Anyone use Rakuten ?

[dvcdenise]

Anyone use Rakuten to buy gift cards? Are they a good website?

 

[LAS2AMS]

They’re a huge Japanese company - very reputable. In the USA, they purchased buy.com (early e-commerce pioneer) but exited retail sales a few years ago. They now function mainly as a cash back website, having acquired and rebranded ebates.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

When you say use them to buy gift cards, are you taking about using the cash back click through? Gift cards are usually excluded in the terms of the click through so they don't credit.

 

[bsmcneil]

When you say use them to buy gift cards, are you taking about using the cash back click through? Gift cards are usually excluded in the terms of the click through so they don't credit.

I use their cash back program very successfully. GCX (formerly Raise) does gift cards, if that's of interest.

 

[WDW Traveler]

I use Rakuten as much as I can when I shop online. I just got a Cash Back check for $27. Lifetime has been almost $1100.
As TheOneWithTheTriplets states, usually buying gift cards is excluded from earning cash back, but most purchases through participating stores net you some cash back.

 

[dvcdenise]

I was looking to buy Carnival Gift Cards. I got an email that they sell them discounted and was thinking of buying them there.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I was looking to buy Carnival Gift Cards. I got an email that they sell them discounted and was thinking of buying them there.

So, from what I'm seeing, Rakuten doesn't sell them. They advertise that their participating retailers sell them and Rakuten will give you cash back in addition to the retailer discounting the card. While many traditional retailers do limit their Rakuten cash back such that gift cards don't qualify, some 3rd party gift card sellers will offer cash back through Rakuten.

That said, those 3rd party sellers are often reselling gift cards that have been sold to them by users. (Granny gave you $50 for Starbucks but you don't drink coffee? We'll give you $40 for it and then turn around and sell it for $45!) Because gift card fraud is a major problem these days, the gift cards that you'd be buying from a site like this are only as good as the users sold them. There have definitely been folks who have gotten caught up in fraud issues because the cards they thought they were legitimately buying from a 3rd party were in fact fraudulent.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

I used to, but I don't think I shopped enough online. I'd rather not shop at Adidas.com, I'd rather just go into the store and try on shoes. That type of stuff. We don't go to concerts or sporting events, so really Walmart and eating out are our only out purchases. So no real use of it.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

THey do not offer C/B on G/C on rakuten.