Topcashback not working

Browser Support Web Compatibility
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1

Description of the issue:
When visiting sites from Topcashback.co.uk or using its browser extension, the site is unable to track the purchase correctly. This results in the user not being able to trigger savings on purchases. These savings can be very substantial, eg £120 on a mobile phone contract. Users are faced with the choice of missing out on cashback or moving to another browser. This issue has been raised twice before (in 2020 and 2021) with no response from developers:
Required settings for cashback websites?
Topcashback not able to track purchases

Exact URL of the website in question:
www.topcashback.co.uk or any website that the Topcashback browser extension recognises, eg www.magix.com where I bought some software yesterday.

See screenshot below showing extension promoting 24% saving on software purchases.

Topcashback screenshot
Topcashback screenshot2141×897 254 KB

Did the issue present with default Shields settings? (yes/no)
Yes

Does the site function as expected when Shields are turned off?
Don’t know. Would have to make a purchase to find out.

Is there a specific Shields configuration that causes the site to break? If so, tell us that configuration. (yes/no):
No

Does the site work as expected when using Chrome?
I have successfully purchased using Chrome in the past (more than a year ago)

Brave version (check About Brave):
Version 1.38.115 Chromium: 101.0.4951.64 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Update 19 May:
@Chocoholic has kindly suggested I tag @Mattches and @steeven

2

You should probably tag the moderators. Mattches and steeven are the moderators who handle most of the support requests.

3

@seanmcd,
Sorry for the long wait time here, I was on PTO for the last few days (plus weekend). Taking a look at this now and hope to have more information for you soon. Appreciate your patience.

4

Unfortunately, there aren’t enough details here to make a confident judgement about what is or is not happening. The extension itself appears to rely on a great deal of third-party tracking in order to function. In order to use an extension like this, you would likely need to disable practically all of the anti-tracking features of Brave (resulting in a substantially less-safe, Chrome-like experience).

Years ago a user of this extension shared that uBlock Origin was preventing extension-related tracking. It was shared then as well, presumably by a uBO contributor, that the extension required far too invasive access to operate as desired. The same, I suspect, is still true to this day.

The issue may also not be related to Brave at all. Among the most recent reviews on the Chrome Web Store for this extension are several lamenting poor experiences.

TopCashBack is aware that security and privacy-oriented software may impact their ability to track purchases. They mention this scenario on their site, and invite users to manually submit claims if/when that happens.