Topcashback

alig1

Bought my car insurance through Topcashback and was due £40. I never received the money due so claimed from them within a few days of due date. I was informed that they would have to wait 6 months to challenge the lack of payment with the retailer. After 6 months I contacted them and they now inform me that it can be 12-16 weeks to get a result from a retailer. Surely this isn't legal to advertise a service and fail to deliver, i.e.misleading advertising - CAP/BCAP code.
See from others on this forum that they have had the same problem - don't think that such companies should be recommended by MSE if they don't do as they say

mazjohn108

I have given up on Topcashback. Several of my purchases, although they say tracked, have never paid me any money.  I should have received £15 for buying home insurance through Compare the Market last April. I never received a penny. Even if you raise a dispute you generally get nowhere.  

Ozzig

To be fair, I've had to raise a fair few missing cashback claims over the last four years and I estimate around 80-90% were successful. 

But, the biggest cashback I've had is £20 for car insurance.

I use TCB wherever possible but always as a nice to have rather than factoring in any potential cashback to the total cost.

The main thing that I find unhelpful is being told for the 200th time to clear cookies even when 9/10 claims are fine without any cookies being cleared.

It's not going to help me retire, but the £300 I've managed to amass over those four years has definitely helped as vouchers at Christmas and birthday times.

They do have a number of T&Cs that basically say they will only pay out if the retailer agrees to pay them. (Not excusing them, but they do not guarantee anything.)

Ayr_Rage

alig1 said:

Bought my car insurance through Topcashback and was due £40. I never received the money due so claimed from them within a few days of due date. I was informed that they would have to wait 6 months to challenge the lack of payment with the retailer. After 6 months I contacted them and they now inform me that it can be 12-16 weeks to get a result from a retailer. Surely this isn't legal to advertise a service and fail to deliver, i.e.misleading advertising - CAP/BCAP code.
See from others on this forum that they have had the same problem - don't think that such companies should be recommended by MSE if they don't do as they say

Read the Ts and Cs, cashback is not guaranteed.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Ayr_Rage said:

Read the Ts and Cs, cashback is not guaranteed.

I don't use TCB so comments are based on Quidco but 10, 15, 20 years ago I think many people decided to buy from say John Lewis and then had a look to see if there was cashback as a bit of a bonus. 

These sites seemed to be just passing on an affiliate fee in exchange for a small sum out of your pot if it had enough but the cashback sites, and no doubt affiliate marketing, have evolved significantly. 

Quidco often claims to have exclusive rates and offers and I would image there are now plenty of people who decide where to buy based on the cashback offer itself, particularly with the higher priced items or things that tie you in an extended period such as insurance, phone contracts, etc.

It would be interesting to see the legal position of this tested, I understand if another cookie takes the affiliate you aren't due cashback but for technical errors or non-responding retailers I do wonder if the "not guaranteed" holds any weight. 

Given the low amounts I doubt it's going to be tested any time soon but I do wonder if the cashback sites would just pay out to avoid having the matter clarified somewhat in a court. 

Spies

You should never base your decision on getting the cashback, you should treat it as a nice extra. 

Marvel1

I have not had a problem with them paying me for insurance:

TopCashBack_Company_Representative

Hey Everyone, 

We have worked recently, based on member feedback, on tracking with retailers and have created an advice page to help members, which can be found here https://www.topcashback.co.uk/help/how-can-i-make-sure-i-receive-my-cashback/

We do also investigate any issues raised and if anyone is having problems please drop us a DM as we can take a closer look to help. 

Best wishes 
Phil 

Penguin_

I rarely have an issue with TCB, over the last 7 years I have been paid £3940.

As with everything in life, there are issues, however raise a ticket & they're usually spot on in helping.

DullGreyGuy

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:
It would be interesting to see the legal position of this tested, I understand if another cookie takes the affiliate you aren't due cashback but for technical errors or non-responding retailers I do wonder if the "not guaranteed" holds any weight. 

Not sure what there is to "test"?

The terms and conditions are effectively paid is paid so if TCB get paid then they pay you, if they dont get paid then you dont get paid. In my day of marketing we simply paid TCB £50 per sale, it was totally up to them if they kept it all, gave half to their customer or all of it etc. We had no direct contract with TCB even let alone the end customer in relation to the affiliate marketing/cashback. 

There are some areas, eg employment, where you must be paid minimum wage even if your employer doesn't get paid but those dont apply to the basic contracts like this. 

The "problem" with cashback and insurance is thats it not like buying a fridge. With the later you can shop around get prices from a dozen retailers, check which has cash back and then clear cookies and buy via TCB. There's a good chance it will track correctly and be credited to you as the retailer has no way of connecting the prior visits to see the prices to you.

Problem with insurance is naturally insurers do get identifying details of you when your doing your initial shopping around and so can persist that you were first introduced to them via MoneySupermarket rather than TCB even after you've cleared your cookies etc. 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

DullGreyGuy said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:
It would be interesting to see the legal position of this tested, I understand if another cookie takes the affiliate you aren't due cashback but for technical errors or non-responding retailers I do wonder if the "not guaranteed" holds any weight. 

Not sure what there is to "test"?

Fairness of the term  

I also wonder if the consumer would have cause to unwind the contract with the retailer they go on to purchase with under the CPRs.