Swipes leading to auto CLI?

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

Had a fun discussion on Chase auto CLI on Facebook today and went over so many data points between 10 different people with very similar profiles otherwise.

One thing that came up was overall number of swipes -- the folks who had the auto CLIs had a ton of swipes, but the folks who didn't get any auto CLI had almost none. Of course it doesn't mean it's necessarily anything important, but I am curious if people who get a lot of auto CLIs on cards are also heavy swipers regardless of the amount they put on a card.

Anyone ever track this themselves when it comes to auto CLI?

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

@Anonymous wrote:
Had a fun discussion on Chase auto CLI on Facebook today and went over so many data points between 10 different people with very similar profiles otherwise.

One thing that came up was overall number of swipes -- the folks who had the auto CLIs had a ton of swipes, but the folks who didn't get any auto CLI had almost none. Of course it doesn't mean it's necessarily anything important, but I am curious if people who get a lot of auto CLIs on cards are also heavy swipers regardless of the amount they put on a card.

Anyone ever track this themselves when it comes to auto CLI?

That is exactly my case for my Chase Amazon Prime. I had a lot of restaurant $7 swipes every month for six months. Only spent $250 a month on the card but a million swipes. Got an auto cli after six months. Doubled from 2k limit to 4K. You are on to something there.

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

My Chase FU gets almost no swipes a month but I put 100% of CL through it and PIF.

Next month all of my tiny purchases are going on it instead.

One never knows, but thanks for sharing your data points there.

FinStar · ‎01-18-2018

I'm not sure if using them (swipe/chip/mobile/online) until they're worn out would necessarily = auto CLI for everyone. That being said, it hurts nothing. As always, not something that's going to crack the code.

I have ~10 CCs with them and in my natural curiosity to see how they work, not necessarily to obtain a CLI (which is alright if it happens), I've observed that there isn't really a rhyme or reason that triggers some auto-CLIs. For instance, I've used my CFU moderately which has netted some decent results over several years (including SP CLI targeted emails). My IHG wasn't used much last year and it received an auto-CLI. Marriott was used heavily for a while but no auto-CLI. RITZ and CSP are my usual workhorses and only RITZ received the auto-CLI but not CSP. These are just some of my observations for the last 2-3 years.
Interestingly, those that didn't receive auto-CLIs were offered pretty decent targeted (travel-related or points) promotions.

So, let us know if your CFU yields a CLI after lots of transactional usage.

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

Good data points, thanks!

I know some lenders encourage more transactions for bonuses such as some Amex cards. Doesn’t matter if you do 20-30 $1 transactions, you’ll net the bonus.

I’ll try a statement cycle of heavy small transactions and report back. Doesn’t mean it’s an answer but if it works maybe others can try it out and see.

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

American Express without a doubt loves swipes. I was on the phone with a rep yesterday talking upgrade options and I told her that I use my AMEX for everything whether it be a pack of gum or a steak dinner and her immediate response was "Yes, and we appreciate that." I think that is the reason why I get constant CLI from AMEX for my BCE without even having to request one.

Chase, from what I have read numerous times across too many threads to count, is deemed a "cocky lender" and wants to be your only lender and everyday card. As a consumer, it is sometimes smart to take advantage of your lender's wants so I actually have switched my spending to my Chase card to see what I can squeeze out of them I particularly agree with your reserarch based off of what others have said too many times on this forum so thank you for sharing!

Discover on the other, (for me) is so conservative that every time I picture them I picture an old woman clutching their pearls. They are the conservative pearl-clutching "Well I...NEVER!" lender that seems to get scared with too many swipes or too much utliziation so I honestly barely use my Discover IT card and I get a CLI every 3 months in the 2-3K range.

@Anonymous wrote:
Had a fun discussion on Chase auto CLI on Facebook today and went over so many data points between 10 different people with very similar profiles otherwise.

One thing that came up was overall number of swipes -- the folks who had the auto CLIs had a ton of swipes, but the folks who didn't get any auto CLI had almost none. Of course it doesn't mean it's necessarily anything important, but I am curious if people who get a lot of auto CLIs on cards are also heavy swipers regardless of the amount they put on a card.

Anyone ever track this themselves when it comes to auto CLI?

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

Great data points! Thanks!

I'm still in the Discover first year so it's technically my best general spend card at 2% (4% gas/restaurants).

But I've started to recalculate Freedom Unlimited's value to me at 2.25% even though I don't have CSR. I plan to get CSR, or at least CSP->CSR, so I am valuing the URs at 2.25c each instead of 1.5c each, so switching from Discover to FU now is actually a benefit, other than groceries/gas on BCP (which I track monthly so I will only do $6000 in 2018 exactly).

It definitely will get complicated if and when I get another rewards card down the line, but my only goals are for CSP now or CSR later -- there's just nothing else appealing.

The problem with my FU is the $500 toy limit since May. While I have no problem with PIF multiple times a month, I do charge things over $500 quite regularly (travel, deposits, insurance payments that don't have a surcharge, etc) so that $500 is stifling and an auto CLI is wanted because I'm not going to burn an HP (or two!) on a denied CLI request.

BurgeoningHope · ‎01-18-2018

That's really interesting. I chiefly use my Amazon Visa as an Amazon card for the 5% (or more, depending on the promo), so it gets a lot of action, but nearly all top category spend. Hardly profitable...? It was only after I tossed it onto the table for some restaurant spend, and used it at Costco once, that I got my surprise CLI.

Coincidence? Maybe. I'll be interested in further discussion/data points.

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

I love how you used the word "chiefly"

@BurgeoningHope wrote:
That's really interesting. I chiefly use my Amazon Visa as an Amazon card for the 5% (or more, depending on the promo), so it gets a lot of action, but nearly all top category spend. Hardly profitable...? It was only after I tossed it onto the table for some restaurant spend, and used it at Costco once, that I got my surprise CLI.

Coincidence? Maybe. I'll be interested in further discussion/data points.

Anonymous · ‎01-18-2018

@BurgeoningHope wrote:
That's really interesting. I chiefly use my Amazon Visa as an Amazon card for the 5% (or more, depending on the promo), so it gets a lot of action, but nearly all top category spend. Hardly profitable...? It was only after I tossed it onto the table for some restaurant spend, and used it at Costco once, that I got my surprise CLI.

Coincidence? Maybe. I'll be interested in further discussion/data points.

I use it for all the secondary 2% transactions. And that with a lot of swipes got my limit doubled. I atm use restaurants, Gas, and prescriptions every month. Think it take more than a month or two to trigger for chase anyways.