Tag Archive for: credit card

Auriemma recently published the Q1-2023 Cardbeat US report. The issue examines new card acquisition, outstanding debt, store debit and credit cards, and using rewards points with partner brands. Those interested in learning more about Auriemma’s research or about this issue should contact research@auriemma.group.

Findings include:

 

Word of mouth, third-party comparison websites, and digital channels are paramount to marketing and customer acquisition strategies.

  • Digital information sources like third-party comparison websites (91%) and social media posts (86%) are influential in deciding whether to apply for a payment card among those who used them—over half (56%-58%) ended up applying.

 

60% of cardholders say they spend multiple days considering a new credit card (38% for debit cards), and over half say the reason is because they want to compare the card to others on the market (54%) and/or do additional research on the card (53%).

  • 16% of cardholders say sign-up offers are the primary reason they applied for a credit card and 60% say they have at least a little impact on their decision.

 

Cardholders with outstanding credit card debt are strategic and intentional with their repayments—84% are paying off the balance as quickly as possible.

  • 59% of cardholders say they have an outstanding balance on their credit card(s), averaging $3,233.
  • One-fifth are not making any payments towards the balance(s) (22%) and/or are considering filing for bankruptcy (18%).

 

Tax refunds will most commonly be used to fortify savings (33%) and/or pay off outstanding debts or bills (31%).

Store card ownership has a marked impact on shopping with the brand—51% of store cardholders say their shopping with the merchant has increased since acquiring the card.

  • One-fifth (20%) say they have shopped at the store a lot more since getting their store card.

 

35% of rewards cardholders have transferred rewards to another brand at least once, and one-quarter (24%) have done so multiple times.

Expanding partnerships with brands similar to or different from the card would make over 40% of cardholders use their card more.

  • Supermarkets (85%) and gas stations (84%) are the most appealing purchase categories to be partnered with a credit card.

Survey Methodology

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group (Auriemma) in February-March 2023 among 888 adult  credit cardholders. The number of interviews completed for both is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.

 

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.

(London, UK) COVID-19 has brought about many changes in consumer behaviour and issuer offerings. Auriemma Group’s 2020 Cardbeat UK Trend Report identified four areas where shifts were most prominent, highlighting the impact that the pandemic has had on the payment’s ecosystem for both financial institutions and cardholders alike.

1. New card acquisition, spend amounts and card usage have declined.

Cardholders were less engaged with their existing products and fewer sought new products compared to prior years. According to Auriemma’s research, new card acquisition dropped nearly 50%, with only 10% of UK credit cardholders in Q4-20 saying they acquired a new credit card in the past 18 months, down from 18% the same time the year prior.

“Consumers and issuers kept focus on current offerings,” says Jaclyn Holmes, Director at Auriemma Group. “During this period, issuers recognized their efforts were best spent building meaningful and productive engagement with their existing customers. For cardholders, it was critical that they got the most out of their existing products and kept on top of the various solutions that were being presented to them.”

Cardholder spend across payment methods declined from Q4-19 to Q4-20, coinciding with a drop in usage among heavy top of wallet card users. By the end of 2020, UK cardholders reported £854 in average monthly spend, down from £988 the year prior. Meanwhile, the proportion of cardholders who use their most frequently used card 20+ times in a typical month decreased over the same period (30% vs. 22%).

2. Types of rewards cards held shifted away from T&E and towards day-to-day rewards.

The impact of travel restrictions and stay-at-home guidance was felt most prominently in the T&E space. Over 2020, the types of rewards cards held shifted to align with new consumer spend patterns due to COVID-19. Ownership of supermarket co-brand (from 21% in July 2020 to 28% by November) and cash back cards (23% to 27%) rose, as co-branded airline (19% to 9%) and hotel card (5% to 2%) ownership trended down.

“While rewards card ownership shifted towards the end of 2020, and travel naturally became a lesser focus given the obvious limitations, our research found that most T&E cardholders still enjoy earning travel rewards” says Holmes. “These cardholders currently prefer redeeming their rewards for non-travel benefits, but we anticipate travel-centric redemption will bounce back as travel becomes more routine.”

Auriemma recently covered COVID-19’s impact on travel and consumer loyalty in-depth here.

3. Payment holidays became a commonplace issuer-provided relief option.

COVID-19 impacted some cardholders earning potential, leading issuers to develop payment accommodations, including payment holidays, for those unable to make their payments. Despite being a new concept to many, credit card payment holidays had strong consumer awareness by Q4-20 (94% aware), and nearly one-quarter of those offered the option took it.

Future interest was rather low (17%), signalling that the accommodation–which was intended to be a temporary, short-term solution–likely will not be missed post-pandemic. In fact, 58% of cardholders were ambivalent or would not be disappointed if payment holidays were no longer an option in the future.

“We’ve passed the March 31st deadline for cardholders to enrol in payment holidays, so issuers are now preparing for a possible increase in delinquency volume. Most cardholders aren’t expecting to rely on a future payment holiday, but there will be a group who aren’t able to jump back into their payments and will seek alternative accommodations to help make ends meet,” says Holmes.

The government has already shared guidance for such a program. Breathing Space, enacted May 4th of this year, provides a 60-day freezes on interest, fees and enforcement for people in problem debt. The program is expected to bring in £400 million in extra repayments in the first year, ultimately extending upon the improvements made with persistent debt figures throughout 2020.

Auriemma covered payment holidays and Breathing Space in greater detail here.

4. Reduced spend and focus on paying down balances led to fewer in persistent debt.

While shifting finances were a hallmark of COVID-19, reductions in spend and access to payment accommodations led some to improve their financial positions. Auriemma found that the number of cardholders in persistent debt decreased from 7% in Q4-19 to 3% by Q4-20, likely because cardholders were able to focus on paying down their balances without compounding interest slowing them down.

“COVID-19 had the potential to worsen persistent debt, but a combination of cardholder thriftiness and payment accommodations created an environment where consumers could improve their financial standing instead,” says Holmes. “However, as payment holidays come to an end and spend levels return to pre-pandemic levels, we’ll see if this change, along with the others that emerged in the shadow of COVID-19, is long-lasting or temporary.”

Survey Methodology

Cardbeat UK

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the UK by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma in November 2020, among 845 adult credit cardholders. The number of interviews completed is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing between sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ± 5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed nor did the respondents know the criteria for qualification. The average interview length was 21 minutes.

About Auriemma Group

For more than 30 years, Auriemma’s mission has been to empower clients with authoritative data and actionable insights. Our team comprises recognised experts in four primary areas: operational effectiveness, consumer research, co-brand partnerships, and corporate finance. Our business intelligence and advisory services give clients access to the data, expertise and tools they need to navigate an increasingly complex environment and maximise their performance. Auriemma serves the consumer financial services ecosystem from our offices in London and New York City. For more information, call Jaclyn Holmes at +44 (0) 207 629 0075.

Issuer-offered installment plans are attractive to consumers, but many are looking for a convenient, seamless experience from sign-up thru plan management. Auriemma’s Mobile Pay Tracker conducted in-depth interviews with consumers to gain insights on their opinions and experiences with installment plans.

Who do you contact when you have an issue with a purchase? Although the vast majority would contact the merchant first if they made a credit card purchase and didn’t receive the correct goods or services, credit card issuers tend to resolve most of these disputes.

Contactless card functionality plays a role when deciding on an MFU card for most. 54% of those whose contactless card became their MFU card in the past year report that their card’s contactless functionality was either the primary or secondary reason in their decision to make it their MFU payment method.

While major credit card issuers have offered the option to redeem rewards points as donations for years, some merchants are just now integrating this ability into their loyalty program.

 

 

UK Cardholders Lack Understanding of Instalment Plan APRs
June 18, 2020

Cardholders were asked to evaluate the truth of various statements about instalment plans, and their impact on one’s credit score. In fact, the highest levels of uncertainty were with instalment plan APRs—most UK credit cardholders don’t know how they function with instalment plan products.

UK Instalment Plan Users tend to be Repeat Customers
June 16, 2020

Those who have enrolled in an instalment plan tend to have enrolled in more than one, and often are managing multiple payment plans at any given time. Players wishing to expand their reach and footprint within the instalment lending space may see a high take rate among existing instalment users, compared to brand new customers.

Revolvers and Young Cardholders Drive Interest in Instalment Plans
June 12, 2020

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