Microsoft to offer money for search engine use

Microsoft Corp has launched a new "cashback" search service for customers all over the world. According to this offer Microsoft will pay users a rebate for buying products they found through the company's Windows Live search engine. It is termed as the live Search cashback scheme is the latest attempt by the world's largest software maker to draw users to its online search engine. Now company is at third position behind market leader Google Inc and Yahoo Inc. As a meassure to increasing Microsoft search engine business share, it had earlier tried to took over the second largest company Yahoo. But the move failed due to pricing problems.

Analysts believed that new offer is aimed at grabbing a major pie independently in the internet business. At company's Advance 08 advertising conference Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said that this would give customers a reason to use their search engine. Microsoft sees online search as a critical component to establishing an online advertising powerhouse. Google has emerged as market leader in this Web advertisement segment by placing text-based ads next to results from its ubiquitous search engine.

According to plan of Microsoft a product search on Windows Live will call up links to online retailers offering that item. The user who buys that item from the retailer's site will get two percent to 30 percent of the purchase price back as a rebate. Consumers need to sign up for a free Windows Live cashback account to participate in the program. Rebates would be issued after a 60-day waiting period to make sure there are no returned products.

Microsoft has plans to join hands with more than 700 retailers including eBay Inc, Barnes and Nobles, Sears and Home Depot. Redmond, Microsoft will offer advertisers a cost-per-acquisition model of payment. The current cost-per-click model charges advertisers for every click on a sponsored link associated with certain keywords.