Finovate is part of the Informa Connect Division of Informa PLC
This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.
Last year I highlighted PayPal’s frequent shopper program, PayPal Advantage. I just received my second annual congratulatory email (see first screenshot below), confirming that I qualified for another year of membership by spending at least $5,000.
While the program seems relatively unchanged, one addition is a 3% discount on StubHub tickets, also owned by eBay (see second screenshot). It’s a nice perk, if you remember to use it (tickets must be purchased via a link from within PayPal).
Bottom line: While I can’t evaluate the ROI from the outside, I can say that as a customer, I appreciate being recognized. And access to Priority Customer Support, though I’ve never tested it, provides added peace of mind.
Marketing aside: PayPal is featuring actual users in their ads. Customers, like Randy H., below, can apply to be featured in PayPal advertising by submitting a story at PayPal.com/castingcall (see third screenshot).
—————————
Congratulatory email from PayPal (1 Dec 2011)
StubHub offer (link)
PayPal testimonials (link)
Note: We cover email marketing, payments and much more in our subscription publication, Online Banking Report.
Earlier this morning, Expensify CEO David Barrett published some interesting statistics about the startup’s growth.
Accomplishments in November:
Identify protection company ID Theft 911 announced today that Safeonline LLP has chosen to provide data breach services to its customers:
“In response to the growing need for businesses to protect themselves from data breaches, Safeonline LLP is providing Identity Theft 911 expertise to cyber liability policyholders to help minimize the chance of a breach and better safeguard personally identifiable information.”
In addition to this coverage, the package will also include online tools and resources.
To learn more about Identity Theft 911, watch its Finovate 2007 demo.
In an effort to provide the best value in online trading, Zecco unveiled its new Trading Center today.
The upgrade includes:
The user interface displays charts, balances, quotes in real time, and a trade ticket to help users act on investment decisions in a timely manner.
It is also preparing 
for the release of iPhone and Android apps.
To learn more about Zecco, watch its FinovateStartup 2008 demo.
Yesterday CU Members Mortgage and its partners highlighted the benefits from using Mortgagebot’s PowerSite application technology:
“Its easy-to-use interface, coupled with error-free automation, helps credit unions increase value exponentially despite the industry’s many variables.”
It also announced significant results. In the two months since the launch, CU Members Mortgage and its partners have seen faster loan processing along with a conversion rate of 65%.
To see PowerSite in action, watch its FinovateFall 2010 demo.
Yesterday, debt assistant SavvyMoney.com (formerly DebtGoal.com) announced the launch of its rennovated website:
“The new site has been launched to assist those dealing with this financial burden and the mounting stresses associated with debt. SavvyMoney.com offers unique, “do-it-yourself” products and services that help consumers organize their debt and set realistic pay-off goals, as well as providing advice on which accounts to pay off first to make the greatest impact.”
It also announced that Jean Chatzky has joined the SavvyMoney team to serve as its Director of Education.
To learn more about SavvyMoney.com, watch its FinovateSpring 2010 demo.
It’s not easy packaging banking products as holiday gifts. Prepaid gift cards are an obvious exception, though few banks actively market them online. And ING Direct’s Sharebuilder has for years sold a beginner’s investment package that’s intended to be given to kids or grandkids (see Wells Fargo/Sharebuilder 2002 holiday email below).
This year, Square joins that short list with a gift-wrapped box containing its iPhone/Android dongle, used to swipe credit cards. You can order 1, 2 or 3 packages online at a cost of just $1 each for the gift wrap. The dongles are sent to the buyer who must distribute.
I learned about it in an email right before the Thanksgiving holiday (screenshot below).
Bottom line: While recipients may be a little less impressed once they find out these dongles are free online, overall I love it. It’s really the payments advice doled out when giving the package that can make it special.
Good idea and great email/landing page design: A
———————————
Email received (22 Nov 2011)
Landing page (link)
Wells Fargo/Sharebuilder email from Dec 2002 (post)
——————————
Note: We cover email marketing, financial website usability, payments and much more in our subscription publication, Online Banking Report.
GoalMine, an investment service targeting the mass market, announced its holiday gift card trade-in service that will allow consumers to fund investment accounts using gift cards with leftover balances in excess of $25.
Here’s how it works:
“After entering gift card numbers and values, customers will be prompted to create a free account, after which they can choose to apply their gift card values to one of GoalMine’s mutual funds or an FDIC-insured savings account. Accounts are
goal-based, so customers can easily allocate funds toward goals like buying a home, preparing for a new baby, or saving for a rainy day.”
The service will begin December 19 and last for a limited time after the holidays.
To learn more about GoalMine, watch its FinovateSpring 2010 demo.
NorthCountry FCU and A+ FCU members now have free access to Credit Karma’s credit management tools on their online banking website:
“Through a member-centric approach, Credit Karma’s service provides a monthly credit score and a suite of personalized credit management tools. The tools enable members to access their credit scores, easily digest information on credit scoring, empower informed financial decisions, and put their credit to work to get the best products for their credit profile.”
Credit Karma provides the same white-label service to over a dozen credit unions and also makes the tools available to the public at creditkarma.com.
To learn more about Credit Karma, watch its FinovateStartup 2009 demo.
