Honestly I don’t often use rewards programs which is a special type of service that shares affiliate commission from the sales with anyone who uses the program’s links. They are just too much of a hassle for my daily shopping. When I find a good deal on the web, it takes an effort to go back to the program website and find the same product again, and I am not a big fun of browser plugin’s some of these programs offer to simplify this procedure.
However when it comes to big ticket items like computers or furniture, I tend to make that extra step and find a way to earn an extra buck by having the merchant pay me affiliate commission.
Rewards programs are not the same
They come in different flavors. Some pay cash, some pay points converted to gift certificates, some will donate proceeds, and there is even one that pays back with US Government Bonds, how wicked is that!? The percentage of commission they share also varies from program to program and from merchant to merchant.
All things considered, choosing the program that fits your needs is a pretty confusing exercise,… if it wasn’t for Becky Ford, the Rewards expert at CompareRewards who has been covering rewards programs from her blog since 2001. But even more than the news at her blog I like the charts she compiles each year with these programs compared side by side.
This year edition covers 21 programs and compares the commission they pay at 177 online stores. The amount of information is simply overwhelming and just like I did it last year, I will try to compress it to a more usable format. For the complete details go to her full review and the comparison table at CompareRewards.
Top programs by rewards rate
“Merchant†column shows the total number of merchants covered by the program, number of merchants that the program gives the best reward at (compared to its peers), and number of merchants that the program gives the worst rewards at. You certainly want the first and the second number be more while the last number — less.
Note, these numbers include only the 177 covered merchants. Programs may offer rewards at other merchants that were not reviewed.
| Program | Merchants | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| BondRewards | 130/50/2 | Rewards offered: U.S. Savings Bonds. Minimum to Redeem: 50 Bond Dollars (equivalent to $25) |
| Mr Rebates | 169/32/4 | Rewards payable by check after $25 balance is accumulated |
| Extrabux | 103/24/3 | Rewards payable by check or by PayPal, after your account exceeds $10 |
| EBates | 153/21/4 | Rewards payable by check or PayPal quarterly after your balance exceeds $5. Promotion: $5 (or $10 gift card) for joining and making your first purchase. |
| FatWallet | 139/17/5 | Rewards go to your PayPal account with $10 payout minimum after a waiting period of 3 to 4 months to allow for returns and adjustments. |
| JellyFish | 57/15/1 | Rewards payable by check, any time your balance reaches $10, after a 30 to 60 days pending period. |
Here is another spin on the data
These are the stores that I personally use most often. The table lists the programs that give the highest rewards for shopping with these merchants.
| Merchant | Programs Offering Highest Rewards | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | 2.2% - JellyFish | ||
| Buy.com | 2.6% - BondRewards | 2.5% - Extrabux | 2.2% - JellyFish |
| CompUSA | 2.6% - BondRewards | 2.6% - GreenPoints | 2.2% - JellyFish |
| Circuit City | 3.7% - JellyFish | 3.1% - MyPoints | 2.6% - GreenPoints |
| Dell (Home) | 3.0% - FatWallet | 2.6% - GreenPoints | |
| Half.com | 5.0% - Mr Rebates | 4.0% - Extrabux | 4.0% - LittleGrad |
| Home Depot | 3.0% - EBates | 3.0% - BabyMint | 3.0% - Mr Rebates |
| Office Depot | 3.3% - QuizPoint | 3.1% - MyTroops | 2.6% - GreenPoints |
| Office Max | 4.0% - Ebates | 3.5% - BabyMint | 3.4% - BondRewards |
| Sears | 2.6% - GreenPoints | 2.0% - Ebates, FatWallet | |
| Staples | 2.6% - BondRewards | 2.2% - JellyFish | 2.0% - Mr Rewards |
| Target | 8.0% - BondRewards | 6.0% - BabyMint | 5.2% - JellyFish |
| TigerDirect | 3.7% - JellyFish | 3.0% - Mr Rebate, FatWallet, Ebates | |
| Toys’R’Us | 2.6% - BondRewards | ||
Looking at the last table here is the list of programs that I should be choosing from (the numbers show how many first, second and third spots the program has taken):
- BondRewards: 5-0-1
- JellyFish: 3-2-2
- EBates: 2-2-0
- Mr Rebates: 1-1-2
- FatWallet: 1-2-0
As for my personal preference
I like JellyFish a lot while I find EBates and Mr Rebates interface somewhat 80’s. I never tried BondRewards before and I probably should. The program manages to hold the first spot second year in the row and this sure tells something. I will certainly give them a try when I convince myself to upgrade my CRT TV to something more decent (yeah, call me a cheapcake! ;-) )
Do you use rewards programs? Which ones? Do you find them worth the extra hassle?
I have just 
The concept of getting cash back on things you buy is nothing new. Many websites offer a percentage of the commission they receive from the merchants as an incentive for you to buy things using their links. I covered these so called “Rewards Programs” before and you can find some tips on how to choose the program that fits you the best 
