Topcashback, cookies & browsers

Beatlefan

Hi, I've posted on the topcashback thread too, but as it's more of a techie question, I thought I'd post here too. Hope that's ok!

I've just joined topcashback this weekend, so still getting used to the site. Seems quite straightforward, but one issue which seemed to crop up in the thread on the referrals board on MSE related to cookies and whether your purchases through topcashback would track if you'd previously searched or visited the sites you ended up purchasing from.

I've been visiting sites like play.com, toys r us, etc, looking at computer games, toys, etc, looking for ideas for our LO's birthday. Not bought anything yet, but want to know if I can now go in and buy through play.com via the topcashback route and get some cashback? Or will the cookies on these sites remember me and not allow my purchases to track for cashback?

Also people have been posting about looking for insurance quotes. If you do some research yourself and then try and go back and purchase via a topcashback link, do you still get your cashback. Or do the cookies do for you again?

Is it always better to do all my searching through the Kelkoo & u-switch, etc, links on topcashback instead, even if I don't buy something straight away?

Someone on the referrals board talked about disabling cookies but I thought you needed cookies enabled to allow topcashback to track your purchases? Someone also talked about using deleting cookies, but I'm not sure how to do that. They also mentioned using different browsers, but I didn't know I had more than one! I'm with tiscali, so my browswer just opens up at tiscali homepage each time I log on.

Sorry, I expect some of the questions are a bit basic for seasoned topcashback users - please take pity on the newbie still getting used to how it all works!

Many thanks!:T :A

Marty_J

I'd advise you to use a browser just for your cash-back sites, then you don't have to worry about messing it up while browsing.

Here are three browsers you can try:

http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/

http://www.opera.com/

http://www.apple.com/safari/

Personally, I'd advise using Firefox for your everyday browsing, and then using Opera for your cash-back stuff, but its up to you really.

asininity

Easiest way to sort this out is to use two web browsers one for browsing the other only for your cash back sites.

Beatlefan

Thanks for the links! I'll download opera & firefox tomorrow.

What's the bog standard browser your PC comes with then? Is that just plain old Internet Explorer ? I've got Windows XP on my PC.

Thanks again. :T

Marty_J

If you have Windows, it came with Internet Explorer. Personally I think it's not very good, but others might disagree.

Firefox is a very popular alternative however.

Leopard

Marty_J wrote: »

If you have Windows, it came with Internet Explorer. Personally I think it's not very good, but others might disagree.

Firefox is a very popular alternative however.

Perhaps, for that very reason, it would be best to use Internet Explorer only for cashbacking/discounting and Firefox for everything else?


Which reminds me, :idea: I've still got Internet Explorer 5.2 lurking somewhere in the Applications folders of my Macs, hiding, abandoned and forgotten, behind Rosetta. Now there would be a good use for it.


Biil Gates saving me money on a Mac: that should bring a tear to asinity's eye. :rotfl: :money:

Marty_J

Leopard wrote: »

Perhaps, for that very reason, it would be best to use Internet Explorer only for cashbacking/discounting and Firefox for everything else?

Why use Internet Explorer at all?

Which reminds me, :idea: I've still got Internet Explorer 5.2 lurking somewhere in the Applications folders of my Macs, hiding, abandoned and forgotten, behind Rosetta. Now there would be a good use for it.


Biil Gates saving me money on a Mac: that should bring a tear to asinity's eye. :rotfl: :money:

Wow, Internet Explorer for Mac, there's a blast from the past. I think my old G3 iMac came with that originally. You could change the colour of it to match your Mac. It certainly had some interesting features.

When Microsoft discontinued support for it however, they recommended Mac users switch to Safari. Good advice.

Leopard

But you're missing my point!

If I keep Internet Explorer clean and purely for Quidco and the like, every so often, this will free up Safari, Firefox and Camino (which I like) from the worry of collecting cookies which could screw Quidco.

It's a good idea: at least until OS 10.6 comes out and Rosetta is retired.

I'm looking at it now, on another monitor. Yes...15 different colour themes to choose from!

But I think I used Netscape, instead, back then!

Marty_J

But you could use Opera, Shiira, Flock, iCab, OmniWeb, SeaMonkey, or Sunrise.

There's no need to go nuts and use IE.

asininity

Leopard wrote: »

Biil Gates saving me money on a Mac: that should bring a tear to asinity's eye. :rotfl: :money:

At it again, troll.

johnmc

With IE delete your Cookies before you start a purchase through Quidco / Topcashback.

"Tools" then "Internet Options" (can't get at it at the mo' as it's a works PC).

Check for "no purchase" options. For car insurance include TCB's link to Moneysupermarket.com £2 every 2 weeks!

Also look at new bank accounts periodically. Some give mega cashbank for a new account. Once opened you can get more cash through introductions!