The Metal of it all

[wasCB14]

Metals can indicate some sort of ranking among cards in the same family. Most people understand "Platinum" means it's more expensive than "Gold". But to the uninformed, it might be hard to keep track of Premier vs. Prestige vs. Diamond Preferred.

Titanium is not really a precious metal. I always thought it was weird people got excited about that particular aspect of the Amex Centurion.

"Polyvinylchloride acetate" would also be a bit of a mouthful for many people.

[iced]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Remedios wrote:

You might want to remove Sapphire from your list since it's not a metal. 

As to why, who cares really?

Certainly sounds better than "6% on groceries at select stores card" or "I just wanna sip my drink in a lounge card"  as far as names go. 

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Who cares...my point exactly.  WHat's the fascination with precious metals (and yes gems). 

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Psychology. Bronze, silver, gold, platinum have traditionally been used as terms to denote tiers of wealth. Gems symbolize wealth. People without wealth see the cards and associate it as having attained something special. If you called it the "everyday, average schmuck's credit card" people wouldn't want it nearly as much as a "special exclusive elite gold card" because it doesn't make them feel as special.

Marketers know just how to herd cattle exactly where they want them to go. Engagement rings? Xmas shopping? Mouthwash? All Jedi mind tricks.

[fatcomic]

Are metal cards really that much of a marvel at this point? 

I have the Verizon Visa and I truly have got the point where I dread to use it if I have to hand it to someone to swipe.   It always gets a reaction and 99% of the time, with the cashier or whoever saying "it's so heavy" and staring back at me like they expect me to say something.  Sometimes they keep going with a follow up question of some sorts, "what kind of card is this?" "what do you do?" or "why is it so heavy?"   

I have the apple card which sits in the SD, it has never seen daylight, and I have the CSP which doesn't get the same reaction.   

Anyone else get annoyed, or maybe likes it when someone makes a comment about their card?   Does anyone else get reactions with this card?

Maybe I'm just in a rare mood today or maybe I'm just getting too old and boring to be talking about how heavy my card is.  

[BearsCubsOtters]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I'm wondering why all these credit cards are named for metals -- Gold, Platinum, TItanium, Sapphire -- when most are made of plastic.

How about an adobe card made from the ancient mud of New Mexico?  Or a card of steel made from the hull of a scrapped battleship?

A card that glows in the dark? A card that speaks the amount charged when the charge goes thru?

I mean really. . .plastic masquerading as precious metal?

Just thinking. . .

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I guess I don't understand why people would even wonder about such a thing. Its marketing. Marketing is in most everything you buy, including groceries. Why would people buy Post Honey Smacks when they can get the Malt-O-Meal brand in a bag cheaper? Because the Post box is 'pretty.'

Most humans are materialistic, greedy and egotistical. "I've really made it! I am someone because I have a gold card (1980s)/Platinum card(1990s)/Signature card(2000s)!" 

Diners Club was the first charge card. American Express came around a few years later and had a higher annual fee. When people saw that the American Express had a higher annual fee, it was perceived as better. Amex went on to invent the Gold card in the 1960s and the Platinum card in 1984. The other banks eventually followed suit. 

Now, in 2021, very few banks issue gold cards anymore; platinum level cards are usually very basic etc. So the banks have come up with new marketing tools, such as your Chase Sapphire Preferred. 

Ever see a cat hanging out under a Christmas tree? Their eyes, normally half open, are wide open and they are fascinated by the decorations and lights. Humans are basically no different. We like shiny things. 

[iced]

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@fatcomic wrote:

Are metal cards really that much of a marvel at this point? 

I have the Verizon Visa and I truly have got the point where I dread to use it if I have to hand it to someone to swipe.   It always gets a reaction and 99% of the time, with the cashier or whoever saying "it's so heavy" and staring back at me like they expect me to say something.  Sometimes they keep going with a follow up question of some sorts, "what kind of card is this?" "what do you do?" or "why is it so heavy?"   

I have the apple card which sits in the SD, it has never seen daylight, and I have the CSP which doesn't get the same reaction.   

Anyone else get annoyed, or maybe likes it when someone makes a comment about their card?   Does anyone else get reactions with this card?

Maybe I'm just in a rare mood today or maybe I'm just getting too old and boring to be talking about how heavy my card is.  

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Where do you live where these merchants are seeing metal cards so rarely? They're basically a dime a dozen in most major cities and it's a rare day that any merchant gives a second thought to most cards. I've maybe had one merchant comment on the weight of a card, out of thousands of swipes.

When Citi experimented with putting the magstripe on the front of the card, that turned some merchant heads, but it wasn't so much a 'what kind of card is this' as it was annoyance that they were swiping multiple times before they got confused and looked the card, realizing they had to turn it around.

[fatcomic]

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@iced wrote:

Where do you live where these merchants are seeing metal cards so rarely? They're basically a dime a dozen in most major cities and it's a rare day that any merchant gives a second thought to most cards. I've maybe had one merchant comment on the weight of a card, out of thousands of swipes.

When Citi experimented with putting the magstripe on the front of the card, that turned some merchant heads, but it wasn't so much a 'what kind of card is this' as it was annoyance that they were swiping multiple times before they got confused and looked the card, realizing they had to turn it around.

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Believe it or not.... some of us folks in fly-over-states actually use credit cards too. 

[iced]

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@fatcomic wrote:

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@iced wrote:

Where do you live where these merchants are seeing metal cards so rarely? They're basically a dime a dozen in most major cities and it's a rare day that any merchant gives a second thought to most cards. I've maybe had one merchant comment on the weight of a card, out of thousands of swipes.

When Citi experimented with putting the magstripe on the front of the card, that turned some merchant heads, but it wasn't so much a 'what kind of card is this' as it was annoyance that they were swiping multiple times before they got confused and looked the card, realizing they had to turn it around.

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Believe it or not.... some of us folks in fly-over-states actually use credit cards too. 

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I figured they use the same cards that people everywhere else do. Based on merchant reactions you're getting though, I'm not so sure anymore.

[Anonymous]

nope. People in fly-over states are still writing checks at the grocery store, which is a captial offense on the coasts.

[Anonymous]

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@iced wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Remedios wrote:

You might want to remove Sapphire from your list since it's not a metal. 

As to why, who cares really?

Certainly sounds better than "6% on groceries at select stores card" or "I just wanna sip my drink in a lounge card"  as far as names go. 

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Who cares...my point exactly.  WHat's the fascination with precious metals (and yes gems). 

---

Psychology. Bronze, silver, gold, platinum have traditionally been used as terms to denote tiers of wealth. Gems symbolize wealth. People without wealth see the cards and associate it as having attained something special. If you called it the "everyday, average schmuck's credit card" people wouldn't want it nearly as much as a "special exclusive elite gold card" because it doesn't make them feel as special.

Marketers know just how to herd cattle exactly where they want them to go. Engagement rings? Xmas shopping? Mouthwash? All Jedi mind tricks.

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Perfect.  When Chase comes out with the new Cubic Zirconia edition then I can apply.

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@iced wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Remedios wrote:

You might want to remove Sapphire from your list since it's not a metal. 

As to why, who cares really?

Certainly sounds better than "6% on groceries at select stores card" or "I just wanna sip my drink in a lounge card"  as far as names go. 

---

Who cares...my point exactly.  WHat's the fascination with precious metals (and yes gems). 

---

Psychology. Bronze, silver, gold, platinum have traditionally been used as terms to denote tiers of wealth. Gems symbolize wealth. People without wealth see the cards and associate it as having attained something special. If you called it the "everyday, average schmuck's credit card" people wouldn't want it nearly as much as a "special exclusive elite gold card" because it doesn't make them feel as special.

Marketers know just how to herd cattle exactly where they want them to go. Engagement rings? Xmas shopping? Mouthwash? All Jedi mind tricks.

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Perfect.  When Chase comes out with the new Cubic Zirconia edition then I can apply.

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Hahaha  I like it!