Wednesday, April 20, 2011

comScore Releases the "The 2010 Online Credit Card Report"


Cash Back among Most Important Rewards for Cardholders

comScore Releases New Online Credit Card Report

Competitive Features and Rewards Important as Consumers Shop for New Cards
During the past twelve months, 20 percent of all cardholders reported shopping for a new card. Among consumers who reported feeling more confident about the economy, this stood at a higher 34 percent.
"As we see consumer economic sentiment improve, we're also seeing a corresponding increase in retail and e-commerce spending along with increased card shopping, especially among those in the subprime sector," said Sarah Lenart, comScore vice president of financial services. "With shopping and card applications expected to continue to increase in 2011, consumers are likely to place even greater emphasis on competitive card features and offerings as well as enticing rewards programs."
Low interest rates, the lack of annual fees, and rewards programs were regarded as the most important features by most cardholders, with low interest rates deemed most important by 40 percent of consumers. Rewards programs rank third in importance to cardholders but represent an opportunity to incentivize consumers to increase their overall use of credit as opposed to using a debit card or cash.
Most Important Credit Card Features to Cardholders
(% Ranked Highest on a Scale from 1 to 8)
December 2010
Total U.S. 
Source: comScore Credit Card Survey
Credit Card Feature
% Ranking This Feature Highest
Low APR/Interest Rate
40%
No Annual Fee
28%
Rewards or Points
13%
Card Accepted at Most Merchants
8%
High Credit Limit
5%
Reputation of the Issuer
3%
Customer Service
2%
Low APR for Balance Transfers
1%

The most important credit card reward offerings were cash back (57 percent of respondents), merchant rewards (13 percent), flexible points (13 percent) and airline miles (10 percent).
Most Important Credit Card Reward Types to Cardholders
(% Ranked Highest on a Scale from 1 to 6)
December 2010
Total U.S. 
Source: comScore Credit Card Survey
Credit Card Reward Type
% Ranking This Type Highest
Cash Back
57%
Merchant Rewards
13%
Flexible Points
13%
Airlines
10%
Gas
5%
Charitable Donations
3%

Issuer Websites Gain Importance as a Channel for Servicing Cardholders
As card issuers continue to develop websites and mobile applications as a way to engage with cardholders, a noticeable shift can be seen in consumers' use of these channels as opposed to more traditional channels. In 2010, 76 percent of cardholders reported accessing their accounts online, up 5-percentage points from a year ago.  One in five cardholders who also own a mobile phone report having used their mobile device to manage their accounts over the past 12 months.
While mobile applications and sites are not used to the same extent as other channels, they are gaining popularity. Among cardholders with mobile phones, 16 percent reported accessing their issuer's site through a mobile browser and 13 percent reported accessing their accounts through mobile applications.
Channel Usage for Completing Transactions Among Cardholders Who Have a Mobile Phone
December 2010
Total U.S. 
Source: comScore Credit Card Survey and Mobile Financial Services Advisor Survey
Channel
% Using This Method
% Using This as Primary Method
Call Company on Phone
51%
17%
Go Online to Financial Institution's Site
74%
59%
Via Mobile Browser
16%
4%
Via Mobile Application
13%
3%
Via Mobile Text Message Alerts
13%
2%

"As people increasingly rely on digital channels to manage their credit card accounts, it's important to understand to what degree consumers are using them and how these access methods create value for issuers' key customer segments," added Ms. Lenart.
To download a complimentary copy of the comScore Online Credit Card Report 2010 Edition, please visit: http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Presentations_Whitepapers/2011/The_2010_Online_Credit_Card_Report

Date: April 19, 2011
Speaker: comScore, Inc.
Event: comScore Whitepaper
The 2010 Online Credit Card Report provides a comprehensive look at the U.S. online credit card industry over the past year, focusing on shifts in the industry related to improving perceptions of the economic environment. Among its findings, the study reveals a greater percentage of card shopping activity among consumers who reported having a more positive view of the economy.
The report draws its analysis from comScore’s research panel of 1 million U.S. consumers and a comScore survey of nearly 2,000 U.S. Internet users conducted in December 2010, and provides insight into card features and rewards programs most likely to influence card shopping decisions. In addition, the study discusses the growing importance of online servicing for issuers and opportunities to provide more value for consumers using digital channels to engage their issuers.

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. For more information, please visitwww.comscore.com/companyinfo.

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