Visa & Chase try sending offers to cellphones
A new pilot programme from Visa and Chase is testing a system that delivers merchant offers directly to the mobile phones of credit and debit card holders.
Visa and Chase are to pilot to consumers in the Phoenix metropolitan area a system that that delivers merchant offers directly to the mobile devices of Chase credit and debit cardholders. The offers - from merchant discounts to specials - are tailored to match the personal interests selected by Chase cardholders and will be redeemable at the point of sale or the web site of more than 50 participating merchants.
Partnering with Chase in this trial, Visa is delivering merchant offers to mobile devices via SMS, the same technology that handles text messaging between individuals. The trial takes advantage of the widespread adoption of "texting" as an everyday activity by younger consumers aged 18 to 34, who are the primary group selected for the programme.
Personalisation One of the key aspects of the pilot is its personalisation. When Chase cardholders sign up for the service, they will have the option to set preferences on the programme's web site, choosing offers and merchants that are most relevant and compelling for them.
This approach allows consumers the ability to see offers they are likely to want and enables merchants to send offers only to those consumers most likely to be interested. Eileen Serra, Chase Card Services executive, says that the intersection of mobile technology and consumer financial services is an area of focus for Chase
Merchants Among the merchants in the pilot are Chico's FAS, Inc (brands Soma Intimates and White House/Black Market), Circle K, Macy's, Marriott, Old Navy, Papa John's Pizza and Robeks Juice. Thanks to the Chase sponsorship of the Arizona Diamondbacks, baseball fans will receive special game-day offers when attending Major League Baseball games at Chase Field in Phoenix.
In the trial, select Chase Visa cardholders will be invited to participate in the programme by mail, email, Chase ATM and the Chase.com website. Customers who aren't directly invited may still participate in the programme by responding to marketing at Chase Field.
In keeping with the mobile focus of the pilot, participants may enrol in the programme online or through the SMS technology itself. Chase and Visa will review the programme in the fourth quarter to evaluate the impact of mobile offers on stakeholder interest, cardholder engagement, and card usage.
The pilot programme is using Visa's Mobile Platform, a suite of technologies that enables Visa, its clients, and mobile operators to engage in trial activities and develop commercially scalable mobile services.
For additional information: · Visit Chase at http://www.jpmorganchase.com · Visit Visa at http://www.corporate.visa.com
