seriously what's the point of enrolling into the categories every quarter? it's not like we have a choice! I guess card issuers are happy cause it's probably like mail in rebates, cause they can appear to be competitive but most people forget to sign up =P
@distantarray wrote:seriously what's the point of enrolling into the categories every quarter? it's not like we have a choice! I guess card issuers are happy cause it's probably like mail in rebates, cause they can appear to be competitive but most people forget to sign up =P
Have both, atleast the freedom shows what is what. The dividend is another story.
Once I get BCE, both card will see less action depending on the quarter.
@armbenderc wrote:
@distantarray wrote:seriously what's the point of enrolling into the categories every quarter? it's not like we have a choice! I guess card issuers are happy cause it's probably like mail in rebates, cause they can appear to be competitive but most people forget to sign up =P
Once I get BCE, both card will see less action depending on the quarter.
Just in case you didn't know, with the BCE, you get a statement credit instead of straight cash back.
@kevinjjc wrote:
@armbenderc wrote:
@distantarray wrote:seriously what's the point of enrolling into the categories every quarter? it's not like we have a choice! I guess card issuers are happy cause it's probably like mail in rebates, cause they can appear to be competitive but most people forget to sign up =P
Once I get BCE, both card will see less action depending on the quarter.
Just in case you didn't know, with the BCE, you get a statement credit instead of straight cash back.
I think statement credit would be easier than a check. But the downside is Amex seems to be like a billing cycle or two behind when adding up the rewards =/
@ccnewcc wrote:
@kevinjjc wrote:
@armbenderc wrote:
@distantarray wrote:seriously what's the point of enrolling into the categories every quarter? it's not like we have a choice! I guess card issuers are happy cause it's probably like mail in rebates, cause they can appear to be competitive but most people forget to sign up =P
Once I get BCE, both card will see less action depending on the quarter.
Just in case you didn't know, with the BCE, you get a statement credit instead of straight cash back.
I think statement credit would be easier than a check. But the downside is Amex seems to be like a billing cycle or two behind when adding up the rewards =/
A statement credit forces you to use that specific card in order to redeem your cashback rewards.
@distantarray wrote:seriously what's the point of enrolling into the categories every quarter? it's not like we have a choice! I guess card issuers are happy cause it's probably like mail in rebates, cause they can appear to be competitive but most people forget to sign up =P
I don't think it's so much that the card issuers want you to forget about the sign-up and miss the bonus, but rather that they want to get you to go to the website and click on the button to enroll. Doing so positively reinforces the benefit in the consumer's mind ("I clicked on the button to sign up for this") and forces the consumer to see the bonus categories.
I think most people are lazy and will forget about the categories. Most people I know with credit cards still use their debit cards (and typically only have 1 or 2 CCs anyway). If you get an email (or a pop-up/banner) that keeps on nagging you to sign up, and you eventually do so, you create a positive ("active"? I'm not a psychologist) mental association between you and the card, and thus you'll be more likely to use it for anything, not just the bonus categories. That's what they really want. They'll settle for not signing up for the bonus and using the card, but they'd rather you get the card for the 5% bonus and then use it on other things.
This is also part of the reason why the companies don't release the entire schedule at once (aside, I'm sure, from the uncertainty of what they'll be able to afford a year from now - can't commit to another 5x online shopping without thinking it through, for instance). If the list is disclosed progressivelly, you'll be more anxious to see what the result is, and thus more anxious (and excited) about 5x points on Starbucks or some other BS.
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