MODEL DESK: Adding cashback vs staying pure-coupon

MODEL DESK: Adding cashback vs staying pure-coupon
The monetization fork everyone reaches. Sources weigh in.
— Cashback layer: stickier users, recurring logins, defensible — but you carry payout liability, fraud risk, and a support burden a content site never had.
— Pure coupon: clean, no float, no chargebacks, but zero retention — users grab the code and never return, so you re-acquire forever.
Why it matters: We hear cashback retention is real but the operational tax kills under-resourced teams. Hybrid sites are gating cashback to logged-in repeat users only, keeping coupon pages frictionless for SEO traffic.
Developing...