Discover's next move?

[Anonymous]

After pulling out most of the perks (Extended warranty, auto rental CDW, etc.) I'm just looking at Disco and thinking just how uncompetitive they are. Except for the 5% quarters, none of their cards are exactly good, at least not after the first year.

The three cards they offer:

• Miles: A standard 1.5% card, but with the slightly lower acceptance rate and lack of extra perks
• It: Good for the 5% quarters, but their quarters have mostly been subsets of Chase Freedom recently, without the extra perks
• It Chrome: A 2-2-1 card? With all the 3-2-1 and 4-3-2-1 cards out there, this is nothing special at all, especially with a $1000/quarter cap

Again, for the first year the cashback is great. But a lot of people, myself included, would earn more from a SUB than the cashback match.

I know a lot of us on the forums love the SP CLI's, but that doesn't make me keep the card at the front of my wallet, either, nor is it a factor for the general population.

Rather than making this a thread for sulking, what do people think/hope Discover's next move will be?

[kdm31091]

It is disappointing, of course, to see perks taken away, but we talk about these perks far more often than anyone actually uses them. That's the problem. It costs money to provide and looks nice on paper, but evidently very few people were actually using them. Perks provide peace of mind but I can't tell you I've ever used any type of extended warranty, CDW, all that stuff. It's just never come up for me, but YMMV. So I don't really care either way about those being removed.

I get sick of the 5% rotating thing, but at least they are doing broad things like groceries and restaurants this year.

I would like to see them allow one to select categories (among a broad list), but I doubt it will happen.

[Anonymous]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

It is disappointing, of course, to see perks taken away, but we talk about these perks far more often than anyone actually uses them. That's the problem. It costs money to provide and looks nice on paper, but evidently very few people were actually using them. Perks provide peace of mind but I can't tell you I've ever used any type of extended warranty, CDW, all that stuff. It's just never come up for me, but YMMV. So I don't really care either way about those being removed.

I get sick of the 5% rotating thing, but at least they are doing broad things like groceries and restaurants this year.

I would like to see them allow one to select categories (among a broad list), but I doubt it will happen.

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I have yet to rent a car in my life, but I certainly hope I'll never need to collect on CDW. Extended warranty I've used twice though. The 5% groceries is good but restaurants it's only 1% over my other card, and Disco isn't even taken at a couple restaurants I visit. A category selection would definitely be a good move for the Chrome...

[patoot10]

Discover is a good card.

Talking about cash back you earn 5% on very popular categories (Can't beat that)

And once your first year is over you can always get a second card and enjoy another year of cashback match

[AverageJoesCredit]

Lol GHS, no sulking haha!

Id just like to see Discover offer a different card period. No It No Miles. Maybe just include a low apr card maybe intended for those who often carry a balance or would like to from time to time. Nothing complicated just another flavor, perhaps the Discover Together card or something lol

[K-in-Boston]

I agree that after the first year Discover is really only good for 5% categories and balance transfers.  Other than that, a simple easy-to-understand rewards structure and great customer service are the only things they have going for them long-term.

As already stated, having category selections (like the US Bank Cash+) would be a nice next move.  Otherwise, I don't see Discover getting into the premium market and there aren't any viable travel partners left for them to co-brand (I made a joke recently in a "Discover rumored to be getting into the premium market" thread that perhaps they could partner with Motel 6) so they should likely just stick to doing what they do.

[CreditCuriosity]

Although alot of people don't use those perks much; many still do being the  educated consumer which might surprise you will use the Amex/Citi, etc to get the extra protection as $1500 for an extra 5% then 1% thereafter on a purchase isn't alot for alot of people on a single purchase think major appliances or OLED tv's and other expensive stuff among the other benefits they use to have.  Cutting might help their bottom line, but could end up hurting them more than helping them in the long run as less people that use to be "loyal" to discover will continue to be loyal without those protections and extra benefits.  Just my 2 cents.  As others state discover needs to come out with something new as after the first year they really offer nothing and 5% at 1500 cap is not much.  Granted ever dollar does help, but if I was going to say buy a 4k tv and get 5% on 1500 or 2 MR's on Amex card for purchase I would throw it on Amex any day of the week.

Also BT on discover are average to be honest better than some and worse than others such as NFCU.. NFCU put pretty much any bank/cu to shame and if you were lucky enough to be able have one of their cards you have the perfect BT card usually once a year

[UpperNwGuy]

Discover needs to do something soon if they want to remain relevant.  Every other major card issuer has introduced new cards and/or improved old cards since Discover last did anything new.

[Anonymous]

K-in-Boston now kidding about partnering with the motel chain is really interesting ;( You could stand to clean up your blue recycle can and I will share my experiences staying in a the aforementioned motel in a Midwestern State college town where the room moved and nobody was in it?! Yeah ... but hey, ideas have to start somewhere!

[MrDisco99]

I've been working on chasing rewards and bonuses for a while now and trying to take advantage of as many products as possible.  During all that time, Discover just hasn't been on my radar.  And I get more mailers from them than anyone.

I mean, it seems like a decent cash back card, similar to Freedom... nice long 0% intro and a competetive cash back program.  However, I already have the Freedom and it already pretty much does the same thing without having to worry if a merchant is going to accept it or not.

Maybe I'll get one someday and use it for a year, but it's not high on my goal cards list.