You may be familiar with eBates, a company that sends shoppers a fixed percentage rebate from their online shopping as long as they click on the site from the eBates site. Now the rebates are invading real life, too, and will be available at physical stores too.

The selection so far is limited but a decent variety of stores and restaurants, with the highest rebates offers (5%) for GNC, the restaurant Claim Jumper, and offers of 4% for Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Kiehl’s stores.

eBates earns money through affiliate fees: they get a cut from every purchase that shoppers make through their site, and turn around and pass some of that cut on to shoppers.

The offline rebates require a few steps ahead of time.

1. You have to sign up for an eBates account. That’s sort of a given.

2. You have to register the credit or debit card number that you plan to use with eBates.

3. You have to add brick-and-mortar stores to your eBates account before making the purchase. This is key: it might be the force that drives you to go to one similar store over another, or to buy from one retailer over another when prices are the same.

That step is a little less onerous if you use the eBates app, since you can activate offers while you’re out shipping, but then they’ve encouraged you to install their app.

If one store has an identical item for 5% cheaper, but another store offers an 8% rebate, then you may be better off waiting for the rebate.

Ebates Announces New In-Store Cash Back Program [Press Release]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.