What we verify on each retailer page
Every retailer page goes through a documented verification process before publication and on a recurring cadence after. Specifically, we verify:
- Cashback portal rates. We log into each major portal (Rakuten, TopCashback, Active Junky, and regional equivalents) and record the current rate. We compare against our 12-month rolling average and flag the current rate as high, normal, or low.
- Amex Offer status. We check across multiple Amex accounts on our editorial team to determine which offers are currently live.
- Credit card category coding. We confirm how the retailer codes on the major premium cards using awardwallet.com and our own test transactions.
- Promo code activity. We test any codes circulating publicly. We do not publish codes we haven't personally tested.
- Referral program mechanics. We confirm the current structure, the activation URL pattern, and whether referrals stack with portals.
- Historical sale patterns. We review our internal archive of named sale windows over the prior three years.
- Exclusions and fine print. Category exclusions, gift card restrictions, known tracking failure modes.
How often we verify
Different elements have different cadences because they change at different rates.
| What we verify | Cadence |
|---|---|
| Cashback portal rates | Weekly |
| Amex Offer status | Bi-weekly (aligned to Amex's 1st/15th refresh) |
| Promo code activity | Weekly |
| Referral program mechanics | Quarterly, unless we receive a tip |
| Credit card category coding | Quarterly |
| Historical sale patterns | Annually, after each named window |
| Exclusions and fine print | Annually, or on reader reports |
The "Last verified" date displayed at the top of each retailer page reflects the most recent full cashback-and-offer check. If a page hasn't been re-verified in over 14 days, we display a warning on the page asking readers to confirm the current rate at the portal before checkout.
Our verification process, step by step
For each retailer, the recurring verification cycle is:
- Open a clean browser session with no active affiliate cookies and ad blockers disabled.
- Log into Rakuten, TopCashback, and Active Junky in sequence. Record the live rate on each portal's retailer page along with a screenshot.
- Log into each editorial Amex account and search the retailer's name in the Offers tab.
- Test the retailer's referral program by initiating (but not completing) a checkout flow with a referral link applied.
- Search Reddit for any promo codes posted in the prior 14 days. Test any codes against an active cart.
- Update the retailer page with the new rates, offer status, and verification date.
- If the cashback rate has changed meaningfully (±25% from the prior verification), trigger a same-day email to subscribers of that retailer's alert list.
The full process takes 10-15 minutes per retailer per verification cycle.
Conflict of interest policy
Stackable earns affiliate commissions on a portion of the outbound links we publish. This creates a structural incentive that we manage with the following policies:
We use the same retailer-page template whether or not we earn commission. When the best action is non-monetized ("wait for Black Friday," "buy at the outlet store"), we make that recommendation explicitly and prominently.
No retailer, brand, cashback portal, or credit card issuer can pay to be ranked higher, featured in our hero sections, or recommended in our editorial copy.
When two reasonable strategies exist and one pays us more than the other, we disclose this explicitly on the retailer page. The reader gets the math; the reader decides.
We choose which retailers to cover based on reader requests, search volume, and our judgment. We don't take inbound requests from brands or affiliate networks to add or drop coverage.
We don't publish sponsored retailer pages, sponsored newsletter sections, or any content where a brand has paid for editorial control. If we ever launch a paid sponsorship slot, it will be visually and verbally labeled distinctly from editorial coverage.
How we choose retailers to cover
We add retailers based on:
- Reader requests via the newsletter, tips@stackable.deals, and Reddit DMs
- Search demand, we prioritize retailers where readers actively search for "best way to buy [brand]"
- Stack quality, retailers where multiple legitimate stack layers exist
- Editorial fit, retailers in the premium, premium-luxury, and considered-purchase categories
We currently focus on luggage, tech, luxury fashion, home, travel, and credit card optimization. We expand to adjacent categories quarterly.
What we don't cover
- Fast fashion and discount-first retailers
- Drop-shipping or marketplace listings (Amazon third-party sellers, AliExpress)
- Cryptocurrency-based cashback platforms
- "Get paid to" survey or rewards apps
- Retailers operating outside the US and English-speaking European markets (planned for v2)
These exclusions are editorial judgments, not commentary on the categories themselves. They simply don't fit our audience or our stack-research methodology.
Errors and corrections
We make mistakes. When we do, we correct them transparently:
- Material errors (incorrect cashback rate, expired offer presented as active, wrong referral link) are corrected within 24 hours of identification, with a correction notice posted at the bottom of the affected page for 30 days.
- Minor errors (typos, broken non-revenue links) are corrected silently.
- Strategic disagreements (a reader believes our recommended stack isn't optimal) are evaluated case-by-case. If we agree, we update the page and credit the reader unless they request otherwise.
To report an error: corrections@stackable.deals. Include the URL and a description of the issue.
This methodology document was last reviewed and updated on May 27, 2026. We review and re-publish it at least quarterly.