Do you know who owns FTG?!

I enjoy my work. It is usually fun and the best part is the feedback from readers telling me how much they learn from what we write.

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.

This would be why Rick didn't allow my comment to post the other day. I was explaining the "deal" to churn the AA business card (cancel and reapply same day) as the deal of the day. No wonder it never made it to the blog even though it benefited his readers far more than the comment he "picked". I had no idea Citi was in his back pocket now...

And another example, the other day View From.the Wing had an article published on the NYT publicizing his award booking service. One part of the writeup blatantly bragged about AMEX xfers to accounts in other people's names, pointing out how it's against the rules but works anyway. Yes, this is a known loophole but emphasizing things like this in large mainstream news outlets can't be good.

I look at it this way. I would use any link from a blogger that gives real useful and valuable information. But as far as I can tell the top blogs are rehashing all the same info. I can't remember when any of them revealed something really great. Because that's the double edge sword. If they do that then they are the scourge of the community. But if they don't, people like me won't use their links. They reveal just enough to wet our beaks. But the real meat and potatoes are a guarded secret. So at this juncture when applying for a card I find my own link. How many times can I read about the Carlsson deal. Or the BA 100,000 mile card. "Its always about the cards" $$$$$$$$$$$

I always thought it was weird that thepointsguy keeps touting the BA 100,000 offer that requires $20k annual spend. Another blog alluded to a better offer but didn't outright say it and anything you find in the blogs link to the one with the egregious spending limit. A quick search on FT will lead you to an [arguably] better offer with 2 annual fees instead but no large spending limit. It makes sense that the bloggers link generates them fees and no point in pushing the other way to get the card because they don't earn anything.

with that said, i understand it is in their economic best interest. and to be fair, reading thepointsguy is what got me interested in the whole mileage / points game in the first place. It's a very good "beginner" or "for the masses" set of information. They do explain things and write them in a easy to follow format vs reading 100 pages of a forum here. A lot of people don't want the extra trouble of constantly searching for the next deal and instead just want to get the right card and stick with it (like amex spg or csp). I began reading FT more obsessive compulsively bc I do want to learn more, but for a good 4-5 years i never bothered.

To the overarching question if they are ruining FT, i would say they complement it, most of the time. Sure they rehash information, but sometimes i need that. And a search here will get me more ways to access and make the most of it. I feel like referencing zombie links was a little too far though

I hadn't noticed this until you mentioned it, but you're completely right. I'm completely disgusted. Fortunately, I've not used any of the blogger links, but now I'll make sure to find the links from flyertalk posts or similar.

It just blows my mind that they could sit down with both Chase and Amex and apparently not ask about the account closures and demands for tax return copies.

Just unbelievable.

To think I would be stupid enough to bring up churning of cards that don't profit the card companies. Many of you seem to forget, I Play this Game Too. Why in the world would I want to highlight "churning" Makes no sense.

And as far as an earlier comment that I'm in Citi's pocket, that as nuts. I call them as I see them. Sapphire Preferred and SPG are best. Ba card is really a 50K offer for most of us. The only Citi card I promote is the forward card for restaurant spend and I have had the two browser trick in my private emails to readers since it started. I flatly told Citi if they want me to promote their cards they needed to improve their offers by bumping the sign up bonuses.

Our visits are not always pleasant for the card companies.

As hard as it seems for some of you to believe there was not a blogger there not trying to get better offers for all of us. We want better offers same as you do. Dan H put it perfectly as always. You Win, Bank Wins and Bloggers Win. They have an acquisition budget for new card holders. Do some of you actually think we would tell them to lower an offer as they are being too generous? They spend the money on promos based on what we think will move the needle. And as far as I know, we always want more, not less. And if they are low, we tell them

I was not in charge of posting comments this last week, but certainly would agree not highlight churning Cit AA business cards in full display on a day that AA was sponsoring the post and "reading" the comments.

Sorry you didn't win the 2500 AA miles, but I try to use discretion and many more will continue to have use of your info based in this post, with in all probability, it not being shoved in AA's face.

Just as a future suggestion for the " I hate bloggers" crowd, try, just try to consider: we are all on the same team and not all of us our your enemy. I want you'll to win and so do many other bloggers as well.

But why "We talked about old expired links. I can tell you they are trying to clean up old links and have put on extra personnel to do so."??

The previous thread was closed for going too far down the road of blogger bashing and had nothing "Buzz Worthy" to continue. This thread may need closure as well if it goes the same way, but I think there might be some interest in the insight provided by Dan and Rick in their responses so we'll see where this goes.

I'm not sure how the conversation developed and I find it hard to believe there was anything sinister involved, but I'd be interested to know more. Rick, can you comment any further on the discussion that took place re: expired links?

Thank you, I think we're all interested. It's very good to hear both sides so we can make better decissions. Who knows maybe we'll find some better deals too.

Would also like to hear more detail on that.