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Rakuten Global & Ebates

Talk about your experience, good and bad, here.
Penfold36
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by Penfold36 »

PetWatch wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 6:25 pm
Penfold36 wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 4:00 pm Well, my smooth transactions with Rakuten Global/Ebates have come to an end. I placed two orders (one small, one large) during this past round of 26% back. Neither were showing up in my cash back. I sent an enquiry to Ebates, and they gave me the usual response of needing to wait 10-45 days. I went ahead and paid for the lesser item anyway but was debating back and forth on the more expensive watch because without the cash back it certainly was no deal. I even asked the shop on the expensive watch (Gallery Rare) to extend the deadline to pay, but they wouldn't. Then today I received responses from Ebates telling me that neither item was eligible for cash back because they were either "shipped to Japan or freight forwarding was used." Neither assertion was true. Both items were shipped or going to be shipped to the USA and sent via Japan Post EMS. I responded back with such information. We'll see what they say, but this probably ends Rakuten Global for me.

Edit: Quick update. Ebates got back to me very quickly. For both items, they said Japan Post EMS is a freight forwarding service. I'm confused by that. I thought that was the regular mail or something similar to UPS. They said you need to use Rakuten Global Express, which I've never seen as an option. As a token of their gratitude, they gave me the full cash back on the lesser item. Expectedly, they did not give me credit on the more expensive item. They said the store refused the credit. So they gave me a $100 bonus that will go into my account if I place any order through Ebates during the next year. I'm happy I got the credit for the watch I actually paid for, but definitely disappointed overall.
Seems like a new addition to their long list of shenanigans. I think the salient point for this particular order is that " They said the store refused the credit. " which is listed as one of their terms. They don't get paid neither does the customer. I don't know what their contract with the merchants stipulates, but these large cash back payments are unsustainable on the scale we see today over the long run. It's an attempt to acquire market share, so we should take advantage of it while it's still available. However, not only has it not been risk free but it's increasing.

I agree about the salient point regarding the store refusing credit. However, the way the email was worded it made it sound like Gallery Rare refused the credit because it didn't meet the cash back stipulations. Here is relevant email:

"Rakuten Global Market ships items directly using Rakuten Global Express. If items purchased from Rakuten Global Market ship via any other shipping service, such as EMS, direct mail, etc., these are freight forwarding services. Use of these shipping companies will void your order from earning Cash Back.

In this case, the shipping method was JP Post EMS.

Unfortunately, we are not able to add Cash Back to your account for this order. When we requested credit from the store, the request was declined for the reasons mentioned."

So Gallery Rare rejected the cash back because it didn't meet the stipulation, yet they didn't provide any avenue to meet the correct stipulations. Bizarre. I think they just saw an out on this one. Rakuten Global and Ebates need to be more upfront on what qualifies and what does not. If they don't want watches or high priced items to count, then they need to say so before the purchase.
Penfold36
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by Penfold36 »

uvalaw2005 wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 4:52 pm That's just outright fraud. Japan Post is their national mail service. It's the farthest thing from a freight forwarding service.

By contrast, here is how Rakuten describes Rakuten Global Express:

"Rakuten Global Express is an overseas shipping service for products purchased on Rakuten or other shopping websites, which are combined together at our warehouse in Japan and then shipped overseas."

https://globalexpress.rakuten.co.jp/?lang=en

That's exactly what a freight forwarding service is!! Like I said, either someone is hugely mistaken or Rakuten is trying to perpetrate a fraud on you (and anyone else who gets that explanation).

I agree. The whole thing is strange and deceitful. Maybe they are trying to promote their own shipping service, which is fine, but don't be dishonest about it. Also, make the stores provide that option more readily.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by claus1100xx »

Wow I am still waiting for my cashback to post and have an open claim for it. Waiting for almost $1k in cashback. I’m now thinking I am out of luck as it shipped EMS. Do we have any recourse or are we just out of luck?


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Penfold36
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by Penfold36 »

claus1100xx wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 8:14 pm Wow I am still waiting for my cashback to post and have an open claim for it. Waiting for almost $1k in cashback. I’m now thinking I am out of luck as it shipped EMS. Do we have any recourse or are we just out of luck?


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It could just be luck of the draw. Plenty of us have completed purchases in the past with EMS shipping and were fine. So unless it's a brand new policy (a policy which is not stated very clearly), you still could receive your cash back. As for recourse, I'm guessing there's not much that can be done other than trying to return the item. You could always talk to PayPal or your credit card company.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by PetWatch »

Penfold36 wrote:
PetWatch wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 6:25 pm
Penfold36 wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 4:00 pm Well, my smooth transactions with Rakuten Global/Ebates have come to an end. I placed two orders (one small, one large) during this past round of 26% back. Neither were showing up in my cash back. I sent an enquiry to Ebates, and they gave me the usual response of needing to wait 10-45 days. I went ahead and paid for the lesser item anyway but was debating back and forth on the more expensive watch because without the cash back it certainly was no deal. I even asked the shop on the expensive watch (Gallery Rare) to extend the deadline to pay, but they wouldn't. Then today I received responses from Ebates telling me that neither item was eligible for cash back because they were either "shipped to Japan or freight forwarding was used." Neither assertion was true. Both items were shipped or going to be shipped to the USA and sent via Japan Post EMS. I responded back with such information. We'll see what they say, but this probably ends Rakuten Global for me.

Edit: Quick update. Ebates got back to me very quickly. For both items, they said Japan Post EMS is a freight forwarding service. I'm confused by that. I thought that was the regular mail or something similar to UPS. They said you need to use Rakuten Global Express, which I've never seen as an option. As a token of their gratitude, they gave me the full cash back on the lesser item. Expectedly, they did not give me credit on the more expensive item. They said the store refused the credit. So they gave me a $100 bonus that will go into my account if I place any order through Ebates during the next year. I'm happy I got the credit for the watch I actually paid for, but definitely disappointed overall.
Seems like a new addition to their long list of shenanigans. I think the salient point for this particular order is that " They said the store refused the credit. " which is listed as one of their terms. They don't get paid neither does the customer. I don't know what their contract with the merchants stipulates, but these large cash back payments are unsustainable on the scale we see today over the long run. It's an attempt to acquire market share, so we should take advantage of it while it's still available. However, not only has it not been risk free but it's increasing.

I agree about the salient point regarding the store refusing credit. However, the way the email was worded it made it sound like Gallery Rare refused the credit because it didn't meet the cash back stipulations. Here is relevant email:

"Rakuten Global Market ships items directly using Rakuten Global Express. If items purchased from Rakuten Global Market ship via any other shipping service, such as EMS, direct mail, etc., these are freight forwarding services. Use of these shipping companies will void your order from earning Cash Back.

In this case, the shipping method was JP Post EMS.

Unfortunately, we are not able to add Cash Back to your account for this order. When we requested credit from the store, the request was declined for the reasons mentioned."

So Gallery Rare rejected the cash back because it didn't meet the stipulation, yet they didn't provide any avenue to meet the correct stipulations. Bizarre. I think they just saw an out on this one. Rakuten Global and Ebates need to be more upfront on what qualifies and what does not. If they don't want watches or high priced items to count, then they need to say so before the purchase.
I agree, that clearly states the reason for their refusal. Curious if others have used the same merchant with EMS and got their cash back.

As for Rakuten/Ebates in one of my correspondence with them they said that all RG merchants qualified for CB, when they must clearly know that some or most don't ship through their qualifying shipping service, just another of the many deceitful tactics they employ.

I just got credited for a transaction two months old that wasn't paid for on the last check. I'm still working on another from Nov. last year.

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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by Penfold36 »

PetWatch wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:07 am
Penfold36 wrote:
PetWatch wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 6:25 pm

Seems like a new addition to their long list of shenanigans. I think the salient point for this particular order is that " They said the store refused the credit. " which is listed as one of their terms. They don't get paid neither does the customer. I don't know what their contract with the merchants stipulates, but these large cash back payments are unsustainable on the scale we see today over the long run. It's an attempt to acquire market share, so we should take advantage of it while it's still available. However, not only has it not been risk free but it's increasing.

I agree about the salient point regarding the store refusing credit. However, the way the email was worded it made it sound like Gallery Rare refused the credit because it didn't meet the cash back stipulations. Here is relevant email:

"Rakuten Global Market ships items directly using Rakuten Global Express. If items purchased from Rakuten Global Market ship via any other shipping service, such as EMS, direct mail, etc., these are freight forwarding services. Use of these shipping companies will void your order from earning Cash Back.

In this case, the shipping method was JP Post EMS.

Unfortunately, we are not able to add Cash Back to your account for this order. When we requested credit from the store, the request was declined for the reasons mentioned."

So Gallery Rare rejected the cash back because it didn't meet the stipulation, yet they didn't provide any avenue to meet the correct stipulations. Bizarre. I think they just saw an out on this one. Rakuten Global and Ebates need to be more upfront on what qualifies and what does not. If they don't want watches or high priced items to count, then they need to say so before the purchase.
I agree, that clearly states the reason for their refusal. Curious if others have used the same merchant with EMS and got their cash back.

As for Rakuten/Ebates in one of my correspondence with them they said that all RG merchants qualified for CB, when they must clearly know that some or most don't ship through their qualifying shipping service, just another of the many deceitful tactics they employ.

I just got credited for a transaction two months old that wasn't paid for on the last check. I'm still working on another from Nov. last year.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


I actually used them in the fall and got my cash back, which is why I am even more confused. Anyway, I emailed Gallery Rare once again about this whole thing, and they followed up with this response:

"As we confirmed with Rakuten Global Market customer support, this cash back is promotion between Ebates and Rakuten Global Market.
They take care of everything about cash back.
Therefore we are afraid of telling you that there is nothing we can do.
If you would like to know more details, please contact Rakuten Global Market customer service."

So they are either passing the buck or I should have been talking to RGM this whole time. I guess when I heard "store" in the response from Ebates, I just assumed Gallery Rare. But now that I think about it, it was probably RGM, which makes sense I guess. Silly me. Anyway, I will try to contact them when they open, but I will probably miss my deadline on this one. Hopefully, I will get some clear answers (doubtful), and I can report back here.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by ILiveOnWacker »

Penfold36 wrote:
PetWatch wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:07 am
Penfold36 wrote:

I agree about the salient point regarding the store refusing credit. However, the way the email was worded it made it sound like Gallery Rare refused the credit because it didn't meet the cash back stipulations. Here is relevant email:

"Rakuten Global Market ships items directly using Rakuten Global Express. If items purchased from Rakuten Global Market ship via any other shipping service, such as EMS, direct mail, etc., these are freight forwarding services. Use of these shipping companies will void your order from earning Cash Back.

In this case, the shipping method was JP Post EMS.

Unfortunately, we are not able to add Cash Back to your account for this order. When we requested credit from the store, the request was declined for the reasons mentioned."

So Gallery Rare rejected the cash back because it didn't meet the stipulation, yet they didn't provide any avenue to meet the correct stipulations. Bizarre. I think they just saw an out on this one. Rakuten Global and Ebates need to be more upfront on what qualifies and what does not. If they don't want watches or high priced items to count, then they need to say so before the purchase.
I agree, that clearly states the reason for their refusal. Curious if others have used the same merchant with EMS and got their cash back.

As for Rakuten/Ebates in one of my correspondence with them they said that all RG merchants qualified for CB, when they must clearly know that some or most don't ship through their qualifying shipping service, just another of the many deceitful tactics they employ.

I just got credited for a transaction two months old that wasn't paid for on the last check. I'm still working on another from Nov. last year.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


I actually used them in the fall and got my cash back, which is why I am even more confused. Anyway, I emailed Gallery Rare once again about this whole thing, and they followed up with this response:

"As we confirmed with Rakuten Global Market customer support, this cash back is promotion between Ebates and Rakuten Global Market.
They take care of everything about cash back.
Therefore we are afraid of telling you that there is nothing we can do.
If you would like to know more details, please contact Rakuten Global Market customer service."

So they are either passing the buck or I should have been talking to RGM this whole time. I guess when I heard "store" in the response from Ebates, I just assumed Gallery Rare. But now that I think about it, it was probably RGM, which makes sense I guess. Silly me. Anyway, I will try to contact them when they open, but I will probably miss my deadline on this one. Hopefully, I will get some clear answers (doubtful), and I can report back here.
I bought from gallery rare over the summer and had no issues with cashback. I’ve bought 5 watches with RGM cashback and received everything each time (always with EMS shipping). Sad to see this may be ending.


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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by AndroidIsAwesome »

I asked for an update on my missing cash back and they responded with:

"At this time we have yet to receive a resolution from Rakuten Global Market for this inquiry. We apologize for this delay and remain hopeful that this matter will be resolved soon. As soon as a resolution is received we will be sure to let you know. Your continued patience is greatly appreciated."
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by uvalaw2005 »

They must have dozens of such inquiries, all of which should be easily resolved. Cashback from other vendors (like Brooks Brothers) appears almost immediately, and that's not even a related company. If anything, the RGM cashback should be even faster. It's all so suspicious, but as others have said, I've always (eventually) gotten my cashback in the past, so I'm not giving up all hope.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by CVP33 »

Dozens may be a major understatement. They now have my two claims to research as well. I've saved everything so I have the necessary documentation, but if EMS is in fact considered a non-supporting delivery service I may find myself SOL. I have a tendency to not let things die so I'll reserve the right to file a BBB complaint and Credit Card claim to seek the proper outcome. I will confirm either way, but if it does come to this I'll never use ebates or Rakuten again.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by PetWatch »

uvalaw2005 wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:16 pm They must have dozens of such inquiries, all of which should be easily resolved. Cashback from other vendors (like Brooks Brothers) appears almost immediately, and that's not even a related company. If anything, the RGM cashback should be even faster. It's all so suspicious, but as others have said, I've always (eventually) gotten my cashback in the past, so I'm not giving up all hope.
I wish I could say that I have always gotten my cash back in the end, although I must admit it may be a case of giving up before they do as opposed to an outright claim denial, sometime it's just not worth the effort to continue. As I mentioned earlier I am following up on a 5 month old travel related claim until its final resolution one way or another. It's not an insignificant amount but more importantly I want to see on what basis they may deny a fully qualified claim that can quickly be verified with phone call to the seller in the event they ignore emails. Of course, another 5 months and I'll probably just throw in the towel.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by Penfold36 »

Here's an update to my saga. I contacted RGM customer service. They were less than helpful and tried to pass the buck as the others have. Although they seemed to perk up a bit when I said Ebates said I must contact RGM. I ended up having to walk that back a bit though it was implied. Gallery Rare, on the other hand, did tell me to contact RGM. At the end of the discussion, they did offer to look into the matter more. I will follow through on that, but it will be moot since my deadline to pay for the watch has passed. In the end, what I was really hoping for was clear answers to report here and for my own future orders. Oh well. Here are the relevant portions of the chat:

Agent: Hi, How can I help you?
Me: I had an Ebates cash back refused because they said it didn't comply with the terms. I think this was done in error.
Agent: Thank you for your inquiry.
Please hold on for a moment.
Agent: As you have reached the Customer Support for Rakuten Global Market, we are sorry that the campaign is managed by Ebates.
Therefore, please kindly contact Ebates directly. Their contact is below:
Agent: ■Help Page

https://www.ebates.com/help

■Inquiry Window

https://www.ebates.com/help/other-questions
Me: I have already contacted them. They told me to contact Rakuten Global. The terms of the cash back say that items purchased cannot be sent by freight forwarding. The merchant I used sent by Japan Post EMS. That is not freight forwarding yet the cash back got denied. I was then informed that I must use Rakuten Global Express. That is problematic because (1) that was not in the terms, and (2) Rakuten Global Express is a freight forwarding service, which would actually go against the cash back terms.
Agent: I see. May you provide us screenshot of content of inquiry with Ebates for investigation?
Agent: You could upload a screenshot by the gray button under this conversation box.
Your file has been successfully uploaded to the agent.
Me: I have a follow up screen shot I can send as well.
Agent: Yes, please.
Your file has been successfully uploaded to the agent.
Your file has been successfully uploaded to the agent.
Agent: Thank you for your information.
Agent: May I have the content which Ebates directed customer to inquire to us please?
Me: I contacted both Ebates and the vendor I dealt with. Both outlined Rakuten Global terms. I thought it was implied that I needed to contact Rakuten Global. The vendor did direct me to Rakuten Global. I will attach that file.
Your file has been successfully uploaded to the agent.
Agent: I am sorry that since the campaign is through Ebates, not thourgh Rakuten Global Market, we might that provide further help than Ebates can provide.
Agent: Also, the store might not clearly about the term and details of the campaign since the campaign is hold by Ebates, not by the store itself.
Me: If the store cannot help, and Ebates cannot help, and Rakuten Global cannot help, then who can? This does not make any sense.
Agent: I am sorry that we might not able to help you much, but I will forward the case to other department to confirm.
Agent: After the confirmation, we will contact you by e-mail. Thank you for your patience this time.
Agent: Please be noted that the cash back is not paid by Rakuten Global Market, but I will try to find if there's anything we can help.
Me: Okay. Thank you.
Agent: May I have the order number of your order on Rakuten Global Market?
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by AndroidIsAwesome »

If my ebates doesn't come through on my order that will really suck. It's one thing when you don't get the money back on an order but its another thing when you rely on getting that money back. Silly me should not have risked as much money as I did, but oh well. Just a waiting game at this point. I will just be eating Ramen noodles for a few weeks lol...
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by claus1100xx »

AndroidIsAwesome wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:17 am If my ebates doesn't come through on my order that will really suck. It's one thing when you don't get the money back on an order but its another thing when you rely on getting that money back. Silly me should not have risked as much money as I did, but oh well. Just a waiting game at this point. I will just be eating Ramen noodles for a few weeks lol...
haha same boat here. We are all playing the waiting game at this point. Please report back if anyone is successful in getting the cashback.
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Re: Rakuten Global & Ebates

Post by Penfold36 »

Well this should help clear things up. :roll:

After asking Ebates to clarify the discrepancy regarding not using freight forwarders and Rakuten Global Express being a freight forwarder, this is the response:

"The terms do say that orders using freight forwarding services are excluded, however, because Rakuten Global Express and Rakuten Global Marketplace are operated by the same parent company, they do not view Rakuten Global Express as an indirect freight forwarding service."

Gee, thanks for that one ahead of time. Also, they still didn't address the fact that Japan Post EMS is not a freight forwarder. Nor did they attempt to explain the lack of clear language in the terms.
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