Answer
A receipt photo that gets rejected is usually a picture the reader could not use. A flat, bright photo of the whole receipt is what gets through. The Swagbucks app is the easiest place to take that photo.
When this applies
This fits when a paper receipt from a store is uploaded for SB, or the upload fails.
An email receipt from an online order is a different path. How do I earn SB with my E-Receipts (Online Shopping Receipts)? explains how to forward that email.
Before the purchase
Hundreds of items can be eligible at once. An item may be missing from the list because of location, earlier shopping, or because that offer has reached its limit.
- Check the store on the offer. An item bought at the wrong store does not earn SB.
- Read Buying Options for the quantity. One example is Buy 1 for 175 SB, or Buy 2 for 450 SB.
- Read the Fine Print for flavor, scent, and size.
- Check the start date, the expiration date, and any weekly limit.
- In the app, Store and Category are two ways to browse the offers.
What to do
- Open Magic Receipts in the Swagbucks app and start the upload for that offer.
- Select only the items that are on the receipt, including the quantity on a Buy 2 offer. An item that is not on the receipt is rejected.
- Photograph the whole receipt. For a long receipt, choose Add Photo or the + button and add the lower sections. A second photo of the same picture does not fix a missing section.
- Submit the photos. Most receipts are read within a few minutes. A receipt with a purchase date older than 10 days is not accepted.
What a good photo shows
The whole receipt is in the frame, flat, on a plain background, with enough light. The store name, the date, the items, and the totals can be read. Fingers stay off the print.
Do this. The receipt is flat, zoomed in, and on a plain background. The store name, date, items, and total are visible.
Do this for a long receipt. Use two or three photos. Each new photo starts where the last one ended, so nothing in the middle is left out. A receipt longer than about 10 inches needs at least two photos. A very long receipt may need three.
Photos that get rejected
Do not cut off the receipt. The photo has to show the store name or logo, the store address, the top, the bottom, the dates, the totals, and the items.
Do not mark the receipt. Writing, circling, or highlighting is rejected. The photo has to be of the original print.
Do not use a wrinkled receipt. Smooth it and lay it on a flat surface. Fingers should not cover the print.
Do not use one far-away photo for a long receipt. The print becomes too small to read. Use the + button and add another photo.
Do not use a busy background. Other objects in the frame get in the way. Lay the receipt flat and zoom in so the photo is the receipt.
Do not submit a blurry or dark photo. Use enough light, keep shadows off the paper, and hold the camera still.
If the upload fails
Choose Review Your Receipt Photos. Delete the first photos and add new ones with Add Photo. Include any part that was missing, such as the store name. Sending the same photo again does not fix it.
After a second failed try, choose Contact Customer Support at the bottom of that screen, select the items to review, and choose Send for Review. An email with the outcome arrives within 10 days. A second ticket about the same receipt delays that review.
If the SB amount looks wrong
An approved receipt with less SB than expected is usually missing a requirement from the offer, such as the store, the quantity, or the product details in the Fine Print.
In the app, open the menu at the top left and choose See Recent Activities.
- Some SB posted: open the Posted tab, find the item, open the arrow, and choose the help link.
- No SB posted: open the Visited tab, find the item, and choose the help link.
- The receipt was rejected: use Send for Review on the receipt screen. That is the path for a rejection.
If that didn't work
Reply to the review email if it asks for something. A new ticket about the same receipt delays the review. The outcome can take up to 10 days.
When to contact us
Contact Swagbucks from the receipt screen with Send for Review after a second failed upload. For SB that posted at the wrong amount, or SB that never posted after the receipt was accepted, use the help link on that activity in See Recent Activities. One ticket per receipt.