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Business Profile

Online Shopping

Rakuten

Headquarters

Important information

  • Customer Complaint:
    BBB’s profile for Rakuten was created in May 2000.  A review of complaints was completed in March 2025. Complaints on file state concerns of delays in receiving Cash Back.


    Consumers are encouraged to visit Getting Paid and Rakuten Terms & Conditions (please see 7. Programs)
    Read more

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Rakuten's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Find a Location

Rakuten has 3 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 2,040 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 696 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

    Sort by

    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/05/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      ResolvedMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I signed up for Rakuten for a couple months now and I have been a active user, couple weeks pass I was using the app, they advertised that I could get $40.00 referral and my friend would get a $40.00 bonus as well.I did refer ****************************** he did the steps necessary to qualify for the $40.00 who complete on 5/5/2025. My friend had to involve bbb as well in order to fix this situation which thanks to you he received the $40.00 but not me I contact Rakuten contact service and they have not give any respond

      Business Response

      Date: 06/06/2025

      Hi ******,

      Our system periodically removes the bonus on ineligible referral accounts. Each member is allowed one account, must pay for their own purchases, and receive their own payments to be eligible for the bonus programs.  We identified 3 accounts associated with you.  Our accounts team sent you an email to offer consolidation.  It looks like they reached out to you today, 6/6/2025.  Once you reply confirming which account you wish to keep active, we can reinstate your account.

      Thank you

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/06/2025

      Better Business Bureau:

      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

      Sincerely,

      ****** *****
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/04/2025

      Type:Customer Service Issues
      Status:
      ResolvedMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Member ID: ********* I'm a long time member of Rakuten and expecting payments and pending shopping trips on my Rakuten ********** account became unable to login a few days ago. I tried to contact with customer service a few times but no progress.Expected results:1. Restore my Rakuten account 2. Restore all credits in my account. Member ID: *********. Email: *********************

      Business Response

      Date: 06/05/2025

      Hi Pengqian,

      We noticed some unusual account activity on your account.  Our accounts team will be contacting you shortly to verify your information and get your account reinstated.  We apologize for the delay as we are experiencing higher than normal volume.  You can expect to hear back within the next 72 hours.

      Thank you for your patience.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/05/2025

      Better Business Bureau:

      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is promising to me at this moment. However, they promised to reinstate my account and followup with me in 72 hours. So this case might be reopen (or new case will be filed) if the business didn't follow through and actually reinstate my account.

      Sincerely,

      Pengqian **
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/03/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      ResolvedMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I am a professional photographer and long-time Rakuten user. On May 6, 2025, I made a large purchase of camera equipment from the ***** website, using Rakutens advertised 15% cashback offer. The purchase was entirely legitimate, personal, and made by following Rakutens standard process through their portal.After accumulating over $1,200 in cashback, I was suddenly locked out of my account. When I contacted Rakuten support, I was informed that my account had been terminated due to "ineligible orders." However, I was not provided with any specific details or evidence to support this claim. Instead, I was directed to a generic ****************** link.This decision was made without any prior warning, without a chance to respond, and with no transparency. I have made valid, compliant purchases and have not violated any known terms. Rakuten is now withholding the cashback I rightfully earned, and I consider this an unethical and deceptive business practice.I am requesting:* A full payout of the $1,200+ cashback * A detailed explanation of their findings * Immediate restoration of transparency and fair handling of member accounts

      Business Response

      Date: 06/04/2025

      Hi ********,

      We have reactivated your account.  We were notified of ineleigble account activiety as a result of cancelled orders. At this time, we have reinstated your account and reversed the Cash Back earned for the following orders:

      Dell  2008365215871 Cancelled:Oct 10, 2024.  This was paid to you on your 12/12/2024 payments and has not been deducted from your current account balance.
      Canon ********** Item returned and refunded.  The Cash Back for the returned item as been deducted from your current Cash Back balance.  Your current Cash Back balance is $579.17.

      Please let us know if you have any questions.

      Thank you.  

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/04/2025

      Better Business Bureau:

      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

      Sincerely,

      ******** ****
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/30/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      ResolvedMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Good Day BBB,I participate in the Rakuten cash back program. I was due $193.10 on May 15, 2025 for the previous quarter purchases. However, I did not receive payment as Rakuten said my purchases are still pending. I have not made any returns and am seeking payment for the purchases made as follows:2/12/25, ****** at $3.85; 2/24/25, Sephora at $5.60; 3/4/25, ********* at $0.10; 3/30/25, Bloomingdales at $172.13 and 3/31/25, ****** at $11.42. = $193.10. I appreciate your help.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/02/2025

      Hi *********,


      It looks like you did not qualify to receive a payment in May since your confirmed Cash Back amount was not greater than $5.00.
       
      The time it takes for Cash Back to be confirmed depends on several factors,including the store, store policy, reporting schedule, exclusions and returns.  Rakuten has always sent payments four times a year in February, May, August, and November. Your Cash Back must be eligible for payment in order to be included in the following check.  Clicking on the purple arrow next to your order in my account view will show you when the order will become eligible for payment and the date of the payment it will be included on.  The orders you mentioned below will be included in your August 2025 payment. 


      As a courtesy to a valued long time member, we are happy to request a one time early payment for the purchases prior to 4/1/2025.  This includes:

      Macys 3/31/2025 $11.42
      Bloomingdales 3/30/2025 $172.13

      The other purchases were included in your May check which is check #******** sent on 5/29/2025

       
      Find more information about payments at *****************************************************************************************************************
       
      Thanks for your patience, and please reach out if you have any additional questions.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/03/2025

      Better Business Bureau:

      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

      Sincerely,

      ********* ******
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/29/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On May 5, 2025, I made a purchase at *****************, totaling $5050, after activating a 15% cashback offer through the Rakuten platform. The purchase was initiated by clicking directly through the Rakuten link, as is required to earn *********** Rakuten account ******************** currently shows this specific purchase as "ineligible" for cashback, despite meeting all stated terms and conditions. I anticipated receiving $757.50 in cashback, which has not been applied.I have already contacted Rakuten directly on May 27, 2025, regarding this issue. I provided them with my ***************** order number ********* and details of the transaction. They responded by stating the purchase was not tracked correctly.I am seeking the application of the promised 15% cashback totaling $757.50 to my Rakuten account for this purchase.

      Business Response

      Date: 05/30/2025

      Hi Kairui,


      We are sorry that happened. This means the store did not award Rakuten commission due to an ineligible purchase.  When this happens, we are unable to award Cash Back.  We know sometimes mistakes happen so we are happy to reach out to the store for you.

      Please submit a Missing Cash Back inquiry through our help form here:  *********************************************************

      Copy/paste your full order confirmation. Make sure your order confirmation includes the following:

      Order date
      Order number
      Products purchased
      Price breakdown (purchase total, any discounts applied, shipping, taxes, fees, and method of payment)

      Once we receive this info, we can continue working on your request.  We are unable to take any action without this information to our team.


      Thank you for your understanding.  

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/28/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Hello there,I made a rakuten account based off a referral that was sent to me via a close friend. The referral involved spending more than $40 USD and obtaining $40 USD in Rakutens Cash back portal. I meticulously followed all requirements to fulfill this Welcome bonus, by purchasing a pair of 50 dollar shoes from ****, that were within all of the requirements of said bonus. Initially i was able to see the 40 dollars in my account, and received a confirmation email saying that the 40 dollars had been added to my account and once the return period from **** had lapsed, id be able to transfer the money to my personal ****** account. I had the 40 dollar bonus wiped from my account, no email explaining why, and over 4 emails sent to their customer service department with zero response other than were looking This has been going on for over a week and has begun to feel like Rakuten is a company that operates off false promises with zero accountability for following through with their advertised promotions.

      Business Response

      Date: 05/29/2025

      Hi ******,
       
      We apologize for the delay.  We are experiencing higher than normal volume.  Looking at our records, it appears you have more than one email address registered with Rakuten.
       
      The accounts we show you have are listed under the email addresses:
       
      **************************************
      *************************************
       
      Therefore, we have closed the ************************************* account. Going forward, please continue to use the following email address when logging into Rakuten: **************************************
       
      Please allow ************************************************** your account.
       
      If you prefer to have ************************************* as the primary email when logging in, please reply back to the email sent to you by our accounts team today, and we will be more than happy to switch them around for you.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/26/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Rakuten closed my account for unknown reasons and reasons that do not make any sense as I have accumulated cash back over the many years

      Business Response

      Date: 05/27/2025

      Hello ********,
       
      Thank you for taking the time to write to us. We are sorry for any confusion regarding your account. Due to the number of ineligible orders in your account, our risk department has ended your membership in our program.
       
      You can view Rakuten Terms and Conditions here: *****************************************************************************

      Customer Answer

      Date: 05/27/2025

       
      Complaint: 23379629

      I am rejecting this response because:

      False information from retailers  please investigate and will take to small claims court if not paid out  


      Sincerely,

      ******** **********

      Business Response

      Date: 05/29/2025

      Hi ********,

      After a thorough review of your account and the violations of our Terms of Service, we have made a final decision to uphold the closure of your account.
      This decision is in line with our policies, which are in place to ensure a safe and fair environment for all members. We have communicated with you regarding this matter previously, and no further discussion will be entered into. You can view the terms of membership on our site here:

      *****************************************************************************

      We appreciate your understanding.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 05/29/2025

       
      Complaint: 23379629

      I am rejecting this response because:

       

      False claim no investigation was done.  Treat this as a warning that you will be summoned to court for $1,600 due to failure to pay what was "confirmed" and attempted to pay and clawed back. Pay out the balance by June 1, 2025 or else legal action will be initiated. 

      Sincerely,

      ******** **********

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/25/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Rakuten terminated my account in May 2025 without prior notice and confiscated $3,685 in cashback that I had already earned through legitimate purchases (including from **** and ****). I made many of these purchases only because of Rakuten's advertised cashback offers.Rakuten claims that users can only have one account. However, their system allows users to freely change the name and mailing address for cashback checks a feature that enables normal household use (e.g., sending a check to a family member while traveling). They never warned me that this could be seen as a violation.Instead, they used this vague rule to retroactively terminate multiple long-standing accounts, right before scheduled cashback payouts. I believe Rakuten intentionally uses its unclear rules to cancel accounts and steal cashback.This is deceptive and unethical. They financially benefited from my purchases but refused to honor their side of the cashback agreement. I request that this be investigated as a violation of consumer protection laws.

      Business Response

      Date: 05/27/2025

      Hi Yuxuan,

      After a thorough review of your account and the violations of our Terms of Service, we have made a final decision to uphold the closure of your account.

      This decision is in line with our policies, which are in place to ensure a safe and fair environment for all members. We have communicated with you regarding this matter previously, and no further discussion will be entered into. You can view the terms of membership on our site here:   *****************************************************************************

      We appreciate your understanding.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 05/27/2025

       
      Complaint: 23375412

      I am rejecting this response because:

      You can close my account at any time you want. But you need to pay me the valid cash back in my account. I'm pretty sure the merchants will still pay you the cash back that comes with my purchase, so you need to either return the cash back money to the merchants or pay me the cash back I deserved. If you keep it for your own it's no difference with steal.

      Sincerely,

      Yuxuan Sui

      Business Response

      Date: 05/29/2025

      Hi Yuxuan,

      In order to receive a payment your account must be active. However, given the high level of abuse your account(s) will remain deactivated.  Per our terms:

      "Any failure to comply with this Program Agreement, any fraud or abuse relating to the accrual or receipt of cash back rewards, or any misrepresentation of any information furnished to Rakuten or its affiliates by you or anyone acting on your behalf may result in the termination of your membership in the Program and forfeiture of your accrued Cash Back rewards."

      *This is an excerpt from the "Program Limitations, Qualifications & Disclaimers" section of our Terms and Conditions. You can read the full Terms & Conditions here: *****************************************************************************

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/24/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I booked a trip through Travelocity, activated Rakuten for cash back. Trip was completely on February ******* and now Im being told that the purchase is ineligible

      Business Response

      Date: 05/27/2025

      Hello ******,

      Rakuten has yet to receive credit for this Travelocity order, but we went ahead and added the Cash Back for this purchase to your account.

      Please note that for future Cash Back inquiries, we may need to submit them to the store for review, which can take a little while to resolve.

      To ensure all future Cash Back posts to your account automatically, please check out the following links:

      **********************************************************************************

      ***********************************************************************************

      You will notice your order is now in a pending status while it is being confirmed for payment. The time required for Cash Back to become eligible for payment and become "Confirmed" varies by store, but typically takes ****** days from the purchase date. Find more information about order statuses at: **************************************************************************************************************************

      PS: Be sure to install our browser extension so you never miss a deal on your desktop or laptop. No need to start your shopping at Rakuten.com, just shop like always and we will let you know when theres Cash Back right on store sites. Click here: ****************************************************
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/23/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I forgot the Rakuten payment dates, which caused my payment not to be sent on 05/15, I have now added the payment details and now Rakuten can do it. Thank you.

      Business Response

      Date: 05/27/2025

      Hello ******
       
      Our system periodically removes accounts that are in violation of the site's Terms of Use.
       
      We have found a number of accounts in violation of our program terms related to yours. Due to the abuse of our program, our risk department has ended membership for all related accounts.
       
      You can view the terms of membership on our site here: ***************************************************************

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