It’s nearly November, which means it’s already time to think about holiday gifts and how to save on them (or at least maximize your rewards). Thankfully, shopping portal Rakuten has your back with its Holiday Big Deal Reveal, which can earn you up to 23% cash back at select brands — ranging from beauty and apparel to travel — starting Nov. 1.
And if you or someone you know is new to Rakuten, you still have time to jump on this best-ever $50 referral bonus, potentially putting even more money back in your pocket.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Related: How to maximize online shopping portals for your purchases
Rakuten’s Big Deal Reveal overview
Over the first 10 days of November, Rakuten is rewarding members with a special deal each day at a popular brand. You can earn between 12% and 23% cash back on these brands, unless you opt to earn valuable American Express Membership Rewards points in lieu of cash back:
- Nov. 1: 20% cash back (or 20 Amex points per dollar spent) at Ulta Beauty
- Nov. 2: 15% cash back (or 15 Amex points per dollar spent) at QVC
- Nov. 3: 22% cash back (or 22 Amex points per dollar spent) at LG
- Nov. 4: 12% cash back (or 12 Amex points per dollar spent) at Expedia
- Nov. 5: 18% cash back (or 18 Amex points per dollar spent) at Gap
- Nov. 6: 23% cash back (or 23 Amex points per dollar spent) at Dermstore
- Nov. 7: 20% cash back (or 20 Amex points per dollar spent) at Lands’ End
- Nov. 8: 15% cash back (or 15 Amex points per dollar spent) at Lululemon
- Nov. 9: 21% cash back (or 21 Amex points per dollar spent) at Temu
- Nov. 10: 20% cash back (or 20 Amex points per dollar spent) at Adidas
Even better: If you hold the Rakuten American Express® card, you’ll earn 30% cash back (or 30 Amex points per dollar spent) on every Big Deal Reveal purchase. If you’ve been eyeing this card for a while, now could be the perfect time to apply.
The information for the Rakuten American Express card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
To ensure you get your Rakuten rewards, be sure to click through Rakuten’s site or use the browser button before making any purchases. Also, only use coupon codes advertised on Rakuten, as others may void your rewards.
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Check Rakuten’s terms and conditions for each merchant, as certain purchases may earn different rewards or no rewards at all.
Related: How I earned almost 30,000 Amex Membership Rewards points with help from Rakuten
Maximize your purchase with the right credit card
Even if you don’t hold the Rakuten card, there are other ways to maximize Rakuten’s Big Deal Reveal.
For instance, American Express Platinum Card® cardholders can stack Rakuten’s Lululemon deal with your card’s quarterly up to $75 Lululemon credit* (if you haven’t used it already this quarter). So, if you spent $100 at Lululemon on Nov. 8 and paid with your Platinum card, you’d get $15 back from Rakuten (or 1,500 Amex points) plus $75 back from Amex, saving you a grand total of $90.
Or, if you have either the One Key™ Card or One Key+™ Card, you can earn 3% in OneKeyCash on Expedia purchases on top of the 12% back from Rakuten.
The information for the One Key and One Key+ cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
And don’t forget to check your Chase Offers and Amex Offers in case you have a targeted offer at one of the above merchants. We haven’t seen any on our cards, but new ones are added regularly.
If you don’t have any credit card offers or perks that line up with Rakuten’s Big Deal Reveal, you’re best off paying with one of the best cards for everyday spending or best cards for online shopping.
*For U.S. store (excluding outlets) and online purchases; enrollment required.
Bottom line
With the holidays right around the corner, now is a great time to start thinking about what gifts you want to buy (or how you’d like to treat yourself). If any of Rakuten’s selected merchants appeal to you, be sure to mark your calendar, because each Big Deal Reveal only lasts one day from Nov. 1-10.
And don’t forget to take advantage of Rakuten’s $50 referral bonus, which runs until Dec. 31.
