Numerous Credit Card Affiliate Programs Closing

[Linda Buquet]

American Banker and the Credit Matters Blog have been reporting about credit card companies pulling cards out of their affiliate program offerings or pulling out of the affiliate marketing channel all together.

Much of this is due to the economy and it sounds like some banks and card issuers are putting more energy into existing customer retention instead of new customer acquisition. Lead quality through the affiliate channel was mentioned as a factor a few times too.

Online Card Marketing Loses Favor "After spending the past year cutting back on direct mail solicitations, card issuers are retreating from one of their few remaining acquisition channels: online affiliate marketing...

Since November most major issuers have removed at least some of their products from lead generation sites and online advertising networks. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and HSBC Holdings PLC's U.S. card unit have almost stopped using such intermediaries altogether. Most other major issuers, including Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Discover Financial Services, and American Express Co., have pulled several products from the sites, or stopped using some sites, over the past two months."

Discover Business Cards To Exit Affiliate-Marketing Channel In The New Year

Chase Pulls Out of Affiliate Marketing Channel -- Just How Bad Is This Credit Market?

HSBC Joins The Party: To Exit The Affiliate Marketing Channel

Citibank Pulling 14 Of Its Credit Cards Out Of The Affiliate Marketing Channel

Bank Of America Says Adios To Affiliate Marketing Channel

[alexartis]

These affiliate program closures are only going to continue this year. I'd be surprised if the affiliate channel even remains open for any of the smaller affiliates. The only ones likely to survive will be the big affiliates such as CreditCards.com

[mccc27]

We have found out that many of the card issuers/banks are going to be bringing back their affiliate programs in 2010. Lead quality was an issue, but it is still a cost effective way to generate leads. They mainly took down the affiliate programs so they could re-organize / and optimize their campaigns.

[RyanatCredit]

Originally Posted by alexartis

These affiliate program closures are only going to continue this year. I'd be surprised if the affiliate channel even remains open for any of the smaller affiliates. The only ones likely to survive will be the big affiliates such as CreditCards.com

Not just them