The Offer
- iConsumer shopping portal is offering double cash back (and double ‘shares’) on their portal (Note: this doubling looks baked into the rates, so you won’t get double the rates you see)
The Fine Print
- Valid until January 30th, 2016
- Need a minimum of $25 to withdraw
- Only withdrawal option is a check
Our Verdict
iConsumer.com is a site we covered yesterday, it looks like they are doubling down on their high cash back rates. eBay was previously 8% on the portal and it’s now up to 16% although there is a cap of $20 per month. Update: eBay back to 8%
Hat tip to reader Matt C
iConsumer had a promotion for Double Cash Back. Their advertising was deceptive and misled consumers into believing that the rate shown for each website would be doubled. There were no terms included with the promotion, so consumers had no way to know that iConsumer meant that the rate shown on the screen was already the promotional rate.
iConsumer engages in deceptive and misleading advertising practices in violation of Federal Trade Comission rules, and if you call them on it they will tell you that you have no recourse because iConsumer felt that their advertising was clear. This is a violation of FTC rules; if an advertisement may be interpreted in multiple ways it must include easily visible terms which substantiate each interpretation so as not to mislead or deceive consumers.
Do not support iConsumer; use a different cashback portal which cares about customer service and listens to consumers complaints.
The cardinal rule is never to make a purchase with the expectation of cashback through a portal – TopCashback even tells you that: “Please do not make purchase decisions based on expected cashback as it is not guaranteed.”
I already supported iConsumer by buying a $250 gift card on eBay; if it tracks, I’ll get $20, if it doesn’t, I’ll “lose” the $3.12 I would have gotten from TCB – for me, it was worth the gamble.
Companies are not allowed deceive or mislead consumers in America. It does not matter what the company does or sells, when they enter into a contract with consumers, they are obligated to follow through and execute their end of the deal.
When a consumer makes a purchase through a cash-back portal, assuming that the purchase is correctly tracked and the portal receives a commission for said purchase, then the portal is obligated to credit the consumer for the purchase at the advertised rate as long as there are no clear and conspicuous disclaimers to the contrary.
If there are clear and conspicuous disclosures to the contrary, such as your example disclosure stating “Please do not make purchase decisions based on expected cashback as it is not guaranteed”, then the company has done nothing wrong by not crediting the purchaser. As far as I can tell, this is not the issue which many consumers are complaining about regarding iConsumer – consumers were credited for their purchases. However, they were deceived into believing that they would be credited for a higher percentage during the promotion than they actually received.
iConsumer advertised during this promotion that members would earn double cashback on purchases made before midnight 1/30/16. Their advertisements lent to multiple interpretations; many consumers believed that the promotion meant they would receive double the percentage back that was displayed for each website. There was no clear and conspicuous disclosure that the promotional doubled rates were already displayed for each website. There were in fact no clear or conspicuous disclosures included with the promotional materials at all, so consumers had no way of knowing which interpretation of the advertisement was correct.
The deciding factor in whether or not an advertisement is misleading is consumers’ perception and understanding of the advertisement. As many consumers understood the advertisement to mean that the cash-back rate shown on their screens would be doubled for the promotion, iConsumer’s promotional advertisement was misleading. This is where the problem lies; consumers were misled by the advertisements.
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney; do not misconstrue this comment as legal advice. I am simply an American who believes in standing up for the rights which all consumers in America have.
I just bought a $100 CVS GC on eBay through iConsumer.
Paid w/ eBay GC bought @ Stop & Shop @ 18% discount based on gas reward points + 5 X Hilton pts. on $1,320.
iConsumer portal = 8%
eBay bucks = 2%
eBay discount on CVS GC = 12%
Will use CVS coupon for purchases = 25%
CVS rewards = 2%
Veterans Advantage CVS coupon = 20% off, this does stack. Highly recommend Vets sign-up.
Veterans advantage CVS coupon $2 off $10, this does stack
Overall, a really nice deal.
Can you elaborate how you got 18% discount on ebay GC at Stop & Shop?
Bought $1320 eBay GC that gave 5X gas rewards per $. That gave me three 35 gal. fill up’s w/ $2.20 off per gal.. 35 gal. X 3 = 105 gal.. $2.20 off X 105 = $231.00 saved. $231 of $1320 is 18%.
Haha, stacking 8 times. Impressive.
Yes, William! The deal was so attractive I just bought another $100 CVS GC on eBay.
This smells like Inbox Dollars Part Two
Anyone have a referral link for iConsumer?
There is one in the post 🙂
iConsumer is offering 32% CB for 1800flowers. Double that until 1/30/16 for 64%. iConsumer has a 15% off on their site. Use Amex $15 off $50 and my calculations say a $50 order is free.
Lot of risk though I imagine, you going to go for it?
What better way to show your love for your significant other than with some free flowers, unbeknownst to her, of course! 🙂
I am wondering if the double cashback is already baked into the rate we already we see (sort of like what shopathome does when they increase their rates). 64% just seems too high; I have not been able to find anything that explains the double cashback promotion.
Then again, I stand corrected – they are offering 64% for MagazineLine…however, it brings me back to my point of already being backed in; it is highly doubtful that they’ll give 128% cashback
Yeah, it’s already baked into the rates I think.
I saw the 16% this morning but now it is but to 8%. I not sure what is up. I have also bought a gift card using the portal. It is showing my cash back but time will tell if I get paid.
I imagine the $20 limit is per account? If so, it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to open another iConsumer account in my wife’s name…
Showing 8% for me.
Do you have to give SSN just to use the cash back portal? I don’t care about the shares.
Does anyone have any actual experience of getting a paymenet from iconsumer yet?