Cashback Ethics

thehappybutterfly

I have a dilemma. I'm a member of Top Cashback and use it for the usual purchases - insurances etc. However, as part of my job, I book hotels, car hire etc with my company credit card and I have recently been doing this thru the cashback site by Expedia etc. Is this ethical? Should I tell my employer? The very fact that I am questioning it makes me think that I just shouldn't do it but, really, where's the harm?

Ohhh, I feel guilty but I really need the extra money

ChloeBo

I do the same and after speaking to a few colleagues they do too although we don't have the luxury of buying big items to get cashback we do get the odd free remote control car when buying stationery! I also get a few pennies when buying flowers and other gifts etc.

eezyrider7

I'm not sure what your emplyers rules are but mine specifically state that you should not try to gain any advantage from the postition you hold within the organisation. If yours does too that would mean what you are doing is possibly a disciplinary offence. Of course your terms and conditions may not state that. Why not ask your boss and put it as a hypothetical situation?

EZ

Lomcevak

There was another thread about this recently with rather polarised views, but if you have any doubts then ask your boss or someone in HR first; better safe than sorry. At my previous company nobody cared (and my boss asked how to sign up for Quidco when I told him about it ) while at my current one we're explicitly told we can't, so it can vary a lot.

where's the harm?

Very little, but some companies (especially larger ones) have their own discounts arranged with hotels, travel etc. along with kickbacks from the company card provider for using the card, and cashback claims can collide with those. From what I remember from when I could do it, that just means that the Quidco claim may eventually get declined, but might possibly annoy someone if you get the cash and the finance department doesn't.

Zelazny

My company has a list of approved suppliers. We are then told to find the best price among them. If the best price happened to be on a site where I could get some cashback, I don't imagine there would be a problem with it, but I would have to be able to show that it was the best price available, and that I was not spending extra company money in order to make something for myself.

It's a bit of a tricky situation - different companies will view it differently and as any offence involving money can be considered gross misconduct you may want to be careful. In your boat, I'd probably take it up with my manager and see what he/she says. Then get them to put it in writing, so you're covered.

InsideInsurance

Never known a company that has an issue with it, certainly a lot of people use cashback or reward based credit cards for their expenses.

As long as you arent breaking any rules about using preferred suppliers etc I cannot see them having issues - though all the companies I have worked for used intranet/extranet or telephone based booking agents and so there was no option of using cashback sites but you could still use your card.

If in doubt then check with HR/ Finance or whoever owns the relevant buying policy

Morethanconcerned

thehappybutterfly wrote: »

I have a dilemma. I'm a member of Top Cashback and use it for the usual purchases - insurances etc. However, as part of my job, I book hotels, car hire etc with my company credit card and I have recently been doing this thru the cashback site by Expedia etc. Is this ethical? Should I tell my employer? The very fact that I am questioning it makes me think that I just shouldn't do it but, really, where's the harm?

Ohhh, I feel guilty but I really need the extra money

Do you make much though? is it worth it?

whitelabel

I used to work for one of the largest financial services company in world who had list of lists of things you could and couldnt do but we had each a company credit card and were specifically allowed to sign up to the points system for purchases, frequent flyer, hotel loyalty etc for our own benefit.

I also used cashback sites for purchases not booked through company travel agent like flowers etc for my staff never had an issue with it. Had we not to use the company travel or it was cheaper not too, I would book privately and use cashback sites if available. As long as it's not costing a company any more than as necessary they won't have an issue.

InsideInsurance

A little surprised, since the "manufacturing" model came in to financial services (thanks Fred) whilst up front costs may appear high the buying department receives a significant kickback at year end subject to the volume of business put through.

For example with our hotels booking agents the fee we paid, and were charged to our cost centre, was always only a little below the rack rate and so there were always better deals available via the web or other agents. What that doesnt factor is that the buying department typically got 30-40% back at year end into their cost centre of all the bookings.

whitelabel

yup most things were only just below or higher initially
but they couldnt book some things like easyjet for example so if needed a particular route or their preferred scheduled airline had no seats or it was massively significantly cheaper if there was a sale one then we would book direct.
My cost centre had a very small budget comparatively speaking given in wasnt a client facing ie fee earning role so for some trips if needed we had to keep costs down. I have no doubt there were and are kick backs, Im just aware we were allowed to gain points, miles etc from these for personal use

InsideInsurance

We could, via using personal cards and claiming it back as expenses but bookings had to be done via agents so no option for using affiliate cashback sites unless it was something where there was no preferred supplier (which was a rare thing) or if it was mission critical and the supplier couldnt deliver.