Ibotta's business model is built on selling consumer purchase data to brands and research companies. Every receipt you scan—regardless of whether you earn cashback—feeds into detailed consumer profiles. This data becomes Ibotta's primary product, sold to companies seeking to understand and influence purchasing decisions.
| Data Type | Collected | Shared | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Purchase History | Every item on receipts | Brand partners | Consumer research firms |
| Shopping Locations | Store names, addresses | Retailers | Location analytics |
| Purchase Timing | Dates, times, frequency | Analytics partners | Behavioral data |
| Loyalty Card Data | Linked accounts | Retailers | Cross-referenced profiles |
| Device/Location | GPS, device IDs | Ad networks | Targeting data |
Ibotta explicitly monetizes consumer purchase data by selling insights to brands. When you scan a receipt, you're not just claiming cashback—you're contributing to a data product that Ibotta sells.
Every item on scanned receipts is captured, not just products eligible for cashback. Ibotta knows everything you bought, including items you might prefer to keep private.
Linking retailer loyalty cards provides even deeper purchase history and enables cross-referencing of data across shopping behaviors and demographics.
Consumer goods companies receive access to aggregated and potentially identifiable purchase data to understand who buys their products and competitors' products.
California residents can request data deletion and opt out of data sales, though this removes much of the value exchange that makes cashback possible.