Guide to using online shopping portals to help maximize rewards
Quick insights
- A shopping portal is an online platform typically provided by a card issuer or bank that allows its cardmembers to shop and access discounts not available on retail sites.
- Using a shopping portal may help earn more rewards points than buying directly from the retailer’s site.
- You may not be able to apply outside discounts (like gift cards or coupon codes) on purchases made through an online shopping portal.
If you frequently shop online but don’t use a shopping portal, you may be missing out on earning extra points and discounts. When used effectively, making purchases through an online shopping portal could make a difference when it comes to maximizing your points and receiving discounts.
In this article, we will review what online shopping portals are and how to use them.
An overview of online shopping portals
A shopping portal is a place online (or on your mobile phone) where you make purchases using a singular platform. Using a shopping portal can help maximize your credit card’s rewards. Unlike card-specific deals that may only happen occasionally, shopping portals can serve as a hub where you can make purchases and may be able to earn extra points.
Different types of online shopping portals
Depending on the accounts you have, you may have access to different types of online shopping portals. For example, you may have a shopping portal linked specifically to your bank, where you access the portal through the bank’s mobile app.
How to use an online shopping portal
Rather than make a booking or purchase through an external shopping site, you would make your purchase through the online shopping portal of your choice. If you are interested in earning bonus points on purchases at retailers/brands, consider exploring your credit card-specific shopping portal.
If you want to travel, see if your bank has a travel portal where you can make your purchase and earn points/miles. You may also be able to do this through an airline or hotel-specific portal.
Be sure to follow the instructions for making your purchase through the portal to help ensure that you receive points you are able to earn.
Important tips and tricks for online shopping portals
Depending on the portal you use, you may want to be aware of the following:
- Rewards on certain purchases or retailers could change day to day
- You may not be able to apply outside discounts (like gift cards or coupon codes) on purchases made through an online shopping portal
- Keep an eye out for holiday or credit card-specific deals where you could earn even more points or receive special discounts
- Keep track of your points and look out for confirmation emails to help you stay on top of your rewards
Breaking down Chase Ultimate Rewards®
If you’re a Chase cardmember, you may have access to Chase Ultimate Rewards, an online dashboard where you can utilize Shop and Earn. This is Chase’s online shopping portal where you can shop and earn bonus points with hundreds of retailers. Note that you must be a cardmember with Freedom®, Sapphire® or Ink® card products to access Ultimate Rewards and Shop and Earn.
Using this platform can help you earn extra points when you make purchases at one of the 1,000+ participating retailers. This is one case where using your card’s rewards program can be particularly helpful when it comes to maximizing the points you earn.
