Rakuten, a popular shopping portal, offers its members cash back when they use its links to click through to various retailers and service providers. However, if you prefer to earn Membership Rewards points instead of cash back, you can set up your Rakuten account to do just that. This article will guide you through the process of earning Membership Rewards points with Rakuten and explain why this partnership with American Express can be beneficial for your miles and points strategy.
Rakuten is a free-to-use shopping portal that provides cash back to its members when they make purchases through its links. It offers a wide variety of retailers and service providers, including major brands and popular travel sites such as IHG, Best Western, and Expedia. This means there are significant opportunities to earn cash back on your everyday spending through Rakuten.
By default, Rakuten offers cash back to its members. However, if you want to earn Membership Rewards points instead, you will need to go through a few steps. First, sign up for a Rakuten account if you haven’t already. Then, follow these steps to start earning Membership Rewards points:
1. Sign in to your Rakuten account and hover your mouse cursor over your name or Rakuten account balance in the top right corner of the page.
2. In the drop-down menu that appears, click on “Account Settings.”
3. On the account settings page, you will see your current preferred payout method and other payout options available to you. If you have been earning cash back paid into a PayPal account or via a “Big Fat Check,” you can choose to change your preference to Membership Rewards Points.
4. If you are new to Rakuten or haven’t set up a payment option yet, you will need to select either PayPal or a Big Fat Check before you can choose to earn Membership Rewards points.
5. Click on the “switch to Membership Rewards points” link, which will open a pop-up window asking you to confirm your preference.
6. Click “continue” in the pop-up window.
7. Another pop-up window will appear, asking you to input your American Express Membership Rewards account login details. This will link your Rakuten and Amex accounts.
8. Enter your details and click “log in.”
9. Rakuten will send an email to the email address associated with your Rakuten account, containing a 6-digit confirmation code. Enter this code in the pop-up box.
10. With your Rakuten and Amex accounts linked and your details confirmed, you will be taken back to your Rakuten account page, where you will see that your preferred payment method now shows as American Express Membership Rewards points and your account balance will show zero points. Only future transactions will earn you Membership Rewards points.
It’s important to note that all the deals you see on Rakuten will still show as cashback deals, even if you are earning Membership Rewards points. For every 1% of cashback earned, you will earn 1 Membership Rewards point. This means that for every 10% – 15% cashback deal, you will earn 10-15 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on bookings made through the Rakuten link. Considering that Membership Rewards points can be valued at 1.5 cents each, this translates to an effective rebate of 1.5% – easy money.
What makes this partnership even better is that when you click through to a hotelier’s website from Rakuten, you will be making a booking directly with them. This means you can earn miles/points in three different ways: Membership Rewards points from Rakuten, hotel loyalty points for booking directly with the hotel, and miles/points from the credit card you use to make the booking.
If you’re making a hotel booking, it’s best to use a hotel co-branded credit card, such as the Marriott, Hyatt, or IHG cards from Chase, or the Marriott and Hilton cards from American Express. For regular shopping, a good cashback card like the Citi Double Cash Card or the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express would work well. Alternatively, you can use a card like the Blue Business Plus Card from American Express, which earns 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on the first $50,000 in purchases per year.
In conclusion, while cashback can be great, earning versatile transferable currencies like Membership Rewards points can be even better in the miles and points world. Rakuten’s partnership with American Express allows you to earn Membership Rewards points instead of cash back when you make purchases through their links. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can maximize your miles and points strategy and collect valuable currencies for future redemptions.