commentary &tech 14 Oct 2008 06:55 pm
My First Experience with Microsoft Live Search cashback: Disappointing
UPDATE: 10/22/2008
It’s now been NINE days since Microsoft said that they would initiate a payment to me in approximately 7 days. Apparently the margin of error in their approximation is greater than plus or minus two days. So much for Microsoft as a company that’s all about precision. When is the approximate release date of Windows 7? Let’s review: Microsoft’s Live Search cashback program advertises that it will refund a percentage of the price of a purchase made via live.com within 60 days. It has been 70 days since I made my purchase and I haven’t seen dick from Microsoft. I followed all of their instructions carefully. Maybe they’re delivering the cash in a burlap sack (all nickels) via donkey from Redmond to Omaha. Yo, Microsoft: Give me my stinkin’ money!
On August 14th, 2008 I bought a Nintendo Wii system on ebay via Microsoft Live Search cashback. I was offered 25% cash back. I would just have to wait 60 days until the funds were available to me. A few weeks ago I decided to check my cashback account to see how long I would have to wait to collect my savings. The cashback site said that the funds would be available on October 13th, 2008. If you count from August 14th (not counting the 14th–using the 15th as day 1), then October 13th is the 60th day from August 14th. So on October 13th I logged into my cashback account and what did it say? My funds would be available on October 14th. OK. No problem. It’s just one day.Alas, today is October 14th. So I log in and find that my funds are available. I choose to redeem them via Paypal (the only option). How long would you expect it to take Microsoft to make a payment to my Paypal account? My freelance clients who pay me via Paypal send me payments that I see literally minutes after they enter the payment in Paypal. So you can imagine I was a little surprised to receive this message from Microsoft:
Microsoft will initiate a payment to you in approximately 7 days.
I have to wait seven more days? This cashback refund which is supposed to be paid back in 60 days is actually (we’ll see) paid back in 68 days. That gives Microsoft an extra eight days to hang on to my money. Greedy, lying bastards.