MClab

Uhh. Not sure you understand what happened then.

Multiple users would click a single referrer. In other words some people got additional referrals but then each of those referred needed to be added to the Conga. Should each one not get added to the Conga? How would you "fix" that?

All ears over here on that one.

This isn't the only thread that it's happened in FYI.

Spiff

The TopCashBack queue/conga is not going to change. Sorry if you don't want to wait, but that's the way it is. Period.

Spiff, S.P.A.M. moderator

MClab

Thanks for the update as always Spiff!

TravelinSperry

Just to let everyone know I suggest being very wary before using TopCashBack.com. My experience is less than stellar.

They used to offer cash back at Starwood (promoted on their website at 3%). So I made half a dozen bookings with them and successfully completed my stays. However, Starwood apparently left TCB's program after my stays - but before my credit. TCB has offered to pay me 1/2 - although I don't feel this is fair. After all, they promoted Starwood and I completed my end of the bargain so I responded that they should consider the full amount. They never responded back (although I've emailed their "company lurker" who sometimes responds on this thread).

I realize some of you have received correct postings and cash back. However, my experience shows you what may happen should you run into trouble. I am owed a lot of money and cannot get a response. So buyer beware. You may think you're earning the highest cash back - but as soon as trouble arises... you might actually find out you haven't earned a thing.

frugalgal1001

I am trying to lodge a missing claim for selling gift cards to Cardpool. When I get to the screen to enter amount, I type in the amount, click continue, then it tells me "You must enter an amount"

Anyone know what I'm doing wrong or why it won't proceed?

MClab

Have you tried a different browser?

I'd test it out for you myself but I don't have any click-throughs which are untracked and eligible to lodge missing cashback claim, so I can't get past the first step unfortunately.

frugalgal1001

Thanks for the suggestion. Was using Firefox, so I tried Chrome and it still tells me "You must enter an amount". I've also tried entering the dollar amount both as $xxx and $xxx.00.

MClab

Without the $ in the entry field right? I know you probably didn't include the dollar sign but I thought I'd ask just to be sure.

You can try PMing the TopCashbackUSA account that posts in this thread or e-mailing the address they've posted in this thread a few times to see if they can help.

Good luck!

TopCashbackUSA

Hi frugalgal1001,

I'm sorry to say that we aren't actually accepting missing cashback claims for Cardpool at the moment so we are unable to chase this further with the merchant I'm afraid.

We do mention on the merchant's page in the notes that we can't accept missing cashback claims for this merchant but I hope that you are more successful in the future.

Thanks,
Jack

frugalgal1001

Thanks Jack for responding. I clicked thru TopCashback in good faith and my click shows up on your site, yet I received no cash back for my transaction and now I learn I can't submit a missing claim. Since that is the case, I will no longer use your site and will tell other people I know that they stay away from your site as well.

kipper

So, in other words, you can click through TopCashBack, in good faith, not receive credit becausee TopCashBack can simply withhold payment of it, and then TopCashBack can say, "We're not accepting missing cashback claims" for the site, and TopCashBack can keep the commission? How nice of you.

MClab

If that was indeed the case I agree that would be pretty shady. If any part of an "incentive" was received - not limited to just a commission - by TopCashBack but claims were not paid, that would be fraud absolutely.

I had no idea if that's the case or not. Could be. Or not.

From what I remember of their business model, TopCashBack gets their actual revenue from other sources. I think advertising and partnerships with the actual merchants other than commissions were cited somewhere in this thread. They're all just incentives in one form or another. Regardless, if that "incentive" was received from a specific merchant at the time of the click-through but the merchant later stops paying, the user should get at least some share of that incentive that was received.

On the flip side, if for some reason a merchant stopped paying altogether to TopCashBack their model doesn't accommodate that very well from a user's perspective. But TopCashBack isn't the only site that does that. FatWallet also follows that "if we don't get paid, you don't get paid" model. However, FatWallet obviously keeps a percentage of all commission so that's not a fair comparison to either.

I'm in the middle of a claim at the moment from November. Not a huge purchase but from a retailer I frequent a bit. I've used other sites in conjunction with this merchant in the past, but I tried TopCashBack for this one because the rate was higher as a test. In my mind, it's out of TopCashBack hands' now - if the merchant pays, I'll get the promised incentive. If not, I won't. It's not like that for all merchants at TopCashback. Most of my click-throughs have tracked and paid fine.

In my mind, all click-through purchases are a risk assessment - some of have less risk than others. Others more. I try to minimize my risk as much as possible from my end especially technologically speaking. Part of that assessment for me is to consider the possibility I may need to contact cash back support, and how successful an experience that may or may not be. I don't hesitate with sites like BeFrugal, Mr. Rebates, Ebates, Coupon Cactus, or even Pennyful. With others I take customer service into account when deciding. Even FatWallet is among those now, where I've been a member for well over a decade now.

TravelinSperry

That's exactly what TopCashBack does. They have done this to me too. I strongly suggest people avoid this cash back website.

Further, I think you should report them to their State Attorney General http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/...omplaint.shtml
Just fill out the online form and email them screenshots that document what you did.

Their business practices are deceptive and misleading and must be stopped. They will not listen to us, but perhaps they will listen to their State AG.

CMHFlyerOH

I completely understand your frustration here, but the real lesson, I think, is to not use TopCashBack with Cardpool specifically since there isn't any recourse if things don't go as planned (which is disclosed ahead of time).

Many people have had excellent success with TopCashBack with dozens of other merchants. I don't think it's TopCashBack that is shady here, it's Cardpool. I guess the real question is why is TopCashBack partnering with them if they have to say up frith that they aren't able to work with the merchant to fix errors.

MClab

That was essentially what I was attempting to say... but yours was much more succinct and elegant.

Now, that's only true IF TopCashBack received no "incentive" - again, not just measured in commissions - as I mentioned earlier at the time frugalgal1001's click-through. Otherwise frugalgal1001 should be compensated at least a share of what he/she was "owed", or it would be fraud in my mind.

If TopCashBack received no incentive then that's pretty much the way FatWallet does things as well.