Good morning. It’s まさきん.
This post started with a banner I spotted on the Rakuten Ichiba homepage. It said “Up to 50% point back on eligible items.” The service is called Rakuten Super DEAL.
I’d known the name for a while, but I’d never looked into how it actually works. So this time I decided to sort it all out.
What kind of campaign is this?
Compared with the Rakuten Mobile perk types I covered before, this feels closest to a limited-time point-back offer. The difference is that it applies to shopping, not mobile service.
When I looked into it, I couldn’t find any end date listed. It seems to be a permanent service where the eligible items and point-back rates rotate over time.
The point-back rate varies a lot by item
Rakuten Super DEAL is a high-reward section inside Rakuten Ichiba. Eligible items have a special badge on their product pages.
The point-back rate differed from item to item. On the site, you can browse items in tiers of 15%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%. The “up to 50%” only applies to some items.
There are conditions for getting the points. You need to be logged in as a Rakuten member. On the other hand, you don’t need to register or opt in.
No cap, but you can’t use the points right away
There’s no cap on how many points you can earn. The more expensive the item, the more points you get back.
The timing is worth keeping in mind, though. Points are credited the day after your order. But you can only actually use them 20 days after the order.
It’s not limited to regular shopping, either. Purchases on Rakuten Books and Rakuten Kobo were also eligible. Purchases from a PC, smartphone or the app all count.
Looking through the list of eligible services reminded me of our family’s phone bill. You can also sign up for Rakuten Mobile through my referral. If you switch carriers, you get up to 14,000 points, so if you haven’t switched yet, take a look.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
The parts I found a bit confusing
You need to read the point-back rate carefully. The displayed rate includes the standard 1% you earn on regular purchases. It seems you don’t get that full rate on top of the usual points.
Some items also had a purchase quantity limit. The more popular the item, the more likely it seems to have this restriction.
Using a coupon changes the calculation too. The point-back rate is apparently calculated on the price after the coupon is applied. It still looks like a good deal, but it’s worth remembering that the actual points you get back will be a bit smaller.
The site also clearly states that the campaign may be changed or ended without notice. If there’s an item you’re interested in, it’s probably safer to check sooner rather than later.
Things to check before you buy
First, check for the special badge on the product page. Even within the same category, plenty of items aren’t eligible.
Since the point-back rate differs by item, checking before you buy is a must. If you just see “50%” and assume you’re covered, you might find out it was actually 15%.
The point expiration date is also easy to overlook. Points expire one year after the month you last earned points, counting that month. If you let them sit and forget about them, they’ll expire.
Your point-back rate on Rakuten Ichiba also changes depending on whether you have a Rakuten Mobile contract. It might be worth checking how SPU (Super Point Up Program) works as well.
Summary
Rakuten Super DEAL is a points service where the point-back rate changes by item. “Up to 50%” only applies to some items. In reality, rates range from 15% upward.
There’s no cap on points, but there’s a delay before points are credited and before you can use them. You’ll also want to keep an eye on how coupons affect the calculation and on the expiration date.
Conditions and point-back rates may change. I recommend checking the official site before you buy.
As for your phone bill, if you sign up for Rakuten Mobile through my referral and switch carriers, you’ll get up to 14,000 points. If you haven’t considered it yet, now’s a good time to take a look.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
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