What is EBATES? A Scam or Awesome?

Just my thoughts and experience with EBATES!



You're probably here to learn more about whether this service is actually worth your while AND does it do what it claims...Give you cash back for your online purchases?

Well, I'm writing this article because all my friends see me get some pretty cool things in the mail.  And they usually wonder the following to which I provide the following answers:

Q: How can I afford to shop online so much?
A: EBATES helps me save money on my purchases.

Q: What is EBATES?
A: EBATES gives me cash back on each purchase I make online.

Q: Is EBATES a Scam? It sounds too good to be true".
A: Not that I can tell.  I feel like I'm scamming them, actually!

So I'm writing this article to shut down the speculation of this being a scam.  I hate the very word scam and I would never participate in one.  I'm about justice for all, especially when it comes to customer service and me spending my hard earned money with a company for it's services or products.

I've been a member since 2010 and I used it with caution and skeptically for the first year or so.  Then I got a check in the mail for money back on purchases I had made.  I couldn't fathom why this could be either.

Then I learned about affiliate marketing.  Check out a link here.  Essentially, EBATES is cool with all the major stores and they get a kick back for referring shoppers to the online stores. They are just sharing the monies with us as cash back after our purchase is made. I'm not mad at that...AT ALL!

So instead of these stores trying to contact us directly with advertising that we might ignore, they rely on EBATES to do a portion of their marketing/advertising to us through the cash back mantra. They are smart and know we can't resist.

This works for me because I am literally disgusted with shopping in stores. I began using EBATES even more over the past few years. I love online shopping and most of the major retailers I love are apart of the service.

Here are a list of my faves and most give generous cash back amounts:

-Ann Taylor Loft

-Old Navy

-Macy’s

-Bed Bath and Beyond

-Amazon

-Barnes and Noble

-Crate and Barrel

-Coach

-Overstock

-Target 

-Native Remedies

-Drugstore.com 

I also have used this service to receive cash back on deal sites where I'm already saving money.  Sites like LivingSocial and Groupon give a nice percentage back on your purchases.  

I've even purchased deals for travel on EBATES.  You can book rental cars, vacation packages and hotels through specific companies like Dollar Rental Cars/Marriott Hotels, or through a discount site like AirportRentalCars.com/Hotels.com.

If you don't see your store online, but are looking for a specific item, use EBATES' search tool. 

I had been searching for Debbie Meyer's Green Bags online. I remembered EBATES and that they can suggest a participating EBATES store that sells it. The Green Bags were at  BedBathandBeyond.

Win/Win...I've found my product at a store I already love.  I got cash back through EBATES and I applied a 20% BBB coupon to my order on the retailer's site during checkout.

Best Things about EBATES:
-Think of it like a rewards program on your credit card, except I get a check in the mail every 2 months.
-It doesn't care if I use other methods to save on my purchases.  The EBATES tracking link puts the percentage of the cash in my EBATES account based on the final purchase amount.
-I can use retailer promotion codes, coupons, and even pay with my rewards credit card to save money on my purchase.

Every little bit helps! I have gotten over $200 dollars back on my purchases this year already. I'm expecting a $40 dollar check in August.  Not bad for just buying what I already needed online.  I now get all my essentials online now like toilet paper, soap and deodorant. Even my all natural vitamins come from a store called Native Remedies that I found on EBATES!

Want to find out more about EBATES!

SIGN UP today and they'll give you a gift card to one of their major stores!

Still think it's a scam?
EBATES is a Better Business Bureau accredited company with an A+ rating!
EBATES is free to join and they give you free cash back on your online purchases.
First Time Members of EBATES get a $10 gift card to one of their major partner stores.

Check out their commercial below with real customers on YouTube.

What are the exact steps for cash back? 

Step One: Sign up for EBATES.

Step Two: Find the store where you want to shop.

Step Three: Once you find the store, click Shop Now. Look for any coupon codes that say free shipping or money off. You can use that in the promo code field at check out on the site.

Step Four: EBATES creates a tracking ticket for you. Be sure to not close that page before you complete your purchase or your tracking for that purchase may be lost.