Pay with an enrolled credit card and earn credits

May 24, 2015 06:02 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has silently released what is being called “Earn by Microsoft,” a new rewards program that allows participants to earn credits every time they make a payment with a credit or debit card enrolled in the program.

These credits can be then used to buy cheaper Microsoft electronics, such as Surface tablets, Bands, or Lumia phones.

Microsoft hasn't publicly announced this new program, but its official page reveals that Earn is currently available in three different American states, namely Arizona, Massachusetts and Washington. There's no word on whether the company plans to extend it into other states or countries, but this is very likely to be the case if everything goes well.

Just enroll your card and you're good to go

Earn by Microsoft is designed to be extremely simple, so you have nothing else to do than to enroll your credit or debit card in the program, and you're all set.

The next time you make a payment with an enrolled card, whether you purchase something or you're just paying for dinner at a local restaurant, you should receive 5 to 10 percent in credits, which can be then used to get Microsoft products with a discount.

VISA and MasterCard are both accepted, and Microsoft guarantees that your card will not be charged and there are no costs or fees for enrolling a specific card in the Earn program. So it's all free and you get credits as long as you use the card at the participating retailers.

“Enroll your cards with Earn. Shop and dine at participating merchants to Earn Credits. And when you make a purchase at your local Microsoft Store with your enrolled card, you’ll receive a credit on your bank card statement, up to your Earn Credits balance,” Microsoft says.

The service is still in beta development stage for now, but depending on how it's adopted in these three states, Microsoft could make it broadly available across the United States.