|
Author: Toni Phelps Article source: http://www.creditfederal.com/. Used with author's permission.
Co-brand Credit card offers are almost becoming comical. Just as it's common to find multiple selections; from several companies, for different types of breakfast cereal with assorted flavors, varying nutritional values, plus prizes, recipes, even discounts for other products, now credit card issuers; who have long included rewards with their cards, are now re-packaging their credit card offers to the extent of cereal manufacturers.
You can obtain credit cards of varying brands (like cereal flavors), with interest rates (nutritional value) for people of all credit ratings, and with rewards (prizes) included. Browsing card offers today is much like perusing cereal boxes.
Just as you allow your children to pick out their desired brand of cereal, you may want to consider them when you choose a credit card. A credit card that offers family entertainment rewards, such as Chase's Disney Credit Card, may provide your family with mutual benefits. If you are in the market for purchasing a new auto, a GM Card may be a better choice.
It's obvious that card issuers now have a plethora of brands with a broad range of rewards, with the objective to obtain new customers. But why; exactly, are retailers and the travel and entertainment industries co-branding these card offers?
Retailers have had a long alliance with card issuers, most notably retailers such as J.C. Penny and Sears. And airlines have been included for some time. But now the travel and entertainment industries are becoming an even larger ingredient of the rewards, for the sake of their own customer acquisition.
Generally, the first things to be erased from a family budget during a financial hardship are vacation and entertainment savings. To deter this; purveyors of travel and entertainment co-brand with credit card issuers to retain and lure new customers. Although on the outside the alliances may seem sinister, consumers can actually benefit by receiving points, discounts, even cash back from purchases. Plus these alliances can also be beneficial for the economy by aiding the recovery of a recession.
It's all about customer acquisition and retention. When baby boomers were children, there were only a fraction of the ads that consumers are exposed to today. Merchants were much more competitive and reluctant to forge alliances, and about the only co-branding that occurred was when one company purchased another.
The strategies have changed, and if you had applied recently for a credit card; whether or not you were accepted, no doubt you received pre-approved credit card offers from other issuers as well. In your daily mail you may have been bombarded with solicitations from retailers, airline and entertainment merchants who obtained your name and address from the credit card company. Often credit card issuers will sell applicant names and addresses to other entities, which may solicit you based upon your application information. If you had applied for a joint credit card and claimed to be a home-owner; for example, your information may be sold to a home products retailer such as Home Depot, who may offer you their store charge card. Hence, the alliances credit card issuers are developing with merchants goes deeper than the co-branding you see on the face of the credit card. Again, though this may seem like a conspiracy to delve into consumer pockets, these alliances can benefit consumers with discounts and points.
In addition to the typical things consumers look for when choosing a credit card, like the interest rates, fees and credit limits, consumers should also decide which rewards will benefit them most. Just as in shopping for cereal, the prize (rewards) may not be worth the cost (interest/fee) for the card.
And the next time you grocery shop, don't be surprised if you see a GM credit card offer advertised on a cereal box... but will the GM card stand for General Motors, or General Mills? Article by: Toni Phelps, Credit Federal. Get more information about credit card rewards offers for people with good or bad credit.
How Cookie Monster Can Help You Lose Fat
Everyone loves Cookie Monster, that blue fellow that can never seem to get enough cookies. Cookie Monster never worried about calories, fat content or serving s...
Creative Thinking - A Different Way To Think
Creative thinking is the opposite of critical thinking. We learned the latter only in school and college though both ways of thinking are crucial for a successf...
Facing the Enemies Within
We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, b...
5 Powerful Ways to Make Money Online with a Website
5 Powerful Ways to Make Money Online with a Website - Discover 5 Tactics Guaranteed to Help you Boost Your Internet Profits
Origin of Certain Thoughts (Part I)
We all have spirit guides and we all benefit from their assistance, whether or not we recognize it. Only a few people can hear and exchange verbal communication...
Planning Permission and Building Regulations for Conservatories in the UK
In England and Wales you will not usually require planning permission, provided you do not exceed the permitted development limit for your property (which is 50...
Hold On!
Imagine, for a second, if someone came up to you and said, all of your children, and their spouses and children were visiting each other, all in the same house,...
You Can Influence Your Fortunes In Life
This article is intended to create awareness of the existence of Spiritual Laws and the fact that we can employ them to influence our fortunes in life.
Gifted Children - Getting the Balance Right
One of the challenges for parents with a gifted child is to encourage them to develop a range of interest outside the academic sphere that not only rounds them ...
3 Elements of Leadership Power!
This article shows how the energy of your leadership, your
people and of your environments empower the growth of
innovative products, discover new profitable ...
So, Can You Really Sell EBooks On EBay And Make Cold Hard Cash?
Selling eBooks on eBay, and making any worthwhile profit from doing so, is becoming more and more difficult.
Stock and Bond Trading Powers Modern Asset Allocation
Trading does not have to avoid the income securities that are so important to the long-term success of an investment portfolio. No more worries about liquidity ...
Restore Your Credit Rating And Reduce Your Debts
Your credit rating affects many areas of your life. Opening new credit accounts, buying a home or car, getting a new job, and receiving discounts on insurance ...
How To Gain Control Of Your Life
When we cultivate awareness of ourselves through honest introspection, we accelerate our personal evolution, success, and happiness by noticing dysfunctional li...
Creating Your Presentation Success With a Positive “I CAN” Attitude
Having a positive attitude before a presentation is an essential ingredient in creating a positive presentation outcome. Too many presenters undermine their ow...
How Much Importance Do You Place on Your Skin and Toxins
I am sure that most of you will know that your skin is the largest organ of your body, the skin can absorb chemicals in to your blood stream which in turn, will...
Small Business - Would You Still Need An Accountant If You Didnt Need A Tax Return?
After over thirty years advising small business it still comes as a surprise to see the number of small business owners who are only interested in their financi...
The Divine Self
Where do you look for an experience of the Divine? Religion? Your inner guides? Your higher self? Do you know that the experience of the Divine is not only insi...
Business Career, Executive Coaching - The Top 10 Tips to Begin the Practice of Positive Affirmations
Positive Affirmations are things we say to ourselves that build us up and make us strong. They empower us to take chances and to be our best. Thoughts run throu...
Are You Satisfied With Your Business Just As It Is?
Did you know that satisfaction is the number one emotion
people want to experience about their life and business?
Yes, fame and fortune are up there, but satisf...
Leadership Attributes for Business Success
Business success is essentially the result of successful leadership. Contrary to the popular myth, leaders are not just born. Leadership skills can be learnt an...
The 5 Babysitter Commandments
Having a babysitter take care of your kids is sometimes a dangerous thing to do because the babysitter is the person that will be alone with your kid. Here are ...
Music Aids in Studying, Concentration, Retention and Retrieval of Information
Music aids in absorption, retention and retrieval of information. By playing classical music as background music when your child is studying or doing home work...
The Greatest Secret To Producing Real SOLID Excellence!
What is the secret behind those people who truly attain success in their life?
|
Print this page