Loyalty reward programs have been used for decades to entice customers to shop at a specific store. Rewards include receiving discounts on current or future purchases, cash back on some or all purchases, or points that can be redeemed in a variety of ways.
You might call these first-party rewards programs. Programs such as Starbucks and Kroger rewards are examples of these first-party customer loyalty programs. These traditional loyalty products are great but are limited to purchases made with specific companies.
Today, patrons can often double and triple their rewards by taking advantage of these first-party loyalty programs, credit card rewards, and third-party reward programs.
Third-party rewards programs either work on behalf of a company to offer and manage their loyalty program for them or in addition to their first-party rewards program.
Here are five top third-party rewards programs.
1. Shop Your Way – (General Shopping)
Shop Your Way is an all-in-one rewards program that benefits people by allowing them to earn SYW points on everyday purchases such as groceries, clothing, travel, entertainment, and more. Once enough points are earned, they can be redeemed in-store or online at participating merchants, or for gift cards at hundreds, if not thousands, of popular stores.
To be eligible for rewards, you must shop at participating merchants and provide your member number when checking out. You can also browse offers and make purchases directly through the Shop Your Way Apple or Android app, and there’s a Shop Your Way Mastercard® credit card that allows you to earn even more by stacking rewards.
2. Thanks Again – (Travel Rewards)
Thanks Again is a third-party rewards program that enhances your air travel experience. By linking a Mastercard, American Express, Discover, or Visa credit or debit card, you can earn rewards for shopping at places predominantly found in and around airports. You can browse the Thanks Again website to easily find participating parking, dining, and other merchants.
Once enough rewards have been earned, they can be redeemed for cash back, hotel rewards, airline miles, rideshare credit, retail gift cards, and other “goodies.” Redemption amounts can vary, but the baseline redemption rate is 1,000 points for $10. Thanks Again rewards are typically earned at one point per dollar spent.
3. Fuel Rewards – (Save on Gas)
Fuel Rewards is a free loyalty program that rewards members with cents-per-gallon savings at Shell gas stations. It provides several membership tiers based on the number of fill-ups you do each quarter. It begins at 3 cents offer per gallon for the first three regular fill-ups of 10 gallons or more (Silver Status); 5 cents off per gallon when you do six or more regular fill-ups (Gold Status); and 10 cents off per gallon for twelve regular fill-ups. V-Power® and NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline count as two fills.
You can save even more per gallon by stacking your savings by shopping for various offers in the convenience store; online (5c/gal for every $50); at restaurants (10c/gal for every $50); on rental cars (5c/gal for every $50); or with other partner brands.
To earn rewards and save at the pump, you must either input your Alternate ID, scan your Fuel Rewards card, or use a linked credit or debit card at the time of the transaction. If you buy a ton of fuel, I recommend using a credit card like the Shell Fuel Rewards® Mastercard® to save even more and earn big rebates.
4. Neighborhood Nosh – (Dining Rewards)
Neighborhood Nosh (formerly iDine) is a loyalty service that allows people to earn points while dining at various restaurants. Members can earn 3%, 5%, or 10% cash back on dine-in or takeout orders at thousands of participating restaurants nationwide.
To earn rewards you need to link your credit or debit card to your Neighborhood Nosh account and then use your linked card to pay for your meal at one of the participating restaurants. Following your visit, you will be asked to leave a review of the restaurant within 30 days. Completion of this customer review is needed to receive cash back.
You will earn 3% cash back if you elect ‘not’ to receive email communication from Neighborhood Nosh; 5% cash back if you elect ‘to’ receive email communication and spend $750 or less in a calendar year; or 10% cash back if you elect ‘to’ receive email communication and spend more than $750.
After accumulating at least $20 in cash back, your earnings will be applied to your most recently used linked card.
5. Rakuten – (General Shopping)
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is a cash-back rewards platform that offers coupons and deals when you shop online or in-store at thousands of retailers worldwide. You can use its website, mobile app, or browser extension to search for cash back and other deals, and then get rewarded for purchases.
Viewing deals and getting credit for transactions is easy when browsing the Rakuten website or using the iOS or Android app. Installing Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Browser extensions makes it even easier, but you must ensure they are enabled when you make your purchases. Even then, transactions can get missed. However, they are pretty good at remedying missing transactions, but getting proper credit for some hotel stays can be a real pain in the butt.
To shop in-store you must link your credit card to Rakuten, then add relevant offers to your card.
Rakuten earns a commission from the stores and shares part of it with you as cashback. The company has some of the best third-party reward payouts in the industry, and payments are sent quarterly via PayPal or a check.