As of January 2023, Capital One Shopping’s Price Protection program will be paused.
Our favorite alternative to Capital One Price Protection is Rocket Money.
Have you ever bought something only to discover that the price dropped just a day or two later? If so, you know how frustrating it can be to find out you spent more than you would have had you waited.
Even if the store offers a price guarantee, getting your money back for the difference is a tedious process.
You usually have to contact customer service, show them your receipt or order confirmation, and where you saw a better price, and wait for them to approve the refund.
Plus, these refunds rely on you noticing the price fell. In many cases, shoppers never learn that they could get money back for the difference simply because they don’t see the price change. They are leaving money on the table and don’t even know it.
Enter Capital One Price Protection: the helpful app that can help get you refunds. Capital One Price Protection (formerly Paribus) helps find refunds and helps do the work for you.
What Is Capital One Price Protection?
The Capital One Price Protection app and web tool is a free service that helps you get refunds on online purchases when the price falls. In most cases, the app scans your emails to identify purchase receipts.
Then, it monitors the item (or items) on the store’s site to see if it sells for less within a specific window.
If the app finds a match between a purchase and a lower price, it initiates a refund request. Essentially, the app uses retailers’ price-matching policies to get your money back, acting as a middleman to get things handled.
You don’t even have to know that the price drop happened. The app handles it all for you. In some cases, for select products, you might need to call and fill out a form for a refund.
Security
Since Capital One Price Protection needs access to your email account, it’s natural to wonder about security. Luckily, Capital One Price Protection understands your concerns, so they have mechanisms in place to keep everything safe and secure.
Capital One Price Protection never stores the login information for your email account and stores all of your data using AES 128 encryption. Plus, they use multilevel security, including everything from firewalls to intrusion detection, to make sure their systems aren’t compromised.
Plus, they never sell your data. You don’t have to worry about Capital One Price Protection giving your information to any third party ever. However, Paribus, which is owned by Capital One, may use your data in accordance with its policies.
If you have concerns about them watching your email, consider creating an account solely for online shopping. That way, they never even encounter your personal or professional messages in the first place.
Fees
Capital One Price Protection is a completely free service. You don’t have to pay to sign up, use the app, or get refunds.
Is Capital One Price Protection Legit?
When something sounds too good to be true, it’s normal to wonder if it is a scam. While Capital One Price Protection certainly seems unbelievable, it is completely legit. The service does exactly what it says it will do; it looks for refunds that you might have missed.
As mentioned above, you aren’t guaranteed to get money just because you download the Capital One Price Protection app. It only works if you are actually eligible in accordance with the retailer’s price-matching policies.
If you rarely shop online or don’t shop at stores Capital One Price Protection monitors, you might not get any refunds because you aren’t owed any from retailers that connect with the app.
Getting Started
To use Capital One Price Protection, you either have to download the app or head to the website. Then, you create an account and connect it to the email address you use when you are shopping online. After that, you are ready to take advantage of the money-saving app.
Capital One Price Protection works with most popular email providers, including Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.
If you use another provider, Capital One Price Protection recommends creating a Gmail account for online shopping. Additionally, you can use Gmail to fetch emails from another account using the Mail Fetcher, ensuring Capital One Price Protection can scan your older purchases too.
The entire Capital One Price Protection signup process takes only a few minutes. It’s pretty much a “set it and forget it” style app, so after the quick onboarding, there really isn’t much left to do.
How Do You Get Your Refunds with Capital One Price Protection?
After connecting your email account, Capital One Price Protection looks for lower prices. If they find a match, they contact the retailer for you to see if you qualify for a refund. That’s right! You don’t have to do much to get your money back.
Once a refund is approved, the retailer actually issues the refund. Typically, it goes back to your original form of payment. For example, if you use a credit card, the money goes back to that card.
It works the same way for debit cards and gift cards too. The only exceptions are according to store policies, though these are fairly rare.
How Long Does It Take To Receive Your Refund?
Usually, it takes three to seven business days for refunds to arrive, though this varies by retailer. However, it’s important to understand that refunds are never guaranteed.
The Capital One Price Protection app only makes a request if it thinks you are eligible, and the retailer only approves refunds for those who qualify according to their internal policies.
Capital One Price Protection also keeps an eye out for late deliveries. If your package doesn’t show up on time, the app asks for compensation. Sometimes you might need to fill out a form, or make a phone call. As with refunds, the money is sent to your original credit, debit, or gift card, unless store policy states otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Capital One Price Protection App Work with Every Store?
No, Capital One Price Protection doesn’t work with every retailer. However, Capital One Shopping monitors purchases from 25+ major retailers.
Are There Any Capital One Price Protection Complaints?
There are some complaints out there about Capital One Price Protection. However, many of them appear to involve things they can’t actually control.
For instance, many people claim the app doesn’t work, saying that they have used it for months and never gotten a refund. However, this can happen if they never have a purchase that is eligible for a price adjustment or if the store itself denies the request.
The app isn’t a guaranteed way to get money. It only happens if there is a price drop during the qualifying period after purchase.
Do You Have to Use Capital One Price Protection to Get Refunds?
Sometimes you might need to email or call in to get your refund, but Capital One Price Protection takes care of most of the heavy lifting for you.
Without Capital One Price Protection, you have to reach out to customer service, make and justify your request, and go after your refund. With Capital One Price Protection, more of that work is handled for you, which is what makes it an attractive option for busy individuals who shop online.
Should You Try the Capital One Price Protection App?
Since signing up with Capital One Price Protection is free, it’s worth trying even if you don’t shop online often. If you are comfortable allowing the app to monitor your email, then give it a try. You may get an unexpected refund.
However, even if you don’t get any money back, using the app doesn’t hurt anything. Their system is secure, and you only pay if you get a refund, so the risk is incredibly minimal.
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