Microsoft Launches Live Search Cashback & It Looks Like An Amazon.com Competitor

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has launched a new service called Live Search cashback.  When searching for products using Live Search cashback, users will be able to compare prices among multiple stores and find out the best deal. 

The model around this service sounds very familiar.  Amazon.com, a company that is about 1 or 2 towns away from Microsoft provides the same service.

“The new service is part of a broader effort by Microsoft to try to attract more consumers to its Internet search service and better compete with Google,” wrote Robert A. Guth, editor at the WSJ.  I agree with Guth that Microsoft is lagging on search competition against Google, but this model does not sound like Microsoft is trying to compete against Google directly.

The cashback that consumers earn by using Live Search cashback will be sent via check or PayPal.  Billing details will have to be sent to Microsoft.  Some of the store savings data aggregated by Live Search cashback includes Circuit City, Newegg, Overstock, KMart, PCUniverse, Sears, Digitalfotoclub.com, Compuvest.

Below is a screen shot I took when searching for a 16GB iPod Touch.  Live Seach cashback found me a price of $330.52 and The Apple Store sells it for about $399 (with free engraving if ordered online).  Saving $69 using Live Search cashback is pretty good.  I searched for the same thing on Amazon.com and it found a price range of $305-$369.

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