May 22, 2008 - Aiming to lure users, Microsoft has announced ad-funded cash rebates for customers who find and purchase their favorite products through a new program called Live Search Cashback.

With Live Search Cashback, consumers searching for products may get results with some products featuring a 'Cashback' tag. On purchasing such products, consumers will stand to get back from Microsoft some percentage of the product price. For the first purchase, users will have to sign up for an account with rebates accumulating on every subsequent such product purchase. Users can claim rebates directly after 60 days of completion of purchase/s.

Microsoft claims the scheme covers a product portfolio that boasts over 10 million products from over 700 merchants, including eBay, Barnes and Noble.com, Overstock.com, Sears, Zappos.com, B&H, Circuit City, Cookware.com, GiftBaskets.com, Jockey, and WPP.

Part of its commercial search strategy, Microsoft plans to make Live Search its premier search engine for the growing category of commercial searches that help both consumers purchase goods/services and merchants looking to drive online sales of their products/services. This isn't the first time Microsoft is using money as a lure. Earlier, it would offer employees of large companies software/service credits for using its search engine while at work.

In another announcement, Microsoft has launched its new Live Search travel destination called Live Search Farecast to help consumers search travel deals on the Web. The service, Microsoft said, is based on technology acquired through acquisition of Farecast, a travel site known for helping consumers find the lowest air-fares, etc. Microsoft plans to incorporate the ad-funded rebate option for this service as well.