ViewZ + NewZ

I Have Zlata Thoughts Vol. 4

Apr 13, 2022

HelloZ from the Road!

My fam and I made a Spring Break for it this year, and this week’s newZletter comes to you live from San Diego. We’re out and about, enjoying all the sights worth seeing and critiquing restaurant food and service. Keep up with my adventures on Insta and Facebook!

Q&A: What’s the deal with Rakuten?

I’ve received several questions recently about the confusion around Rakuten Advertising and Rakuten Rewards. And you know what, it’s kinda fucking confusing, so I get it! Here’s the breakdown:

Rakuten Advertising: This is a competitor to ShareASale, PepperJam and other affiliate networks where the goal is to make profitable partnerships. Using the platform, you network with potential partners with other affiliates and merchants and grow your relationship so you both get more revenue. Everyone’s favorite win-win.

Rakuten Rewards: This is a completely separate cash-back program (FROM THE SAME COMPANY SO IT’S V CONFUSING) where brands apply to join the Rakuten rewards program. It’s formerly EBates BTW. Shoppers use a browser extension—this is like Honey, another popular rewards program—to track purchases. For every purchase, Rakuten Rewards gets a commission from the retailer, which is then shared with the member as cash-back.

TLDR: They’re both potential revenue opportunities for brands but with different goals and structures.