Ebates Review

Ebates is a shopping site that allows you to purchase items at your favorite online retailers and then get a rebate on your purchase amount.  This is a phenomenal idea for those of us who do a good deal of online shopping…it’s almost like getting paid to shop!

Why Would Retailers Pay a Rebate?

To start with, what you may or may not already know is that retailers already have a system in which they pay a ‘kickback’ or commission to sites that help to funnel traffic/shoppers to their online stores.  For example, when you visit Yahoo! Shopping or some other coupon site and click on a retail link and make a purchase from that store, that site (Yahoo! Shopping or the coupon site) will receive something like 2-5% of the amount of your purchase.  What happens with Ebates is that they share some of that percentage with you, the consumer, as a way to gain larger numbers of shoppers…so it creates a win-win for both the consumer and Ebates.

So How Does Ebates Work?

1. Create an account via the Ebates.com website.  They ask for some basic personal information and it’s quite easy.
2. Once you have an account, you login and start shopping.  You can conduct a search for the name of a particular store on the Ebates site, and then click on the store name to be taken to their shopping page.  Select your item(s) and pay for them.
3. There are two options for saving money with Ebates. First, you can earn a rebate on your entire purchase or you can use a coupon at the time of purchase.  If the store has a coupon for the item, it will have a small coupon tag beside the store name.  Just click on the coupon tag and review the offer.  There are retailers that sometimes offer BOTH a coupon and a rebate, so keep your eyes open for those deals!
4. Watch for the email that lets you know when your account is credited with the rebate.  The rebates are not immediate and can take a little while to appear.  Keep track and check the Ebates site to see your earnings.
5. Wait for your check to arrive!  The rebate checks are mailed out quarterly, and while this may seem like a long time to wait for a check, keep in mind that it is basically free money on items you would have purchased anyway and allows you time to build up a good rebate amount.

What Do You Need To Keep In Mind?

• The rebate amounts vary from store to store, often in the 2-6% range, but can go up to 25%.
• You have to click through the Ebates site to the retail store for it to count.  If you have to leave the site and come back, be sure to log back into Ebates and click the link to that store again.
• While Ebates is a great way to get some cash back on your online purchases, check the retail site or conduct a search for other coupon sites that have good deals, especially on large ticket items.  You may be able to find a coupon “code” that you can use with the Ebates site.  Write down any coupon codes you find and maximize your savings!
• You have to accumulate at least $5 in your account before you can receive a check, so depending on how much shopping you do; it could take a while to earn a rebate check.  The system works best of you buy quite a bit online.

Oh, and did I mention that Ebates offers a referral program?  When you let others know about Ebates and they sign up for their own account, you can earn a $5 referral fee per person!  Help others to save online, and put a little extra money in your own pocket…how cool is that?  Happy shopping!