I did receive a mail from live.com today stating that CashBack won't be provided if we have received any discounts or used any coupons while makiing the purchase. I am going to return the laptop I purchased. I have copy pasted the mail from live.com. They have mentioned about more than one referal source for my purchase - but I am sure that i did remove all cookies before I did my purchase. This might be just a reason from them. I can still see my CashBack with pending status.

My query to MS:

I did put an order in HP.com & I did receive email confirmation from live.com stating I will get $256(40% of purchase price). I did receive around $200 instant rebate from HP as well. I would like to know whether there will be any issue with my CashBack.

Response from MS:

Thank you for contacting Live Search CashBack Customer Support! My name is XXXX. I am a Customer Service Representative and I will be assisting you with your request regarding your missing HP purchase. I have opened an incident with our team: XXXXXXXX on your behalf.
Unfortunately, if coupons and discounts are used, the purchase will be ineligible for CashBack. HP Home & Home Office have attributed your purchase to a referral source other than Live Search CashBack. Because the merchant only allows one referral source per purchase, and additionally the Microsoft Service Agreement specifically excludes the use of coupons on Live Search CashBack purchases, your purchase does not qualify for CashBack. To ensure that future purchases qualify for Live Search CashBack, we encourage you to review article 17 (g) of the Microsoft Service Agreement: http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=searchtou&market=en-us

I can't say what comes to mind. Look in the mirror and cover up that L on your forehead dude.

This would get VERY interesting, because there was an awful lot of stuff on "instant rebate" during that sale. Is MS just using this as an excuse to get out of paying?

Should I return the item that Ive already received, because MS will wait too long to tell me if Im actually getting my 200.00 Cash Back?

And (g) refers to "separate discount or coupon". To me its not specific enough.......first thing that comes to my mind is a separate discount such as clicking thru FW and trying to stack affiliate discounts. An automatic discount sitting on HP.com's website doesnt seem like what they are aiming for in (g)

I guess this is more of a heads up thing, in case people didn't receive their rebates.

This is exactly why I didn't bother trying to get in on that specific deal in the first place. Other than Microsoft's absolutely horrible servers for the live CashBack program, I feel like Microsoft runs this program like a rebate company who looks for any little reason they can to deny you until you show them that you have proof they need to pay you.

Im trying to get to MS and complain b/c my Cash Back didnt post. They're Customer Service intake is down. Who designs this crap? Good think I bought the printer - not the maxxed out desktop...

create08 said:They announced that Microsoft is not honoring the 40% Cash Back for users who were not able to get in! They also said they are not going to rerun the 40% promotion as promised!

where did they announce that?

I also had my doubts after 13 agonizing days it payed off as promised after several emails got my 40% today

i called and returned my system. i can't take the risk. blame it on microsoft. and my CashBack was the lower 25%, not 40% (couldn't get the site to load). just hope HP would process my return smoothly.