It's a choice that can be made in a few mouse-clicks. We push consumers to give us their balances. By tracking their target customers from the time they click on an ad to the time they actually apply for credit, the company can figure out quickly which sites and promotions deliver the right customers. NextCard is able to figure all this out by doing continuous testing of how ads are performing. Because of the Web's ability to track results, NextCard can basically tell within two hours how ads on specific sites are performing.
Competition is stiff.
Among the traditional credit-card companies, First USA currently leads the Net card pack, recently signing four major deals with Internet portals. To keep ahead of the crowd and get customers to buy more, NextCard is piling on services. Its antifraud guarantee is designed to allay fears that still abound about buying online. The company also offers a shopping service and cyberwallet that help consumers look up and buy products online. Consumers with personalized cards are more than twice as likely to use them, says Lent.