David Jones launches its American Express credit card
on October 1st, 2008 at 6:50 amLuxury brands retailer David Jones Ltd launched its David Jones American Express Card today in time for the busy Christmas period.
DJs group general manager, financial services and marketing, Damian Eales, said a major benefit of the card was that customers would receive store gift cards for making their everyday purchases on their David Jones American Express Card.
“Our customers consider David Jones gift cards the ultimate reward for women in particular, the choice and flexibility of gift cards is superior to the inflexible nature of most frequent flyer programs,” Mr Eales said.
“For our customer, turning everyday spending on groceries, petrol, or bills into a pair of sass & bide jeans or an Alannah Hill dress or ModelCo cosmetics has enormous resonance.”
The David Jones American Express card is available for a membership fee of $99 and an annual interest rate of 20.49 per cent.
The retailer had last week decided to cease its rewards program for shareholders from February 1, 2009, after a 12 month review of the program found other major retailer were moving away from this trend.
DJs said in a statement today that in the largest ever direct mail campaign the company has conducted, it had already mailed all of its Storecard customers application forms and they have started to apply.
“An extensive television, press and magazine campaign will follow in coming days,” it said.
The company believes the launch is expected to spark a change to the industry structure of credit cards in Australia.
“The Australian market has nowhere near the penetration of co-branded credit cards we have seen in the US and the UK,” Mr Eales said.
“Internationally, almost every department store offers a card that can be used outside of their store.”
