Credit card lenders step up marketing to small business
Wednesday, 18 August 2010 09:00
The provisions of the new Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act offered a number of protections for consumers who were trying to cope with credit card debt, and were designed to help them avoid lenders' predatory practices. The same was not true of cards for small businesses.Because of this "loophole," credit cards are now seriously ramping up efforts to market to small businesses as a way to drive profits, according to a new report from the consumer advice website Wallet Pop. While the Credit CARD Act limited how many offers lenders could send to consumers, it gave no such protection to small businesses.
As a result, those businesses are now being inundated with marketing materials, the report said. In the second quarter alone, lenders sent out 40.5 million offers for new credit cards, up from just 26 million in the first three months of the year. However, the report also notes that these new offers might be organic as well, because companies scaled back all offers while the economy was at its lowest points, but could be sending out more now that it has stabilized a bit.
The report also noted that lenders have made it easier for businesses to get cards. Now they will only ask for a federal tax I.D. number, so restrictions have been loosened to some extent. There is a reason for this, however. The Credit CARD Act doesn't apply to business cards only when it comes to offers - it doesn't apply to them at all.
Typically lenders will use the credit history of the business owner as the deciding factor in whether they get the card, the report said. That way, the owner can be held personally liable for the debts on those accounts.
As a result, credit card companies can still hike up the rates on those cards without any notice whatsoever, and apply huge penalties for even the slightest mistakes, as they did for consumers before the federal regulations were finalized. The report said they are doing so, too, because of the billions of dollars in profits they're losing from consumers, to whom they can no longer charge these penalties.
These realities have come under fire from advocate groups in the past, who argue that the protections for consumers should extend to small businesses as well.
Achievements
|
Debtmerica has had one vision since inception - to help Americans nationwide attain financial independence. At Debtmerica, we're proud of our achievements and honors. They represent our commitment to our vision and clients. |
|
|
|
|
Top Articles to Help You Lead A Debt-Free Life
- Debt Consolidation: “Debt Consolidation” is one of the most commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted personal finance strategies that consumers inquire about all the time. While some view it as a method of taking on new loans, others see it as a debt relief alternative. It is more important than ever for inquisitive consumers to have a very strong understanding of exactly what debt consolidation entails, and the impacts it can have on personal finances.
- Debt Relief: Debt relief is defined as a partial or total forgiveness of debt. When the term is used by the government, it usually refers to the forgiveness of debt to underdeveloped countries. Recently, it has begun to refer to the millions of consumers who are overwhelmed with debt seeking financial relief from their unsecured debt.
- Credit Card Debt: Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt, accessed through credit cards. Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. Debt accumulates and increases via interest and penalties when the consumer does not pay the company for the money he or she has spent.
- Debt Settlement: Debt settlement programs use a third party to negotiate lower balances and interest rates on unsecured debt. This type of debt management plan helps provide consumers an alternative to bankruptcy while reducing your outstanding debt.
- Credit Counseling: There are a numerous options for consumers who want to start getting their finances under control after accumulating large amounts of debt, which could inevitably lead to credit problems further down the road. Consumers who are in control of most aspects of their finances, but still feel like they could use additional help managing their debt burden, could certainly benefit from the assistance of a consumer credit counseling service.
- How Do I Get Out of Debt?: Now that the national economy is beginning to recover and people are having a better time dealing with their personal finances, many consumers who found themselves sunk deep in debt over the last few years may be asking themselves the question, “How do I get out of debt?” Fortunately, there are a number of avenues consumers can take to get out of debt, each with benefits and drawbacks depending on how quickly people need to fix their financial problems.
- 10 Tips to Avoid the Debt Trap: Have you ever thought about why so many of the people you know are struggling with debt? Do you ever wonder why banks keep lending to certain individuals, even when they are falling behind on their payments? Did you know that debt problems are a leading cause of major societal problems, such as stress, divorce and alcoholism?
- Credit Management: Many consumers are finding themselves buried under a pile of mounting debt. With interest accumulating month after month in addition to late fees being charged, many consumers are finding it difficult to make just the minimum payments on their credit cards. Although this may seem like an endless battle, with a strict budget and some discipline there are credit management strategies and solutions that will allow consumers to reduce or even eliminate their debt.
- Credit Card Debt Reduction: In recent months, many Americans have made a greater effort to seek credit card debt reduction and reduce the balances they owe, but some may not know where to start. Fortunately, there are several options available for consumers thathave a financial goal to achieve credit card debt reduction.
- Credit problems: Paying down high levels of debt is one of the best ways to improve credit problems and increase one’s credit standing. But many people cannot do that so quickly, especially in this economy. About one-third of a credit score is based off of a credit utilization ratio, which is the total creditbalances divided by the total credit limits. A great target is to use no more than 30% of one’s available credit.
A Secure & Trusted Site
|
Debtmerica is committed to providing a safe and secure site that you can trust. |





