The content is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change.
Is there anything that you haven't heard yet about the fierce competition between credit card companies for a healthy and wealthy customer base? The rush for more gain has even been started by supermarkets offering their customers store cards with special benefits that influence their buying decision and frequency of making purchases.
Credit companies make such great revenues out of their customers' debt that they can afford spending significant amounts on the advertisement of credit cards, as well as various incentives and special benefits to woo more and more applicants.
Credit cards are so profitable for their issuers that the latter won't get poorer after enticing new customers with, say, a no annual fee or lowers APR credit card offer or after offering them free gifts, also referred to as freebies.
Some of the most famous and loved by consumers freebies are a certain number of redeemable points received after the specified amount spent on the card, or free flights which are very rare, however.
The rewards points that you accumulate using your credit card can be redeemed for relevant merchandize, CD or a Walkman mp3 player - with a Sonycard or ?15 voucher with the Amazon credit card.
A special but no less enticing type of a freebie is the so-called gift card offered to a customer, provided he accumulates the specified number of points with his or her credit card. Gift cards issued by giant credit card companies, such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover, and designed as a regular credit card, are prepaid plastic in fact.
However, gift cards do not become less functional due to their debt nature. If you have a chance to qualify for a Visa gift card from Deluxe Financial Services, you can choose from offers especially for birthdays, Christmas and even new babies.
The fact that the DeluxeCard Visa gift card is not a credit card must be its only disadvantage - if any at all - because its features and benefits, such as the impossibility to exceed the limit, worldwide acceptability and replacement, give you that protection from debt and the convenience if use so much appreciated by customers.
Special offers with American Express Gift Cards are designed to help you save when using a card at participating merchants, like KB Toys or Foot Locker. The awareness that you have something back thanks to the generous discount programs offered by Amex gift cards helps you feel almost like a real credit card holder. Only you needn't be afraid of making that awful credit card debt.
According to the latest news in the credit card industry, Citibank has teamed with gift cards providers and represents a $200 Gift Card as soon as you collect 5000 points! With another Citibank product - Citi® Professional MasterCard (this offer has expired) - you are eligible for a $100 gift card after your fist purchase.
So, why not purchase a gift card with an individual design and special offers for your kid, friend or beloved or why not redeem rewards points for such a card for yourself? Well, a gift card is really profitable deal, no doubt. But you should know that creditors will have you fork out before granting you this freebie.
First, you will have to make a specified cost purchase with your credit card and second - you fund the gift card yourself.
But, if you can afford spending a little more, you get this credit card looking plastic designed to make you happy with gift you enjoy most of all.
Gift cards are convenient in use and simple to redeem. That's why they become a major tool to attract customers and make them spend more, standing out as special credit card benefit.
