Glyph: iPhone app to find the best CC rewards

[ALLevesque]

What about a way to account for online purchases?  I like the concept of the app-- especially to keep track of reward $'s and points.

[FutureBillionaire]

I was working on a business plan for a similar business.  I'm going to continue my quest based on feedback I have seen here.

[Anonymous]

@ALLevesque -

Thanks!  Are you a psychic?  Stay tuned to the next release of the app.  

[Anonymous]

@FutureBillionaire -

Good luck.  Let us know if we can help!

[ALLevesque]

Awesome, I'll keep it up and running- looking forward to future updates!

[Anonymous]

@ djrez -

I like the way you think; Let me address one piece by piece too:

1) We're thinking of creative ways to address the Credit Union issue, but you're right that, in the short term, the best way to have a card added is to request it via the "My Card is Missing" option.  We add the most popular missing cards as quickly as we can.

2) We agree on the Hilton AmEx calculation.

3) There are two reasons why Sapphire's showing up lower in this case: 

    a) We have valued the currency differently than you have, and 

    b) We don't take the annual dividend into consideration at the point of purchase, because those points are tied up until the end of the year, and they can't be accessed immediately.  

Having said all of that, we're trying to help consumers, not annoy them.  We will listen to your feedback.  How did you calculate the currency value for the Sapphire point?  As a Sapphire user, do you even care that the points can't be accessed immediately?  

Thanks,

Mike 

[FutureBillionaire]

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@Anonymous wrote:

@FutureBillionaire -

Good luck.  Let us know if we can help!

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I'm going to take you up on that.  This is a valuable tool that can help the American consumer. 

[djrez4]

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@Anonymous wrote:

@ djrez -

I like the way you think; Let me address one piece by piece too:

1) We're thinking of creative ways to address the Credit Union issue, but you're right that, in the short term, the best way to have a card added is to request it via the "My Card is Missing" option.  We add the most popular missing cards as quickly as we can.

2) We agree on the Hilton AmEx calculation.

3) There are two reasons why Sapphire's showing up lower in this case: 

    a) We have valued the currency differently than you have, and 

    b) We don't take the annual dividend into consideration at the point of purchase, because those points are tied up until the end of the year, and they can't be accessed immediately.  

Having said all of that, we're trying to help consumers, not annoy them.  We will listen to your feedback.  How did you calculate the currency value for the Sapphire point?  As a Sapphire user, do you even care that the points can't be accessed immediately?  

Thanks,

Mike 

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1) I'm not a CU card holder, so no personal stake in that matter, but that sounds like a good solution for now.

2) Ok - Hooray math!

3) Regardless of whether you've valued Ultimate Rewards points lower than my 1.7 cents, it's still 2 points per dollar and more than 1 cent per point.  Unless you're valuing UR points at less than 1.05 cents per point, the Sapphire should beat the Hilton at restaurants even without the dividend.

To give you an example of my most recent redemption, I used a combination of United Miles and UR points to book plane tickets to Europe.  The cash price would have been around $3000, give or take.  Let's just say I used all UR points - 120k of them.  That's a value of 2.5 cents per point.  If I'm getting 2 points per dollar at a restaurant, that's 5 cents per dollar.

I don't care that UR points can't be accessed immediately.  The value isn't in cash back.  It's in redemption value for travel.  That 120k UR points isn't worth $1200 to me.  It's worth much, much more.

[Anonymous]

@djrez - 

We have indeed valued the UR point at less than $.0105 / point.  We found justification for our valuation directly on the UR site.  Granted it's possible to get higher value, depending on what exactly you redeem for, we have elected not to represent the highest possible redemption value in our algorithms.  Rather, we've taken the average value, based on a basket of goods.  However, as you justified in your example, it seems that offering people the ability to customize currency values might be valuable.  We will give this a look.

Regarding the dividend, I would propose the same treatment: allow users to determine whether they want the dividend included or not.  

To appropriately set expectations, we need to research and develop these features, so please don't expect them in our next product release.  

Your feedback is much appreciated, and do let me know if anything else comes up in the course of your use.

Thank you,

Mike

[ramblin_wreck08]

Just downloaded the app and have a few initial observations:

1. It would be a nice feature to be able to add current balance and current reward balance on my cards

2. I agree that the ability to customize reward point values would be a very helpful addition. Right now, for instance, I am trying to rack up Delta Skymiles for a flight in August for my friend's wedding. I am doing this through my AMEX PRG. The flight in question is currently $420, and costs 25k miles. I'm sure the cost will go up before I know enough to be able to book, but right now that's 1.68% back on most purchases, 3.36% on gas and groceries, and 5.04% on airfare. Let's say I'm going to a department store. It recommends I use my Citi Dividend for 1% cash back, ranking it as 51/250. My PRG shows up as 1% and 178/250, when to me it's worth 1.68% and is probably in the top 10.