Rakuten is offering 15% cash back at Lululemon, Nike and more until Wednesday

Rakuten's biggest cash-back event of the year — the Big Stack Event — is back, running Oct. 6-8. And there are some pretty legit offers you don't want to accidentally miss during early holiday sales.

Right now, Rakuten is offering elevated cash-back bonuses for purchases at retailers such as PetSmart, Dermstore, Lululemon, Bergdorf Goodman, Athleta, GetYourGuide, Bombas, Samsonite and many more.

With Rakuten, you can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points instead of cash back if you want. So, instead of getting 15% cash back, you could earn 15 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar spent. This can yield a significantly higher value overall if you maximize the points with Amex travel partners.

Plus, though the Big Stack Event is advertising 15% cash back, we've found some offers as high as 20%.

Those new to Rakuten can get an even better deal right now and layer on a $50 bonus on their first $50 spent at an eligible retailer. This is higher than the normal $30 referral bonus for new users.

Here's what you need to know about increased cash-back opportunities with Rakuten.

Increased cash back with Rakuten

To earn cash-back rewards or Membership Rewards points when shopping online, begin your shopping trip on the Rakuten website.

Once there, search for your desired store and click to be redirected to the retailer's website. After you make a qualifying purchase, Rakuten will track your transaction and add bonus rewards to your account, generally within a couple of days.

Here are some of the retailers offering 10%-20% cash back through Rakuten from Oct. 6-8 during the Big Stack Event:

Travel

• Etihad Airways
• Expedia
• GetYourGuide
• Homes & Villas by Marriott
• Hotels.com
• Samsonite
• Viator

General shopping

• Athleta
• Bombas
• Carter's
• Crocs
• Dermstore
• DSW
• Gap
• KitchenAid
• Lego
• Lululemon
• PetSmart
• Ulta

With 15% cash back at Lululemon, now is a great time to stack that deal on top of the new statement credit on the American Express Platinum Card®. Cardholders can enjoy up to $75 in statement credits at Lululemon every quarter, up to $300 per calendar year. (Outlets are excluded, and the credit only applies to purchases at U.S. stores and online; enrollment is required.)

The best credit cards for shopping online

Rakuten users will earn cash back and any earnings on the rewards credit card they use at the selected retailers. At most merchants participating in these promotions, you'll want to pay with a credit card that earns bonus points and miles on everyday purchases, such as:

• Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees): Earn 5% back on up to $1,500 spent in quarterly rotating categories (that you must activate to benefit from), including Old Navy, department stores and Chase Travel℠.
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Earn 3% cash back on online purchases from U.S. retailers (on the first $6,000 spent during a calendar year, then 1% cash back until the following year). Cash back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits or amazon.com checkout.
• Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Rakuten also released its first-ever credit card earlier this year. The Rakuten American Express® Card is a no-annual-fee card that offers 4 points per dollar spent (or 4% cash back) on top of what you earn with Rakuten, 10 points per dollar spent (or 10% cash back) on Rakuten restaurant partners, 2 points per dollar spent (or 2% cash back) on groceries and restaurants, and 1 point per dollar spent (or 1% cash back) on everything else.

For additional options, see our favorite cards for online shopping.

The information for the Rakuten American Express Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

Whether you're shopping early for the holidays or booking a last-minute trip, now is the time to take advantage of increased cash-back opportunities. To ensure you choose the right option with the best rewards for your planned purchase, compare all the different cash-back sites before you buy, as Rakuten is not always the top choice.

Remember that new Rakuten shoppers can earn a $50 cash bonus when they spend at least $50 on a qualifying purchase within the first 90 days from becoming a member.

Many eligible merchants for these promotions also participate in credit card merchant offers. So, it's smart to check whether a merchant has an offer through Amex Offers, Chase Offers, Citi Merchant Offers and American Airlines AAdvantage's SimplyMiles program before making your purchase.

Related reading:

• Your guide to maximizing shopping portals for your online purchases
• Quick Points: Supercharge your Rakuten earnings with Amex points
• How to earn more points and maximize elite status benefits by double dipping