Comments on Boaz Berkowitz's articles RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.com/author/boaz-berkowitz/articles http://seekingalpha.com/article/141515-game-over-for-nintendo?source=feed#comment-761571 761571 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:25:52 -0500
seekingalpha.com/artic...

And it looks like most analysts are now predicting that Xbox will be the #1 console. Wish I listened to you when this article first came out!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/139411-circuit-city-back-from-the-dead?source=feed#comment-731301 731301 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:25:43 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-679102 679102 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:34:07 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-666425 666425 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:10:36 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-634443 634443 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:25:23 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-632637 632637 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:17:07 -0400 bing/com/cashback site and it looks pretty straightforward. I think I will use this after all. If I am planing to buy something anyway, I mind as well get it for even less with no extra effort by going through Bing. The question is, will I start using it for all of my searches, or just my shopping?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-632635 632635 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:15:13 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-629559 629559 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:37:10 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-628553 628553 > He is right the deal is very old , it goes up it goes down. > > Everything from LIVE went right to bing. No changes nothing. The > same cashback , same accounts same records. > > Thanks again to MSFT and LIVE/BING giving real cash , for very little > effort.]]> Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:00:58 -0400
Past promotions have only featured one store. The ebay promotion was great but I didn't really care when the promotion was for Barnes and Noble only or Drugstore.com only. But when it is EVERY store, its got something for everyone. And none of those older promotions ever came close to 50% OFF YOUR PURCHASE! That's pretty exciting. Buy something with a mail in rebate too, and your end price could be free. So yes, this is new and it is big. And it is definitely getting Bing noticed.


On Aug 12 12:47 PM jack dee wrote:

>
> He is right the deal is very old , it goes up it goes down.
>
> Everything from LIVE went right to bing. No changes nothing. The
> same cashback , same accounts same records.
>
> Thanks again to MSFT and LIVE/BING giving real cash , for very little
> effort.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-628544 628544 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:49:43 -0400 ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-627802 627802 mriuc: Of course you can sort by price. I think you just haven't > figured out how to use Bing. There are two ways to access cashback, > one is through regular search and one is going directly to their > cashback section (http://bing.com/cashback). Trying using the search > there instead. Microsoft aren't idiots and are pretty good at building > software and websites. This is an example of a well-known truth from software design that is completely under-appreciated outside of that world: you shouldn't have to *learn* to use search. Shopping, even less so. It doesn't seem that hard; what's the harm? Could I have figured out how to sort by price? Did I figure out why their search behaved irrationally, returning 0 results one time and many results after performing the action again? Sure. But these things have very real effects on the users of a website. They're measurable; there are measurably, significantly lower attach rates in applications that get these kinds of "effortless use" things wrong. (See the book "Don't Make Me Think") Microsoft is *building* share here, so at the moment, their offering is dragging users into bing for the CB whether the users want to go or not. Compare bing to Amazon. Compare them to google (search, gmail, maps) People will prefer Amazon and google after using them and bing -- and they may not even KNOW why!! They'll feel like those companies are 'friendlier', somehow; or they'll feel more productive in those apps. The users have no idea what's going on -- but if you don't trust the research, trust the empirical research of the market. Microsoft knew how to throw resources into making a WORD PROCESSOR that would have been a revolutionary word processor 20 years ago. Web software has such a higher standard than anything on the desktop, because your competition can crush you if their product is the tiniest bit better than yours. In my opinion, Bing is currently a sin against user interface design, and a demonstration that MS has learned very little.]]> Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:22:14 -0400

On Aug 11 03:04 AM Dan Katz wrote:

> mriuc: Of course you can sort by price. I think you just haven't
> figured out how to use Bing. There are two ways to access cashback,
> one is through regular search and one is going directly to their
> cashback section (bing.com/cashback). Trying using the search
> there instead. Microsoft aren't idiots and are pretty good at building
> software and websites.

This is an example of a well-known truth from software design that is completely under-appreciated outside of that world: you shouldn't have to *learn* to use search. Shopping, even less so.

It doesn't seem that hard; what's the harm? Could I have figured out how to sort by price? Did I figure out why their search behaved irrationally, returning 0 results one time and many results after performing the action again? Sure.

But these things have very real effects on the users of a website. They're measurable; there are measurably, significantly lower attach rates in applications that get these kinds of "effortless use" things wrong. (See the book "Don't Make Me Think")

Microsoft is *building* share here, so at the moment, their offering is dragging users into bing for the CB whether the users want to go or not.

Compare bing to Amazon.
Compare them to google (search, gmail, maps)

People will prefer Amazon and google after using them and bing -- and they may not even KNOW why!! They'll feel like those companies are 'friendlier', somehow; or they'll feel more productive in those apps. The users have no idea what's going on -- but if you don't trust the research, trust the empirical research of the market.

Microsoft knew how to throw resources into making a WORD PROCESSOR that would have been a revolutionary word processor 20 years ago.

Web software has such a higher standard than anything on the desktop, because your competition can crush you if their product is the tiniest bit better than yours.

In my opinion, Bing is currently a sin against user interface design, and a demonstration that MS has learned very little.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626888 626888 Rokjok777, what do you meant this is year-old news? Bing was only > launched this past June and this particular promotion was only launched > on August 10, the day the article was published? Please elaborate. > > > On Aug 11 06:12 PM Rokjok777 wrote:]]> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:47:43 -0400 He is right the deal is very old , it goes up it goes down.

Everything from LIVE went right to bing. No changes nothing. The same cashback , same accounts same records.

Thanks again to MSFT and LIVE/BING giving real cash , for very little effort.


On Aug 12 09:13 AM Boaz Berkowitz wrote:

> Rokjok777, what do you meant this is year-old news? Bing was only
> launched this past June and this particular promotion was only launched
> on August 10, the day the article was published? Please elaborate.
>
>
> On Aug 11 06:12 PM Rokjok777 wrote:]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626877 626877 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:40:03 -0400 Go Microsoft!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626759 626759 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:02:21 -0400 ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626756 626756 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:01:40 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626622 626622 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:58:17 -0400
The whole thing reeks of desperation though.
Then again, I wouldn't have bothered trying Bing at all had it not been for this promotion. So desperate or not, it definitely does work. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626375 626375 very, very old and stale news, this was launched nearly a year ago]]> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:13:24 -0400
On Aug 11 06:12 PM Rokjok777 wrote:

> very, very old and stale news, this was launched nearly a year ago]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626367 626367 Nice ploy but how long can MSFT finance this renewed effort? Can't > beat GOOG so "bribe" for few clicks? $10k questions is will the > users continue to use Bing when the cashback is reigned in? > > BTW this is 2nd time they did this. MSFT was offering whooping 20% > cashback on eBay buy-it-now purchase last year if clicked thru live.com. > It began at 20% and slid to 8% over few months. > > My 2-cents is glass is half empty on par with desperation all over > it.]]> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:10:03 -0400
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Only it was as high as 30-35%, not 20%.

And I agree it is desperate. But desperate measures sometimes work. I don't think Bing will overtake Google by any means but this should increase their market share.
On Aug 11 01:10 PM doubleshortetf wrote:

> Nice ploy but how long can MSFT finance this renewed effort? Can't
> beat GOOG so "bribe" for few clicks? $10k questions is will the
> users continue to use Bing when the cashback is reigned in?
>
> BTW this is 2nd time they did this. MSFT was offering whooping 20%
> cashback on eBay buy-it-now purchase last year if clicked thru live.com.
> It began at 20% and slid to 8% over few months.
>
> My 2-cents is glass is half empty on par with desperation all over
> it.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-626002 626002 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:36:42 -0400
I'm with you !]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-625623 625623 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:12:27 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-625483 625483 Are you listenning to this Rupert Murdoch? > > Why would anyone pay money to read Murdoch crap? > > Murdoch you should be paying US to read YOUR content. (Even then > i wouldnt read it!)]]> Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:56:00 -0400
Also if I don't buy anything I save 100%


On Aug 11 08:36 AM Maxe Paul wrote:

> Are you listenning to this Rupert Murdoch?
>
> Why would anyone pay money to read Murdoch crap?
>
> Murdoch you should be paying US to read YOUR content. (Even then
> i wouldnt read it!)]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-625365 625365 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:35:29 -0400
This is not new. Network marketing companies have been doing this for years. Take your marketing budget and pay someone else to market your product for you. Since it is Microsoft no one is claiming pyramid. Microsoft will laugh all the way to the bank either way because if you are a consumer, you know to read the fine print. Your cash back caps at $2500. After that, you are making commissions for Microsoft. Happy Shopping!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-625209 625209 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:27:12 -0400 There are many sites that do this, but Microsoft is the only one that refunds 100% of this commission back to its users."""""""

The only way you'd get 50% back is if the commission is 25%.

ARE ONLINE MERCHANTS PAYING SEARCH ENGINES 25% FOR SUCKERS?
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-625161 625161 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:10:36 -0400
BTW this is 2nd time they did this. MSFT was offering whooping 20% cashback on eBay buy-it-now purchase last year if clicked thru live.com. It began at 20% and slid to 8% over few months.

My 2-cents is glass is half empty on par with desperation all over it.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-624912 624912 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:35:28 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-624647 624647 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:25:34 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-624640 624640 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:20:46 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-624555 624555 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:39:19 -0400 At the end of the day the public will determine what is better. I use and prefer Google but i have tried Microsoft's Bing and find it "different".
In marketing there is a great phrase that i think applies 'FIRST TO MARKET WINS".
Google will never lose it's position unless they have a technical problem.
By Johnathan Vrozos
johnathanvrozos.com


]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155148-cha-ching-microsoft-pays-users-to-search-with-bing?source=feed#comment-624550 624550 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:36:04 -0400
Why would anyone pay money to read Murdoch crap?

Murdoch you should be paying US to read YOUR content. (Even then i wouldnt read it!)]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/139411-circuit-city-back-from-the-dead?source=feed#comment-624493 624493 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:22:34 -0400