Quidco, Cashback Site: Scam or Legitimate?

First, how does it work?

For users it’s a simple three step process: Browse > Shop > Get Paid.

Browse.
Visit Quidco.com and find the retailer you want to shop with, use the link Quidco provides to access the retailer’s site. This step is crucial, you won’t get cashback if you navigate the retailer directly. You must go via Quidco.com.

Shop.
Once you arrive at the retailer’s site, just shop as normal.

Get Paid.
Once your purchase is tracked by Quidco they will send you an email letting you know. Once your transaction is confirmed by the retailer you get paid (again Quidco will let you know). Each retailer has a different payout time, but you can check the status of cashback transactions in your account on Quidco.com anytime.

Now, lets clear up some myths

Myth #1: It’s a scam.

Quidco is most definitely not a scam. To date, I have earned over £200 using Quidco (see the screenshot below). Now I’d like to point out that I’m not a prolific shopper and could definitely make better use of Quidco myself, but if you do a little research among friends and other bloggers you’ll find people who have earnings way higher than mine, I’ve even seen some in the thousands.

If first-hand accounts from myself, your friends, or family aren’t enough, check out Quidco’s Trustpilot score; they have 4.5/5 stars, with over 90,000 reviews!

Myth #2: They’re inflating the purchase prices to cover the cashback

There is a straightforward way to prove this wrong. Visit any Quidco retailer by going direct to their site; for example, Currys PC World, let’s pretend you’re buying a new laptop. Find the laptop you intend to buy, note the price. Now head over to Quidco, search for Currys PC World, and go to their site via the cashback link. Again, find for the laptop you where looking at earlier, note the price. Yes, it’s still the same price! It’s not inflated.

Myth #3: It doesn’t work.

Quidco provides stats on each retailers page, they show Tracking reliability (percentage of transactions successfully tracked), Tracking Speed (how long it takes to show as ‘Tracked’ on your account), and Payment Speed (how long it takes from being ‘Tracked’ to being credited to your Quidco account).
Always check these stats before you make a purchase so you have realistic expectations of when you will receive your cashback.

From my own personal experience, I have made 210 transactions and 10 of those were declined for various reasons. That’s less than 5% of my transactions, a 95% success rate*.

(*Correct at time of publication)

But, my transactions didn’t track, what happened?

The tracking used to link your purchase to Quidco does require the use of cookies. Blocking or declining cookies, along with the use of any ad blockers in your browser may affect this tracking. If you have had issues with transactions not tracking, make sure you are accepting cookies and you’ve disabled any ad blockers.

So, how do Quidco make money and give their customers cashback?

It’s simple. Quidco are affiliates of all the retailers on their site.

Speaking plainly: This means they earn a commission when they direct buyers to the retailer. This commission is usually a percentage of the final purchase amount and varies from one retailer to another. Quidco then passes on part of that commission to you, that’s your cashback.

So, I can assure you Quidco is not a scam, it is a legitimate way to make money back on your purchases. They’re not inflating prices or using any other dishonest methods of making money.

What are you waiting for? Sign up and start earning cashback on your shopping today!

Have you used Quidco? How much have you earned? Let me know about your experiences in the comments below.

Looking for more ways to save money?
Check out some other posts in my ‘Money Matters’ series:

Beginners Guide To Creating A Budget
A Guide To Cashless Budgeting
7 Ways To Stick To Your Budget With Ease
Budgeting As A Couple

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