The cashback guide
How cashback works
A purchase, a referral commission and a share returned to the shopper. Here is what happens between those steps.
Voolty now explains cashback as an informational resource. The process below describes affiliate cashback programmes generally; Voolty no longer offers accounts or new cashback.
1. Check the offer before shopping
A programme sets the eligible store, products, countries and purchase types. It may offer a percentage of the qualifying order value or a fixed reward. New-customer offers may differ from offers for existing customers.
The qualifying amount can exclude shipping, taxes, gift cards or other items. Compare the final price with other stores and read the rules for coupon codes before deciding to buy.
2. A link records the referral
When a shopper follows an affiliate link, a network or merchant receives a referral identifier. Cookies and related tracking technologies may help connect that visit with a later purchase.
Attribution is not guaranteed. Cookie consent choices, privacy protections, ad blockers, switching browsers or devices, and clicking a competing referral link can affect which service receives credit. Respect your privacy preferences and read the programme’s tracking requirements.
3. The shopper buys from the merchant
The store takes payment, fulfils the order and handles customer service, delivery and returns. A cashback service refers the shopper; it does not normally sell the product itself.
The merchant reports the purchase to the network or service. A reward may then appear as pending. That means a sale has been reported, not that the commission is final.
4. The sale is validated and the commission is paid
The merchant checks eligibility and waits for relevant return or cancellation periods. It can approve, adjust or decline the transaction. A return, partial refund, cancelled booking, excluded coupon or missing attribution may affect the outcome.
After approval, the merchant pays a referral commission, sometimes through an affiliate network. The service shares the agreed portion with the shopper according to that programme’s terms. Network settlement and reward availability may happen at different times.
Who pays for cashback?
Merchants use affiliate commissions as a marketing cost: they pay for qualifying sales brought by another business. Networks provide tracking, reporting and payment coordination. The cashback service funds its operating costs from the part of the commission it keeps.
This is why many programmes can be free to join without adding a separate charge to the shopper’s order. The product still costs money, and a cashback offer does not guarantee the best price. Always check for programme fees or conditions.
Pending and confirmed are different
- Pending
- A reported reward awaiting validation. Its amount can change and it can still be declined.
- Confirmed
- An approved reward under the programme’s rules. Approval does not necessarily mean the network has already settled the commission or that it is immediately available.
- Declined
- A transaction the merchant or network has not accepted for commission, for example after a return, cancellation or eligibility check.
Tracking may appear within hours or days, but reporting can take longer. Validation often takes weeks or months; travel purchases may wait until after the stay or journey. There is no single deadline that applies to every merchant or programme.
If a purchase does not track
Keep the order confirmation, purchase date and the offer conditions you saw. Check the relevant programme’s missing-transaction process and deadlines. A purchase receipt can help an investigation, but does not by itself prove an affiliate referral or guarantee a reward.
If your question concerns a historical Voolty balance, use our contact page. For more explanations, visit the FAQ.