You do everything right: you click through a shopping portal, buy what you were going to buy anyway, and expect the cash back (or points) to show up later.
But there’s a growing snag that’s easy to miss: Safari.
Recently, a warning message started popping up via Cashback Monitor that basically says Safari may not reliably track cash back for a retailer, and suggests using another browser (like Chrome) instead. If you’ve never seen one of these warnings before, it’s the kind of thing that can explain why your portal rewards sometimes don’t post… even when you swear you did everything “correct.”
If you’re new to this whole strategy (or you want a quick refresher), here’s our guide to using portals and finding the best bonus before you buy:
How to use Cashback Monitor to find the best shopping portal bonus
Why Safari can be a problem for portal tracking
Shopping portals rely on tracking/attribution—usually cookies or similar “handoff” tech—to connect your click to your purchase. That handoff often looks like “cross-site tracking,” because it literally involves you going from Portal → Retailer.
Safari, meanwhile, has been tightening privacy protections for years, including anti-tracking features designed to limit cross-site tracking. That’s good for privacy, but it can be bad news for portal tracking—because the same tools that block advertisers from following you around the internet can also block the portal from getting credit for your order.
It’s not just one site warning about this
Cashback Monitor isn’t alone here. Rakuten has also published help content about situations where certain browsers may prevent cash back from tracking properly, and recommends workarounds like using their app (or switching browsers/devices) when a store won’t offer cash back in a particular browser.
Why this matters more than ever: Rakuten → Amex points
This isn’t only about “cash back.” A lot of points-and-miles folks use Rakuten specifically because you can choose to earn American Express Membership Rewards points instead of cash back. So if tracking fails, it’s not just a couple of bucks you’re missing—it could be a meaningful pile of Membership Rewards points you were counting on.
How to reduce portal tracking problems
None of this is foolproof, but these steps will give you the best odds of your portal rewards actually posting:
- Avoid Safari for portal shopping (especially if you see a warning). Use Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
- Start with a fresh browser window before you click through a portal. (Regular mode is usually safer than Private/Incognito for tracking.)
- Disable ad blockers/content blockers for the portal + retailer checkout flow.
- Empty your cart first, click through the portal, then add items and check out.
- Make the portal click your last click before purchase—don’t open coupon sites or other “deal” pages in between.
Rakuten also points out that certain software/settings (including cookie and blocker settings) can prevent cash back from activating—so if you’re someone who runs a lot of privacy tools, that can be another reason tracking fails.
Final Thought
Apple’s privacy features are doing what they’re designed to do. But portals depend on cross-site tracking, and Safari is increasingly the browser most likely to get in the way.
If you want the best chance of getting the portal points or cash back you earned—especially if you’re using Rakuten to earn Membership Rewards—do your portal shopping in a non-Safari browser, and start with a fresh window each time.
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