Taobao Cashback: Full Comparison Between ShopBack and Refundy

When it comes to cashback on Taobao—the largest e-commerce platform in China—ShopBack has traditionally been one of the go-to services for users in Southeast Asia. As one of the earliest players in the cashback space, ShopBack built a reputation with a wide partner network and broad consumer reach.

However, in recent years, a new competitor from South Korea has emerged: Refundy. Originally dominating the Korean Taobao user base, Refundy is now expanding globally with a specialized offering aimed at both everyday consumers and professional resellers.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at how Refundy stacks up against ShopBack, specifically referencing ShopBack Singapore, since ShopBack U.S. does not support Taobao cashback at all. While ShopBack Korea technically does support Taobao cashback, its benefit level is significantly lower than the Singapore headquarters version—making the Singapore variant a more appropriate point of comparison.

So, how does the rising challenger from Korea compare to the incumbent cashback giant? Let’s dive into a point-by-point analysis.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to disparage any competitor, but rather to provide a fair and informative comparison. All information is sourced directly from the respective official websites.

1. Cashback Percentage: How Much Are You Really Getting Back?

Let’s start with the most obvious and perhaps most impactful metric: cashback rate.

• ShopBack (Singapore): Offers up to 5% cashback on Taobao purchases.

• Refundy: Offers up to 8% cashback, depending on the product and category.

At first glance, this 3% difference might not sound dramatic. But if you’re a frequent shopper, or especially if you're a dropshipper, that 3% delta becomes a huge factor in profitability. Imagine spending $5,000–$10,000 a month on Taobao products. That’s potentially an extra $150–$300 per month in cashback—just by switching platforms.

Refundy’s higher percentage isn’t a promotional gimmick either. It’s built into their business model, enabled by tighter partnerships with Chinese platforms and a leaner, more focused infrastructure. Simply put, Refundy can pass more value back to the user.

2. Cashback Approval Period: How Long Do You Have to Wait?

Cashback isn't instant gratification—it involves a verification process. Especially with platforms like Taobao, cashback is only confirmed after:

• Order completion

• Receipt confirmation

• Return/refund window closure

• Final merchant validation

Most platforms treat this process as a black box and give vague timelines.

• ShopBack: According to official guidelines, cashback confirmation can take over 100 days.

• Refundy: Has streamlined its backend process to reduce this to just 90 days—among the fastest in the Chinese cashback industry.

This difference of 10–20 days may seem minor, but if you’re managing high volume or complex sourcing workflows, faster cashback means quicker reinvestment and better cash flow management.

3. Who Is Allowed to Earn Cashback? Consumers Only vs. Everyone

Here’s a detail that many users overlook—who is allowed to earn cashback?

• ShopBack: Explicitly prohibits resellers and commercial buyers from receiving cashback.
  Their FAQ states:

  “If you are purchasing for resale or commercial purposes, your cashback may be forfeited.”

• Refundy: Welcomes all users—including resellers, agents, and dropshippers.
  In fact, Refundy is designed around their needs. The platform assumes you're buying repeatedly, in volume, and often on behalf of others. It’s not just allowed—it’s encouraged.

This makes Refundy a much more attractive option for serious e-commerce operators who need to squeeze every bit of efficiency from their sourcing process.

4. Additional Benefits: Is There More Than Just Cashback?

ShopBack, like many generalist cashback platforms, typically sticks to just cashback. Occasionally, they offer referral bonuses or limited-time promotions, but that’s about it.

Refundy, on the other hand, includes a unique and highly practical feature: the Discount Refund Program.

Here’s how it works:

• Let’s say you buy a product today for $20.

• A week later, the price drops to $17.

• If your purchase was eligible for cashback through Refundy, you can claim back the $3 price difference—automatically.

This feature is especially powerful on platforms like Taobao and AliExpress where prices fluctuate often. Sometimes, your discount refund ends up being higher than your actual cashback. This is a rare benefit in the cashback world, and it further increases Refundy’s appeal to professional buyers.

5. Industry Specialization and Customer Support Quality

Let’s talk about support and user experience—an area where specialization truly matters.

• ShopBack: As a generalized cashback platform with hundreds of affiliate merchants, its customer service is built for volume, not for depth. If an issue arises with a Taobao order, you may wait days for a reply—only to receive a templated response that doesn’t address the core problem.

• Refundy: Focuses exclusively on Chinese commerce platforms. Their team understands the intricacies of:

  • Taobao’s refund system

  • AliExpress’s tracking and dispute flows

  • The logistics of sourcing and order splitting

If you encounter an issue, you’re talking to a specialist—not a generic support bot. This level of contextual awareness translates into faster, more relevant support, especially when your cash flow is on the line.

6. Designed for Profit Optimization: Built with Sellers in Mind

One of the biggest differences between ShopBack and Refundy lies in their core design philosophy.

• ShopBack: Built for casual shoppers looking to save a bit here and there.

• Refundy: Built for people whose livelihood depends on maximizing profit—resellers, agents, and dropshippers.

Refundy includes features like:

• Cashback dashboards that show cumulative earnings

• Order-level cashback breakdowns

• Price tracking tools that integrate with Taobao’s order history

These are not just bells and whistles. They’re tools that help you run your business better.

Conclusion

If you're shopping on Taobao—and especially if you're running a business as a dropshipper or purchasing agent—then the choice becomes obvious:
Refundy isn't just a better cashback service. It's the right tool for your business.

With:

• Higher cashback rates (up to 8% on Taobao, up to 11% on AliExpress)

• Faster payout timelines

• Full support for commercial users

• A powerful discount refund system

• And a team deeply familiar with the Chinese e-commerce ecosystem

…it’s hard to argue against the numbers.

In fact, the discount refund feature alone can sometimes outweigh the cashback value itself, especially when you're dealing with fluctuating pricing on Chinese platforms. And when you combine that with cashback, you’re stacking your profit potential in a way that no generalist platform like ShopBack can offer.

So do your homework. Compare wisely. And if you're serious about maximizing your ROI on Taobao, Refundy deserves a spot in your workflow.