topic Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards in Credit Cards

The History of Particular Credit Cards

Kevin86475391 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 03:50:09 GMT

I was thinking how interesting it would be (to me anyway) to have access to the history of specific credit cards, not credit card companies, but specific credit card products. I'd love to know, for example, what date the Chase Freedom was released and a record of quarterly bonuses for all years, any changes in terms and conditions, sign up bonuses, etc. Not just for the Chase Freedom of course, but any and all cards. Anyone know how to find that type of data?

I don't need it at all and would have no application for it whatsoever. I just think it would be interesting (again at least to me) to look at. I'd also love to look at defunct cards and other historical data.

Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 03:52:57 GMT

i know american express has some info about the growth of their cards on YouTube

Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards

ddemari — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 04:07:39 GMT

Freedom was released in 2006.

https://investor.shareholder.com/jpmorganchase/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=264280

Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 15:52:12 GMT

@ddemari wrote:
Freedom was released in 2006.

https://investor.shareholder.com/jpmorganchase/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=264280

My first Freedom card was actually a forced conversion from the Chase Cash Rewards card I got in late 2005. I didn'tknow what the original Freedom rewards structure was, but I remember seeing TV ads for the Chase Freedom, making a big deal of how you could switch between points or cashback anytime you wanted. But since the points were worth 1¢ each, I couldn't figure out why that was such a big deal.

Anyhow, in 2007, Chase switched me from the Cash Rewards card, which was a 5% on Gas/Grocery/Drug and 1% on everthing else to the Freedom, which was giving 3% on your top three categories out of a long list, which included Telephone, Satellite, Department Stores,Grocery,Laundry/Dry Cleaning,Commuting,Movie Theaters,Utilities,Fast Food,Drug Stores,Movie Rentals,Beauty Salons/Spas,Veterinarians/Pet Supplies,Gas & Convenience,Health Clubs, and 1% on everything else. There was an additional redemption 25% bonus for Chase checking customers, so with that it amounted to a 1.25%/3.75% card. In mid-2008, they upped the rewards to include six categories per cycle, instead of three. Then in spring 2010, they dropped the 25% bonus on redemptions and added a 1 point per $10 of purchases (so effectively an additional 0.1%) plus a 10¢ bonus per transaction, which made it my go-to card for small transactions.

Then in July 2010 they joined Discover in the quarterly category trend. What made it particularly lucrative is that for those who were already in the 3% program it stacked. So that if, for example gas ended up one of your top six categories, and gas happened to be the quarterly category, you'd get 8% cashback on gas, which was pretty sweet. They finally ended that gravy train in mid-2011, and it was just a straight quarterly 5% card, with 1% on everything else, but still with the 10%/10¢ bonus, sometimes enhanced to 20%/20¢ for a time. Then sometime in 2013, they dropped the 10%/10¢ bonus, and went to a 10% bonus on all purchases, which made it a 5.5%/1.1% card, which continued until the end of 2015, and it's now a straight 5%/1% card.

History of Chase Freedom quarterly categories (* indicates overlap with Discover):
2010
Q3: Lawn and Garden, Home Furnishings, Home Improvement
Q4: Grocery Stores, Department Stores, Movies

2011
Q1: Grocery stores, Drug
Q2: *Home Improvement, Lawn and Garden, Home Furnishings
Q3: Airlines, *Hotels, Auto Rentals, *Gasoline
Q4: *Dining,*Department Stores, Movies, Charity

2012
Q1: *Gas Stations, Amazon.com
Q2: Grocery Stores, *Movie Theatres
Q3: *Gas Stations, Restaurants
Q4: Hotels, Airlines, *Bestbuy, *Kohls

2013
Q1: Gas stations, Drugstores, Starbucks� stores
Q2: Restaurants, Movie theaters
Q3: *Gas stations, Theme Parks, Kohl's�
Q4: *Select department stores, *Amazon.com

2014
Q1: Gas stations, *Movie theaters, Starbucks stores
Q2: Restaurants, *Lowe's
Q3: *Gas stations, Kohl's
Q4: *Amazon.com, *Zappos.com, select *department stores

2015
Q1: Grocery Stores (not including WalMart and Target), Starbucks, and Movie Theaters
Q2: *Restaurants and more - Restaurants, Bed Bath Beyond, Overstock.com
Q3: *Gas Stations and more - Gas Stations and Kohl's
Q4: *Amazon.com, Zappos.com, audible.com, diapers.com

2016
Q1: *Gas Stations and Local Commuter transportation (not parking, tolls and Amtrak)
Q2: Grocery Stores (not including Walmart and Target)
Q3: Restaurants
Q4: Holiday Shopping

Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:37:57 GMT

thanks for the breakdown. that was nice

Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards

Kevin86475391 — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 23:46:11 GMT

Thanks you guys! This was very informative and fun to review! Exactly the type of thing I was looking for

Re: The History of Particular Credit Cards

Kevin86475391 — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 23:49:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@ddemari wrote:
Freedom was released in 2006.

https://investor.shareholder.com/jpmorganchase/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=264280
My first Freedom card was actually a forced conversion from the Chase Cash Rewards card I got in late 2005. I didn'tknow what the original Freedom rewards structure was, but I remember seeing TV ads for the Chase Freedom, making a big deal of how you could switch between points or cashback anytime you wanted. But since the points were worth 1¢ each, I couldn't figure out why that was such a big deal.

Anyhow, in 2007, Chase switched me from the Cash Rewards card, which was a 5% on Gas/Grocery/Drug and 1% on everthing else to the Freedom, which was giving 3% on your top three categories out of a long list, which included Telephone, Satellite, Department Stores,Grocery,Laundry/Dry Cleaning,Commuting,Movie Theaters,Utilities,Fast Food,Drug Stores,Movie Rentals,Beauty Salons/Spas,Veterinarians/Pet Supplies,Gas & Convenience,Health Clubs, and 1% on everything else. There was an additional redemption 25% bonus for Chase checking customers, so with that it amounted to a 1.25%/3.75% card. In mid-2008, they upped the rewards to include six categories per cycle, instead of three. Then in spring 2010, they dropped the 25% bonus on redemptions and added a 1 point per $10 of purchases (so effectively an additional 0.1%) plus a 10¢ bonus per transaction, which made it my go-to card for small transactions.

Then in July 2010 they joined Discover in the quarterly category trend. What made it particularly lucrative is that for those who were already in the 3% program it stacked. So that if, for example gas ended up one of your top six categories, and gas happened to be the quarterly category, you'd get 8% cashback on gas, which was pretty sweet. They finally ended that gravy train in mid-2011, and it was just a straight quarterly 5% card, with 1% on everything else, but still with the 10%/10¢ bonus, sometimes enhanced to 20%/20¢ for a time. Then sometime in 2013, they dropped the 10%/10¢ bonus, and went to a 10% bonus on all purchases, which made it a 5.5%/1.1% card, which continued until the end of 2015, and it's now a straight 5%/1% card.

History of Chase Freedom quarterly categories (* indicates overlap with Discover):
2010
Q3: Lawn and Garden, Home Furnishings, Home Improvement
Q4: Grocery Stores, Department Stores, Movies

2011
Q1: Grocery stores, Drug
Q2: *Home Improvement, Lawn and Garden, Home Furnishings
Q3: Airlines, *Hotels, Auto Rentals, *Gasoline
Q4: *Dining,*Department Stores, Movies, Charity

2012
Q1: *Gas Stations, Amazon.com
Q2: Grocery Stores, *Movie Theatres
Q3: *Gas Stations, Restaurants
Q4: Hotels, Airlines, *Bestbuy, *Kohls

2013
Q1: Gas stations, Drugstores, Starbucks� stores
Q2: Restaurants, Movie theaters
Q3: *Gas stations, Theme Parks, Kohl's�
Q4: *Select department stores, *Amazon.com

2014
Q1: Gas stations, *Movie theaters, Starbucks stores
Q2: Restaurants, *Lowe's
Q3: *Gas stations, Kohl's
Q4: *Amazon.com, *Zappos.com, select *department stores

2015
Q1: Grocery Stores (not including WalMart and Target), Starbucks, and Movie Theaters
Q2: *Restaurants and more - Restaurants, Bed Bath Beyond, Overstock.com
Q3: *Gas Stations and more - Gas Stations and Kohl's
Q4: *Amazon.com, Zappos.com, audible.com, diapers.com

2016
Q1: *Gas Stations and Local Commuter transportation (not parking, tolls and Amtrak)
Q2: Grocery Stores (not including Walmart and Target)
Q3: Restaurants
Q4: Holiday Shopping

Really fascinating, Thanks!

I hadn't realized the Freedom had been nurfed so much. Kicking myself for not getting it in 2007 and enjoying the whole ride.