Originally Posted by
freeloader
The idea that bloggers' summit to discuss these issues WITH the credit card companies is somehow beneficial to the reader is questionable. that was my point. There is no benefit in any of this for the readers. Other the the CCs, the benefit is to the bloggers - to get a scoop of what to promote, to network and promote their affiliations, etc. any other spin is silly
You're right. There is no advantage to the readers of the blog. It's a business.
One thing that occurs to me is that it is just as easy for Citibank or other banks to read FT as it is for the bloggers to read it. I wonder if the banks keep some of these links out on purpose. Not wanting the unprofitable accounts is very logical. But many times big organizations don't act logically.
The marketing departments are responsible for generating new accounts. The marketing employees are rewarded for generating new accounts. So for the people in the marketing departments, it depends on how their compensation package is set up. If it is set up on profitability, then they will want to close zombie links. If their compensation is set up on the number of new credit card accounts that they generate, then they have no incentive to take the zombie links down.
One point to back up my argument is that most all of the links with a $150 credit after an AA purchase of some sort from Citi have been removed pretty quickly after expiration. But the offers with a $100 credit still linger. Citi could have taken down both if they really wanted to. But Citi chose to leave the $100 zombie offers up.
Companies pay lots of money for internet buzz or for something to go viral. If the zombie links are generating interest in the credit cards, then they may be performing a function that the bank wants to continue.
Basically, I am suggesting that just because Citi told a blogger that they are working at taking down the zombie links doesn't mean that Citi is actually doing it.
