Everything You Need to Know About In-Store Cash Back

This post has been updated to reflect minor changes in the In-Store Cash Back program.

Millions of Rakuten members have discovered how easy it is to earn Cash Back for shopping online. But what if you’re shopping at your favorites stores in person? Maybe you need to try on a few sizes, swipe on some makeup swatches or pick up a last-minute gift on the way home from work. Great news: With In-Store Cash Back, you can start getting paid for those shopping trips you make in real life as well as online. Here’s how.

Step 1: Tap on the “In-Store” tab in the Rakuten App.

No problem! You can also do everything you need on the In-Store Cash Back page on Rakuten.com. Or get the app here.

Step 2: Find the store you’re shopping at, and hit the “Get Deal” button.

In much the same way that you activate Cash Back online by tapping “Shop Now,” you can turn on your In-Store Cash Back offer by hitting the “Link Offer” button in the Rakuten app. If it’s the first time you’re using this feature, you may need to add a credit card to your account. No app?

Rest assured, your private information is safely stored in a secure, encrypted environment. Learn more about that here. You’ll know Cash Back is turned on when the button now says “Linked.”

Step 3: Shop!

Shop with your linked card at the selected store and earn Cash Back. Boom! There’s no need to tell your salesperson and no forms to fill out — just the magic of Cash Back. Why can’t everything be this easy?

Now that you’ve got the hang of it, here are some more tips & tricks to shop like a boss with In-Store Cash Back:

Stick to Our Accepted Cards

We currently accept credit and debit cards from American Express®, Mastercard® and Visa®.  Add as many cards as you like to your account; there are no limits.

Use It Like a Credit Card

To unlock the magic of In-Store Cash Back, pay the credit way. Yep, that includes debit cards. If you pay with your debit card and use your PIN, we won’t be able to track it. So when you’re ready to check out, remember: “Credit, please!”

Link Before Shopping

Always link before you leap. If you shop at a store before linking an In-Store Cash Back offer to your card, you’ll miss out on that Cash Back. Don’t do this. We hate to see you upset.

Stand by for Confirmation

The suspense must be killing you, but never fear. The wheels to deliver that sweet Cash Back to your Rakuten account are a-turnin’. We will email you or send you a push notification as soon as the store lets us know you shopped with an offer.

Treat It Like a Secret

In-Store Cash Back offers are exclusive to Rakuten members, so your savings secret is just between us. Store employees probably won’t know anything about these offers. Lucky for you, once you’ve linked an offer to your card you can just shop and pay. Everything happens behind the scenes, so you can just keep a look out for your confirmation email.

Stay Tuned for New Stores

If you love a store with all your heart and it’s not on this list, just wait. It could be soon! Make sure to check back as we continue to add more top stores. Trust us: Love is worth waiting for.

Stack Your Rewards

Link In-Store Cash Back offers to your favorite rewards cards to get both rewards and Cash Back!

Get an Extra 3% Cash Back

What’s better than In-Store Cash Back? An additional 3% Cash Back when you shop with the Rakuten Visa Credit Card! Here’s a little math to break it down: If a store is offering 5% In-Store Cash Back, you’ll earn 8% Cash Back when you use the Rakuten Credit Card. Learn more.

See the Deets

Click the “See Details” dropdown under each store to see the offer limits, exclusions and all the fine print. You must link and use the offer before it expires, or else the chance for In-Store Cash Back will disappear like a stealth ninja.

Make Sure to Relink Those Offers

Shopaholics, this one’s for you. Once you’ve earned your In-Store Cash Back, you can relink the offer from the store and shop again.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this crash course on earning Cash Back in stores. Check out our video to see how easy it is to earn In-Store Cash Back. Now go forth and turn window shopping into Cash Back shopping!