Microsoft To Launch Live Search with Cashbback

In the always on and always raging battle between Microsoft and Google (and I guess Yahoo depending on how that all turns out) over search and your eyeballs Microsoft is today launching a new attempt to grab your searching interest: Microsoft Live Search Cashback. The idea is to pay cash back to searchers who use Live Search Cashback to browse and purchase designated products. They’ve got a roundup of participating merchants lined up. Supposedly the cash coming back to users can range for 2% to 30% depending on a number of variables. You’ll have to sign up to use the service and once you do you can either search on the Live Search Cashback site, or hit a special icon on regular Microsoft Live Search results.

A user only gets his/her cash back if they make a purchase in what is being called Cost Per Acquisition, meaning the advertiser only pays when you plop down your dollars. Funds are put into an online account and pay outs can be via direct deposit or into a PayPal account. You’ll need to accumulate a $5 balance before the cash comes back to you.

Todd Bishop has a write up on this on his blog and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this as the day rolls on and the announcement is made.

Note: This is only available in the US and you need to be 18 years or older to participate.

So, here’s a question, GBM readers. Is this kind of incentive of interest to you? Will you sign up and use this kind of service for your online purchasing?