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Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

bountii.com

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Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#11

Post by jrockway »

bdr wrote: post #9
bumblebird wrote: post #6

If you're clever, you find the merchants affiliate scheme, sign up, check it's ok to place orders through your own affiliate links, and place an order. Then there's no middle man and you get all the discount. Hassle for cheaper items, but worth it for bigger stuff. I once signed up to get a 0% rate credit card (first 6 months) that gave cash back on purchases. I signed up through my affiliate link that paid out somet…

I doubt they're giving you more in cashback than they make from transaction fees.

They might be. For every person that implements this trick, there are 100 more that are making only the minimum payment every month and paying thousands of dollars in interest (free money).

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#12

Post by shawndrost »

petesalty wrote: post #3

But this could just be the vendor (not that I'm defending MS). It could easily be a different price for Google, and another for Yahoo, etc. It doesn't mean MS has any knowledge of this, although they could probably police it if it's affecting their reputation.

I'd go further and say that this is a shady blog post from the Bountii crew. If you're going to publicly accuse your competitors of something negative, it's incumbent upon you to be very certain that you're correct. I've emailed them a link to this comment section, and I hope to see this post edited as appropriate.

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#13

Post by bumblebird »

bdr wrote: post #9
bumblebird wrote: post #6

If you're clever, you find the merchants affiliate scheme, sign up, check it's ok to place orders through your own affiliate links, and place an order. Then there's no middle man and you get all the discount. Hassle for cheaper items, but worth it for bigger stuff. I once signed up to get a 0% rate credit card (first 6 months) that gave cash back on purchases. I signed up through my affiliate link that paid out somet…

I doubt they're giving you more in cashback than they make from transaction fees.

True, I'm pretty sure I was a nett loss for them though. As said by another comment, they rely on most people not doing this.

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#14

Post by zyb09 »

shawndrost wrote: post #12
petesalty wrote: post #3

But this could just be the vendor (not that I'm defending MS). It could easily be a different price for Google, and another for Yahoo, etc. It doesn't mean MS has any knowledge of this, although they could probably police it if it's affecting their reputation.

I'd go further and say that this is a shady blog post from the Bountii crew. If you're going to publicly accuse your competitors of something negative, it's incumbent upon you to be very certain that you're correct. I've emailed them a link to this comment section, and I hope to see this post edited as appropriate.

oh lol the HN police is on the move again!

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#15

Post by GrandMasterBirt »

tonyb wrote: post #5
petesalty wrote: post #3

But this could just be the vendor (not that I'm defending MS). It could easily be a different price for Google, and another for Yahoo, etc. It doesn't mean MS has any knowledge of this, although they could probably police it if it's affecting their reputation.

Your exactly right. Search for the same product using google shopping and it shows the higher price.

Vendors can easily beef up prices and give cash backs because they have to pay a "finders fee" to the engine line google, or anyone in fact. Evil!

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#16

Post by oneplusone »

jrockway wrote: post #10
tonyb wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your exactly right. Search for the same product using google shopping and it shows the higher price.

Ouch. This is why I usually buy everything from Amazon, instead of some random place that shows up in Google Shopping results.

I read a while back that Amazon does something very similar. They give new visitors a larger discount on certain items compared to regular visitors. Of course googling it now only returns http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/09/06/amazon_makes_regular... so it may be bunk.

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#17

Post by jrockway »

oneplusone wrote: post #16
jrockway wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ouch. This is why I usually buy everything from Amazon, instead of some random place that shows up in Google Shopping results.

I read a while back that Amazon does something very similar. They give new visitors a larger discount on certain items compared to regular visitors. Of course googling it now only returns http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/09/06/amazon_makes_regular... so it may be bunk.

I have gotten my money's worth with Prime, so I am not too concerned. I would be willing to pay slightly more than "suggested retail price" to have something delivered the same day I order it (as happens more and more frequently with Prime orders, even when I pick 2 day shipping), but Amazon does this and their prices are less than any retail store. So I am not going to complain.

(A few weeks ago, I needed a mini-USB cable. I ordered it at about 2am, and it was delivered around noon. All for $4.68...)

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#19

Post by barrkel »

bdr wrote: post #9
bumblebird wrote: post #6

If you're clever, you find the merchants affiliate scheme, sign up, check it's ok to place orders through your own affiliate links, and place an order. Then there's no middle man and you get all the discount. Hassle for cheaper items, but worth it for bigger stuff. I once signed up to get a 0% rate credit card (first 6 months) that gave cash back on purchases. I signed up through my affiliate link that paid out somet…

I doubt they're giving you more in cashback than they make from transaction fees.

There is an opportunity cost in the money forgone by lending it to this "deadbeat", as a CC company might term him.

Re: Negative Cashback from Microsoft's Bing Cashback

#20

Post by pyre »

jrockway wrote: post #11
bdr wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt they're giving you more in cashback than they make from transaction fees.

They might be. For every person that implements this trick, there are 100 more that are making only the minimum payment every month and paying thousands of dollars in interest (free money).

I thought that most credit card companies sold off this debt for Wall Street to repackage.
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