Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Oct 31, 2012, 1:18 pm
#1158
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,433
But this isn't aimed at big spenders. The median Walmart customer makes 10% or so less than the median US average (which is around US$45k). Even if the consumer spends $20k annually on things to be put on Bluebird, Amex would make 3% of that at most (likely less at Walmart, I'm assuming Walmart negotiated a new sweetheart deal with Amex on this). $600 annually isn't a lot in truth ($50 a month), and I would argue that this is aimed at people on the lower end of the above spending scale, so it would be even less.
Unlike Visa/MC who may serve these customers via debit products or other prepaid alternatives, this market is virtually untapped via AMEX. It's all stealing from the competitor.
The rest of the card market is quite saturated.
Oct 31, 2012, 1:28 pm
#1159
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
But this is a market that AMEX can enter without cannibalizing any other customers of there own (FTers don't count).
Unlike Visa/MC who may serve these customers via debit products or other prepaid alternatives, this market is virtually untapped via AMEX. It's all stealing from the competitor.
The rest of the card market is quite saturated.
Unlike Visa/MC who may serve these customers via debit products or other prepaid alternatives, this market is virtually untapped via AMEX. It's all stealing from the competitor.
The rest of the card market is quite saturated.
Oct 31, 2012, 1:42 pm
#1160
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: IAD, TPE
Posts: 465
Hmm, mortgage payment just completed with WF, but I see a $10 "fax fee" on my mortgage statement......
Oct 31, 2012, 1:56 pm
#1161
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,524
Oct 31, 2012, 2:07 pm
#1162
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,310
But I do give the guy credit, he doesn't censor comments on his blog unlike many of the other bloggers.
That said, when it comes to sign up for the Ink Plus in a couple weeks, I'll go through The Frequent Miler whereas before I would always go through MMS. I always appreciated MMS openness however he's completely lost it on all these Bluebird posts recently.
Oct 31, 2012, 3:07 pm
#1165
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 787
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 1,306
If the subject being discussed doesn't meet what you want from it, start a new thread or stop posting. I've gotten everything I can out of this thread so I will stop posting in it and will unsubscribe, there is no point in any further discussion in the nature we are having. I will keep posting if directly related to Bluebird, nothing else.
Oct 31, 2012, 3:13 pm
#1166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
That's not good, since a lot of people do have WF mortgages. It is only 1% of a $1000 mortgage payment but it does reduce the margin on this a bit. Maybe make multiple payments if you can float the money?
Oct 31, 2012, 3:28 pm
#1167
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 769
Talked to the Asst. Manager at OD today, he said that the gift cards are not stacked by OD corporate, but rather through an indie contractor. Hence there being a phone number on the rack to order more. anyone else have thoughts on this?
Oct 31, 2012, 3:31 pm
#1168
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
It is more common than many think. When I worked in retail, all of our movies were stocked by an outside company. They ordered everything and would assist during new release day as well. Several other sections in the store functioned similarly.
Oct 31, 2012, 3:42 pm
#1169
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus
Posts: 84
My thought is that every time we go to OD's, we should probably be flipping back to that number and calling for them to restock, regardless of how many are on the rack.