mooper

I know this is an IHG thread, but my note about Aug 26th above was in reference to the comment about the Mr. Rebates Marriott offer (which indeed ended on the 26th, though was supplanted with something better... 6.5% via eBates).

IHG 15% Mr. Rebates indeed still going strong.

patrickATX

My email from Mr Rebates said this went until the end of the month. So today may be the last day. However, last time I think it lasted a few days past when they said it would end.

penner42

Anyone used Mr. Rebates on an IHG stay that you got a BRG on? I just booked a 5 night stay at the Venetian and used the BRG. Just want to know what to expect.

holtju2

Mr Rebates is now back at 6% but Ebates is 9%.

FinnishFlash

Hmmm, I had never heard of these cashback sites. So you sign up and book thru them, they get commission from hotels and pay part of that to you or how does it work?

mooper

Yes. See the thread linked in my signature below for an explanation and full overview of how it works with Marriott. It works the same way with IHG and some other chains.

stupidzbu

and does going through this 3rd party disqualify earning points for your stay?!

holtju2

The cashback rates with these cashback sites change all the time. There are some cashback comparison sites i.e. www.cashbackholic.com or www.evreward.com but they rarely include all of the sites i.e. they normally only have US based ones and exclude Quidco that is based in the UK.

I normally check:

www.ebates.com - used to be good but rarely competitive
www.mrrebates.com - usually quite competitive
www.topcashback.com - usually quite ok
www.quidco.com - UK based

They all pay put using PayPal so it doesn't really matter where you are based.

Hotels have their affiliate programs and pay to get direct bookings. Instead of paying 10% commission to travel agents they pay that to these affiliates and sometimes more. IHG have had cashback rates as high as 15% in the oast.

The number of rates that qualify for cashback with IHG are far greater than with Marriott. No need to go to the Marriott forum for this.

mooper

No, you still earn points because you're not going through a third party (as you are when you book via a site like Priceline). You are booking through the hotel's site itself - it's just that the hotel is paying a commission to the cash back site (via an affiliate program) for sending you there.

Every affiliate program and merchant relationship has its own terms, as do the cash back providers. With Marriott, most rates *are* compatible with cash back. I'm not as versed in IHG codes, but take your word that most are similarly compatible.

holtju2

Negotiated i.e. corp rates do not qualify for the Marriott cash back unless something has changed recently. With IHG they do.

mooper

Correct. But non-corp rates (including AAA, special promotions and packages, etc) do, and they comprise the vast majority of bookings. We're getting off-topic though... all I was trying to say is that cash back links work similarly for many hotel chains, including IHG, but that you need to look at the terms for each.

holtju2

Majority of business travelers work for corporations that have negotiated rates with hotels and airlines. With Marriott these do not qualify for cashback but with IHG they do.

mooper

The majority of nights stayed from all categories are *not* booked using corporate negotiated rates that are ineligible for cash back, but if you are a business traveler using one, then yes, cash back/affiliate terms matter.

IAN-UK

For the sheer whackiness of it, and historical perspective, the Pigsback scheme of a few years' back is worth a mention. They handed out £20 per reservation: no matter if it was a £25 stay at a HIX or a £250 night at an IC. The stays all posted with PC as qualifying. Lord knows how commission payments funded that...

holtju2

Depends from hotel to hotel to be frank. Just speak with a GM of a "business" hotel in New York or Jakarta, and ask what is their distribution on an average weekday night.

Absolutely and then it went under!