In a move that will have some people shaking their heads and other filling their wallets, Microsoft will announce a new Live Search feature coupled with online retailers. The program will apy cash back for certain online purchases. Microsoft is hoping that this may stimulate the use of their search engine over the other guys. You know. The other guy Google.

In a sneak peak from Todd Bishop at seattlepi.com, he states that Bill Gates will make the big announcement on Wednesday, May 22, 2008. Bishop states:

That is the idea behind a new Microsoft program that will return money to online users who find and buy selected products through its Live Search engine. It’s an unusual move that illustrates the lengths to which the Redmond company is willing to go in its struggle to gain ground on the Internet search king.

Microsoft’s “Live Search cashback” site, set to be unveiled Wednesday, promises to pay back a portion of the purchase price — ranging from about 2 percent to more than 30 percent — to people who use it to find designated products and buy them online from participating retailers.

The company has signed up a long list of merchants to participate in the program - including the online sites of large retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Sears, Home Depot, J&R Electronics, Office Depot and others.

Interesting proposition.  You know there has to be a question taht all of us will have to ask? Will we be willing to switch search engines to save a few bucks? This may be a lucrative venture for Microsoft since people are tightening their belts during this recession, oops, I mean economic down turn.

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