Microsoft Live Search Cashback – 1 for 2

Tested Microsoft Live Search and its cashback feature today after praising it yesterday – maybe I should've reversed the order. Live Search was only one out of two in my very limited test.

First I wanted a new chest strap for my Garmin watch; the old one says my heart doesn't beat anymore and I don't think that's true. Entered Garmin Chest Strap in the special cashback search box and got right to a page that had a number of these including the one I want. Clicked on that and got a choice of many online stores in net price order after store and cashback discount (the different stores offered different cashback discounts). When I entered my zip code, the stores were reordered with shipping now included in the calculation; it made a difference.

So I will get a dollar something back; my true reward for using Live Search isn't quite that high because the runner up net net was less than a dollar different. Nevertheless, getting paid about a buck to use a search engine isn't bad.

Unless….

Unless you don't find what you want.

Next I needed a UV bulb for the unit that sterilizes well water coming into the house. Entered the part number into Live Search Cashback; nada. Entered Wedeco lamps; nada. Went back to the regular (no cash back) Live Search and entered the part number; nada. Entered Wedeco lamps; several hits including the manufacturer's site but no one who sells them.

Google's in the tool bar of my browser; typed in the part number; bingo: the first link was to the correct catalog page of a company which sells them. Had to do the comparison shopping on my own by going back to Google and back again but I had choices.

Note that my complaint isn't that I didn't get cashback on the second purchase; it's that the Microsoft search engine didn't find it at all. This speaks to Google's overall search being better than Microsoft and indexing more pages. If I only get cashback some of the time but almost always find what I'm looking for, I become a Live Search customer. But, if I have to go to Google second too often, I'll just go to Google first.

Net, I'll keep trying Live Search first for a while, particularly for bigger ticket items.

Comments

[cashback]

I find rewardlover.com to be a good cashback site. I have been using them before live/bing because they offer 100% cashback no profit for the US customers.

[cashback shopping]

The is a really good offering from livesearch but i found another site which i have been using quiet often called http://www.rewardlover.com. I compared the cashback rates and on some offers they pay more than live so its always worth checking around before you buy for example rewardlover pays out 50% cashback for eBay. And cashout level is only $10 which they pay you by Paypal or Amazon e-vouchers. Plus they give you $1 for joining.

[cashback]

I am looking to use livesearch soon and wondered what the tracking is like? Is it reliable? Thanks.

[Shopper Discounts and Rewards]

Hi,

Coupon Codes also provide some good & big discount for some very special days like valentines day, friendship day, mother day father day and so on. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks
Sofia.

[cashback]

I tried to sign up to livesearch cashback but they don't offer the service to the UK :(. Maybe they might expand in the future.

[Kempton]

Thanks a lot for sharing your Live Search Cashback experience here.