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Upbound Group Second Look Program Aims to Convert More Card Applicants to Cardholders

Upbound Group, a provider of consumer leasing services, has forged an agreement with Genesis Financial Solutions, a provider of near-prime consumer financial services, to provide credit solutions to customers in its platform of brands, including Rent-A-Center and Acima.

As part of the agreement, Genesis will serve as program manager and service a general-purpose credit card for qualified Rent-A-Center and Acima customers, as well as a second-look point-of-sale private label credit card to approve initially declined applicants for Acima’s network of retail merchant partners.

This partnership showcases the enduring value of co-brand and private label credit card products and, more specifically, the potential for second-look services to approve credit applicants who were initially declined. In a recent Auriemma study, 37% of cardholders indicated they had been declined for a credit or store card application. And of the one-fifth offered a second look offer, 76% accepted the alternative card.

With credit conditions expected to tighten at lenders across the country, second look is more valuable than ever for converting more applicants to cardholders.

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Cardless, Imprint, and Other Emerging Providers Set to Shake Up Co-Brand and PLCC Landscape

Cardless, an emerging co-brand credit card provider based in San Francisco, recently announced it secured a three-year, $75 million credit facility from i80 Group. The company stated that the credit facility will enable Cardless “to fund customer receivables, growth, and continue its work with large, globally recognized brands.”

Additionally, Cardless announced that Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, which tracks and ranks credit card value propositions and redemption options, is an investor and advisor.

The entry of Cardless, along with Imprint, Deserve, and Tandym, in recent years is beginning to altered the co-brand and private label credit card competitive landscape, which has been historically dominated by a set of incumbent banks, many of them household names.

Research suggests that incumbents do have significant advantage, as cardholders place a premium on their preferred banks issuing their co-brand cards. Recent Auriemma data indicates that 72% of cardholders say it is somewhat or very important for their preferred issuer to issue their ideal co-brand card.

Nonetheless, co-brand and private label credit cards are in high demand, with 36% of cardholders saying they are likely to apply for one in the next 12 months. The number rises to 56% among Millennials. If new co-brand and private label providers can offer cards for previously unserved brands and deliver valuable product innovations, they should find plenty of room to grow.

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AMC Entertainment Launches Co-Brand Credit Card for Moviegoers

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., the world’s largest movie theatre operator, has partnered with Deserve and Visa to launch the co-branded AMC Entertainment Visa credit card. Co-branding is a well-established strategy that provides a valuable financial service, deepens customer loyalty, and drives incremental brand revenue.  According to Auriemma Group’s most recent Cardbeat® study, more than 50% of branded credit cardholders shop more at the brand as a result of having the card, and nearly 40% of that population shops a lot more at the brand. This trend is more prominent among those aged 18–34 – 76% shop more at a brand with the card. Read more about the AMC Entertainment Visa credit card here.

Survey Methodology

The Auriemma Group study was conducted online in the US in Q1 2023 by an independent field service provider. A total of 888 web interviews were conducted among credit card users. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.

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Auriemma Talks POS Installment Plans with NBC DFW

Auriemma’s Jaclyn Holmes discusses our recent point-of-sale installment plan data:

Full article available on nbcdfw.com.

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Auriemma Group Announces a New Award for UK Cards & Payments Awards

(LONDON) – Auriemma Group is pleased to announce its sponsorship of a new award at the UK Cards & Payments Awards. The award, Excellence in Operational Innovation, will recognise the card issuer, brand, banking acquirer or payment company that has best demonstrated operational innovation resulting in a best-in class customer experience.

Submitted entries could include innovation across a range of disciplines and areas, such as:

  • Transformation staff training to embrace new technology and or evolving staff environments
  • An innovative approach that had a positive impact on staff well being
  • Virtual customer service initiatives
  • Digital services to enhance people and customer interactions
  • Attracting and retaining staff initiatives

Judging criteria includes the following:

  • Innovative and forward thinking
  • Demonstrated employee or team impact and effectiveness during the qualifying period
  • Positive impact on employees and either directly or indirectly the customer
  • Metrics to validate against success criteria

Eligible entrants include brands and affinity partners, charge, credit, debit and/or prepaid card issuers, merchant acquirers and other payment companies. Entries should be submitted by 23 September 2019. Entries should feature initiatives implemented or launched between 1 September 2018 and 31 August 2019. A shortlist will be announced 13 November 2019, followed by the awards ceremony on 6 February 2020.

About the Card & Payments Awards

The Card & Payments Awards recognise customer service, excellence and innovation in the UK and Irish card and payments industry. Very well established and now in its 15th year, each year many eligible organisations compete for one of these prestigious Awards which are judged by an independent panel of industry experts.

About Auriemma Group

Auriemma Group’s mission is to give clients access to data and intelligence that drive decision-making. We provide information and advisory services in four areas: operational intelligence, co-brand partnerships, consumer research, and corporate finance. Founded in 1984, Auriemma serves the consumer finance industry from our offices in London and New York City. For more information, visit us at www.auriemma.group or call David Edwards at +44 (0) 207 629 0075.

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Auriemma Group to Speak at CBA Live in April

Mindy Harris, Managing Director and General Counsel for Auriemma Group, will be a panelist at the CBA Live conference, scheduled for April 1-3, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

Harris will be a panelist for CBA Live’s “Efficiency Ratios: Right Sizing For Compliance” session, which focuses on best practices for building strong compliance risk management programs in today’s environment. Among other topics, the  panel will address ways to improve compliance management efficiency, and prevent gaps and failures to find and fix the most significant risks.

“A variety of factors, including high-profile enforcement actions and heightened regulatory expectations, have resulted in a reactive approach to compliance management,” Harris said. “For many institutions, this has resulted in fragmented controls, overlaps in testing, and other inefficiencies.”

Attendees will gain insight on how to overcome common challenges, including aligning internal functions to best optimize compliance risk structures, measuring the success of compliance risk management programs, and trends in determining  appropriate levels of compliance spend.

The session will take place Tuesday, April 2 from 9:20 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. In addition to Auriemma’s Harris,  panel participants will include Rosemary Gaidos of Citizens Bank as moderator, and Paul Noring of Navigant Consulting, Inc.

CBA Live attendees can schedule one-on-one meetings with Harris to discuss how the firm’s data and intelligence can help navigate the current environment most effectively. In addition to compliance risk management program structures, Harris is closely following recent  developments in preemption, exportation and the valid-when-made doctrine, as well as the merits and attributes of financial institution charters. CBA Live attendees may reach Harris at mindy.harris@auriemma.group.

 

About Auriemma Group

Auriemma Group’s mission is to give clients access to data and intelligence that drive decision-making. We provide information and advisory services in four areas: co-brand partnerships, consumer research, corporate finance, and operational intelligence. Founded in 1984, Auriemma serves the consumer finance industry from our offices in New York City and London. For more information, visit us at www.auriemma.group or call (212) 323-7000.

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Time to clarify ‘true lenders’

John Costa, Managing Director of Auriemma Finance, has published an article in American Banker’s BankThink section. The piece describes how recent court cases have created confusion over the powers of national banks, with some findings in conflict with longstanding precedent. In the piece, Costa argues that Congress needs to clarify and reiterate certain legal principles, such as “valid when made,” in order to reaffirm the national bank regulatory model.

You can read the full story here: Dear Congress: Time to clarify ‘true lenders’

For more information, contact John Costa at john.costa@auriemma.group or 212-323-7000.

 

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