Comments on: Black Friday Disaster: Microsoft’s Live.com Cash Back Fails Big Time

By: ackmiller

ackmiller — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:38:54 +0000

I finally received the 40% cashback pending in my cashback account. I sent a 3rd email yesterday to the cashbk(at)microsoft.com address and this morning I had an email from one of their employees saying I received the rebate and sure enough, it is now showing in my cashback account. I am not sure if my 3rd email spurred them to take action of if I was simply in queue waiting to be helped, but either way I am very happy to have this resolved. This morning’s reply and subsequent cashback rebate were the first time I received any feedback from Microsoft (except for the canned automated reply). Prior to today I never had 3% or any other amount pending in my cashback account. Now I don’t have to return the HP items I purchased as a Christmas gift for my wife. This has left a bittersweat taste in my mouth about the live.com cashback program, but I can’t say I wouldn’t use this service again should such a sweet deal come around again (40% off your HP order is hard to turn down). For those still waiting, hang in there, you have until after Christmas to return your laptops, and if you can I suggest waiting a while longer before sending back your hardware (assuming you really want the hardware and aren’t itching to stick it to HP by returning your purchases).

By: Xavier

Xavier — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:32:14 +0000

Dave- thanks for the suggestion. Could you please do me a favor and email me your order details and I’ll see if one of my contacts at HP can help get to the bottom of this. Use the about page or just email Xavier at this domain.com

By: Wolfmore

Wolfmore — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:41:58 +0000

I sent live.com a very polite email telling them I spent 12 hours trying to get thru and that they should give me a 40% cashback coupon to HP to use at my leisure. They probably won’t reply but I encourage other to do the same.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:08:26 +0000

@Xavier – You guys need to look into the accusation that HP has been canceling orders because they are out of stock on warranties. If they are really doing that they are operating without a shred of integrity and all of us should cancel our orders, regardless of the cashback %.

By: Todd Bishop

Todd Bishop — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:35:44 +0000

Xavier, I just posted the latest news here on TechFlash: http://tinyurl.com/5wqxhn.

Looks like people hoping for a quick restart of the HP promotion will be disappointed.

By: Bonds

Bonds — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:21:26 +0000

Here’s a mainstream article about the fiasco! :( Cashback still has a chance to turn this around before the press/PR gets even worse!!! Before the current users tell people they know about the real experience of shopping with Cashback & Live Search. :(

http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2008/12/02/black-fridays-biggest-loser.aspx

I too made a purchase and am waiting to see what happens. I don’t have much hope at this point, as I haven’t heard a peep! What a waste of time and missed opportunity to get similiar deals eslewhere. At this point, it would just be better to honor the deal MS, beter for the future! Otherwise, how are we to trust Cashback. Why would we switch to being loyal customers of Cashback???? We can’t trust you at this point.

And HP, you should reconsider about doing business with this shaky system, sadly, it could end up damaging your brand! Cashback seems to be acting a little shady and we shoppers aren’t happy. We already have to wait over 60days through eBay buys and then we still don’t really know what exact % we get until days after purchasing. Lots of returns and wasted business time. Not looking good so far! :(

I’m currently starting to look at other laptops as I figure, I’ll have no choice but to return the one I ordered (3% when I saw 25% and ordered with 40%, what a joke!). This time it’ll be Sony or Toshiba…maybe even a Dell. Anything to get away from this mess if time isn’t kind.

SOLUTION (last chance with most shoppers): MS & HP please honor those who spent their time, energy, and money to do business with you. Show us you truely care and win us over FOR LIFE!!! Put some positive PR out about how Cashback stands behind it’s deals…customers will be loyal if they know they can trust the system!

Goodwill! Show us Cashback doesn’t let users down. Shop with us and save! Show us. Otherwise, what’s the point? Close the piece of :) now. Google & Yahoo work just fine…no false hope, no hassle-full promises, and no time wasted.
Why waste time with the launch of Cashback? MS, save the money if you don’t plan on going all the way towards truely winning us over for life, winning our loyalty! So far, it feels like we have to beg, plead, and wait in the dark to shop through Cashback. :( Not a lasting relationship. I don’t plan on telling my friends about a site like that…in fact, quite the opposite!!!

However, gives us some hope. Honor the deal. Reassure us that MS & HP truely care for our business and want our loyalty. Win us over for life!!!

Is this a real launch of a new search/shopping experience or just an un-funny joke??? MS & HP, you decide.

http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2008/12/02/black-fridays-biggest-loser.aspx

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:59:41 +0000

I got my order in with several hours to spare on Friday, got the cashback is active notification when I entered the site, and got the HP order confirmation before the 12 hour window ended…then nothing. MS Support reply was the “wait until Dec 2nd and ask again,” e-mail that I understand many people got. Well its the 2nd, so I’ll see what they say now.

By: Dil

Dil — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:45:26 +0000

After trying for several hours, I finally saw the confirmation screen that my cashback was active and I purchased a HP laptop. Like most of people, I only received 3% cashback. I emailed Microsoft about it and they asked me to contact Live.com. So, I contacted Live.com and they said that they have nothing to do with it. This is what they said, “Hi, thanks for writing to Live.com technical support. It looks like you may have a question about a different Windows Live product instead of Live.com.” Then, I emailed at cashbk@microsoft.com and received an response that someone will escalate the issue for me.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:09:37 +0000

OK, I called HP back again and they said that I should be receiving an e-mail from Live.com within 24-48 hours. He suggested that I do not cancel the order until I hear from MS. He wouldn’t say it, but I got the impression that HP believes MS will extend the 40% to everyone who got through, even if it was after the deadline. We’ll see.

By: Cyber Monday: 40% off eBay Buy it Now w/Live.com’s Cash Back | Notebooks.com

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:44:00 +0000

[...] to offer 40% off buy-it-now purchases for Cyber Monday. I’m not happy with Live.com after its Cash Back service choked on Black Friday, but it appears that eBay’s program uses a different service that doesn’t require an [...]