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Rakuten operates a consumer shopping rewards service that pays members a portion of the commission it earns from retail partners. Members shop through Rakuten's website, mobile app or browser extension and receive Cash Back on eligible purchases at more than 3,500 brands, with rates that change daily and are commonly advertised in the 2%–30% range or as fixed dollar amounts. No receipt scanning is required; qualifying purchases are credited automatically to the member's account.

Beyond online shopping, the service extends to offline spending. Members who link a payment card to their Rakuten account can earn in-store Cash Back by adding individual offers in the app, and earn 5% Cash Back at more than 22,000 participating restaurants, including on drinks, tax and tip. The browser extension also searches for and automatically applies eligible coupons and promo codes at checkout, which stack on top of Cash Back, retailer sales and credit card rewards.

Rewards are paid out every three months via PayPal, check or Bilt Points, and eligible American Express Card Members can elect to receive Membership Rewards points instead of Cash Back. Members who want faster access can cash out instantly into gift cards from more than 50 brands, including Amazon, Starbucks, DoorDash and Sephora.

Business model

Free-to-join consumer service monetized through affiliate-style arrangements: retail and restaurant partners pay Rakuten for directing shoppers to them, and Rakuten shares a portion of that payment back to members as Cash Back.

Commissions and payments from brand partners for delivering customers, a portion of which is returned to members as rewards; the service is free to consumers.

Traction

Stated membership of over 17 million; more than 3,500 partner brands and 22,000-plus participating restaurants. Consumer ratings include 4.6 on Trustpilot (37,000 reviews), 4.8 on the App Store (361,000 ratings) and 4.9 on the Chrome Web Store (43,600 ratings).