Shop Through Chase guide

Credit card rewards are extremely valuable — from helping you book award tickets for your next trip to helping you pay off a purchase, there are a myriad of ways to leverage them. 

If you’re looking to get even more out of your rewards credit card, shopping portals can offer immense value. The Shop Through Chase program allows cardholders to accrue additional points from their regular purchases when they link through the program. With an eligible Chase credit card, the Shop Through Chase program can help you to earn even more rewards and additional deals on your routine online shopping.

What is Shop Through Chase?

Shop Through Chase is the online shopping portal for Chase Ultimate Rewards. This program rewards you for shopping with hundreds of participating retailers. When you visit the program portal, you’ll find offers from hundreds of participating retailers. Deals can include discounts on your purchases as well as opportunities to earn additional Ultimate Rewards points for your order. 

For example, you may receive 3X points per dollar spent on your order with a retailer such as Best Buy. The program also aggregates retailer sales, offering easy ways to see the best promo codes to use for an additional discount.

How much can you earn with Shop Through Chase?

The program’s catalog of retailers and promotional offers changes often, so exact reward rates can vary. You’ll see offers to earn anywhere from 1X to 8X Ultimate Rewards points, with most offers landing in the 1X to 4X points range. This is a solid deal since Ultimate Rewards points are among the most valuable rewards. They can be worth around 2.0 cents apiece when transferred to a high-value travel partner, according to Bankrate’s latest valuations.

The best part is that you can earn unlimited points with Shop Through Chase, as it can scale to your order total. If you choose to use your Ultimate Rewards-earning card at checkout, you can also earn your standard rewards rate on top of the Shop Through Chase bonus offer. Unless there’s a merchant-specific restriction on a deal (you might not be able to buy gift cards, for instance), no spending limit means you could earn considerably more points on a large purchase just by clicking the retailer’s Shop Through Chase link.

Who is eligible to use Shop Through Chase?

You must be an active Chase credit cardholder with access to the Ultimate Rewards program to use this Chase shopping portal. To access the site, log into the Ultimate Rewards website and visit the Shop Through Chase section to see available offers. Chase co-branded cards, such as those with airline and hotel brands, are not eligible for the Shop Through Chase program.

How to use Shop Through Chase

Using Shop Through Chase is a breeze since it essentially works like a promo referral link. All you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account online or via the Chase mobile app. Once logged in to your account, you’ll be asked to select the card you want to use to access the program. If you only have one card, then it’ll default to that card.
2. Navigate to the “Shopping & Experiences” tab at the top of the screen. From there, you’ll click on the “Shop & earn bonus points” option.
   

   

3. Browse for a retailer. You can use a search box in the upper right corner to find specific retailers, browse the featured offers under “Top stores” or click “View all stores” for a list of all the current merchants. You can also take a look at trending offers and offers from stores you’ve favorited.

   

4. Click on the “Shop Now” button on the offer you want. Once you find the special offer you’re looking for and click on its “Shop Now” button, you’ll be redirected to the retailer’s site to complete your purchase.
5. Complete your transaction and wait for your points. After you’ve wrapped up your shopping, your bonus Shop Through Chase points will appear in your account by your next statement.

Which stores are on Shop Through Chase?

Shop Through Chase merchants and offers change frequently, but the store list contains hundreds of top retailers. Some examples of the types of retailers in the program include:

• Department stores, such as Macy’s, Kohl’s and Sears
• Clothing and apparel, such as Nike, Adidas, L.L. Bean and Lululemon
• Beauty and accessories, such as Ulta, Ray-Ban and Sephora
• Electronics, such as Microsoft, Apple and Lenovo
• Home improvement, such as Ace Hardware, Home Depot and Lowe’s
• Services and subscriptions, such as Verizon and BlueApron
• Business expenses, such as FedEx, VistaPrint and Staples

Shop Through Chase vs. Chase Offers

In addition to the Shop Through Chase program, Chase also runs a program called Chase Offers. Instead of getting bonus points on virtual purchases like you do with Shop Through Chase, you’ll get a limited-time cash back rate on each offer from Chase Offers you activate for select physical and online merchants. Here’s a more detailed breakdown between the two:

Chase Offers routinely offers deals like a 5 percent cash back offer on Lyft rides or even a $10 cash back offer from TurboTax. Past offers have also included ones for Amazon, Panera and Disney Plus.

You can use both Shop Through Chase and Chase Offers to maximize your shopping rewards across a wider range of spending categories.

Tips for earning the most from Shop Through Chase

When used effectively, Shop Through Chase can be a helpful tool for accumulating points more quickly. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Check regularly. Shop Through Chase promotions are always changing, so keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity worth pairing with a planned purchase.
• Read the offer terms carefully. Although the bonus points earned from Shop Through Chase are unlimited, each merchant may apply restrictions to their bonus offers, such as how many points you can earn or what you can purchase.
• Look for an offer before a large purchase. If you have sizable purchases coming up that can be made online — like your holiday shopping — check Shop Through Chase first to rack up easy points.
• Stack other rewards opportunities. When using Shop Through Chase, check if you can maximize your reward by pairing it with a Chase Offers deal, if available.
• Boost your rewards for travel. If you hold one of the Chase Sapphire credit cards or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can bump up the value of your points by 25 percent to 50 percent when you redeem them for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal.

Best credit cards to use with Shop Through Chase

Determining the best Chase credit cards for your Shop Through Chase rewards boils down to which cards fit your spending habits and preferred redemption options. After all, a shopping portal is useless if there’s nothing you want to buy.

Here are some example Chase cards that you can use to earn and maximize rewards points on your Chase shopping portal purchases:

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

• Rewards rate

  • 5 percent cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
  • 3 percent cash back on dining purchases
  • 3 percent cash back on drugstore purchases
  • 1.5 percent cash back on other purchases

• Bankrate’s view

  If you’re looking for the most consistent rewards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a strong choice. This no-annual-fee card guarantees at least 1.5 percent cash back on all Shop Through Chase purchases and can be used to pool points with a Chase travel card.

Chase Freedom Flex®

• Rewards rate

  • 5 percent cash back on activated bonus category purchases each quarter (on up to $1,500, then 1 percent)
  • 5 percent cash back on travel purchases through Chase Travel℠
  • 5 percent cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
  • 3 percent cash back on dining
  • 3 percent cash back on drugstore purchases
  • 1 percent cash back on all other purchases

• Bankrate’s view

  A no-annual-fee rotating bonus category card like the Chase Freedom Flex®* could earn you up to 5 percent cash back (up to $1,500 each quarter in an activated category, then 1 percent). However, you’ll have to make sure that there is a Shop Through Chase offer that aligns with your bonus categories each time you use it. Like the Freedom Unlimited, you can also use the Freedom Flex to pool rewards with a Chase travel card for added value.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Rewards rate

  • 10X points on Chase Dining purchases
  • 10X points on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
  • 10X points on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
  • 5X points on air travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (after earning your $300 travel credit)
  • 3X points on general travel (after earning your $300 travel credit)
  • 3X points on dining
  • 1X points on all other purchases

• Bankrate’s view

  The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, making it the most expensive card on this list. It doesn’t have a high rewards rate for shopping-related purchases, but it does boost the value of your points by 50 percent when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel℠. If you’re trying to rack up points for an upcoming trip, you can use this card to make your points stretch even further.

The bottom line

Shop Through Chase can be a valuable program to gain additional Ultimate Rewards points for your planned purchases. While it does require purchasing via specific links, it can be well worth the time to search the portal before making a purchase. The rewards aren’t always on par with your credit card’s rewards rates, but unlimited 1X to 10X points back on a large purchase can make a difference when redeemed for cash back or travel.

*The information about the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.