5 Reasons Your Cashback Got Declined (& What To Do About It)

Cashback been declined? It’s happened to me before and it’s annoying! But there is usually a pretty obvious reason for it. In this post, I’ll talk you through reasons why your cashback gets declined and what to do about it.

Why has my cashback been declined?

Here are the main reasons why your cashback didn’t track or got declined:

1. You didn’t clear your cookies first

Have you been shopping around and used a few different comparison sites before making a purchase? This can confuse the retailer, as they can’t clearly track which site you’ve actually used.

A a result, they might reward the wrong website for a sale. E.g. TopCashback instead of Quidco. This means you won’t get paid cashback either.

What to do: The best thing you can do to stop this happening is to clear your cookies before you shop online. This allows the retailer to correctly track the last site you clicked on before you bought something from their website.

If you’re unsure how to do this, check out my guide on how to clear your cookies.

2. You used a voucher code from another site

Using vouchers at a check out can invalidate your cashback. If you’ve entered a voucher code from a third-party website e.g. Voucher Codes or used a browser extension like Honey, your cashback may be declined. Sometimes, gift card codes can also invalidate cashback.

What to do: Only use voucher codes featured on retailer pages of the cashback site you’re using. Avoid using any other voucher codes you’ve found on other sites.

3. You returned all (or part of) your order

If you return something that you purchased or cancel your order, then you won’t get cashback. That’s partly why cashback takes a while to confirm. So they can check your order has passed the returns window.

Even if you only return part of your order, the amount of cashback you receive will change. You might not get any cashback at all if other items in your order aren’t eligible for cashback.

What to do: There isn’t really much you can do here to be honest! If you don’t like what you’ve bought, there isn’t any point in keeping it for the sake of a small cashback bonus. It’s worth checking my next point about eligible orders though…

4. The product you bought wasn’t eligible for cashback

Sometimes brands only offer cashback on specific items. For example, Argos might have 2% on all electrical devices, or 1% cashback on household appliances. If you visit Argos via a cashback site link, but you don’t buy any of these items, you won’t receive any cashback.

Similarly, if you buy a product that is on an excluded list, you won’t get cashback either.

What to do: Check on the retailer page for any terms and exclusions before you plan a purchase

5. The retailer has ceased training

If a retailer has gone into administration and stopped trading then unfortunately, you won’t receive your cashback. Sadly, there’s nothing you can do in this situation. Fortunately, though, this is pretty rare.

What do I do if my cashback didn’t track?

Sometimes there is just a glitch and your cashback doesn’t track. This is different to cashback being declined. When your cashback has been declined, it will show on your cashback account statement as ‘declined’. However, when it doesn’t track, it doesn’t appear on your statement at all.

If you notice cashback missing on your statement, you can submit a cashback missing claim form on the cashback website.

There is a certain timeframe for this, so it’s important to submit your claim as soon as you can. The cashback site will need evidence of your order and what date you made the purchase(s) so they can check how much cashback you should have received.

Help! My missing cashback claim was rejected?

In most situations, if you can prove you’re owed cashback, your claim will be approved. However, there are some instances where your cashback claim might be rejected. If this happens, you can appeal it if you have more evidence.

Sometimes, though, there is nothing more you can do and you have to accept their decision. Again, this very rarely happens and in more cases than not, the cashback site will add the cashback to your account if you have sufficient evidence.

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