Lame: Microsoft Response to HP 40% Cash Back Black Friday Offer Disaster

MIcrosoft Cash Bach is a scam. I purchased an item on Ebay to recieve 30% cash back. I got the email from ebay saying you have qualified for cash back. I clicked the link set up the account and low and behold my money was showing. Of course, you have to wait 60 days on it. However, I logged in two weeks later and it shows a zero I REPEAST A ZERO BALANCE. They haven't paid out anything to my paypal account. I have sent two emails and have only gotten automated responses.

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).

Msft announced they are not honoring the 40% off promotion for users who did not get in! They will not be running the 40% promotion again as promised! For SHAME!!!

Yeah- very disapointing- http://www.notebooks.com/2008/12/05/livecom-wil...

I think we all saw this coming (no repeat of the %40 deal in the future).

I didn't use Live.com before and definitely WON'T be using them going forward. I'll stick to Google for searches and ebates.com or fatwallet.com for online shopping rebates.

What a total FUBAR this was.

Hi all - I found this page doing a Google search. Perhaps this is an inappropriate forum to tell you all about what happened to me, since (1) it wasn't on Black Friday, and (2) I wasn't trying to buy anything from HP using Microsoft Live's cashback program ... BUT, I was trying to take advantage of a separate cashback promotion involving Microsoft Live the following Monday (12/1/08). At 2:23 a.m. CT that morning, I received the following e-mail from Ebay advertising a 10% off coupon, good only that day, in connection with Microsoft Live:



Here's how to save up to 40% with a coupon + Microsoft Cashback:
1. Search for an item on www.live.com.
2. Click the sponsored ad with the Microsoft cashback symbol You'll be taken to eBay.com.
3. Make sure the item is Buy It Now and the seller accepts PayPal. If the item is eligible,
you'll see a cashback notice on the "commit to buy" page.
4. Enter code: CSHOPEBAY2008. Pay with PayPal before midnight PT on Dec 1, 2008.



Well, it didn't work. I e-mailed Ebay at 9:00 a.m. CT on 12/1/08 to say it didn't work, and they got back to me today at 12:45 p.m. CT with the following lame, form response:

Thanks for letting us know about a suspicious email you received.

In order to investigate it, we need to ask you to send us a complete copy of the email you received, along with its full header and to ensure the subject line of your email begins with HEADER REQUEST.

A header looks like a string of nonsensical characters. You can usually find the header by using the "properties" or "options" function of your email program. The header includes information that will help us trace the path of the email and determine the real identity of the sender.

To learn more about email headers and how to locate them, go to:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/rfe-unwelco...

You can either reply directly to this message or forward the message you received to spam@ebay.com.

***Important***
- The header should appear directly above the text of the original email.
- The header and text of the original message must be submitted to us in the same email.
- The original email should be pasted into the body of your reply. (For security reasons, we can't open attachments.)
- Please make certain that you send the header from the original email and not from a follow-up email.

Learn more about how to spot a spoof:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/tutorial/accountprot...

We are committed to making your eBay experiences pleasant and fulfilling.

Sincerely,
Fairfax

eBay Customer Support



Since the promotion didn't work, it seems that Ebay is now trying to pass it off as an unauthorized advertisement. That is so lame ...

I was in the group who got in within the established window, yet recieved absolutely no Cashback (3% or otherwise).

After two emails (one to start the support ticket, and a follow up when the December 2nd date passed), I received my full Cashback of 40% (pending) today. According to posts on the Fatwallet and Slickdeals threads on this issue, many others are getting their cashback today.

It looks like, despite their poor PR communication, MS is attempting to make good on the offer.

Good to hear Grant, I received an email confirming the 40% today.
"Hello,

Thank you for using Live Search and for your recent cashback purchase on www.hpshopping.com. Microsoft regrets that you experienced difficulties placing your order due to our limited site availability on November 28th and apologizes for any inconvenience that this caused. Your purchase (order number #####) received a 3% cashback reward because it was completed after the end of the limited time 40% cashback promotion. However because of the issues with site availability earlier in the day, Microsoft will honor the 40% cashback reward for your purchase eligible transactions.

Within a week, your cashback account rebate will be corrected. You will see a cancellation for the original 3% cashback followed by a new purchase with a 40% cashback reward. At that point, your purchase will be processed in the same way as all normal cashback sales and will stay in “pending” status for a period of up to 60 days, to account for returns. After this, all eligible purchases will be marked as "available" in your account and the associated rewards will be available for redemption. To view the details for this purchase or your other Live Search cashback transactions, sign into your Live Search cashback account. Please refer to complete program terms and conditions located here.

We appreciate your patience as we resolve this issue. If you have other questions about cashback, please visit our FAQ. You’ll also find a Help link on the FAQ page to contact support.

Thanks,
Angus Cunningham
Sr. Director Live Search cashback Operations

Sorry Xavier, they've lost my trust. I'm not taking the chance that they come up with some reason why I didn't actually qualify after it's too late to return my HP. I got the same e-mail, but I've already canceled my HP and ordered a Macbook Pro.

Goodbye and good riddance, Microsoft.

Well, on the positive side they say they will honor 40% off for 11/28 orders placed through Live Search. They make no mention of a 7AM to 7PM PST period. I guess I would have been okay placing my order after 10PM EST after all.

I am very disappointed they won't be running a similar deal to make good for all those who couldn't place orders due to the system outage. All I'm left with is a bad taste and feeling about MSFT and Live.com.

Final straw, Microsoft. I just canceled my HP and am ordering a Mac.

From the Live Search blog, it's now pretty obvious Microsoft is backing away from its earlier claim it would rerun this promotion.

http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/1...

Additionally, the purported "answers to your questions" article actually doesn't bring any new information to the table at all, but is merely a repeat of earlier requests for people to contact Microsoft. The company claims it will honor the 40% Cashback promotion for those who contact the company, but the company's official response, if one is even forthcoming, is hardly definitive. Some people are getting TENTATIVE 40% cashback credit, but with the advisory it is subject to review and Microsoft's final discretion at the end of a 60 day waiting period.

In short, Microsoft will review every transaction once again right before payout, to determine if the purchase qualified. If they think you didn't follow proper procedure, they will cancel the Cashback reward at that time.

Of course, 60 days is well after any return period expires, and if their review procedure is as subjective and scattershot as their response thus far to cleaning up this mess, folks may be on pins and needles until the money actually moves into your Paypal account.

Exactly how can insurance be out of stock?! this is why I argued for an hour with them.
I'm pretty sure they must have an agreement with M$ to get rid of as many people who bought laptops on friday as possible.

I finally got through with my order after 8 hours of trying before the deadline for the cashback savings,and even saw the cashback already in my account (although only at 3%). BUT today I got an email from HP saying that sorry the extra insurance you bought is currently out of stock and we have cancelled your entire order. Spent an hour on the phone with HP just now trying to get them to reinstate my order without the extra insurance and using the same date and time from friday so i could still get cashback. NO possibilties available on their end. They suggested to talk to Cashback and see if they'll allow me to buy a laptop now and show the current and cancelled orders and still honor the 40% back. I doubt this will work - what do you think?

Wait...how can insurance be out of stock?

I was only able to get through to the HP website via Live after 7PM EST. The link still said 40% and there was no time limit given; however, I knew it was supposed to only last until 7PM EST so I didn't complete my order fearing the loss of the 40% off and hassle to get it later.

Since their system was so screwed up that day and no time limit was present on the link, I would think anyone purchasing on BF stands a good chance of getting 40% with just minor complaining.

The promotion was until 7PM PST, 10PM EST.

Whoops...you are correct. I meant to say 10PM EST. PST..EST...so confused.

...I bet HP has some awesome refurbished stuff around mid-January...

Yeah- they'll have truckloads if MS doesn't resolve this fast.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/html/popup/...

HP Holiday return policy.

Xavier,

For what it's worth, it's my understanding that HP has a very generous return policy.

Normally, you have 21 days to return a product but I believe that has been extended to sometime in early January (for Holiday purchases.)

Also, HP sends you a FEDEX mailer label and they pick up the return shipping.

There is no restocking fee and the only thing that doesn't get refunded would be the initial shipping costs (but I believe just about everything had free shipping for this sale.)

In short, you shouldn't be "out" anything.

Best strategy in my opinion is to just hang out and wait to see what happens. Worst case scenario is that you do an RMA and send everything back.

Good points, but this still doesn't remedy the fact that a LOT of people missed out on this deal or other Black Friday deals because of this mess.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that HP CSRs will sometimes offer a 10% to 25% incentive for you NOT to return something. Otherwise they have to sell it as refurbished.

I think you're pretty safe for getting your rebate as long as you ordered it between 7am-7pm PST.

Here's what MS told me:
Mike,

I apologize for the delay, but as HP will be done sending their report to us by the 2nd, I have been instructed to hold off on crediting purchases until we receive confirmation on all the orders.

I can however tell you that we do have a time-stamped tracking ID for HP on your account, so if you do not see your cashback in your account tomorrow afternoon, I will gladly enter it in for you at that time.

Again, I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.

Mike W

So far they've been pretty helpful via email. Hopefully they'll get the rest of this mess sorted out, but in the meantime I'm gonna use cashback to get 30% rebate on some ebay stuff.

-Mike