Why is Microsoft Rewards limiting how much I can earn?

I’ve been having the same issues I’m reading about here. I’ve opened several issues with the Microsoft Rewards Support system and have got the run around and after following the Red Herring they stop responding.

I stop getting Search and Earn points after four searches. I’ve been using the Microsoft Start App for about 5 months, previously I just used my Safari browser, but after getting bombarded by Microsoft to ‘Earn more points’ advertising I installed the Microsoft App. Then after more Microsoft advertising to load the. Microsoft Bing app I also loaded that. So and out 3 months ago I was using both Microsoft apps, Start and Bing on my iPhone and iPad. Then about 1 month ago I was well over 100,000 points, I’ve earned over 500,000 lifetime points, and I cashed them in for 4 @ $25 Walmart cards for Christmas. Also about that time I noticed my available points were diminishing on the Rewards Program. Gone were the 5-10 points for ‘More activities’ replaced by 1-2 points. I thought I was being Rewarded for my participation in the Microsoft Rewards program because of my loyalty, I’ve been a regular for over 10 years. I’m guessing about that time because when I went into my Microsoft Rewards Status all my Badges had the exact same date, July 14, 2023.

My ‘Start’ app stops getting ‘Search and Earn’ 5 point per input after (4) four searches. The same is true for my ‘Bing’ app, stops earning 5 point after (4) four searches.

I’ve went back and tried earning after clearing my tabs and waiting 60 minutes. I can regain earning points, four searches each app, afterwards. But I have to repeat this process every hour to get back to earning.

Have they fixed the streak issue?

They've had this program for 10 years? Wow, I wish I knew about it earlier. I always avoided edge+bing... The point of the rewards program is for microsoft to earn customers by getting them hooked on using their browser+search engine. Also helps them with development and advancement of their AI, no doubt. I realize it sucks they have reduced the amount of points being given out, but it's to be expected over time as they acquire more customers by this massive push, at a large cost to microsoft. If there are even about 2 million people earning as much as you have, that would equal $1 billion over whatever time period, which get's expensive...because there are now 1.2 billion people who use bing, and 900 million searches are made per day. That's about $2 million given out per day, or $722 million per year given out just for searches if those people were to use the rewards!

You have to admit they needed to decrease the points over time...it's a pretty expensive acquisition and maintaining of customers who use it. Some people have earned 1-2 million points which is equivalent to what..$1000-2000? If all bing users made the same over their lifetime use so far...we are talking about up to over $2.4 TRILLION given out. I think that's 15 years worth of microsoft's total revenue. Extreme examples, I know, but it helps to visualize how out of control it could get if they kept the reward amounts

You don't actually need to complete the puzzle to get the point, you can right click+open in new tab and it'll give you the point. Still, a fraction of a cent, but they needed to decrease the points, no doubt. I did some quick calculations and if every user of bing was a rewards member, using it to the fullest, they would have given out up to about $1.2-2.4 trillion over the length of their program That's 7-15 years of their total REVENUE. they needed to drop the point amount and I'm sure will continue to do so, or else it would get way too expensive to be worth it as a business move. They are paying you for R&D+ acquisition of you as a customer, reducing revenues and advertisement given to GOOG
I know it sucks though. I really wish I knew of the program back in the day, I would have given bing+edge more use.

Absolutely. It's unsustainable to give out as much money if they never decreased the points amount. $60 CAD/year for me to use their product RIGHT NOW isn't the worst deal. If all 1.2 billion users earned the same to the fullest extent and earned the same $ as me, then it'd cost them 1/3 of the entire companies total yearly revenue, and about 70-80% of their profit. I don't know any other engines or browsers that give out as much money. I've been using Brave+presearch for 2 years or so and the total value of the crypto I've earned is equal to about $60 CAD too.

It's just not sustainable to give hundreds of dollars per customer out per year. We start getting into the trillions of dollars over a decade of use if they kept the point earnings up to how much they used to give out. The early users were simply quite handsomely paid, and so for people like me who just started using it....their current payout seems pretty fair, and I'm surprised by how much they used to give to users - WAY above market rate at that.