Are you an entrepreneurial person who loves shopping online? Perhaps you are seeking the best business opportunity you could find that’s legit and easy to start. There are a ton of options out there, but many options require huge start-up fees, and there’s no guarantee of success.
Starting a Cashback website is actually pretty easyp, although there’s no guarantee of success. You’d be surprised how many people do not know what a cashback site even is!
Starting Your Own Cash Back Site
Disclaimer!! I’ll admit…I tried starting my cashback website several times, only for it to fall flat on my face. It’s a lot harder to get customers than you think! The guide below will eliminate any problems starting a site. We’ve laid the blueprint, now get into the cashback game today!
1: What is a Cashback Website
Cashback websites are businesses that will reward a customer for purchasing through their website. For example:
Susan is shopping on your Cash Back website called: CashBackMommyofTwo.com. Susan see’s that there’s an offer for Macy’s at 2% Cash Back. When Susan has successfully signed up to CashBackMommyofTwo.com, then clicks through to that Macy’s 2% Cash Back and ends up buying something: She’ll Receive 2% of her Money Back from her Purchase!!
For you, the owner of the business, you’ll receive some money as well for getting Susan to buy something. This is done through Affiliate Marketing.
2: Why Start a Cash Back Website
For many who want to get into the online business world, they try many things like MLMs (Essential Oils and other B.S.) meanwhile the stuff that works well and requires what appears to be more technical, when it’s not, is often overlooked. There are only dozens or maybe hundreds of Cash Back websites, and we can tell you that the opportunity is real if you can attract loyal customers. It’s almost like rewarding Free Money for those looking to shop! So in essence:
- Competition is Low
- Start-Up Costs are Minimal
- Easy to Start
- Real Opportunity with Excitement
While this sort of start isn’t free, the cost to get started is pretty minimal, plus once you get started the costs die down pretty quickly!
3: Cost to Start a Cash Back Site
There are a few things you’ll need in order to get things rolling with your new Cash Back Site. For one, you’ll need Web Hosting. Web Hosting and a Domain is where you’ll place all of the Cash Back setup and installation files. We recommend:
Many hosting services offer a Free SSL certificate and a Free Domain. Remember these fees are annual, so you’ll need to renew every year.
Now that you’ve got hosting you’ll now need to get Cash Back Software. This is the part where only a few people know about. Not many options exist that help you start a website like this, while also eliminating most technical needs. By getting the software called Cash Back Engine, you’ll get the everything you need on how Cash Back Websites track the user from shopping, logging into the system, and much more!
Through Cash Back Engine, you’ll easily be able to manage customers, retailers, customer service and much much more! I’ll let you in on a secret…cash back companies pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to get this kind of functionality…you can get it for $199!!!!
4: Customizing Your Cash Back Site (Optional)
Before you start adding retailers and doing business stuff like getting customers through Facebook and Email, you may want to customize the way things look on the site. Cash Back Engine’s admin panel is super flexible and efficient software.
The same unfortunately cannot be said about the appeal of their customer-facing website. It looks dated, and don’t look too much into the front end demo as the site looks like it’s from the early 2000s. Depending on your budget you could pay an engineer to revamp the overall look of the front end side of things, but that can cost you thousands. It’s up to you on how you want to continue! You can add a few customizations, although it takes some getting used to:
- Logo
- Colors
- Fonts
- Text You Want
5: Getting Retailers and Merchants onto the Site
Probably the most interesting part of your Cash Back business is getting and partnering up with new retailers.
You can also separate yourself from the competition by focusing Cash Back on a single category, like Travel.
Here’s a few affiliate programs and their networks we’ve found!
Once you’ve been approved for a store, you’ll need to place the correct Tracking Link within Cash Back Engine. To do this, head to the admin panel of your site, then Retailers, then Add Retailer. You’ll need to enter information like Store Name, a Logo, and a few other details.
This is the guts of how things are tracked and paid out.
Once you’ve been approved for a programs Tracking Link you’ll need to insert SUB ID TAGS. Stay with me here, as this is the only technical part of the process of having a Cash Back Site. Simply copy an approved tracking link, and place the tags (select from one below) and you’ll be able to track each customer, should they end up buying something from your cashback site!
Below is a guide of all of the Sub ID Tracking Tags You’ll need to Append to each Tracking Link!
List of Sub ID Tags
Avantlink
&ctc=
Example: http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=344234&pw=2344&ctc=YourClientOrCustomersID
AWIN (Affiliate Window)
&clickref=
Example: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?s=343424&v=3424&q=2342342&r=3242234&clickref=YourClientOrCustomersID
Commission Junction
?sid=
Example: http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-34234234-2343434?sid=YourClientOrCustomersID
eBay Partner Network (ePN)
&customID=
Example: http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=1&pub=23223232&toolid=43434&campid=213244&customid=YourClientOrCustomersID
FlexOffers
&fobs=
Example: https://track.flexlinkspro.com/a.ashx?foid=1081267.139671167&foc=1&fot=9999&fos=1&fobs=
HasOffers Affiliate Software
&aff_sub=
Example: http://rover.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=28&aff_id=1112&aff_sub=YourClientOrCustomersID
Impact (formerly Impact Radius)
?subId1=
Example: http://blooom.pxio.com/c/22223/34232/4344?subId1=YourClientOrCustomersID
LinkConnector
&atid=
Example: http://www.linkconnector.com/ta.php?lc=234234234&lc_pid=Promo-2343424&url=&atid=YourClientOrCustomersID&lcpf=0&lcpi=647667
Linkshare
&u1=
Example: http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=234234234234&offerid=11223&subid=0&type=4&u1=YourClientOrCustomersID
ShareASale
&afftrack=
Example: http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=56456456&u=233423&m=123323&urllink=&afftrack=YourClientOrCustomersID
Pepperjam (formerly EEAN)
?sid=
Example: http://www.pjtra.com/t/3-43423424-11-8989789?sid=YourClientOrCustomersID
Performance Horizon Group (PHG)
pubref:
Example: http://prf.hn/click/camref:243535/pubref:YourClientOrCustomersID
Post Affiliate Pro Software
&chan=
Example: http://www.yoursite.com/?a_aid=testaff&chan=
Other Notes about SUB ID Tags…
Here’s the process if you placed the proper tracking link correctly:
- User Logs into Your Site
- Finds a good offer
- Clicks on the offer
- Customer/client buys said offer
- Affiliate Network will be able to tell what user did this through SubIDs
- Affiliate Network Report Shows Susan Purchased from Macy’s
- You Give Susan Money through Cash Back Engine
If a user did not log in or go through the cash back sites procedure to track who the user is, and the offer is clicked:
- A user is not logged in
- Finds good offer
- Clicks on offer
- Customer Buys offer
- Only IP and Blank SubId will show up not telling host database what user it is on reporting
So in essence, it’s important for a user of your cash back site to be logged in and ready for purchase as well. There are other uses for SubIDs, many sub-affiliate networks and affiliate tools use these to differentiate clients and so on.
6: Calculate Your Cash Back
In case you haven’t caught on.
- You’ll get a commission for each approved sale using your tracking link
- Take the money and give back a certain percentage (%) to your customer on your cashback site
- You keep the rest
This is how cashback sites operate. Some give more than others. In order to compete, you’ll need this tool:
Cash Back Monitor
CashBackMonitor.com is a place to find the best rates for each of the stores you want to add to your Cash Back Website. Using the site is pretty simple, especially if you have the Chrome browser. Compare rates among all of the websites that use Affiliate Marketing Cash Back Tracking and compare it to yours. If you are ready, you can also look to see if your site can be added to the array of websites that Cash Back Monitor uses!
7: Lots of Customer Service
We’d love to tell you that this business isn’t overly complicated, but that would be a lie.
This kind of business is exciting but could be difficult to get off the ground if you have any questions that aren’t answered here. After all, how many other experts or bloggers have you known about publishers this type of business idea?
8: Take Inspiration From These Cash Back Sites!
Swagbucks
Swagbucks (which also owns MyPoints and Shopathome) offers cash back for store shopping, in person shopping or dining, watching quick videos, and even taking surveys just to name a few. All of which use Affiliate Marketing tracking links as we mentioned above!
Ebates
The most famous of cashback sites, labeled rebate site, offers many stores at the highest commission rates online. Given that they have exclusive partnerships with many of the merchants, Ebates keeps a steady clientele of both customers and stores.
U-Promise
You’ll be able to receive cash back in the form of a 529 funding account. You can earn additional 529 investment opportunities through their Upromise Credit Card (Mastercard)
TopCashBack
Although no real side sells here, this cash back site is straightforward with competitive rates amongst many of the merchants. You’ll also be notified via their email newsletter of increased cash back days for the retailers you love.
Giving Assistant
Here, you’ll earn money back but for every cash back donation you decide to give to charity will be matched by them!
9: Not Working Out? Start a Blog!
So maybe a cashback website isn’t for you. No biggie! Another great opportunity could be blogging.
10: Other tips
There’s a few unwritten laws about when you can post affiliate links and how you can earn commissions. One thing you can do is sometimes use your own affiliate links and earn commission. Yes, you heard right…simply copy and paste your working affiliate links for your own shopping use and earn commission. It’s like your own cashback store without belonging to one!
Also, yes, there’s another way to build a cashback website without Cashbackengine. We’ve done it here on The Cashback Dad and we can give out additional information if you’d like…just contact us!
Feel free to reach out to me with any additional questions in starting your website or comment below! Good Luck!
