[4/21 Update] Quite a few readers, as well as author metahacker, have already received the reward. Be careful not to fund your own account directly on the spot. After copying the Registry link, switch to a browser Guest session to make the contribution; even using your own credit card to pay at that step seems fine. If your P2 also has this offer on their card, the safest method is for the two of you to Guest-fund each other’s registries. It also seems that transferring the Fund back to your own Checking account posts fairly quickly. Also, if you received the refer bonus ($50 Zola credit), do not use it to buy gift cards or fund Cash Fund; instead, get some free physical items like bedding.

Image from reader Jump Tiger: copy the link, fund it via guest checkout, and use your own card

[4/18 Update] Two types of DPs: shutdown/cancelation DPs and successful DPs.

  • Accounts shut down or orders canceled: if your account was shut down or your order was canceled, the money was quietly refunded.
  • Successful Cash Fund case: reader Jeremy successfully got both a Delta gift card and Cash Fund to work. His method was: after creating the registry, copy the registry link, switch browsers, and use another person’s credit card to make the purchase (guest checkout, without logging into the account being funded). Otherwise, there is a high chance the order will be canceled or the account shut down. The money can be transferred back to your bank account, netting $17.5 profit. It says the first transfer may take up to 10 business days to arrive. [Follow-up: the money has arrived; cash-out succeeded.]

[4/16 Update] The author’s zola account has already been locked. Login keeps saying the password is incorrect, and resetting the password did not help. There is still $100 in Cash Fund inside. If zola does not return it, the last resort is to dispute the credit card charge. My suggestion is probably not to bother anymore; small sites can be a real hassle.

Kuku contacted zola customer service, who said it was a fraud order and locked the account. Basically, they just couldn’t handle it.

[Update] KUKU received the Refer reward of $50 Zola Credit (it was probably triggered because a reader bought $50+ of physical merchandise through the referral link, YMMV). According to zola’s rules, the credit is supposed to be usable only on non-gift-card physical merchandise. However, they did not strictly enforce those Terms. Note that this is a relatively small company, so orders may still be canceled later, YMMV. If you take a loss, do not forget that you can file an AMEX Dispute.

Where to check the signup reward: Your Registry——Gift Tracker——Zola Store Credit

There are many physical items on Zola that you can buy. For example, you could potentially get this for free:

Best of all, this Credit can also be used to buy gift cards. I bought a $100 Delta gift card and got $50 taken off directly!

If you actually need physical merchandise, you can trigger the AMEX offer and also get the extra $50 credit reward (the reward for the referred account). If you do not need anything specific, then just stick with using the AMEX offer for an effective 20%-off gift card.

If you used this deal, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

  • zola signup link (Buy $50+ of physical merchandise and get $50 Zola credit, which may be usable toward gift cards, YMMV)
  • If you want to register multiple accounts, remember to switch browsers... you know what I mean.

Zola probably never expected that one day so many people would suddenly be getting married, all while using AMEX credit cards to prepare $100 gift cards or reload $100... Hopefully they do not die too soon.

About This Offer

AMEX has a new offer: spend $100 at zola.com and get $20 back. Based on the fact that even someone like me, who gets targeted badly all the time, received it, most people probably have it. If you really do not see it, add some junk offers first and then log out/in to see whether it appears.

zola appears to be a wedding-gift website. After registering, you can create a wish list and then buy things.

Signup Bonus

Do not rush to buy yet. If you register for zola through a refer link, add the item you want to buy to your resistry, and then complete the purchase, you can get $50 in credit.

  • Important: Before buying eGC, first add your Shipping address inside the registry; otherwise checkout will very likely be instantly declined. Path: Account——Your Account——Your Wedding——Registry Shipping Address.

Play 1: Third-Party Gift Cards

Most importantly, they sell third-party gift cards, which appear from the description to be EGCs. A quick look shows useful options such as Sephora, Delta, Home Depot, Lowe's, Uber, and Disney.

  • Based on testing by WeChat group members and author KUKU, this does trigger the AMEX offer.
  • Strong recommendation: If you have the offer on multiple cards, there is no need to register a new Zola account. Just copy the generated registry link (remember to add the Shipping address immediately), switch browsers, and check out that way. The location of the link is shown below. If payment does not go through after switching browsers, you can continue buying for yourself from your own account. [Do not buy from your own account]

Play 2: Cash Fund

zola also offers a cash fund option. You can create a cash fund in your own registry, and then others can contribute money to your account through your link. After that, you can transfer the money to your checking account (you will need to enter your checking account information).

  • Just create one casually, then add money to it.
  • There is a fee for the reload amount, with two options. You can choose $100+$2.5. If you can trigger the rebate, that fee is small potatoes.
  • After adding the money, you can see that the fund will not be available until 4/19.
  • I tested it myself as a guinea pig, and cash fund does indeed trigger the AMEX offer.
  • If, worst case, zola refuses to return the money, there is still one last move: dispute.

My Suggestions

  • Based on readers’ testing, gift cards can trigger the AMEX offer.
  • After purchase, check your email. Click view gift tracker, and you may be able to use send now; this applies to Delta gift cards (per a group member).
  • If you have a real need for something, add it to the registry first and then purchase it; physical merchandise should be able to trigger the $50 refer credit.
  • At the moment, it is still unclear whether gift cards can trigger the $50 refer credit.
  • It is also still unclear whether the $50 credit can be used on gift cards.
  • This website is fairly niche. If too many people pile in, the deal may disappear, so move quickly.