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Rakuten’s biggest cash-back event of the year — the Big Stack Event — is back, running now through Oct. 7. And there are some pretty legit offers you don’t want to accidentally miss during early holiday sales.
Right now, Rakuten is offering elevated cash-back bonuses for purchases at retailers such as PetSmart, Macy’s, Gap, Nike, Sam’s Club, Carter’s and many more.
With Rakuten, you can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points or Bilt Points instead of cash back if you want. So, instead of getting 10% cash back, you could earn 10 Amex Membership Rewards points or Bilt points per dollar spent. This can yield a significantly higher overall value if you maximize points with Amex or Bilt travel partners.
Plus, while the Big Stack Event advertises 10% cash back, we’ve found some offers as high as 15% or 20%.
Those new to Rakuten can get an even better deal right now and layer on a $50 bonus on their first $50 spent at an eligible retailer. This is higher than the normal $30 referral bonus for new users.
Here’s what you need to know about increased cash-back opportunities with Rakuten.
Increased cash back with Rakuten
To earn cash-back rewards or Membership Rewards points when shopping online, begin your shopping trip on the Rakuten website.
Once there, search for your desired store and click to be redirected to the retailer’s website. After you make a qualifying purchase, Rakuten will track your transaction and add bonus rewards to your account, generally within a couple of days.
Here are some of the retailers offering 10%-20% cash back through Rakuten through Oct. 7 during the Big Stack Event:
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Travel
- Expedia
- Hotels.com
- IHG Hotels and Resorts
- Samsonite
- Viator
- Vrbo
General shopping
- Macy’s
- Land’s End
- Carter’s
- Crocs
- Dermstore
- DSW
- Dyson
- Hoka
- Gap
- Lego
- PetSmart
- Zappos
While Target does participate in Rakuten, it’s not offering an increased Big Stack Event bonus during its Target Circle Deal Days sale, which is also running this week through Oct. 7. That said, it’s still worth clicking through Rakuten before shopping the Target sale to get an additional 1% cash back on whatever deals you buy there this week.
Related: Amazon, Target and Walmart all have big October sales, but which one is the best?
The best credit cards for shopping online
Rakuten users will earn cash back and any rewards credit card earnings at the selected retailers. At most merchants participating in these promotions, you’ll want to pay with a credit card that earns bonus points and miles on everyday purchases, such as:
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Earn 3% cash back on online purchases from U.S. retailers (on the first $6,000 spent during a calendar year, then 1% cash back until the following year). Cash back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed in the form of a statement credit or at amazon.com checkout.
- Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
Rakuten also released its first-ever credit card last year. The Rakuten American Express® Card is a no-annual-fee card that offers 4 points per dollar spent (or 4% cash back) on top of what you earn with Rakuten, 10 points per dollar spent (or 10% cash back) on Rakuten restaurant partners, 2 points per dollar spent (or 2% cash back) on groceries and restaurants, and 1 point per dollar spent (or 1% cash back) on everything else. During the Big Stack Event, cardholders earn 14 points per dollar spent (or 14% cash back) on top of Rakuten’s Big Stack deals. Offer ends Oct. 7.
For additional options, see our favorite cards for online shopping.
The information for the Rakuten American Express Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
Whether you’re shopping early for the holidays or booking a last-minute trip, now is the time to take advantage of increased cash-back opportunities. To ensure you choose the right option with the best rewards for your planned purchase, compare all the different cash-back sites before you buy, as Rakuten is not always the top choice.
Related: How I use Savewise to stack shopping portals, credit card offers and cash back for bigger rewards
Remember that new Rakuten shoppers can earn a $50 cash bonus when they spend at least $50 on a qualifying purchase within the first 90 days from becoming a member.
Many eligible merchants for these promotions also participate in credit card merchant offers. So, it’s smart to check whether a merchant has an offer through Amex Offers, Chase Offers, Citi Merchant Offers and American Airlines AAdvantage’s SimplyMiles program before making your purchase.
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