Microsoft plans to pay consumers who search and buy products through Microsoft’s Live Search engine.
Microsoft’s is going to attempt to lure search users with “cold, hard cash” in Microsoft’s own words.
Consumers who use Microsoft to search, buy products, and set up an online account will get a certain percentage of the price of the product sent to them either through a check, direct deposit or PayPal
So, for instance, consumers who buy a $110 digital camera through www.live.com will get 2%, or more than $2 back.
I actually have high confidence this will work. I have often thought if there was a “fair” way to share the PPC rev created off any platform, AdCenter for MSFT without creating fraud and inflated invalid clicks, anyone could own a piece of the space. MSFT is smart and has cash – this is a good deal to try.
I expect them to follow this announcement with the acquisition on VCLK and integrate merchants from the CJ affiliate platform into Live Search while integrating MediaPlex and other assets into Atlas and other technology they acquired when they bought AQNT – aquantive.
I would love to see MSFT acquire VCLK at around $3B and tie this all together.
VCLK would be a natural fit to this deal BTW as they already own so many CPA deals and the Live Search is based right now on action not click.
Who knows, maybe MSFT can buy Performics from GOOG too 😉
I still like my idea from a few weeks ago where MSFT buys domain portfolio’s and public domain companies and takes away traffic from Google and Yahoo in the process.
As far as this idea, not bad, but it sounds like the discover card solution which never really caught on.
Discover never truly became a competitor of Visa, Mastercard or Amex by giving cash back.
Think they give 2% back as well.
Maybe MSFT should give away free gas instead.
“Click here and get a $5 shell gas card.”
Now we’re talking.
The domain idea is excellent as well. If I were MSFT, I would take a solid look at private portfolios as well as MCHX and even TCX and others on your list.
If I had those cash coffers though, I would take the unconventional approach and hire professionals to acquire the absolute best ultrapremium names versus large portfolios of long-tails. Names like those CNET had even if they cost $1 million + each. Imagine 250 of them for future growth.
Solid idea though taking back the direct nav traffic. It seems though after the ultrapremium type in, most adsense money is made on typosquatting…we see this data in our AdSense spend each day.
What I am wondering is who was the owner of cashback.com prior to microsoft and how much they got. Anyone know? This would be another huge deal that has not been made public.
Good idea on the gas card…an if’n they hurry, we might still be able to buy a gallon o’ da stuff.
Don
If your a domaintools.com member you can get that info
Actually according to alexa this was the owner
Creative Marketing Associates, Inc.
3100 Broadway #227
Kansas City, MO
64111
US
Phone: +1 816 474 1400
Fax: +1 816 753 2270
small@webtv.net
Microsoft way of giving cash back is the thing that makes me go dooohhhh.
What will be the price of a product or services listed for sale??
Time will tell