll also earn $40 cashback (or 4,000 Amex points) for your first purchase of $40 or more
Add it up and that's $70 , reducing your net cost to $80 – or you're earning 7,000 valuable Amex points on the purchase you needed to make anyhow.
Read more: Use Online Shopping Portals to Earn More Points & Miles!
Bottom Line
Rakuten is one of the best online shopping portals out there – and the easiest to use, too. With these massive cashback rates and a $40 Rakuten bonus after making your first purchase, it's a no-brainer way to do your online shopping. No shopping portal is easier to use, and this initial bonus is one of the best we've ever seen.
Sign up for Rakuten today and start earning something back on your online shopping before this bonus ends next Monday, May 15.
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