Shopping Rules & Tips

There are rare cases where cashback doesn't land in your account after a purchase. Almost every one of them is avoidable. Follow the simple rules below and your cashback tracks the first time, every time.

Ad blockers

When buying through our service, using any ad blocker (AdBlock and friends) is strictly off-limits — they break the tracking of your order. How to switch yours off 

Third-party extensions

Assorted "helper" plugins for AliExpress and the like steal your cashback. Switch them off before you buy. Check what's installed in your browser's extensions page.

Other cashback extensions

Extensions from competing cashback services intercept your cashback. Use only ours.

Store mobile apps

Buying inside a store's own app usually earns no cashback — most stores haven't wired up app tracking properly. Shop through the store's website, or use our app to shop with cashback on your phone.

Store bonus programmes

When checking out, don't use third-party bonus or points programmes. They conflict with our tracking.

Ordering by phone

After clicking through from us, you must complete the order in the store's basket. Orders placed over the phone earn nothing.

Fill the basket after, not before

Add items to the basket only after arriving from our service. If you filled it earlier — empty it, come through us, and fill it again.

Don't close the browser

Place the order in one browser session, without closing the window. If your computer freezes mid-way, come back through us again, empty the basket, refill it and pay.

Codes from other sites

Using a promo code found somewhere else voids your cashback at almost every store. Use only the codes on our site.

Returns & cancellations

Cancelled, refunded or returned purchases don't earn cashback. Partial refunds may reduce the cashback amount.

Missing cashback

If your order hasn't appeared in your Cashback history within 7 days, you can file a Missing Cashback claim. There's no need to report it earlier — but don't wait too long.

Go to Missing Cashback 

Missing cashback decisions

We investigate missing orders with the store or its affiliate network. The store or network makes the final decision on cashback eligibility.

No cashback service in the world guarantees 100% tracking — treat it as a very likely bonus, not a certainty. But follow the rules above and your odds are as good as they get.

Less Common — But Still Worth Knowing

The rules above cover 90% of what breaks tracking. The rest is edge cases — worth reading once so nothing surprises you.

Third-party sellers on marketplaces

Marketplace items sold by third-party sellers (not the marketplace itself) usually earn no cashback. Look for "Sold by [marketplace]" on the product page.

Business or bulk orders

Orders paid by a business account, invoiced to a company, or placed in bulk often go through a separate B2B checkout that isn't tracked. Cashback is for personal orders.

Store credit & layaway plans

Paying with the store's own credit account, layaway plan or financing partner often bypasses the tracking cookie. Standard payment methods (card, PayPal) track normally.

Antivirus or firewall blocking

Some antivirus suites (rare, but it happens) block tracking pixels as if they were ads. If you use one and cashback consistently misses, add secretdiscounter.net to the exceptions list.

Returned or cancelled orders

Cashback is paid on what you keep. If you return the item or the order gets cancelled, the cashback is removed from your balance too — even if it had already shown as Pending.

Gift cards, taxes & shipping

Cashback is calculated on the item subtotal — not on gift card purchases, taxes, shipping, or handling fees. Same at every cashback service, this one isn't a surprise.

Cashback didn't track?

If you followed the rules and it still went missing, we'll chase the store for you.

Report a missing order 