February 3, 2026
WalletHub recently published insight featuring Greg Stoller, Master Lecturer of Strategy and Innovation, on how credit card companies use promotional offers and rewards to shape customer behavior.
He notes that while discontinuing and later reviving the same offers can create urgency in a deal-driven marketplace, the practice often frustrates consumers and risks undermining trust, especially among loyal customers.
That tension is especially evident in how issuers target different types of cardholders. As Stoller explains, “Most credit card companies are not going to want people with good credit because they will make money on late fees, and interest. However, apropos to the commentary above, it’s entirely possible that Barclays is looking for better quality customers, or customers who they should invested in long-term, due to their loyalty.”
Stoller adds that rewards structures further reflect this divide: sign-up bonuses tend to attract short-term, deal-seeking customers, while ongoing rewards are designed to encourage retention and maximize lifetime value. Together, these strategies highlight how some issuers are increasingly prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term revenue.
