Microsoft rebate offer

Microsoft have outlined a scheme to pay consumers for using their search engine to buy products.

Speaking at the Advance 08 advertising conference, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced the company would launch an incentive program for users of its Live Search feature.
The new “cashback” service would deliver rebates for purchases found by using the Windows Live Search Engine.
“This is giving you a reason why you should use a particular search engine,” says Gates.
Consumers will have to sign up to a Windows Live cashback account to receive the rebates. Microsoft has already partnered with more than 7000 retailers for the project including auction site, eBay, Barnes and Noble and major US department store, Sears.

Users searching for a product with Windows Live Search that then wnet on to make a purchase with a participating retailer would get from 3-30% of ther purchase price refunded as a rebate.

Currently Windows Live Search ranks a distant third to market leaders, Google and Yahoo.