Microsoft Pushes Edge With Cash Back Scheme

Microsoft is offering cash back to customers who shop online using the Edge browser. The program promotes both the browser and the Bing search website.

It's no secret that Edge and Bing are far less popular than their Google equivalents. Indeed, Microsoft even adopted an "if you can't beat them" attitude by launching a new version of Edge that uses the same open-source Chromium code that powers Google Chrome.

Now Microsoft is beefing up its Bing Rebates program to make it easier to use in Microsoft Edge. The program already lets customers get cashback of up to 10 percent when they purchase products sold by a reported 1,200 independent retailers through the Bing.com site.

Click For Cash Back

The change means that with 300 retailers, users can get the rebate directly on the retailer site rather than using the Bing site. A dedicated button will appear in the Edge browser and address and search bar. Clicking on this button will apply the cash back, which is then processed if and when the user orders the product on the page. (Source: mspoweruser.com)

The tool will only work in Edge and not other browsers. Microsoft hasn't yet revealed whether all the retailers and deals will also be part of the offerings at Bing.com where users can get the rebates regardless of their search engine. If not, it would effectively mean Microsoft offering a direct financial incentive to use Edge. (Source: express.co.uk)

Price History Displayed

Edge is getting another shopping feature called Price History. It works on nine major retail sites including Amazon, Home Depot, Target and Macy's. When users visit a product listing on a compatible site, the browser bar will display a message noting any recent trends and changes in pricing for that product on that site.

The theory is that users will be able to better guess if a price is a genuine deal, whether it's likely to last, and whether it may be better to hold on in the hope that it is about to drop.

What's Your Opinion?

Would you use Edge if it meant getting rebates not available elsewhere? If you're not an Edge fan, would you go through the hassle of opening up the browser if and when you wanted to buy something online? What pricing history information would you find useful when shopping online?