While I’ve talked about the power of cashback websites in the past, I figured it was time for a stand-alone Rakuten review (formerly Ebates). After all, they are the granddaddy of all cashback sites and have been around the longest. So in this review I talk about how Rakuten works, how you get paid, along with some insider tips to help you get the most out of using Rakuten when shopping online as well as in-store.

Exactly How Does Rakuten Work?

In a nutshell, Rakuten is a cashback website that pays you whenever you shop online.

The cashback rate varies from 1% all the way up to 40% depending on the retailer. Expect somewhere between 4%-8% as that seems to be about the average.

They literally offer cashback at thousands of stores and the best part is they’ll actually pay you a $10 bonus when you sign-up and spend $25 or more at any store on their site.

Click Here to Try Rakuten and Get Your $10 Sign-Up Bonus

Is Rakuten Legit? How Do They Make Money?

Raktuen is absolutely legit and has been writing checks to shoppers since 1998.

Founded in San Francisco, Rakuten currently has close to 3 million registered users.

So how does Rakuten make money? Whenever a user goes through their website or app to make a purchase at one the retailers they list, Rakuten gets paid a referral fee by the retailer.

The fee could be 8%, 12%, or 2% of your order total. Depends solely on the affiliate contract in place. Rakuten then uses this fee to give their users “cashback”.

Based on some of the cashback percentages they offer, it appears they keep somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 of their referral fee as profit and gives the rest to their users in the form of cashback.

See Also: The 11 Best Cashback Sites Worth Your Time

Popular Store Cashback Examples

To give you can idea, here are some current cashback rates at these popular retailers:

• Amazon (up to 10% back)
• Dell Consumer (8% back)
• Kohl’s (3% back)
• Nike (8% back)
• Petco (4% back in-store)
• Expedia (up to 10% back)
• Target (2% back)
• Macys.com (3% back)
• American Eagle (2% back)
• Lowes.com (2.5% back)
• Lancome (8% back)
• Sears (8% back)
• Walmart (1% back)
• Barnes & Noble (up to 3% back)

I’ll be sure to keep this list updated.

How Often Does Rakuten Pay Me?

Rakuten pays out your cashback on the above payment schedule.

So basically Rakuten will pay you once per quarter, 45 days after your earning period ends.

Not the best system as it would be nice to get paid immediately after you request a payout, but we can live with it.

Look for Rakuten to improve this in the future.

How Do I Get Paid?

Rakuten currently has three forms of payment available to its users:

1. Big Fat Check – When it comes to my cashback earnings, I’ve always opted for the direct mailing of a Big Fat Check. Rakuten will pay for the stamp so make sure you have the correct mailing address in your account settings.
2. PayPal – You can also opt to be paid directly to your verified PayPal account with Rakuten picking up the sender fees.
3. Charity/Organization/Family Member – If you’d rather donate your cashback to a deserving charity, organization, or even a family member in need, Rakuten gives you the option to do so.

Is Rakuten Only For Online Shopping?

While most cashback websites focus only on online shopping, Rakuten has reached out to those who prefer to shop in-store via their In-Store cashback program.

They’ve done this through their In-Store Cashback Program.

It works by adding your credit or debit card to your Rakuten account. Then you simply peruse the in-store cashback offers currently available and when you find one you like you just link it one of your cards.

Next, just pay with your linked card when in-store and the cashback will automatically head your way.

How Do You Make Sure You’re Earning Cashback?

Once you go through Rakuten and place an order, your cashback should show up in your account within 2-3 business days.

If for some reason you don’t get your cashback within that time window, you can can file a ticket with Rakuten and they’ll investigate the issue for you.

What Popular Stores is Rakuten Missing?

As of this writing, Rakuten doesn’t provide cashback at these stores:

• Home Depot
• Williams-Sonoma
• Pottery Barn
• American Apparel

Rakuten is always working on new affiliate contracts so hopefully these stores will start earning cashback in the near future.

BONUS: Rakuten Tips for Success

Here are some insider tips and hacks to get the most of your Rakuten membership.

Beware of “Up To” Wording – Some retailers offer a tiered cashback schedule. So when you see Amazon offering “up to 10%cashback”,  it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get 10% back, or anything close to that. As a matter of fact, the only thing that actually pays 10% is “Home Services”.

The Power of Being a “Giant” – Because Rakuten is such a large player in the cashback field, with over $15 million in annual profits, they have a fat cash-roll which they can use to give you cashback even when your purchases do NOT track properly. This is a big plus when comparing Ebates to their competition.

Look for Double Cashback Stores – On a recurring basis, Rakuten offers approximately 20 retailers with double-cashback. Makes for a great way to double your cashback at popular stores like Nike, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and Neiman Marcus.

Don’t Forget the Cashback Button – If your browser of choice is Chrome, Firefox, or Safari you’d be wise to add the free “Rakuten Button” browser extension. It’ll allow you to automatically activate cash back at store sites without visiting Rakuten.com first.

It will also allow you to “double dip” your savings by adding any available coupon codes to your purchase for even more savings. The button is a great tool for those, like me, who’d often forget to go through the Rakuten site before shopping online.

Check Out the Rakuten Visa – Apply for their Visa and if you get approved you’ll earn an extra 3% cashback with Rakuten and 1% everywhere else.

They Have a Handy Smartphone App Too – It’s also worth mentioning that they have a clever smartphone app for Android and iOS. It’s free to download and allows you to shop via you phone and still collect your cashback.

Did I Convince Ya?

The bottom-line is that Rakuten is free money on shopping you’ll be doing anyways. You might as well take advantage as the cashback you’ll earn will go a long way towards paying for your Christmas shopping every year.

If this review convinced you to give it a try, remember that they’ll pay you a $10 bonus when you sign-up and spend $25 or more at any retailer they list. You have exactly 1 year to spend $25 in order to collect your $10. Gotta love free money.

Happy savings.

By Kyle James

Disclaimer: While I didn’t get paid a cent to write this Rakuten review, and all opinions are my own, I do get a small kickback (referral fee) if you give Rakuten a try and create an account. Money I use to keep this blog running and feed my Krispy Kreme addiction.

I’m not gonna lie, the Best Buy return policy is kind of confusing and gotten WAY worse in recent years. Different lengths of time to return stuff, different ways to return items, and some products that you flat-out can’t return. Because of all these factors, I figured it was time to officially figure out their return policy by talking directly to Best Buy employees who actually deal with it, and angry customers, on a daily basis. I did exactly that and here’s everything you need to know about their return policy, plus a few hacks to make it work better for you.

2023 Holiday Policy Update:

Best Buy has extended their return policy for items purchased between October 27, 2023 – December 30, 2023.

You now have until January 13, 2024 to return or exchange these items.

How Many Days Do I Have to Return Something?

15 days.

“Regular” Best Buy customers only get a measly 15- day return window.

If you’re a My Best Buy Plus, or a My Best Buy Total member, you get a 60 day return policy.

In case you were wondering, and who wasn’t, the My Best Buy Plus membership costs $49.99/year, and the My Best Buy Total runs $179.99/year, and they both also come with free 2-day shipping. Details HERE.

Cell Phones and Devices with a Carrier Contract – 14 days for everyone.

Wedding Registry Items – 60 days from date of purchase.

How Does the Best Buy Return Policy Work?

Here’s the skinny so you can actually make the Best Buy return policy work for you.

In-Store Return – You can return an item bought at Best Buy or BestBuy.com directly to any brick & mortar location.

To make the return go smoothly bring in your receipt or packing slip, the credit card used, and a valid photo ID.

Return by Mail:

Do-It-Yourself – You pick the carrier, use the included Return Form on your packing slip, and pay for the shipping yourself.

No packing slip? Print this blank one and fill it out. Refund will be processed with 2-3 business days of receiving your item.

Use the Prepaid Return Label – Print a prepaid return label, pay nothing upfront, and send your item back to Best Buy for a refund via UPS.

Expect the cost of the return shipping to be deducted from your refund unless the return is a result of a Best Buy error.

To avoid any possible return shipping fees, it’s definitely worth the effort to try and make your return in-store.

See Also: The Best Buy Price Match Policy: Tips To Help You Save BIG

How Do I Return a Gift to Best Buy?

If you return a gift bought at Best Buy by walking into a physical store, you’ll get store credit for the purchase price.

For gifts returned via mail, they’ll credit the gift purchaser and notify them via e-mail.

What Can’t I Return to Best Buy?

There are some products you can’t return to Best Buy.

They include the following:

Final Sale Items – These are clearance products marked as “Final Sale”. If you’re not sure if item is Final Sale, ask an employee before you purchase it.

Special Orders – You’ll only get 85% of the original price refunded. These are items that are typically ordered directly from the manufacturer and not stocked by Best Buy.

Digital Content – This includes games and software that can be downloaded.

Prepaid Cards – This includes prepaid cards from Nintendo, AT&T, Verizon, eBay, and Disney.

Gift Packaging – Pretty obvious. This would be really hard to return.

Membership Costs – This includes the annual Geek Squad membership. Update: Thanks to employee Kristy who says Geek Squad memberships can be returned within 14 days of purchase. After that they will pro-rate it.

Completed Services – This refers to services that Geek Squad has completed for you.

Opened consumable items – This includes batteries, ink and 3D printer filament, and items returned that are damaged, unsanitary or missing major parts.

See Also: Newegg Return Policy: A Very Complicated Policy That We Make Sense Of

Do I Have to Pay Re-Stocking Fee on Certain Items?

Yes.

Unfortunately you’ll have to pay a re-stocking fee on these items.

DSLR Cameras and Lenses – 15% re-stocking fee.

Smartphones – $45 flat re-stocking fee.

Drones – 15% re-stocking fee.

Projectors – 15% re-stocking fee.

Rideables – 15% re-stocking fee.

Special Order Products – 15% re-stocking fee.

What If I Don’t Have a Receipt?

If you don’t have a receipt, be prepared to show a valid ID when returning something to Best Buy.

They do this to try and cut down on return fraud in their stores.

They reserve the right to refuse any return without a receipt if they feel it’s fraudulent.

See Also: 7 Insider Tips to Save Money at Best Buy

What If My Return Has Been Opened?

No worries, just pack everything back up as well as you can and get a full refund as long as your still within the return period.

Make sure you don’t forget any manuals or instructions that can with the item.

What If My Return is Missing Parts?

Don’t let that stop you from returning something to Best Buy.

From their site, “If you do not have all the original packaging or accessories, that’s okay too. We can process a return with a nonrefundable deduction on your refund for what is missing.”

What About a Cash Refund?

Keep in mind that if you pay with cash, and your order is over $800, you’ll have to settle for a corporate check as a refund.

You’ll get the check in the mail within 7-10 days.

Stores don’t keep a lot of cash on hand and so they won’t be able to refund you with cash.

The same applies when you spend $250 by check or by a debit card without a major credit card logo.

Can I Return an Item That I Got a Price Match On?

Yes…BUT.

I got a comment on this issue from J.Cole stating that he had to settle for store credit on an item that he got a price match on because a competitor had a lower price.

I asked a Best Buy manager about this the last time I was shopping and she said that’s only the case when doing an online return and selecting “Found a better price” as the reason for your return.

She said when returning in-store, you’ll get a full refund for what you paid, to your original form of payment, and it doesn’t matter if you got a price match on the item or not.

Can I Return Refurbished Items?

Yes.

The regular return policy applies to refurbished, open-box, and pre-owned products.

Can I Return an Unopened Video Game?

I had someone in the comments ask if they could return an unopened video game they bought 2 months ago.

I wasn’t sure of the answer so I hit up Best Buy Live Chat and was told YES, it’s returnable for store credit since it is unopened.

I then asked if the original purchase of 2 months ago would be a problem and was surprisingly told…NOT a problem.

What if I Used a Gift Card to Make the Purchase?

Not a problem.

If you bought the item with a Best Buy gift card, you’ll get a full refund back to that same gift card.

If you don’t have the gift card anymore, no worries, just call Best Buy at 1-888-237-8289 with your order number and they’ll re-issue you a new gift card.

BONUS: Best Buy Return Policy “Hacks”

Like any store’s return policy, there are some clover hacks and tips that savvy shoppers need to be aware of.

1. Over 15 Days Hack – If you have your receipt, but it’s been over 15 days since you made the purchase, you’re often better off returning the item without your receipt and accepting the store credit.

2. Look for Extended Holiday Return Time – In past years, almost anything bought in late October through December could be returned right up until mid-January.

Also, it’s worth nothing that the Holiday return policy typically extends even further for “Plus” and “Total” members.

3. Best Buy’s Error? – If you’re returning something to Best Buy via mail, and the reason for the return is an error on Best Buy’s part, they’re on the hook for the return shipping charges.

4. Always Opt For In-Store Return – When returning an item bought from BestBuy.com, always return it to your local store if you can.

Not only will you avoid any return shipping charges, but you can also take advantage of an instant exchange.

Ask the Reader: Have you had success taking advantage of Best Buy’s return policy? Any issues I need to add to this post that I may have overlooked?

By Kyle James

Started in 2004 in Manhattan, Shake Shack has grown to over 100 locations spread out over the entire United States. From tasty burgers, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes, custards, and even beer and wine, they have something for almost everyone. But the goodness doesn’t stop at their regular menu, the Shake Shack secret menu takes the yumminess one step further. Here’s how their secret menu currently breaks down.

The Shake Shack Secret Menu:

Interestingly, there isn’t a milkshake to be found on it. Here you go:

Beer Float

While their Root Beer Float has been a menu staple for years, many don’t know about their “Beer Float”.

This is because you can currently only get it at the Shake Shack located on the Strip in Las Vegas.

From Zagat, the float is a “Seasonal dark beer topped with vanilla frozen custard” and sells for a steep $7.95.

See Also: Five Guys Secret Menu: Burgers and Fries That’ll Blow Your Mind

Cheese Dog

Tired of the plain old hot dog? Try ordering a “Cheese Dog” off the Shake Shake secret menu.

You’ll get their tasty Vienna dog topped with their deliciously gooey and yummy melted cheese.

Throw on some peppers and it’s the best “tube steak” you’ll ever eat.

Extra Shack Sauce

Shack Sauce has reached legendary status over the years.

According to loyal connoisseurs, the sauce consists of “mayo, ketchup, a little yellow mustard, a hint of garlic and paprika, perhaps a touch of cayenne pepper”.

Did you know that you can ask for extra Shake Sauce, either on your burger or on the side?

Well, now you do. Enjoy.

Grilled Cheese

Shake Shack ups the ante on their grilled cheese by flipping the buns inside-out before grilling them up. Takes on a bit of a “Texas toast” feel and is flat-out delicious.

Up the game a little further and consider adding bacon to your grilled cheese for a more heavenly experience.

Ice Cream Sandwich

This variant of the classic ice cream sandwich has become a legendary Shake Shack secret menu item.

To make it happen, simply order grilled buns and a frozen custard and build this bad boy yourself. Bon appetit.

Peanut Butter & Bacon ShackBurger

I once had a bacon Jiffy burger at a local burger joint and it was one of the best burgers I ever had.

So when I heard that the Shake Shack secret menu included a peanut butter and bacon burger I was intrigued to say the least.

I was not disappointed by this beauty which had an excellent mix of sweet, sour, and spice and was a pure explosion of flavors in my mouth.

Protein Burger

This is a Shake Shack burger without the bun for those watching their carb intake or are on a gluten free diet.

Word to the wise, you might want to eat this with a knife and fork as it’s a bit hard to pick up and eat with your hands.

Quad Burger

Similar to the 4×4 from the In-N-Out Secret Menu, the Quad burger is 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese.

I’m guessing most of these were eaten by folks on a dare from their buddies. I think I could have easily handled one of these in college but those days are long gone.

Nowadays a Quad burger would be tasty on my lips, but would spend a lifetime on my hips.

Shack-Cago Burger

This is their popular Shack-cago hot dog toppings thrown on any burger.

Order it by name and you’ll get a burger with the following toppings: “Rick’s Picks Shack relish, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato, sport pepper, celery salt and mustard.”

Never had it, but it’s suppose to be awesome. Let me know if you’ve tried it.

See Also: McDonald’s Secret Menu: Mickey D’s in a Whole New Light

Shandy

I love myself a Summer Shandy on a hot August day.

Now you can order one off the Shake Shack secret menu all year long.

All a Shandy consists of is lemonade and a beer of your choice. Yes, Shake Shack serves beer.

Smoke Shack Quad Burger

This is simply the Quad Burger (from above) with smoked bacon added to it.

Because hey, 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese is simply not enough calories. Let’s add bacon to it too.

Sport Pepper Cheese Fries

While not nearly as catchy as the “Animal Style” fries from In-N-Out Burger, the Sport Pepper Cheese Fries from Shake Shack still sounds pretty darn tasty.

They start with their Cheese Fries (made with a blend of cheddar and American cheese sauce) and top them with chopped Sport Peppers.

In case you were wondering, sport peppers are considered a medium-hot pepper and provide a fair amount of spicy crunch for their small size.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever indulged from an item off the Shake Shack secret menu? Or maybe you have a new menu item for me to add, let me know in the comments section below.

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart.