Credit card solicitations down so far

ARLINGTON, Va. – Credit card solicitations in 2002 lag those in 2001, according to CardTrak, a publication which tracks credit card trends. According to CardTrak, credit card solicitations by direct mail have fallen from 2.2 billion in the first six months of 2001 to 1.6 billion in the first half of this year. Card solicitations to credit union members from large competitors have been one of the engines credit unions have cited as driving their decisions to sell their credit card portfolios to banks. However, while direct mail has been off the pace this year, it remains the principle means for offering cards. A new study by Maryland-based Vertis found that 48% of consumers said they learned about a credit card company via direct mail. Other sources include friend or relative (7%), at their bank (7%), special event/in-person promotion (4%), Internet (3%), or telemarketer (3%).