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The article discusses a survey released by Synergistics Research Corp. which found that customers would like to see banks merge their credit card and debit card rewards programs.

The article reports that according to a new survey by Discover Financial Services' Pulse electronic funds transfer network, the number of U.S. financial institutions that roll out new debit card rewards programs, has decreased. The report says that only 17% of survey participants said that they are considering to launch a debit rewards program in 2010, which is down 24% from last year. However, 36% of issuers still identify rewards programs as a growth opportunity.

The article discusses the finding of a study of Discover Financial Services' Pulse electronic funds transfer network which suggests that U.S. consumers are becoming less interested in debit card rewards programs.

The article presents information regarding a merchant-funded cardholder rewards program which just got a boost from a new marketing channel. Interactive Inc.'s Prewards system to issuers and merchants will be marketed by Fifth Third Processing Solutions LLC. Tony Emrick, a senior vice president at Fifth Third Processing, says Prewards is pretty timely, given the financial legislation going on out there.

The article presents information on the new redemption system for the cardholders of the company Discover Financial Services. The new option provides cardholders to redeem the reward points for part of the cost through the redemption Website and rest by card. Discover increased the number of items which can be redeemed from 50 to over 400. Megan Bramlette, analyst with Auriemma Consulting Group Inc., describes improving is a good idea for rewards program.

The article discusses a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston which asserts that credit card interchange fees indirectly allow wealthier credit card rewards, using households to receive 756 dollars on average annually while costing poorer households relying mainly on cash, checks or debit cards 23 dollars per year. The report has generated disputes among payments experts regarding its assumptions and may also attract discussions about legislation to regulate credit card interchange.

The article examines research on consumer preferences on credit card customer loyalty reward programs conducted by Synergistics Research Corp. which found most consumers preferred smaller rewards which could be obtained more quickly rather than large items such as airline tickets.

The article reports on the launch of the Air New Zealand American Express Platinum Card by American Express Co. and Air New Zealand Ltd. in Auckland, New Zealand. It mentions that the rewards card is designed for frequent flyers, comes with higher earn points than other cards, and offer cardholders with one free return domestic flight every year. It notes the significance of the company's deal in allowing cardholders to transfer loyalty point to the airline's airpoint dollars.

The article reports on the plan of Qatar-based Doha Bank Ltd. to increase its credit card base by offering new and existing cardholders a 25% cash-back reward on their card travel spending. It mentions that the card is open to existing card members and to new customers receiving Dream, Green, and Dream Platinum cards. It notes that all new members will be eligible for a premium mobile number from a mobile operator worth up to 5,000 rials.

The article offers information on the rewards program introduced by Target Corp. to enhance transaction through its branded payment cards. Target Corp. will provide its customers with five percent discount everyday on transaction made through its credit or debit card. The program is first of its kind in the U.S. and will attract several customers. The new program will replace the existing rewards program, which provides points with every purchase. The program was tested in Kansas City, Missouri.

The article reports on MasterCard Inc.'s innovative approach called Pay with Rewards platform, in which debit and credit card holders will be able to spend the points they earn as cash out which faces challenges to attract issuers and getting cardholders to use the program in the U.S.

The article reports on the collaboration of Travelocity Business with AmEx Inc. for travel rewards card in the U.S. It mentions that a travel-based American Express rewards credit card that offers cardholders lower point-redemption options has been launched by Travelocity Global. A Travelocity spokesperson stresses the compatibility of the company with AmEx Inc., saying that AmEx Inc. has been the preferred card for the company.

The article reports on the move of finance company J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to launch several card offerings in an effort to help mid-market businesses control costs and enhance their overall purchasing efficiency in the U.S. The new card offerings consist of single-use accounts, reporting and program management capabilities, a rewards program and its Executive card. The features of each offering are described.

The article reports on the launch of the Campus Dough DebitSmart prepaid card by University Parent Media and StorValue Card Solutions LLC, enabling college students to improve personal money management in the U.S. This partnership is offering cardholders cash-back rewards at participating merchants including Best Buy Co., Borders Direct LLC and PetSmart Store Support Group Inc. Students can activate cards by going, either in-person or online, to a Green Dot or Western Union location.

The article reports on the new payment program, Pay with Rewards, announced by MasterCard Inc. that allows cardholders to convert points into cash credits. With the program, cardholders can earn points when they make purchases using enrolled MasterCard rewards card, which can be used as cash credits. MasterCard has some other upgrades to its global card network including faster clearing of gasoline purchase and fraud detection during transaction authorization.

This article reports that MasterCard Inc. and Barclaycard US have remade their Western International cobranded rewards card so that it rewards cardholders for usage.

The article reports on the retooling of the Best Western International cobranded rewards card by MasterCard Worldwide and Barclaycard US. Scott Young, Barclaycard US general manager of partnerships, claims that the retooling will address the need of the target customers who want more value as a reward for usage. Furthermore, cardholders may earn several rewards for incurring services including stay at Best Western hotels, purchases of gasolines, car rentals, and dining.

The article informs that the Fair Trade Commission in South Korea has urged credit card companies to offer rewards points to South Korean customers for overseas spending. The commission stated that since locally issued credit cards are universally used and card issuing companies earn significant fees on overseas purchases done by the credit card holders, there is no reason not to offer mileage points for overseas purchases.

The article reports that J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. has said that it would increase the level of cash-back rewards on its Chase Freedom credit cards to 5%. JPMorgan Chase's latest rewards program goes into effect from April 1, 2010 and will offer cardholders 5% cash back on certain categories of spending. The categories will change every three months, and cardholders will have to re-enroll every quarter in order to be eligible for the new promotions.

The article reports that South Korea's Fair Trade Commission, that country's administrative agency for antitrust law, is urging credit card companies to allow users to obtain reward points for purchases made in foreign countries.

The article presents the statement of Synovate Mail Monitor, regarding the offer increase of several credit cards in the U.S. According to Synovate, credit card issuers are sending various credit card offers to their respective customers through mailboxes in the fourth quarter of 2009. In addition, several households in the country have received for about 398.5 million offers which is equivalent to 46.2%. The similarity of report between the company and Mintel Comperemedia is also mentioned.

The article discusses a customized credit-card program being offered by Discover Financial Services. Discover's CardBuilder initiative lets customers tailor their card with respect to interest rates, terms of payment, rewards programs, and the design on the card. Adil Moussa of Aite Group said the ability to choose among rewards programs would be particularly attractive to customers.

The article reports that according to Auriemma Consulting Group's monthly "Cardbeat" report on a survey of credit card customers, issuers often make it hard to find descriptions of some features. As a result, consumers may not be informed about their rewards and issuers receive little promotional benefit.

The article reports that consumers that own an American Express credit card can use their accumulated rewards points to pay their taxes. This was already an option for cardholders through services operated by Link2Gov Corp. and Tier Technologies Inc. Both services charge consumers a fee to supplement the transaction costs.

The article reports that American Express card holders are enabled by American Express Co. (AmEx) to transfer Membership Rewards points to British Airways. To transfer their AmEx Membership Rewards points, cardmembers can visit the Membership Rewards Web site. According to an AmEx spokesperson, the points are of equal value to airline miles. AmEx announces that its British Airways cobranded card agreement ha been expanded in Great Britain.

The article discusses the marketing strategies of several commercial banks in the U.S. to acquire more customers. Finance firms including Wells Fargo & Co, Bank of America Corp. and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. have strengthened their spending on marketing by offering business checking accounts and credit card rewards programs. In addition, the firms have also allocated additional budget for the identification of their branches and for advertising purposes.

The article focuses on the emergence of a new type of merchant-issuer relationship which commonly refers to merchant-funded rewards networks. It explains the concept of commission-based marketing being conducted online. It notes that merchants see value in the ability to market directly to members of rewards-program. It points out the critical difference between the traditional buying process and the merchant-funded scenario.

The article focuses on an online survey of more than 2000 U.S. Internet users which found that two-thirds of U.S. consumers have cut their credit card spending, closed a credit card account or switched credit card brands in response to changes within the last year in their credit cards' terms and conditions. It reports that around 60% of respondents said they would switch cards for a better rewards deal.

The article reports that prepaid card companies were developing rewards programs to let their co-branding partners build relationships with consumers. The strategy was catching on initially with video game developers. Electronic Arts Inc. announced the prepaid EA Sports DebitSmart Visa card, featuring a rewards system that lets users redeem points for some of its video games.

The article reports on the research by Corporate Insight Inc. that says 75 million Americans who are retired or nearing retirements presents untapped revenue opportunities for credit card marketers. According to the report, few rewards-based credit cards are geared to the tens of millions of affluent retirement-age consumers in the U.S. It states that retirees are one of the fastest growing demographics in the U.S. with spending power.

The article discusses a customizable charge card for young adults introduced by American Express Co. The card, Zync, allows the cardholder to choose their desired reward options based on their personal interests. The Zync card will be tested in a "beta" version to allow for customer feedback before being formally introduced in 2010.

The article discusses a report issued by the market research firm Corporate Insight Inc. which states that the large number of Americans who are retired or nearing retirement represent a financial opportunity for credit card issuers. Credit card companies who are taking advantage of this niche market with special offerings geared towards affluent retirees include JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Fidelity Investments.

The author reports that Electronic Arts, Inc. is marketing a prepaid card with rewards that allows users to redeem points for its video games. The cards are being issued by MetaBank and run on the Visa, Inc. network. Cardholders receive rewards on transactions at participating merchants which include Macy's Inc.

The article reports on the announcement by video-game developer Electronic Arts Inc. concerning its offering of the EA Sports DebitSmart Visa prepaid card. Electronic Arts Inc. claims that this prepaid card has a rewards system which allows users to save points for select EA Sports video games. It notes that these cards will be issued by MetaBank and cardholders receive back a percentage of their purchase totals from every transaction at Macy's Inc. department stores and Netflix Inc.

The article focuses on the desire of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. that fee-free cardholders will opt in to paying an annual fee in the U.S. It notes that Ultimate Rewards program with both fee-based and free tiers is launched in June 2009. According to the company's general manager of customer loyalty and innovation, Rob Rosenbalt, the goal is to upgrade every single one of those customer into the fee-paying version.

The article reports that Western Vista Federal Credit Union based in Wyoming has signed a seven-year deal with TNB Card Services Inc. As per the Credit Union Journal, the deal will help to process transactions for 3 million dollars card portfolio of TNB Card Services. Besides this, 110 million dollars credit union will use VIP CardStation to identify portfolio trends which will enable it to manage card program efficiently as well as update cardholder records.

The article presents several market trends that could affect business operations. It says that reaching Generation Y through the use of mobile person-to-person payment systems could be difficult. A Credit Karma Inc. report showed that card debt decreases, while credit scores improve for many consumers in September. It states that a report released by the Smart Card Alliance suggested that card-fraud problems in the U.S. could be reduced by contactless card technology.

The article reports that credit card companies are promising greater rewards programs for customers. A coalition led by the Retail Council of Canada called StopStickingltToUs, is lobbying the government to lower the interchange fees these companies charge to process each transaction. A Study found that rewards programs are not important to the success of credit cards.

The article reports that the American Express Co. (AmEx) appears to be turning around and has an opportunity to improve business in credit card loan sector. The New York-based company is planning to move a significant amount of money it expects to save from reduced credit costs into marketing and rewards programs. According to AmEx, aggressive spending on marketing and rewards increased substantial gains in its market share.

The article reports that the summer issue of the "FDIC Consumer News" newsletter warned consumers about changes to credit card and mortgage laws. The newsletter focused on costs, fees, and rewards associated with credit cards and mortgages. The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) publishes the newsletter.

The article reports that the national advertising division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus warned U.S. Bank that some of its advertisements were untrue. U.S. Bank, which is a division of U.S. Bancorp, advertised that its credit card reward program was better than a similar reward program offered by American Express Co. These advertisements were found to be misleading.

The article reports on an announcement made by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. regarding enhanced rewards for checking-account customers and possessing Chase Freedom credit cards. For a variety of financial products, Chase checking customers will be given bigger discounts, more rewards and better rates under the Chase Exclusives program. Chase Freedom credit cards customers will earn about 90 dollars per year through the enhanced reward.

The article reports that a rewards card program, specially designed for wealthy customers, is being offered by the Chase Card Services unit of J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. According to Sean O'Reilly, the unit's general manager, the Sapphire card is designed to focus more on customer segments and is meant for the top-earning 15% of U.S. households. Extensive travel services and access to 24-hour customer service are offered by the card program.

The article presents information about a consumer loyalty study which shows that membership in debit card rewards programs has increased in the U.S. The study, conducted by First Data Competitive Intelligence, the research unit of First Data Corp., involved 2,449 U.S. consumers. It also shows that consumers rewards more often than credit card rewards.

The article presents information about Prewards system, a new credit-card program for multipurse cards launched by Nashville, Tennessee-based Edo Interactive. With Prewards, the rewards given by merchants to customers are deposited into a separate prepaid purse on an issuer's card, bringing extra revenue for issuers. Edo is using the new system as an add-on to other issuers' card-loyalty programs. Ed Braswell, Edo founder, says that Prewards also serves as an advertising tool for merchants.

The article reports on the introduction of Visa Card from Barclaycard US. It notes that the said card will enable cardholders to use rewards points as soon as two days after earning them. Moreover, it mentions that the Visa Card will enable cardholders to redeem points just like cash for them to pay off their credit charges.

The article discusses prewards, the method in which rewards are given to customers of Interactive Inc. The way in which prewards separates rewards that customers earn from other funds they may have on their credit cards is discussed. Comments by Ed Braswell, the chief executive of Interactive, regarding the rewards program are presented.

The article discusses consumer behavior in credit card rewards programs. Nancy Gordon, executive vice president of the ThankYou rewards program at Citigroup Inc., has found that consumer interest increased in ThankYou when the rewards were discounts on things like mortgage and student loan payments. Also, instead of saving their reward points consumers are spending them as they get them, particularly in online shopping.

This article discusses an agreement between the credit card company Visa Inc. and the online movie ticket vendor Fandango Inc. that will benefit Visa Signature cardholders. Cardholders who purchase tickets through Fandango will receive incentives including discounted admission, exclusive movie previews, and free snacks.

The article reports on the special promotion launched by Triton Systems of Delaware Inc. to extend its cash-dispensing mechanism's warranty in the U.S. As noted, the extended cash-dispensing mechanism has been installed in the automated tellers (ATMs) Triton RL(Retail Lobby)1600 and the RL2000 machines. According to director of Triton's North American sales James Phillips, the special promo is a way to convince the return of the company's resistant customers.