How do cashback services work? How to activate cashback and save on purchases? How to use cashback and withdraw money?
Cashback is a convenient and useful thing - you buy, and part of your money is returned to your account. Firstly, savings, and secondly, it is much more pleasant to spend, knowing that you will get a certain percentage back. There are many services that allow you to buy almost any product with cashback – from perfumes to a plane ticket.
Denis Kuderin is with you, an expert on financial topics at HeatherBober magazine. I will explain how cashback works , tell you how to use the return service correctly in order to save to the fullest, and give examples of the most popular cashback companies.
You will also find out which method of withdrawing cashback is the most profitable, and how to choose the most generous return service. Choose, use, save money!
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What does cashback mean and how did it appear?
Cashback is the return of a certain % of the cost of the product. The concept itself comes from the English “cash back” - “cash return”. Explaining in simple words, if you bought headphones for 1,000 rubles, then with a 10% cashback, you will be transferred 100 rubles.
The goal is to expand the customer base, increase loyalty to the store and brand.
In Russia this is a new trend, but in the USA and Europe 70% of the population is so used to saving. Every year Americans receive $1,000 from cash back services.
The word “cashback” 30 years ago meant something completely different and had nothing to do with bonuses and discounts. At that time, bank cards were already put into circulation, but cashing out money was problematic. To get cash, buyers used the cashback service. They paid the cost of the goods with a markup, which they received in banknotes.
Banks were not so willing to issue cards at that time. To increase the turnover of non-cash funds, banks in the mid-90s decided to return part of what was spent to the account. This is how the popularity of not only plastic cards, but also cashback, has increased.
Now in America, every second bank card is issued with a cashback option.
On average, 1 - 10% of the purchase price is returned. How much will be transferred to you is affected by: product category, store, amount. Sometimes services and banks promise to return a specific amount. For example, 400 rubles for an order over 1,500 rubles.
Cash back works better than seasonal promotions and discounts. Because people can spend money wherever they want, and not on another order from a partner store.
Cashback service - what is it?
Cashback services are intermediary sites of stores and brands whose goal is to attract customers with bonus payments.
List of the best:
- EPN Cash back
- Copycat
- LetyShops
- Smarty Sale
- Megabonus
- Cash4brands
It is cheaper for online stores to pay for services than to spend on advertising. They bring real clients, covering the costs.
Peculiarities:
- on the website you will find out in advance how much you will receive;
- There are many withdrawal methods - Yandex Money, WebMoney, Qiwi, mobile phone, bank card;
- plugins that will allow you to see in the browser, without going to the site, how much you will receive from the store.
Are you afraid of deception? I have made for you a review of cashback services that actually pay and offer a good percentage. There is also a blacklist of sites that did not live up to expectations. Save to the fullest without any hassle.
About withdrawal of money
You made a purchase and the refunded amount was successfully displayed. How to withdraw money and can it be done right away?
Withdrawing money in the best cashback services is carried out using all popular methods: to a bank card, QIWI, Webmoney, Yandex.Money, PayPal, or directly to a mobile phone account. Withdrawal is carried out according to standard rules for the selected payment system and occurs within 1-3 days.
However, initially your money is in awaiting confirmation status and cannot be withdrawn. What does "confirmation status" mean? This is one important feature that you need to know, in particular to save yourself the hassle of waiting for your money to be credited.
The service does not receive a percentage of sales from the store immediately, but only after confirmation of the purchase. The store makes sure that the goods are delivered to the buyer and are satisfied with it, that is, they are not returned due to defects or for any other reason. Such order confirmation takes from 14 to 35 days. If the purchase falls during the holiday period or any difficulties arise with it, the process may take up to 60 days.
Because of this feature of cashback services, they should not be considered as a “discount here and now.” You will not be able to withdraw money to a bank card immediately after the purchase and buy anything else. This can only be done after a certain time, which differs depending on each specific store.
To the content.
How to use the cashback service: instructions
Inexperienced buyers may make the mistake of not receiving their reward. I know it from myself. I want to warn you and tell you how to order correctly through the cashback service.
How to use it:
- Disable all browser extensions, including your ad blocker. Clear your cache.
- Register with a good service. Most sites allow you to log in via a social network.
- Select a store from the cashback service list and go there.
- The cart must be empty. Add products only after the transition.
- Place an order, pay.
- A letter about the amount of the reward will be sent to your personal account messages.
- When the payment goes through and the cashback is approved, you will receive a message by e-mail and in your personal account.
The user must follow the cashback service link to the online store, otherwise the order will not be counted.
How to order through the service plugin:
- Find the plugin of the selected aggregator site in your browser extensions.
- Install it.
- Close and reopen your browser.
- Opposite the cashback extension there should be a checkbox “Enabled”. Go to the desired online store. At the top, bottom or side there will be a panel with the “Get cashback” button, click on it.
- Add items to cart.
- Place an order, pay.
- In the extension you will see the amount of future cashback.
- Expect payment. You will receive a notification by e-mail.
Use the instructions - buy profitably.
What is cashback on a card?
Does this mean connecting the bank’s “cashback” option to your card? This program allows you to return part of the money spent on purchases. You can connect the function to an existing card at a bank, ATM, app or website.
Cashback will not be transferred to the credit card if there is a debt.
Both credit and debit cards are opened with the cashback option. I made a special review on them with the best and worst options. You can't go wrong with your choice.
Some plastic cards are already being issued with a specific offer. It cannot be changed or disabled.
For example, a good solution for travelers is the Aeroflot card of Sberbank. For every 60 rubles spent you get 1 mile. To save up for a free ticket to Moscow, you need to spend 90,000 rubles (7,500 monthly) and accumulate 15,000 miles. It's real.
Which banks offer cashback:
- Sberbank,
- Russian standard,
- Alfa Bank,
- Tinkoff,
- Pervomaisky,
- VTB,
- Renaissance Credit,
- Uralsib,
- Bank opening,
- Home Credit.
There is no reward for cashing out or transferring. Only non-cash payments for goods and services are taken into account.
What to pay attention to when choosing:
- Interest rate. You may be offered an unprofitable card with high interest rates on the loan. Choose one with a grace period.
- How much and how often do you have to pay for the card? Focus on your income. If you spend more than 30,000 rubles monthly, premium options with cashback of 7 - 15% and additional discounts are suitable for you. The subscription fee is usually 400 - 700 rubles/month or 5,000 - 10,000 rubles/year.
- Limit. Look in the contract or ask a bank employee how much you can receive remuneration for purchases.
- Operations. Check to see if you will receive cashback for all your expenses or if you need to make purchases from partner stores.
Some people confuse cashback with a discount or bonus program. Such programs involve crediting points to a special card; these points cannot be spent elsewhere or cashed out. Cashback is returned in real money, which can be spent on anything.
Other popular Cash Back services
- CashFoBrands — is considered almost the best of all cashback services in terms of benefits and reliability of receiving returns. You can withdraw amounts starting from one ruble to plastic cards, e-wallets or a mobile phone account. It cooperates with almost a thousand stores where you can get a fairly decent percentage of returns (for example, on AliExpress cashback up to 10%).
It is possible to receive free coupons for additional discounts . Also, if you find another cashback service with a higher percentage of returns, you can contact the Cash4brands administration and get a better offer from them.
To receive a refund for a purchase, you need to go to the desired store only from the pages of this service, by finding and clicking on the name of the store in the list, or by using the search at the top of the page.
- AliBonus — a highly specialized cashback service, focused on returning part of the money only for purchases on AliExpress. The refundable percentage is quite large - 10%. But it is cumulative. At first you will have 7%, but as the number of purchases increases, the deductible percentage will also increase (up to the coveted ten).
To activate cashback, you just need to click on the button of the same name on the main page of the service, or install their extension in your browser. Withdrawal of money returned for purchases is possible to QIWI, Webmoney, Yandex-money, cards of Russian and Ukrainian banks, as well as to a phone number account. - Alme.ru is a cashback service that offers discounts on goods and services in a variety of areas. So, you can find great deals in the following categories:
- beauty and health;
- sporting goods;
- everything for tourism and travel;
- Products for children;
- food delivery;
- decorations;
- goods for the site, home;
- entertainment, leisure;
- communications and internet;
- services;
- education;
- finances (loans, insurance, cards, etc.).
shoes and clothing;
*when you click on the picture, it will open in full size in a new window.
Alme has its own extension for browsers: cashback is credited upon purchase when it is active (the green icon should be displayed). Payments in this cashback service can be ordered upon reaching the minimum amount of 500 rubles. In this case, the amounts must be multiples of 500 rubles.
Withdrawal methods:
- WMR;
- Yandex money;
- Kiwi;
- mobile phone account;
- bank accounts/cards.
With Alme you can also earn money in the affiliate program: each active referral you bring will bring you 200 rubles. If this referral also decides to participate in the affiliate program, then you can earn up to 50,000 rubles from him, according to the cashback service. The fact is that there are several levels in the referral program, and from each level you will receive income.
Interestingly, returns are available not only for online purchases, but in regular stores - you just need to take a photo of the receipt. There is also a browser plugin that will always tell you if there is an opportunity to save money.
Withdrawals are possible to plastic cards or various electronic money systems, as well as to a mobile phone account. The minimum amount for withdrawal is 500 rubles.
Double cashback - double savings
There is no limit to freebies. You get used to standard discounts and bonuses and want more. And I’ll tell you, it’s possible to increase cashback, you just need to double it.
What is double cashback? This is a return of funds from purchases under two programs. For example, using a card and cashback service at the same time.
How to double your benefits:
- Open a card in one of the banks: Tinkoff, Pervomaisky, Alfa-Bank, VTB with the “cashback” option.
- Register for a cashback service.
- Through the service, go to any online store from the list.
- Add items to your cart and place an order.
- Pay with a previously issued plastic card.
Money is transferred to the account from two sources - the bank and the intermediary site. Savings 15 - 20%.
Cashback calculation scheme: who benefits from it?
Nothing just happens, we live under capitalism. Some people don’t believe and learn from their own experience, while others are initially afraid of deception.
I learned about cashback from video bloggers. They actively promote this service. Well, how can you trust them? They will receive money for advertising and that’s it. I didn't understand where this reward came from. It is impossible to believe in nobility and kindness of soul.
It turns out there are benefits! Stores are crowded with buyers, intermediary sites receive 2 - 3% of them, and the buyer receives 10 - 15% of the amount spent. Everyone is happy.
How the cashback service works:
- Online stores transfer money from the advertising budget to intermediary sites.
- Intermediaries recruit users and bring customers to stores.
- Stores transfer conditionally 10 - 15% to intermediaries.
- The service transfers 7 - 10% to the user, taking 3 - 5% for itself.
Money is credited only after payment instantly or after 10 - 45 days. You can order a payment from the service only after accumulating a certain amount. For example, the Copicot website has a minimum wage of 500 rubles.
How is bank cash back calculated:
- You buy from a partner store, pay with a bank card with the “cash back” option.
- The store or brand transfers the money to the bank.
- At the end of the month, the bank transfers the accumulated cashback to the bonus or regular account.
The cashback record holder lives in England. He bought for 880,191 rubles and returned 560,121 rubles. About 70% savings. Such buyers are called freebie hunters. They constantly catch the most profitable promotions.
Bank benefit:
- The turnover of non-cash and cash funds is increasing.
- Economic indicators are growing due to customer activity.
- Some clients connect additional paid services. For example, SMS banking.
- Income increases due to the annual subscription fee.
- Income from loan rates is growing. People who are addicted to the cashback program buy more and more, take out loans, and lose money on their cards.
Banks can pay not with money, but with points, which are accepted by partner stores. Let’s remember the same “Thank you” from Sberbank.
