Press Mentions

Will credit card offers soon lose their shine?

Last month, Mintel Comperemedia, a company that tracks the amount of promotional direct mail sent out by credit card companies, reported that, in April, the volume of such offers hit a 25-month low. And it went on to predict that many fewer mailings would be made in 2012 than last year. In a press release, it explained the reasons behind the likely fall: "Issuers have adopted a more cautious approach due to an uncertain economic environment."

Credit diet shrinks bankruptcy rolls in second quarter in 2012

However, a study by Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks direct marketing efforts, found that credit card offers sent to households fell to 260 million in April, the lowest level in more than two years. In June 2011, nearly 500 million offers were sent. "Issuers have adopted a more cautious approach due to an uncertain economic environment. The latest downturn likely reflects a pause in activity rather than signifying a permanent reduction in direct mail," Andrew Davidson, senior vice president, said in a release.

Credit card offers match stock market trends, posting fewest direct mail campaigns in two years

Mintel spokesman Andrew Davidson told reporters that direct mail credit card offers have dropped to their lowest levels since March 2010. However, Davison said, the previous bottoming out led to a nearly two-year boom in consumer lending offers.

Infographic: Credit card mail offers hit a 25 month low in April

U.S. households received 260 million new credit card offers in the mail in April 2012, which is down 33 percent from the 390 million offers received in April 2011. Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel Comperemedia, says numbers should remain much lower in 2012 than in 2011.

Credit card customers defy recent worries

Banks mailed 260.6 million credit-card offers to U.S. consumers in April, down from 269.5 million in March and 389.6 million a year earlier, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a research firm that tracks direct mailings. “Issuers have adopted a more cautious approach due to an uncertain economic environment,” Andrew Davidson, senior vice president for Mintel Comperemedia, said in a press release.

Consumers getting fewer credit card offers

In April 260 million offers for new credit cards were received at US households, down 33 percent from the 390 million offers US households received during April of last year. This is the lowest estimated monthly mail volume tracked in the past 25 months, according to Mintel Comperemedia.

Credit card direct mail hits 25-month low

The marketers for credit card issuers are tentative due to continued economic malaise, with direct mail volume hitting a 25-month low in April, according to Mintel Comperemedia. In April, 260 million offers for new credit cards were received by U.S. households, down 33% from the 390 million offers that U.S. households received during April of last year.

Rate survey: credit card interest rates don’t budge

"April marks a new low for the credit card direct mail decline that began in December 2011," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel Comperemedia. "The last time volumes were lower was back in March 2010. At that time a come-back in direct mail was gathering steam following severe cut backs during the recession. That come-back turned into a two-year period of expansion that peaked in June 2011 when 497 million offers were received by US households."

Credit card offers slide

"Issuers have adopted a more cautious approach due to an uncertain economic environment," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel. "The latest downturn likely reflects a pause in activity rather than signifying a permanent reduction in direct mail."

Millennials value branch locations over online services and ATMs, reports Mintel

"Millennials are an excellent target audience for financial products," says Susan Menke, vice president and behavioral economist at Mintel. "They are interested in learning more about how best to handle financial issues, and express the greatest interest of any of the generations in acquiring a number of financial products, such as life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, ETFs, stocks and other investments. However, willingness to purchase is hampered by a challenging economy."

Credit card protection plans draw state lawsuits, federal scrutiny

More than half of all credit card mail offers include payment protection offers, according to data from Mintel Comperemedia, a company that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence.

It’s raining credit—again

Consumers with good credit are seeing an influx of generous rewards offers, even as overall card offers dropped 30% in the first quarter of 2012 as issuers took a break from their 2011 expansion, according to research firm Mintel Comperemedia.

Nine US banks said to be examined on overdraft fees

The rule changes in 2010 didn’t stop banks from marketing their overdraft programs, which they portray as a consumer benefit, said Susan Wolfe, vice president for Mintel Comperemedia, a London-based consultancy that catalogs marketing materials in financial services. “The banks are dealing with significant trust and image issues, so they’re trying to be seen as a partner,” Wolfe said in an interview.

Can you have too many credit cards?

About three-quarters of all card offers in the first quarter of 2012 involved a reward program - up from 66 percent in the last quarter of 2011, according to the marketing intelligence firm Mintel Comperemedia.

Loan Write-Offs Edge Up For Some Card Issuers But Outlook Remains Strong

Some credit-card issuers have pulled back on direct-mail marketing in recent months, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a market research firm. Card lenders mailed 282 million offers to U.S. consumers in February, up 6% from January but down 25% from a year earlier. "Some issuers are cooling off following a sustained period of aggressive growth," Andrew Davidson, senior vice president with Mintel, said in an email.