Orange not paying topcashback (for anyone)

sandrogalli

There are innumerable reviews on TCB Orange page concerning their failure to pay out cashback amounts. Usually the cashback tracks, but is cancelled (conveniently, right after the contract grace period expires).

There are many people missing out on £50-120, it seems an awful lot for a supposedly reputable retailer to be holding back. For a sense of scale:

topcashback.co.uk/orange/reviews

Has anyone else been affected by this? Is there anything to be done? (besides filling in a cashback claim - these are being rejected)

mobilejunkie

I have well over a dozen unpaid enquiries with TCB. Unfortunately they are becoming very much like Quidco now they have got too big. There are numerous merchants who plainly have NO intention of paying and when transactions are declined and despite meeting all the terms of the offer TCB usually throw their hands up and deny all culpability - meanwhile continuing to VERY actively promote the SAME merchants with similar offers.

TCB haven't quite got to Quidco's level, but like so many other companies who become too successful based on customer service they are rushing to the time when they really don't care about the people who put them there any more.

greatgimpo

Yes, me too - it's shocking and downright wrong. If TCB were to play a level field, they would ban the companies that aren't paying out. Most of the reviews are written by people that see that their cashback is recorded, and assume a payout is naturally going to happen - far from it. They should review after the payout is made. Philip Morris, Terry's Fabrics, and a few others I've forgotten about don't even bother tracking.

I've commented in the past that an increasing number of transactions are 'forgotten' to be tracked and need several nudges - and then it's in the lap of the gods.

This is a pet gripe of mine.

mobilejunkie

Not tracking is one thing. Tracking, fully complying and then being declined with TCB advocating ANY responsibility or blame (whilst continuing to promote these dishonest merchants) is quite another. Apparently, people shouldn't actually expect to get what is offered even when it tracks - and it's all down to the honesty of the merchants, which TCB can't possibly do anything about (even when it's the SAME feedback by dozens of members relating to given merchants over a long period of time).

I was Quidco's highest cashback earner (according to them) when I walked away; I may be close with TCB in both senses too. Great shame; good, genuine organisations that end up ap as bad as the merchants who abuse us. Though I haven't quite given up with TCB, I AM pretty close now.

time2save

mobilejunkie wrote: »

Not tracking is one thing. Tracking, fully complying and then being declined with TCB advocating ANY responsibility or blame (whilst continuing to promote these dishonest merchants) is quite another. Apparently, people shouldn't actually expect to get what is offered even when it tracks - and it's all down to the honesty of the merchants, which TCB can't possibly do anything about (even when it's the SAME feedback by dozens of members relating to given merchants over a long period of time).

I was Quidco's highest cashback earner (according to them) when I walked away; I may be close with TCB in both senses too. Great shame; good, genuine organisations that end up ap as bad as the merchants who abuse us. Though I haven't quite given up with TCB, I AM pretty close now.

who would you use instead - this is one of the reasons i haven't taken the plunge with cashback sites

mobilejunkie

Unfortunately the others aren't usually as generous on the amounts - and some actually went bust. Like a lot of things, you have to make the most of something while it's there. If/when I give up on TCB I may not use any others very much. The way Quidco and (increasingly) TCB treat their customers with compete disdain leaves a very sour taste. I have sung both their praises when they deserved it; but I can't stomach the way they suck people into offers and then wash their hands of it when the merchants they repeatedly promote are complete !!!!!!!s and are allowed BY the cashback sites to continue in that vein.

Buzby

Cashback has always been of dubious benefit to users. Prior to the web offerings we had retailers putting bogus jumps in place to thwart potential claimants - due to the anticipated reclaim rate being far in excess of he anticipated levels (30% expected and budgeted for, 95% actually following through).

The networks clawed back the bonuses, and the retailers went bust. The systems offered by the new Cashback sites is arguably (slightly) better - but the bottom line remains: if it pays out, be pleasantly surprised - but in no way should your purchase depend on the rebate.

mobilejunkie

I disagree. BOTH types have been around concurrently and BOTH have given me ENORMOUS benefits over many years. The type you are referring to is specific to mobile phone dealers and my profit from such deals comes from both cashbacks.

The networks had nothing to do with cashback and "clawbacks" weren't related to dealers going bust because of cashback schemes (since they didn't pay cashback if they didn't get the commission and by the time they paid it the commission could not be clawed back (if it ever was anyway).

sandrogalli

very informative... i actually thought tcb were a sound company, i didn't know there were other retailers who were not being held to the cashback promises.

it is a shame when what is presented as a 'consumer' site sells out or is more focused on its own margins. to be fair tcb have been good the past couple of years but if big cashback retailers like orange are allowed to continue reneging on their promises they're going to lose custom fast.

mobilejunkie

Exactly; they have been a LOT better than Quidco and deservedly become the market leader, stealing the throne from Quidco. However, it appears they have learnt NOTHING about WHY that happened and are more interested in following the same sad path.

As for other retailers blatantly being promoted by TCB whilst rarely (if ever) paying up, there are several casino sites (some are excellent and trustworthy, some plainly aren't), a few life assurance companies (LV and Engage are two of those), some banks, Now TV and (no doubt) many others.

Unfortunately, it's now a case of ignore the promises and examine the truth.

Money_Grabber13579

I'm in a fight with TCB at the moment over £80 of unpaid cashback with Orange. They say it won't be paid due to me having cancelled the contract, but while it seems to have slipped their memory that the contract still exists, they haven't forgotten to bill me every month...

I don't lie down easily, so they'll be getting plenty of threads on their forum and continual nudges on the support ticket until they do something.