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“USAGE PATTERN OF CREDIT CARDHOLDERS IN CHENNAI” By M NAGARAJAN (REGISTER NO: 1030847) Of JEPPIAAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE A PROJECT REPORT Submitted To The FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the award of the degree
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Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

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Page 1: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

“USAGE PATTERN OF CREDIT CARDHOLDERS IN CHENNAI”

By

M NAGARAJAN

(REGISTER NO: 1030847)

Of

JEPPIAAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE

A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted To The

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the award of the degree

Of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

ANNA UNIVERSITY

October -2011

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JEPPIAAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE

JEPPIAAR NAGAR, OLD MAMALLAPURAM ROAD

CHENNAI – 600 119

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report titled “USAGE PATTERN OF CREDIT

CARDHOLDERS IN CHENNAI” is the bonafide work of Mr. M NAGARAJA

Registration number : 1030847 who carried out the research under my supervision. Certified

further , that to the best of my knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of any

other project report or dissertation on the basis of which a degree or award was conferred on

an earlier occasion on this or any other candidate.

INTERNAL GUIDE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this project entitled “USAGE PATTERN OF CREDIT

CARDHOLDERS IN CHENNAI” was sincerely done, during the period from Oct 2011. The

study has been undertaken in partial fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Business

Administration at Jeppiaar Engineering College, Chennai affiliated to Anna University.

I also declare that this project has not been submitted to any other institutions or

university, for the award of any Degree or Diploma.

Place: Chennai M NAGARAJA

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the first instance, I oblige to the Honorable Chairman, Dr. JEPPIAAR, M.A., B.L.,

Ph.D., the Director Ms. REGEENA JEPPIAAR, B.Tech., M.B.A.,(Ph.D.), the principal

Dr. N. THANGAVEL, Ph.D., for their support and encouragement for the completion of

project.

I take this opportunity to convey my sincere thanks to the Head of the Department, for the

cooperation and support given during the course of the project.

I take the privilege to extend my hearty thanks to my Internal Project Guide

Mrs. N.PADMAVATHY MBA M.Phil., for her valuable and invariable suggestion and

encouragement in carrying out this project successfully.

Last but not the least; I would like to thank my parents and friends for providing all

the necessary support throughout the study without which this study would be

an unaccomplished task.

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CHAPTER 1

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Objectives of the Project

The primary objective of the report is categorized into following sub-topics:

1. To study the demographic factors of credit card holders.

2. To know the using purpose of credit card by the holders.

3. To assess the behavioural changes of credit card holders.

4. To examine the consumption pattern of credit card holders.

5. To find out the satisfaction level of existing credit card holders.

6. To suggest measures to improve the credit card system in India

Data sources

Primary sources

Primary data has been collected through the structured questionnaire

consisting mainly of the closed ended questions.

Secondary sources

Secondary data has been collected from the internet, journals, reference books etc.

Scope of the study

All the questions have been analysed by adding up the responses against each

alternative and answers from the various respondents. The collected data has

been subject to statistical analysis to draw inferences and suitable

conclusions. Statistical tools like chi-square and percentage are used. For

calculating the table value for analysis with chi-square, 5% significance level

is used.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The study is based on primary data, which has been collected from the credit

card users with the help of a well drafted and structured questionnaire (see

annexure). For the collection of primary data, we have confined ourselves to

Ahmedabad, India. Our sample consists of a total of 150 respondents. The

respondents are basically credit card users, who have been selected by

following the non-probabilistic sampling, simple purposive sampling and

convenience sampling techniques.

Further, it is essential to mention two things: firstly, in convenience-sampling,

respondents (who were seen using/have possession of credit cards) were

selected because they happened to be in the right place at the right time and

secondly, convenience sampling technique is not recommended for descriptive

or casual research, but they can be used in exploratory research for the

generation of ideas (Malhotra, 2005). The questions inquired the choice of

credit card, and the users were given 28 statements. In addition, the

respondents had to rate the credit cards according to the importance, on the

`five-point Likert scale.’

Sampling Plan

Target Population: Credit Card holders

Sample Size: 100 respondents

Sampling technique: Convenience sampling

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Beneficiaries

1. BanksBanks may come to know about the usage pattern of the credit card holders

based on the demographics, purposes and consumption pattern and may aim to

target new customers based on the derived facts.

2. Probable subscribersNew prospects may find it helpful in selecting the credit card company and

the bank issuing the credit based on the satisfaction level of the existing

credit card holders.

3. ResearchersStudy gives the researchers the insight about the credit card system prevailing

and the usage pattern and satisfaction level of the existing credit card holders.

Research Design

The research design that has been used is Descriptive Research.

Involves gathering data that describe events and then organizes,

tabulates, depicts, and describes the data.

Uses description as a tool to organize data into patterns that emerge

during analysis.

Often uses visual aids such as graphs and charts to aid the reader

Description Research takes a “what if” approach

Refers to the nature of the research question

The design of the research

The way that data will be analyzed for the topic that will be researched

There are four methods of data collection under descriptive research. They

are:

Surveys

Interviews

Observations

Portfolios

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The methods used for this research would be mainly by the response to the

questionnaire by the credit card holders.

Limitations of the study

1. The study is confined to the city of chennai only.

2. The respondents were generally co-operative, yet some of them might have

biased their reply for certain sensitive questions

3. The duration of the study is also in accordance with the academic objective of

the course curriculum. So in pursuit of academic exercise, the restriction on

time has also brought into study some limitations.

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CHAPTER 2

INTRODUCTION TO BANKING INDUSTRY

Banking in India originated in the last decades of the 18th century. The oldest

bank in existence in India is the State Bank of India, a government-owned bank

that traces its origins back to June 1806 and that is the largest commercial bank

in the country. Central banking is the responsibility of the Reserve Bank of

India, which in 1935 formally took over these responsibilities from the then

Imperial Bank of India, relegating it to commercial banking functions. After

India's independence in 1947, the Reserve Bank was nationalized and given

broader powers. In 1969 the government nationalized the 14 largest commercial

banks; the government nationalized the six next largest in 1980.

The first phase of financial reforms resulted in the nationalization of 14 major

banks in 1969 and resulted in a shift from Class banking to Mass banking. This

in turn resulted in a significant growth in the geographical coverage of banks.

Every bank had to earmark a minimum percentage of their loan portfolio to

sectors identified as “priority sectors”. The manufacturing sector also grew

during the 1970s in protected environs and the banking sector was a critical

source. The next wave of reforms saw the nationalization of 6 more commercial

banks in 1980. Since then the number of scheduled commercial banks increased

four-fold and the number of bank branches increased eight-fold.

After the second phase of financial sector reforms and liberalization of the sector

in the early nineties, the Public Sector Banks (PSB) s found it extremely difficult

to compete with the new private sector banks and the foreign banks. The new

private sector banks first made their appearance after the guidelines permitting

them were issued in January 1993. Eight new private sector banks are presently

in operation. These banks due to their late start have access to state-of-the-art

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technology, which in turn helps them to save on manpower costs and provide

better services.

During the year 2000, the State Bank of India (SBI) and its 7 associates

accounted for a 25 percent share in deposits and 28.1 percent share in credit. The

20 nationalized banks accounted for 53.2 percent of the deposits and 47.5

percent of credit during the same period. The share of foreign banks (numbering

42), regional rural banks and other scheduled commercial banks accounted for

5.7 percent, 3.9 percent and 12.2 percent respectively in deposits and 8.41

percent, 3.14 percent and 12.85 percent respectively in credit during the year

2000.

Aggregate Performance of the Banking Industry

Aggregate deposits of scheduled commercial banks increased at a compounded

annual average growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8 percent during 1969-99, while bank

credit expanded at a CAGR of 16.3 percent per annum. Banks’ investments in

government and other approved securities recorded a CAGR of 18.8 percent per

annum during the same period.

In FY01 the economic slowdown resulted in a Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

growth of only 6.0 percent as against the previous year’s 6.4 percent. The WPI

Index (a measure of inflation) increased by 7.1 percent as against 3.3 percent in

FY00. Similarly, money supply (M3) grew by around 16.2 percent as against

14.6 percent a year ago.

The growth in aggregate deposits of the scheduled commercial banks at 15.4

percent in FY01 percent was lower than that of 19.3 percent in the previous year,

while the growth in credit by SCBs slowed down to 15.6 percent in FY01 against

23 percent a year ago.

The industrial slowdown also affected the earnings of listed banks. The net

profits of 20 listed banks dropped by 34.43 percent in the quarter ended March

2001. Net profits grew by 40.75 percent in the first quarter of 2000-2001, but

dropped to 4.56 percent in the fourth quarter of 2000-2001.

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On the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) front while most banks managed to fulfill

the norms, it was a feat achieved with its own share of difficulties. The CAR,

which at present is 9.0 percent, is likely to be hiked to 12.0 percent by the year

2004 based on the Basle Committee recommendations. Any bank that wishes to

grow its assets needs to also shore up its capital at the same time so that its

capital as a percentage of the risk-weighted assets is maintained at the stipulated

rate. While the IPO route was a much-fancied one in the early ‘90s, the current

scenario doesn’t look too attractive for bank majors.

Consequently, banks have been forced to explore other avenues to shore up their

capital base. While some are wooing foreign partners to add to the capital others

are employing the M& A route. Many are also going in for right issues at prices

considerably lower than the market prices to woo the investors.

Interest Rate Scene

The two years, post the East Asian crises in 1997-98 saw a climb in the global

interest rates. It was only in the latter half of FY01 that the US Fed cut interest

rates. India has however remained more or less insulated. The past 2 years in our

country was characterized by a mounting intention of the Reserve Bank of India

(RBI) to steadily reduce interest rates resulting in a narrowing differential

between global and domestic rates.

The RBI has been affecting bank rate and CRR cuts at regular intervals to

improve liquidity and reduce rates. The only exception was in July 2000 when

the RBI increased the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to stem the fall in the rupee

against the dollar. The steady fall in the interest rates resulted in squeezed

margins for the banks in general.

Government initiatives

During 2008-09 (as per data up to November 18, 2008), as per RBI guidelines,

scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) increased their deposit rates for various

maturities by 50-175 basis points. The interest rates range offered by public

sector banks (PSBs) on deposits of maturity of one year to three years increased

to 9.00-10.50 per cent in November 2008 from 8.25-9.25 per cent in March

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2008. On the lending side, the benchmark prime lending rates (BPLRs) of PSBs

increased to 13.00-14.75 per cent by November 2008 from 12.25-13.50 per cent

in March 2008. Private sector banks and foreign banks also increased their BPLR

to 13.00-17.75 per cent and 10.00-17.00 per cent from 13.00-16.50 per cent and

10.00-15.50 per cent, respectively, during the same period.

Accordingly, the weighted average BPLR of public sector banks, private sector

banks and foreign banks increased to 13.99 per cent, 16.42 per cent and 14.73

per cent, respectively. The number of automated teller machines (ATMs) has

risen and the usage of ATMs has gone up substantially during the last few years.

Use of other banks’ ATMs would also not attract any fee except when used for

cash withdrawal for which the maximum charge levied was brought down to US$

.409 per withdrawal by March 31, 2008. Further, all cash withdrawals from all

ATMs would be free with effect from April 1, 2009.

Bank initiatives

Since December 2008, the government has announced series of measures to

augment flow of credits to around US$ 2, 66,274 to SMEs. To improve the flow

of credit to industrial clusters and facilitate their overall development, 15 banks

operating in Orissa including the public sector State Bank of India (SBI) and the

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have adopted 48 clusters

specially in sectors like engineering tools, foundry, handloom, food processing,

weaving, rice mill, cashew processing, pharmaceuticals, bell metals and

carpentry etc.

PSBs are now cashing in the auto loan segment after the exit of private players

owing to the slowdown. Auto loans usually have three components - car loans,

two-wheeler loans and commercial vehicle loans. PSBs are primarily focusing on

car and two-wheeler loans. Prevalent interest rates in the car loan segment now

range between 11 per cent and 12.5 per cent per annum. For instance, according

to the Union Bank of India Chairman and Managing Director, MV Nair, his bank

had recently tied up with Maruti Suzuki India for financing the latter's product

and it has a US$ 163.84 million auto loan portfolio.

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The government has told public sector banks (PSBs) to extend credit to fund-

starved Indian industry, especially exporters and small and medium sector

enterprises to address their credit needs. SIDBI would be lending US$ 1.33

billion out of US$ 1.47 billion credit from RBI to public sector banks. This is

being provided to the PSBs at 6.5 per cent (SIDBI is getting the credit at 5.5 per

cent) under the condition that the banks will have to lend this credit to the

medium and small-scale industry units at an interest rate of 10 per cent before

March 31, 2010.

According to SBI Chairman, O P Bhatt, contribution of small and medium

enterprises (SMEs) is nearly 40-50 per cent to GDP growth of the nation, and

this sector also accounts for 50 per cent of the industrial output. "Banks could

accrue revenue of over US$ 5.73 billion by encouraging the SMEs," Bhatt said

adding, "SME's sector is to grow fastest in the next five years, with 14 per cent

growth in terms of revenue and 13 per cent in terms of profits." The bank in

order to help units tide over the current downturn, had introduced products like

“SME Care” specially in Jharkhand, which provides units to access 20 per cent

additional funds over and above their existing overdraft limit. Already,

according to an official, the MSME ministry has proposed to RBI that the sector

be given a mandatory 15 per cent share of the total priority sector lending. The

banking industry is thereby now lending both strength and support in form of

cash and policies majorly in putting back the economy into track.

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Recent Banking Development in India

The Indian banking sector has witnessed wide ranging changes under the

influence of the financial sector reforms initiated during the early 1990s. The

approach to such reforms in India has been one of gradual and non-disruptive

progress through a consultative process. The emphasis has been on deregulation

and opening up the banking sector to market forces. The Reserve Bank has been

consistently working towards the establishment of an enabling regulatory

framework with prompt and

Effective supervision as well as the development of technological and

institutional infrastructure.

Persistent efforts have been made towards adoption of international benchmarks

as appropriate to Indian conditions. While certain changes in the legal

infrastructure are yet to be effected, the developments so far have brought the

Indian financial system closer to global standards.

Statutory Pre-emptions

In the pre-reforms phase, the Indian banking system operated with a high level

of statutory preemptions, in the form of both the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and

the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), reflecting the high level of the country’s

fiscal deficit and its high degree of monetisation. Efforts in the recent period

have been focused on lowering both the CRR and SLR. The statutory minimum

of 25 per cent for the SLR was reached as early as 1997, and while the Reserve

Bank continues to

pursue its medium-term objective of reducing the CRR to the statutory minimum

level of 3.0 per cent, the CRR of the Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) is

currently placed at 5.0 per cent of NDTL (net demand and time liabilities). The

legislative changes proposed by the Government in the Union Budget, 2005-06

to remove the limits on the SLR and CRR are expected to provide freedom to the

Reserve Bank in the conduct of monetary policy and also lend further flexibility

to the banking system in the deployment of resources.

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Interest Rate Structure

Deregulation of interest rates has been one of the key features of financial sector

reforms. In recent years, it has improved the competitiveness of the financial

environment and strengthened the transmission mechanism of monetary policy.

Sequencing of interest rate deregulation has also enabled better price discovery

and imparted greater efficiency to the resource allocation process. The process

has been gradual and predicated upon the institution of prudential regulation of

the banking

system, market behaviour, financial opening and, above all, the underlying

macroeconomic conditions.

Interest rates have now been largely deregulated except in the case of: (i)

savings deposit accounts; (ii) non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits; (iii) small

loans up to Rs.2 lakh; and (iv) export credit.

After the interest rate deregulation, banks became free to determine their own

lending interest rates.

As advised by the Indian Banks’ Association (a self-regulatory organisation for

banks), commercial banks determine their respective BPLRs (benchmark prime

lending rates) taking into consideration:

(i) actual cost of funds; (ii) operating expenses; and (iii) a minimum margin to

cover regulatory requirements of provisioning and capital charge and profit

margin. These factors differ from bank to bank and feed into the determination

of BPLR and spreads of banks. The BPLRs of public sector banks declined to

10.25-11.25 per cent in March 2005 from 10.25-11.50 per cent in March 2004.

With a view to granting operational autonomy to public sector banks, public

ownership in these banks was reduced by allowing them to raise capital from the

equity market of up to 49 per cent of paid-up capital. Competition is being

fostered by permitting new private sector banks, and more liberal entry of

branches of foreign banks, joint-venture banks and insurance companies.

Recently, a roadmap for the

presence of foreign banks in India was released which sets out the process of the

gradual opening-up of the banking sector in a transparent manner. Foreign

investments in the financial sector in the form 238 BIS Papers No 28 of Foreign

Direct Investment (FDI) as well as portfolio investment have been permitted.

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Furthermore, banks have been allowed to diversify product portfolio and

business activities. The share of public sector banks in the banking business is

going down, particularly in metropolitan areas. Some diversification of

ownership in select public sector banks has helped further the move towards

autonomy and thus provided some response to competitive pressures.

Transparency and disclosure standards have been enhanced to meet international

standards in an ongoing manner.

Prudential Regulation

Prudential norms related to risk-weighted capital adequacy requirements,

accounting, income recognition, provisioning and exposure were introduced in

1992 and gradually these norms have been brought up to international standards.

Other initiatives in the area of strengthening prudential norms include measures

to strengthen risk management through recognition of different components of

risk,

assignment of risk-weights to various asset classes, norms on connected lending

and risk concentration, application of the mark-to-market principle for

investment portfolios and limits on deployment of funds in sensitive activities.

Keeping in view the Reserve Bank’s goal to achieve consistency and harmony

with international standards and our approach to adopt these standards at a pace

appropriate to our context, it has been decided to migrate to Basel II. Banks are

required to maintain a minimum CRAR (capital to risk weighted assets ratio) of

9 per cent on an ongoing basis. The capital requirements are uniformly applied

to all banks, including foreign banks operating in India, by way of prudential

guidelines on capital adequacy. Commercial banks in India will start

implementing Basel II with effect from March 31, 2007. They will initially adopt

the Standardised Approach for credit risk and the Basic Indicator Approach for

operational risk. After adequate skills have been developed, at both bank and

supervisory level, some banks may be allowed to migrate to the Internal Ratings-

Based (IRB) Approach. Banks have also been advised to formulate and

operationalise the Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (CAAP) as required

under Pillar II of the New Framework.

Some of the other regulatory initiatives relevant to Basel II that have been

implemented by the Reserve Bank are:

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• Ensuring that banks have a suitable risk management framework oriented

towards their requirements and dictated by the size and complexity of their

business, risk philosophy, market perceptions and expected level of capital.

• Introducing Risk-Based Supervision (RBS) in select banks on a pilot basis.

• Encouraging banks to formalise their CAAP in alignment with their business

plan and performance budgeting system. This, together with the adoption of

RBS, should aid in fulfilling the Pillar II requirements under Basel II.

• Expanding the area of disclosures (Pillar III) so as to achieve greater

transparency regarding the financial position and risk profile of banks.

• Building capacity to ensure the regulator’s ability to identify eligible banks and

permit them to adopt IRB/Advanced Measurement approaches.

With a view to ensuring migration to Basel II in a non-disruptive manner, a

consultative and participative approach has been adopted for both designing and

implementing the New Framework. A Steering Committee comprising senior

officials from 14 banks (public, private and foreign) with representation from the

Indian Banks’ Association and the Reserve Bank has been constituted. On the

basis of recommendations of the Steering Committee, draft guidelines on

implementation of the New Capital Adequacy Framework have been issued to

banks.

In order to assess the impact of Basel II adoption in various jurisdictions and re-

calibrate the proposals, the BCBS is currently undertaking the Fifth Quantitative

Impact Study (QIS 5). India will be participating in the study, and has selected

11 banks which form a representative sample for this purpose. These banks

account for 51.20 per cent of market share in terms of assets. They have been

advised to familiarise themselves with the QIS 5 requirements to enable them to

participate in the exercise effectively. The Reserve Bank is currently focusing on

the issue of recognition of the external rating agencies for use in the

Standardised Approach for credit risk.

As a well-established risk management system is a pre-requisite for

implementation of advanced approaches under the New Capital Adequacy

Framework, banks were required to examine the various options available under

the Framework and draw up a roadmap for migration to Basel II. The feedback

received from banks suggests that a few may be keen on implementing the

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advanced approaches. However, not all are fully equipped to do so straightaway

and are, therefore, looking to migrate to the advanced approaches at a later date.

Basel II provides that banks should be allowed to adopt/migrate to advanced

approaches only with the specific approval of the supervisor, after ensuring that

they satisfy the minimum requirements specified in the Framework, not only at

the time of adoption/migration, but on a continuing basis. Hence, banks desirous

of adopting the advanced approaches must perform a stringent assessment of

their compliance with the minimum requirements before they shift gears to

migrate to these approaches. In this context, current non-availability of

acceptable and qualitative historical data relevant to internal credit risk ratings

and operational risk losses, along with the related costs involved in building up

and maintaining the requisite database, is expected to influence the pace of

migration to the advanced approaches available under Basel II.

Exposure Norms

The Reserve Bank has prescribed regulatory limits on banks’ exposure to

individual and group borrowers to avoid concentration of credit, and has advised

banks to fix limits on their exposure to specific industries or sectors (real estate)

to ensure better risk management. In addition, banks are also required to observe

certain statutory and regulatory limits in respect of their exposures to capital

markets.

Asset-Liability Management

In view of the growing need for banks to be able to identify, measure, monitor

and control risks, appropriate risk management guidelines have been issued from

time to time by the Reserve Bank, including guidelines on Asset-Liability

Management (ALM). These guidelines are intended to serve as a benchmark for

banks to establish an integrated risk management system. However, banks can

also develop their own systems compatible with type and size of operations as

well as risk perception and

put in place a proper system for covering the existing deficiencies and the

requisite upgrading. Detailed guidelines on the management of credit risk,

market risk, operational risk, etc. have also been issued to banks by the Reserve

Bank.

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The progress made by the banks is monitored on a quarterly basis. With regard

to risk management techniques, banks are at different stages of drawing up a

comprehensive credit rating system, undertaking a credit risk assessment on a

half yearly basis, pricing loans on the basis of risk rating, adopting the Risk-

Adjusted Return on Capital (RAROC) framework of pricing, etc. Some banks

stipulate a quantitative ceiling on aggregate exposures in specified risk

categories, analyse rating-wise distribution of borrowers in various industries,

etc.

In respect of market risk, almost all banks have an Asset-Liability Management

Committee. They have articulated market risk management policies and

procedures, and have undertaken studies of behavioural maturity patterns of

various components of on-/off-balance sheet items.

NPL Management

Banks have been provided with a menu of options for disposal/recovery of NPLs

(non-performing loans). Banks resolve/recover their NPLs through

compromise/one time settlement, filing of suits, Debt Recovery Tribunals, the

Lok Adalat (people’s court) forum, Corporate Debt Restructuring (CDR), sale to

securitisation/reconstruction companies and other banks or to non-banking

finance companies (NBFCs). The promulgation of the Securitisation and

Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest

(SARFAESI) Act, 2002 and its subsequent amendment have strengthened the

position of creditors. Another significant measure has been the setting-up of the

240 BIS Papers No 28 Credit Information Bureau for information sharing on

defaulters and other borrowers. The role of Credit Information Bureau of India

Ltd. (CIBIL) in improving the quality of credit analysis by financial institutions

and banks need hardly be overemphasised. With the enactment of the Credit

Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, the legal framework has been

put in place to facilitate the full fledged operationalisation of CIBIL and the

introduction of other credit bureaus.

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Board for Financial Supervision (BFS)

An independent Board for Financial Supervision (BFS) under the aegis of the

Reserve Bank has been established as the apex supervisory authority for

commercial banks, financial institutions, urban banks and NBFCs. Consistent

with international practice, the Board’s focus is on offsite and on-site

inspections and on banks’ internal control systems. Offsite surveillance has been

strengthened through control returns. The role of statutory auditors has been

emphasised with increased internal control through strengthening of the internal

audit function. Significant progress has been made in implementation of the

Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision. The supervisory rating

system under CAMELS has been established, coupled with a move towards risk-

based supervision.

Consolidated supervision of financial conglomerates has since been introduced

with bi-annual discussions with the financial conglomerates. There have also

been initiatives aimed at strengthening corporate governance through enhanced

due diligence on important shareholders, and fit and proper tests for directors.

A scheme of Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) is in place for attending to banks

showing steady deterioration in financial health. Three financial indicators, viz.

capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR), net non-performing assets (net

NPA) and Return on Assets (RoA) have been identified with specific threshold

limits. When the indicators fall below the threshold level (CRAR, RoA) or go

above it (net NPAs), the PCA scheme envisages certain structured/discretionary

actions to be taken by the regulator.

The structured actions in the case of CRAR falling below the trigger point may

include, among other things, submission and implementation of a capital

restoration plan, restriction on expansion of risk weighted assets, restriction on

entering into new lines of business, reducing/skipping dividend payments, and

requirement for recapitalisation. The structured actions in the case of RoA

falling below the trigger level may include, among other things, restriction on

accessing/renewing costly deposits and CDs, a requirement to take steps to

increase fee-based income and to contain administrative expenses, not to enter

new lines of business, imposition of restrictions on borrowings from the

interbank market, etc.

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In the case of increasing net NPAs, structured actions will include, among other

things, undertaking a special drive to reduce the stock of NPAs and containing

the generation of fresh NPAs, reviewing the loan policy of the bank, taking steps

to upgrade credit appraisal skills and systems and to strengthen follow-up of

advances, including a loan review mechanism for large loans, following up suit

filed/ decreed debts effectively, putting in place proper credit risk management

policies/processes/procedures/prudential limits, reducing loan concentration, etc.

Discretionary action may include restrictions on capital expenditure, expansion

in staff, and increase of stake in subsidiaries. The Reserve Bank/Government

may take steps to change promoters/ ownership and may even take steps to

merge/amalgamate/liquidate the bank or impose a moratorium on it if its position

does not improve within an agreed period.

Technological Infrastructure

In recent years, the Reserve Bank has endeavoured to improve the efficiency of

the financial system by ensuring the presence of a safe, secure and effective

payment and settlement system. In the process, apart from performing regulatory

and oversight functions the Reserve Bank has also played an important role in

promoting the system’s functionality and modernisation on an ongoing basis.

The consolidation of the existing payment systems revolves around

strengthening computerised cheque clearing, and expanding the reach of

Electronic Clearing Services (ECS) and Electronic Funds.

Transfer (EFT). The critical elements of the developmental strategy are the

opening of new clearing houses, interconnection of clearing houses through the

Indian Financial Network (INFINET) and the development of a Real-Time Gross

Settlement (RTGS) System, a Centralised Funds Management System (CFMS), a

Negotiated Dealing System (NDS) and the Structured Financial Messaging

System (SFMS). Similarly, integration of the various payment products with the

systems of individual banks has been another thrust area.

An Assessment

These reform measures have had a major impact on the overall efficiency and

stability of the banking system in India. The dependence of the Indian banking

system on volatile liabilities to finance its assets is quite limited, with the

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funding volatility ratio at -0.17 per cent as compared with a global range of -

0.17 to 0.11 per cent. The overall capital adequacy ratio of banks at end-March

2005 was 12.8 per cent as against the regulatory requirement of 9 per cent which

itself is higher than the Basel norm of 8 per cent. The capital adequacy ratio was

broadly comparable with the global range. There has been a marked

improvement in asset quality with the percentage of gross NPAs to gross

advances for the banking system declining from 14.4 per cent in 1998 to 5.2 per

cent in 2005. Globally, the NPL ratio varies widely from a low of 0.3 per cent to

3.0 per cent in developed economies, to over 10.0 per cent in several Latin

American economies. The reform measures have also resulted in an improvement

in the profitability of banks. RoA rose from 0.4 per cent in the year 1991-92 to

0.9 per cent in 2004-05. Considering that, globally, RoA was in the range -1.2 to

6.2 per cent for 2004, Indian banks are well placed. The banking sector reforms

have also emphasised the need to review manpower resources and rationalise

requirements by drawing up a realistic plan so as to reduce operating cost and

improve profitability. The cost to income ratio of 0.5 per cent for Indian banks

compares favourably with the global range of 0.46 per cent to 0.68 per cent and

vis-a-vis 0.48 per cent to 1.16 per cent for the world’s largest banks. In recent

years, the Indian economy has been undergoing a phase of high growth coupled

with internal and external stability characterised by price stability, fiscal

consolidation, overall balance of payments alignment, improvement in the

performance of financial institutions and stable financial market conditions and

the service sector taking an increasing share, enhanced competitiveness,

increased emphasis on infrastructure, improved market microstructure, an

enabling legislative environment and significant capital inflows. This has

provided the backdrop for a more sustained development of financial markets

and reform.

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CHAPTER 3

INTRODUCTION TO CREDIT CARD INDUSTRY

History

Our society was once upon a time functioning without money; it is again likely to

become moneyless. While ancient society was confronted with the problems of adjusting

mutually satisfactory rates and basis of exchange, future society, with the help of

computers, electronics and telecommunications, credit cards, telephone and other modern

means of communications, would settle financial transactions instantly. Money as a

medium of exchange will serve its function. The difference will be that in future coins,

currency notes, cheques, etc., will be dispensed with in favour of records. India has

entered the stage of credit card system and credit cards are gaining increasing relevance

to facilitate industrial, commercial and agricultural transactions.

Credit was first used in Assyria, Babylon and Egypt 3,000 years ago. The Bill of

Exchange – the forerunner of bank notes - was established in the 14th century. Debts

settled by one-third cash and two-thirds bill of exchange paper money followed only in

the 17th century. The first advertisement for credit was placed in 1730 by Christopher

Thornton who offered furniture that could be paid off weekly.

From the 18th century until the early part of the 20th, tallymen sold clothes in return for

small weekly payments; they were called “tallymen” because they kept a record of tally

of what people had brought on a wooden stick. One side of the stick was marked with

notches to represent the amount of debt and the other side was a record of payments. In

the 1920s shopper’s plate – “buy now, pay later” system – was introduced in USA. It

could only be used in shops which issued it.

The credit card was the successor of a variety of merchant credit schemes. It was first

used in the 1920s, in the United States, specifically to sell fuel to a growing number of

automobile owners. In 1938 several companies started to accept each other's cards. The

concept of paying merchants using a card was invented in 1950 by Ralph Schneider and

Frank X. McNamara in order to consolidate multiple cards. The Diners Club, which was

created partially through a merger with Dine and Sign, produced the first "general

purpose" charge card, which is similar but required the entire bill to be paid with each

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statement; it was followed shortly thereafter by American Express and Carte Blanche.

Western Union had begun issuing charge cards to its frequent customers in 1914.

Bank of America created the BankAmericard in 1958, a product which eventually

evolved into the Visa system ("Chargex" also became Visa). MasterCard came to being

in 1966 when a group of credit-issuing banks established Master Charge. The fractured

nature of the US banking system meant that credit cards became an effective way for

those who were travelling around the country to move their credit to places where they

could not directly use their banking facilities. In 1966 Barclaycard in the UK launched

the first credit card outside of the US.

There are now countless variations on the basic concept of revolving credit for

individuals (as issued by banks and honored by a network of financial institutions),

including organization-branded credit cards, corporate-user credit cards, store cards and

so on.

In contrast, although having reached very high adoption levels in the US, Canada and the

UK, it is important to note that many cultures were much more cash-oriented in the latter

half of the twentieth century, or had developed alternative forms of cash-less payments,

like Carte bleue, or the EC-card (Germany, France, Switzerland, among many others). In

these places, the take-up of credit cards was initially much slower. It took until the 1990s

to reach anything like the percentage market-penetration levels achieved in the US,

Canada or UK. In many countries acceptance still remains poor as the use of a credit card

system depends on the banking system being perceived as reliable.

In contrast, because of the legislative framework surrounding banking system overdrafts,

some countries, France in particular, were much faster to develop and adopt chip-based

credit cards which are now seen as major anti-fraud credit devices.

The design of the credit card itself has become a major selling point in recent years. The

value of the card to the issuer being related to the Customer's usage of the card. This has

led to the rise of Co-Brand and Affinity cards - where the cards design is related to the

"affinity" (a university, for example) leading to higher card usage. In most cases a

percentage of the value of the card is returned to the affinity group.

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Concept of credit card

Progress in civilization in its turn has brought out radical changes in the manner of

trading. The need for something intrinsically useful and easily applicable in everyday

dealing is clearly felt. Cash in the form of currency notes and coins makes up just one

form of the payment system. Development in banking while also giving inputs to the

further development of cash brought about a second phase in payment namely paper

instructions such as cheques and credit transfers. The requirement for greater flexibility

and convenience has led to electronic payments, and this is where plastic cards have

proved their worth. It allows the card issuers to limit the sum of money the card-holders

wish to spend. The spending of card-holders who have defaulted on payments or who are

over their credit limit can be restricted until the balances are cleared.

Definition of credit card

A credit card is a credit-token within the meaning of section 14(1), Consumer Credit Act

1974 of the UK which defines a credit-token as a card, cheque, voucher, coupon, stamp,

form booklet or other document or thing given to an individual by a person carrying on a

consumer credit business, who undertakes:- that on the production of it (whether or not

some other action is also required), he will supply, cash, goods and services (or any of

them) on credit, or that were, on the production of it to third party (whether or not any

other action is also required), the third party supplies cash, goods and services (whether

or not deducting any discount or commission), in return for payment to him by the

individual.

In very simple words credit card can be termed as an unsecured personal loan offered to

customers by the banks where the card-holder could purchase goods and services from

authorized merchant or merchant establishments (MEs) of the bank up to a fixed limit on

credit. Such credit is normally made available for a period of 30 to 45 days. This is turn

helps earn income by way of commission from its merchant establishments; the scheme

provided large scope for sale and increased turnover with assured and prompt payment.

In 1951, the Franklin National Bank in New York issued the first modern credit card.

Unsolicited credit cards were sent to prospective card-holders who were not subject to

credit screening prior to being sent a card. Merchants signed agreements to accept the

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cards. When a purchase was made, the card-holder presented the card to the merchant,

who would copy the information on the merchant’s account at Franklin Bank in the

amount of the transactions, less the discount rate. If a purchase exceeded the merchant’s

floor limit, the merchant was required to call the bank for approval. Franklin National

Bank’s Credit Card programme was copied by hundreds of other banks in the late 1950s

and early 1960s.

The Bank of America issued Bank Americard in 1958 and eight years later, in 1966, the

banks comprising the Western State Bank Card Association issued the Master Charge

Card. Bank America and Master charge card became the focal points for the eventual

groupings of all bank cards throughout the world. The VISA and the MASTER the

largest credit cards today appeared in market in 1966. These two international cards are

very popular and are accepted and honored all over the world in 170 countries. These

two independent card companies led to latest innovations in the credit card business.

Now the credit card system has become universally popular throughout the world

including the Communist countries. At the end of 1995 and 1980 a million cards were

used in the world. The total number of credit card users in India is currently in excess of

80 lakh and now more than 30 banks are chasing customers with their cards.

A credit card allows consumers to purchase products or services without cash and to pay

for them at a later date. To qualify for this type of credit, the consumer must open an

account with a bank or company, which sponsors a card. They then receive a line of

credit with a specified dollar amount. They can use the card to make purchases from

participating merchants until they reach this credit limit. Every month the sponsor

provides a bill, which tallies the card activity during the previous 30 days. Depending on

the terms of the card, the customer may pay interest charges on the amount that they do

not pay for on a monthly basis. Also, credit cards may be sponsored by large retailers

(such as major clothing or department stores) or by banks or corporations (like VISA or

American Express).

Credits cards are a relatively recent development. The VISA Company, for example,

traces its history back to 1958 when the Bank of America began its BankAmerica

program. In the mid-1960s, the Bank of America began to license banks in the United

States the rights to issue its special BankAmericards. In 1977 the name Visa was adopted

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internationally to cover all these cards. VISA became the first credit card to be

recognized worldwide.

The banks and companies that sponsor credit cards profit in three ways. Primarily they

make money from the interest payments charged on the unpaid balance, but they also can

make money by charging an annual fee for the use of the card. The income from this fee,

which is typically only $50 or $75 per customer per year, can be substantial considering

that the larger companies have tens of millions of customers. In addition, the sponsors

make money by charging merchants a small percentage of income for the service of the

card. This arrangement is acceptable to the merchants because they can let their

customers pay by credit card instead of requiring cash. The merchant makes

arrangements to participate in a credit card program with a merchant bank, which in turn

works with a card-issuing bank. The merchant bank determines what percentage of the

total purchase value has to be paid by the merchant to the card-issuing bank. The amount

varies depending on the volume and type of business, but in general it is between 1-2%.

A percentage of that amount is kept by the merchant bank as a transaction-processing

fee. For companies like American Express which sponsor cards, the processing fee may

be significantly higher. Furthermore, sponsors may generate income by leasing credit

card verification equipment to merchants (especially if the merchants cannot afford to

purchase the equipment themselves.) Finally, sponsors may profit by charging service

fees for late payments

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CREDIT CARDS IN INDIA

Credit card or the plastic money, as it is popularly referred to, was slow to enter the

Indian market because of the high sentimental value that Indian consumers attach to hard

cash. Prevalence of small value transaction, credit shy culture and inadequate banking

habits of the population were other hindrances.

Credit cards arrived in India about two decades ago. In the early stages its growth was

very slow in terms of number and value. Even the number of players was limited and

mainly foreign banks like HSBC, Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank dominated the

market. Indian banks did not show much interest in the product in the initial stages. This

is evident from the fact that it took State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest bank,

almost a decade to begin dealing in credit cards. SBI, despite its widespread reach, has

aggressively started promoting credit cards only three years ago.

However, in the recent past the scenario has changed dramatically. The number of

nationalized and private banks issuing credit cards has increased significantly. Credit

cards are now not only integral parts of the consumer’s life in metros, but even residents

of smaller cities and towns have taken to them. This can be attributed to the aggressive

strategy of nationalized and private banks to promote card products in smaller town and

cities. These banks have far wider reach and depth in smaller cities and town as

compared to foreign banks. They have capitalized on this advantage to play a major role

in expanding the credit card base in terms of number and usage in smaller cities and

town.

Transactions using plastic money involve the payment of a small fee to the issuing bank

in the form of an application/joining fee and an annual fee. Consumers collect a

percentage-based commission in the form of reward points for card usage at

shops/establishments. The usage of credit card is very simple and easy. The consumers

do not have to carry cash and can use the card to pay their shopping/restaurant bills. All

you are required to do is give your credit card at the payment counter, the person

handling the counter swipes the card into the system to check the details of the card and

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you need to sign on the bill. The payment is done electronically. With only a signature

your payment is taken care of. Isn’t it very simple?

Yes it is, but everyone isn’t eligible for a credit card. There are certain requirements,

varying across banks, to get a credit card. Typically credit card companies (or issuing

banks, as they are known) require the applicant to have a minimum income level before

he can apply for the card. Proof of income is given by way of documents. These

documents could be a copy of tax return filed; salary slips if applicable, balance sheet

and profit and loss account detail if you are self-employed. These serve as the starting

point while applying for a card. The minimum income level varies from bank to bank

and fluctuates between Rs 60,000 - 150,000 per annum depending upon your risk profile

and the type of card. This requirement helps the issuing bank to assess whether or not

you will be able to repay the expenses incurred through your credit card. In addition to

income eligibility, you need to be at least 21 years of age (maximum 65 years).

There is no doubt that credit cards are very convenient, especially in case of daily

expenses. In addition you earn bonus points while you spend via the card. It is because of

these reasons that in the recent past card usage has increased dramatically. In fact, plastic

currency has almost wiped off hard currency from the US, resulting in far less

expenditure associated with cash transactions.

Currently, four major bishops are ruling the card empire - Citibank, Standard Chartered

Bank, HSBC and State Bank of India (SBI). The industry, which is catering to over 3.8

million1 card users, is expected to double by the fiscal 2003. According to a study

conducted by State Bank of India, Citibank is the dominant player, having issued 1.5

million cards so far. Standard Chartered Bank follows way behind with 0.67 million,

while Hongkong Bank has 0.3 million credit card customers. Among the nationalized

banks, SBI tops the list with 0.28 million cards, followed by Bank of Baroda at 0.22

million.

The credit card market in India, which started out in 1981, is on the verge of an

unprecedented boom. Between 1987 and 2000, the market has virtually grown to over

3.8 million cards with almost 25-30 per cent growth in new card-holders.

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India is generating more credit card spenders than spending places. While card-base and

appends are growing at a spiffy 25-30 per cent2 annually, the number of merchant

establishments which accept cards is growing selectively sluggish. The figure was put at

75,000–80,000 a couple of years ago, and now stands at 100,000 on both the Visa and

MasterCard loops. As opposed to that, there are 2.5 million card-holders and 3.3 million

cards (some, obviously, have more than one) and the numbers are growing very strongly.

The seven million Indian credit card industry has been growing over 25 per cent3

annually and has now more than 30 banks chasing customers with their cards. Still, credit

cards in India have made business sense only to a few.

“The annual growth rate is good, but it is only 20 per cent of the card base, that is

generating revenue,” says Roopan Asthana, manager, Card Products Division of HSBC.

Nearly 45-50 per cent of the card-holders are estimated to be inactive, while another 30

per cent use the card as a charge card without using the revolving facility cards are

expected to account for 33 per cent of all purchases by 2000 and 43 per cent by 2005.

The credit card embodies two essential aspects of the basic banking function - the

transmission of payments and the granting of credit. Therefore, in its true sense, a

‘credit’ card must offer the opinion of revolving credit. This is very akin to the overdraft

facility offered by banks to their account holders. A credit card holder does not

necessarily have to settle his entire account at the end of the month for he has the option

to make partial payment in subsequent months. In fact, when the card-holder makes the

full payment at the end of the month he is said to be using his credit card as a ‘charge

card’. Incidentally, the interest paid by the card-holder on the ‘credit’ utilized by him is

what makes the business of credit cards profitable from the point of view of the bank

issuing the card.

Indians are still not sure of the plastic money. Credit cards spend as a proportion of the

total expenditure by Indians is one of the lowest in the world. While Indians swiped

plastic money worth $6 billion in 2006, credit card users in Korea cumulatively spent

$136 billion.

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Indians spend just 1% of their total purchases through credit cards while the Koreans

make one-fifth of their total purchases through credit cards. The world average hovers

around 9%.

“The very low levels of penetration in India offer immense potential for credit card

companies. Also, there are fewer credit card companies than those in other parts of the

world. The high growth in spending is attracting a lot of entrants into the segment. What

is drawing a large number of companies and financial institutions including Life

Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to India is the 61% year-on-year growth being

witnessed in retail spending, the highest in the world.

Interestingly, even among the rich, credit card ownership in India is the lowest in the

world. While 90% of the affluent in Hong Kong have credit cards and the corresponding

figure for Sydney stands at 87%, in India, only 28% of the affluent have credit card.

Manila, Jakarta, Taipei , Hong Kong have 48-76% of the affluent population owning

credit cards, according to Visa research in Asia. Seoul has 84% of its affluent population

owning a credit card. Korea, however, has a history of defaults on credit cards where the

government had to bail out the credit card companies.

Sources in the industry say with such low penetration levels there are at least half a

dozen companies that are looking to roll out credit card operations in India. AIG,

Barclays, and LIC are some of the companies eager to enter the Indian market. Punjab

National Bank (PNB) is also learnt to be in negotiations to launch another credit card.

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Credit Card Operations of banks- Guidelines Dated 21st Nov 2005

Pursuant to the announcement made in the Annual Policy Statement 2004-05, the

Reserve Bank of India had constituted a Working Group on Regulatory Mechanism for

Cards. The Group has suggested various regulatory measures aimed at encouraging

growth of credit cards in a safe, secure and efficient manner as well as to ensure that the

rules, regulations, standards and practices of the card issuing banks are in alignment with

the best customer practices. The following guidelines on credit card operations of banks

have been framed based on the recommendations of the Group as also the feedback

received from the members of the public, card issuing banks and others. All the credit

card issuing banks / NBFCs should implement these guidelines immediately.

Each bank / NBFC must have a well documented policy and a Fair Practices Code for

credit card operations. In March 2005, the IBA released a Fair Practices Code for credit

card operations which could be adopted by banks / NBFCs. The bank / NBFC's Fair

Practice Code should, at a minimum, incorporate the relevant guidelines contained in this

circular. Banks / NBFCs should widely disseminate the contents thereof including

through their websites, at the latest by November 30, 2005.

Guidelines for Implementation

Issue of cards

a. Banks / NBFCs should independently assess the credit risk while issuing cards to

persons, especially to students and others with no independent financial means. Add-on

cards i.e. those that are subsidiary to the principal card, may be issued with the clear

understanding that the liability will be that of the principal cardholder.

b. As holding several credit cards enhances the total credit available to any consumer,

banks / NBFCs should assess the credit limit for a credit card customer having regard to

the limits enjoyed by the cardholder from other banks on the basis of self declaration/

credit information.

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c. The card issuing banks / NBFCs would be solely responsible for fulfilment of all KYC

requirements, even where DSAs / DMAs or other agents solicit business on their

behalf.

d. While issuing cards, the terms and conditions for issue and usage of a credit card

should be mentioned in clear and simple language (preferably in English, Hindi and the

local language) comprehensible to a card user. The Most Important Terms and

Conditions (MITCs) termed as standard set of conditions, as given in the Appendix,

should be highlighted and advertised/ sent separately to the prospective customer/

customers at all the stages i.e. during marketing, at the time of application, at the

acceptance stage (welcome kit) and in important subsequent communications.

Interest rates and other charges

a. Card issuers should ensure that there is no delay in dispatching bills and the customer has

sufficient number of days (at least one fortnight) for making payment before the interest

starts getting charged.

b. Card issuers should quote annualized percentage rates (APR) on card products

(separately for retail purchase and for cash advance, if different). The method of

calculation of APR should be given with a couple of examples for better comprehension.

The APR charged and the annual fee should be shown with equal prominence. The late

payment charges, including the method of calculation of such charges and the number of

days, should be prominently indicated. The manner in which the outstanding unpaid

amount will be included for calculation of interest should also be specifically shown with

prominence in all monthly statements. Even where the minimum amount indicated to

keep the card valid has been paid, it should be indicated in bold letters that the interest

will be charged on the amount due after the due date of payment. These aspects may be

shown in the Welcome Kit in addition to being shown in the monthly statement.

c. The bank / NBFC should not levy any charge that was not explicitly indicated to the

credit card holder at the time of issue of the card and getting his / her consent. However,

this would not be applicable to charges like service taxes, etc. which may subsequently

be levied by the Government or any other statutory authority.

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d. The terms and conditions for payment of credit card dues, including the minimum

payment due, should be stipulated so as to ensure that there is no negative amortization.

e. Changes in charges (other than interest) may be made only with prospective effect giving

notice of at least one month. If a credit card holder desires to surrender his credit card on

account of any change in credit card charges to his disadvantage, he may be permitted to

do so without the bank levying any extra charge for such closure.

Wrongful billing

a. The card issuing bank / NBFC should ensure that wrong bills are not raised and issued to

customers. In case, a customer protests any bill, the bank / NBFC should provide

explanation and, if necessary, documentary evidence to the customer within a maximum

period of sixty days with a spirit to amicably redress the grievances.

b. To obviate frequent complaints of delayed billing, the credit card issuing bank / NBFC

may consider providing bills and statements of accounts online, with suitable security

built therefore.

Use of DSAs / DMAs and other agents

a. When banks / NBFCs outsource the various credit card operations, they have to be

extremely careful that the appointments of such service providers do not compromise

with the quality of the customer service and the bank / NBFC’s ability to manage credit,

liquidity and operational risks. In the choice of the service provider, the bank / NBFCs

have to be guided by the need to ensure confidentiality of the customer’s records, respect

customer privacy, and adhere to fair practices in debt collection.

b. The Code of Conduct for Direct Sales Agents (DSAs) formulated by the Indian Banks’

Association (IBA) could be used by banks / NBFCs in formulating their own codes for

the purpose. The bank / NBFC should ensure that the DSAs engaged by them for

marketing their credit card products scrupulously adhere to the bank / NBFC’s own Code

of Conduct for credit card operations which should be displayed on the bank / NBFC’s

website and be available easily to any credit card holder.

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c. The bank / NBFC should have a system of random checks and mystery shopping to

ensure that their agents have been properly briefed and trained in order to handle with

care and caution their responsibilities, particularly in the aspects included in these

guidelines like soliciting customers, hours for calling, privacy of customer information,

conveying the correct terms and conditions of the product on offer, etc.

Redressal of Grievances

a. Generally, a time limit of sixty (60) days may be given to the customers for preferring

their complaints grievances.

b. The card issuing bank / NBFC should constitute Grievance Redressal machinery within

the bank / NBFC and give wide publicity about it through electronic and print media.

The name and contact number of designated grievance redressal officer of the bank /

NBFC should be mentioned on the credit card bills. The designated officer should ensure

that genuine grievances of credit card subscribers are redressed promptly without

involving delay.

c. The grievance redressal procedure of the bank / NBFC and the time frame fixed for

responding to the complaints should be placed on the bank / NBFC's website. The name,

designation, address and contact number of important executives as well as the

Grievance Redressal Officer of the bank / NBFC may be displayed on the website. There

should be a system of acknowledging customers' complaints for follow up, such as

complaint number / docket number, even if the complaints are received on phone.

d. If a complainant does not get satisfactory response from the bank / NBFC within a

maximum period of thirty (30) days from the date of his lodging the complaint, he will

have the option to approach the Office of the concerned Banking Ombudsman for

redressal of his grievance/s. The bank / NBFC shall be liable to compensate the

complainant for the loss of his time, expenses, financial loss as well as for the

harassment and mental anguish suffered by him for the fault of the bank and where the

grievance has not been redressed in time.

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Internal control and monitoring systems

With a view to ensuring that the quality of customer service is ensured on an on-going

basis in banks / NBFCs, the Standing Committee on Customer Service in each bank /

NBFC may review on a monthly basis the credit card operations including reports of

defaulters to the CIBIL, credit card related complaints and take measures to improve the

services and ensure the orderly growth in the credit card operations. Banks / NBFCs

should put up detailed quarterly analysis of credit card related complaints to their Top

Management. Card issuing banks should have in place a suitable monitoring mechanism

to randomly check the genuineness of merchant transactions.

Right to impose penalty

The Reserve Bank of India reserves the right to impose any penalty on a bank / NBFC

under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 for violation of any of these

guidelines.

How credit cards work

An example of the front of a typical credit card:

1. Issuing bank logo

2. EMV chip

3. Hologram

4. Card number

5. Card brand logo

6. Expiry Date

7. Cardholder's name

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An example of the reverse side of a typical credit card:

1. Magnetic Stripe

2. Signature Strip

3. Card Security Code

A user is issued credit after an account has been approved by the credit provider, and is

given a credit card, with which the user will be able to make purchases from merchants

accepting that credit card up to a pre-established credit limit. Often a general bank issues

the credit, but sometimes a captive bank created to issue a particular brand of credit card,

such as Chase, Wells Fargo or Bank of America issues the credit.

When a purchase is made, the credit card user agrees to pay the card issuer. The

cardholder indicates their consent to pay, by signing a receipt with a record of the card

details and indicating the amount to be paid or by entering a Personal identification

number (PIN). Also, many merchants now accept verbal authorizations via telephone and

electronic authorization using the Internet, known as a Card not present (CNP)

transaction.

Electronic verification systems allow merchants to verify that the card is valid and the

credit card customer has sufficient credit to cover the purchase in a few seconds,

allowing the verification to happen at time of purchase. The verification is performed

using a credit card payment terminal or Point of Sale (POS) system with a

communications link to the merchant's acquiring bank. Data from the card is obtained

from a magnetic stripe or chip on the card; the latter system is in the United Kingdom

commonly known as Chip and PIN, but is more technically an EMV card.

Other variations of verification systems are used by ecommerce merchants to determine

if the user's account is valid and able to accept the charge. These will typically involve

the cardholder providing additional information, such as the security code printed on the

back of the card, or the address of the cardholder.

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Each month, the credit card user is sent a statement indicating the purchases undertaken

with the card, any outstanding fees, and the total amount owed. After receiving the

statement, the cardholder may dispute any charges that he or she thinks are incorrect (see

Fair Credit Billing Act for details of the US regulations). Otherwise, the cardholder must

pay a defined minimum proportion of the bill by a due date, or may choose to pay a

higher amount up to the entire amount owed. The credit provider charges interest on the

amount owed (typically at a much higher rate than most other forms of debt). Some

financial institutions can arrange for automatic payments to be deducted from the user's

bank accounts.

Credit card issuers usually waive interest charges if the balance is paid in full each

month, but typically will charge full interest on the entire outstanding balance from the

date of each purchase if the total balance is not paid.

For example, if a user had a $1,000 outstanding balance and pays it in full, there would

be no interest charged. If, however, even $1.00 of the total balance remained unpaid,

interest would be charged on the $1,000 from the date of purchase until the payment is

received. The precise manner in which interest is charged is usually detailed in a

cardholder agreement which may be summarized on the back of the monthly statement.

The general calculation formula most financial institutions use to determine the amount

of interest to be charged is APR/100 x ADB/365 x number of days revolved. Take the

Annual percentage rate (APR) and divide by 100 then multiply to the amount of the

average daily balance divided by 365 and then take this total and multiply by the total

number of days the amount revolved before payment was made on the account.

Financial institutions refer to interest charged back to the original time of the transaction

and up to the time a payment was made, if not in full, as RRFC or residual retail finance

charge. Thus after an amount has revolved and a payment has been made that the user of

the card will still receive interest charges on their statement after paying the next

statement in full (in fact the statement may only have a charge for interest that collected

up until the date the full balance was paid...i.e. when the balance stopped revolving).

The credit card may simply serve as a form of revolving credit, or it may become a

complicated financial instrument with multiple balance segments each at a different

interest rate, possibly with a single umbrella credit limit, or with separate credit limits

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applicable to the various balance segments. Usually this compartmentalization is the

result of special incentive offers from the issuing bank, either to encourage balance

transfers from cards of other issuers, or to encourage more spending on the part of the

customer. In the event that several interest rates apply to various balance segments,

payment allocation is generally at the discretion of the issuing bank, and payments will

therefore usually be allocated towards the lowest rate balances until paid in full before

any money is paid towards higher rate balances.

Interest rates can vary considerably from card to card, and the interest rate on a particular

card may jump dramatically if the card user is late with a payment on that card or any

other credit instrument, or even if the issuing bank decides to raise its revenue. As the

rates and terms vary, services have been set up allowing users to calculate savings

available by switching cards, which can be considerable if there is a large outstanding

balance (see external links for some on-line services.

Because of intense competition in the credit card industry, credit providers often offer

incentives such as frequent flier points, gift certificates, or cash back (typically up to 1

percent based on total purchases) to try to attract customers to their program.

Low interest credit cards or even 0% interest credit cards are available. The only

downside to consumers is that the period of low interest credit cards is limited to a fixed

term, usually between 6 and 12 months after which a higher rate is charged. However,

services are available which alert credit card holders when their low interest period is due

to expire. Most such services charge a monthly or annual fee.

Grace period

A credit card's grace period is the time the customer has to pay the balance before

interest is charged to the balance. Grace periods vary, but usually range from 20 to 30

days depending on the type of credit card and the issuing bank. Some policies allow for

reinstatement after certain conditions are met. Usually, if a customer is late paying the

balance, finance charges will be calculated and the grace period does not apply. Finance

charge(s) incurred depends on the grace period and balance, with most credit cards there

is no grace period if there's any outstanding balance from the previous billing cycle or

statement (i.e. interest is applied on both the previous balance and new transactions).

However, there are some credit cards that will only apply finance charge on the previous

or old balance, excluding new transactions.

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The merchant's side

An example of street markets accepting credit cards

For merchants, a credit card transaction is often more secure than other forms of

payment, such as checks, because the issuing bank commits to pay the merchant the

moment the transaction is authorized, regardless of whether the consumer defaults on

their credit card payment (except for legitimate disputes, which are discussed below, and

can result in charge backs to the merchant). In most cases, cards are even more secure

than cash, because they discourage theft by the merchant's employees.

For each purchase, the bank charges a commission (discount fee), to the merchant for

this service and there may be a certain delay before the agreed payment is received by

the merchant. The commission is often a percentage of the transaction amount, plus a

fixed fee. In addition, a merchant may be penalized or have their ability to receive

payment using that credit card restricted if there are too many cancellations or reversals

of charges as a result of disputes. Some small merchants require credit purchases to have

a minimum amount (usually between $5 and $10) to compensate for the transaction

costs, though this is not always allowed by the credit card consortium.

In some countries, like the Nordic countries, banks guarantee payment on stolen cards

only if an ID card is checked and the ID card number/civic registration number is written

down on the receipt together with the signature. In these countries merchants therefore

usually ask for ID. Non-Nordic citizens, who are unlikely to possess a Nordic ID card or

driving license, will instead have to show their passport, and the passport number will be

written down on the receipt, sometimes together with other information. Some shops use

the card's PIN code for identification, and in that case showing an ID card is not

necessary.

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Parties involved

Cardholder: The owner of the card used to make a purchase; the consumer.

Card-issuing bank: The financial institution or other organization that issued the credit

card to the cardholder. This bank bills the consumer for repayment and bears the risk that

the card is used fraudulently. American Express and Discover were previously the only

card-issuing banks for their respective brands, but as of 2007, this is no longer the case.

Merchant: The individual or business accepting credit card payments for products or

services sold to the cardholder

Acquiring bank: The financial institution accepting payment for the products or

services on behalf of the merchant.

Independent sales organization: Resellers (to merchants) of the services of the

acquiring bank.

Merchant account provider: This could refer to the acquiring bank or the independent

sales organization, but in general is the organization that the merchant deals with.

Credit Card association: An association of card-issuing banks such as Visa, MasterCard,

Discover, American Express, etc. that set transaction terms for merchants, card-issuing

banks, and acquiring banks.

Transaction network: The system that implements the mechanics of the electronic

transactions. May be operated by an independent company, and one company may

operate multiple networks. Transaction processing networks include: Cardnet, Nabanco,

Omaha, Paymentech, NDC Atlanta, Nova, Vital, Concord EFSnet, and VisaNet.

Affinity partner: Some institutions lend their name to an issuer to attract customers that

have a strong relationship with that institution, and get paid a fee or a percentage of the

balance for each card issued using their name. Examples of typical affinity partners are

sports teams, universities and charities.

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The flow of information and money between these parties — always through the card

associations — is known as the interchange, and it consists of a few steps.

Transaction steps

Authorization: In the event of a chargeback (when there's an error in processing the

transaction or the cardholder disputes the transaction), the issuer returns the transaction

to the acquirer for resolution. The acquirer then forwards the chargeback to the merchant,

who must either accept the chargeback or contest it.

Secured credit cards

A secured credit card is a type of credit card secured by a deposit account owned by the

cardholder. Typically, the cardholder must deposit between 100% and 200% of the total

amount of credit desired. Thus if the cardholder puts down $1000, he or she will be given

credit in the range of $500–$1000. In some cases, credit card issuers will offer incentives

even on their secured card portfolios. In these cases, the deposit required may be

significantly less than the required credit limit, and can be as low as 10% of the desired

credit limit. This deposit is held in a special savings account. Credit card issuers offer

this as they have noticed that delinquencies were notably reduced when the customer

perceives he has something to lose if he doesn't repay his balance.

The cardholder of a secured credit card is still expected to make regular payments, as he

or she would with a regular credit card, but should he or she default on a payment, the

card issuer has the option of recovering the cost of the purchases paid to the merchants

out of the deposit. The advantage of the secured card for an individual with negative or

no credit history is that most companies report regularly to the major credit bureaus. This

allows for rebuilding of positive credit history.

Although the deposit is in the hands of the credit card issuer as security in the event of

default by the consumer, the deposit will not be debited simply for missing one or two

payments. Usually the deposit is only used as an offset when the account is closed, either

at the request of the customer or due to severe delinquency (150 to 180 days). This

means that an account which is less than 150 days delinquent will continue to accrue

interest and fees, and could result in a balance which is much higher than the actual

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credit limit on the card. In these cases the total debt may far exceed the original deposit

and the cardholder not only forfeits their deposit but is left with an additional debt.

Most of these conditions are usually described in a cardholder agreement which the

cardholder signs when their account is opened.

Secured credit cards are an option to allow a person with a poor credit history or no

credit history to have a credit card which might not otherwise be available. They are

often offered as a means of rebuilding one's credit. Secured credit cards are available

with both Visa and MasterCard logos on them. Fees and service charges for secured

credit cards often exceed those charged for ordinary non-secured credit cards, however,

for people in certain situations, (for example, after charging off on other credit cards, or

people with a long history of delinquency on various forms of debt), secured cards can

often be less expensive in total cost than unsecured credit cards, even including the

security deposit.

Sometimes a credit card will be secured by the equity in the borrower's home. This is

called a home equity line of credit (HELOC).

Prepaid credit cards

A prepaid credit card is not really a credit card, as no credit is offered by the card issuer:

the card-holder spends money which has been "stored" via a prior deposit by the card-

holder or someone else, such as a parent or employer. However, it carries a credit-card

brand (Visa or MasterCard) and can be used in similar ways. As more consumers require

a suitable solution to rebuilding credit, recent changes have allowed some credit card

companies to offer pre-paid credit cards to help rebuild credit. They are hard to find and

have higher APR fees and higher interest costs.

After purchasing the card, the cardholder loads it with any amount of money and then

uses the card to spend the money. Prepaid cards can be issued to minors since there is no

credit line involved.

The main advantage over secured credit cards is that you are not required to come up

with $500 or more to open an account. Also most secured credit cards still charge you

interest even though you are not actually "borrowing" any money. With prepaid credit

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cards you are not charged any interest but you are often charged monthly fees after an

arbitrary time period. Many other fees also usually apply to a prepaid card.

Prepaid credit cards are often marketed to teenagers for shopping online without having

their parents complete the transaction.

Because of the many fees that apply to obtaining and using credit-card-branded prepaid

cards, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada describes them as "an expensive way

to spend your own money". The agency publishes a booklet, "Pre-paid cards", which

explains the advantages and disadvantages of this type of prepaid card.

Features

As well as convenient, accessible credit, credit cards offer consumers an easy way to

track expenses, which is necessary for both monitoring personal expenditures and the

tracking of work-related expenses for taxation and reimbursement purposes. Credit cards

are accepted worldwide, and are available with a large variety of credit limits, repayment

arrangement, and other perks (such as rewards schemes in which points earned by

purchasing goods with the card can be redeemed for further goods and services or credit

card cashback).

Some countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, limit the

amount for which a consumer can be held liable due to fraudulent transactions as a result

of a consumer's credit card being lost or stolen.

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Security

A smart card, combining credit card and debit card properties. The 3 by 5 mm security

chip embedded in the card is shown enlarged in the inset. The gold contact pads on the

card enable electronic access to the chip.

The low security of the credit card system presents countless opportunities for fraud.

This opportunity has created a huge black market in stolen credit card numbers, which

are generally used quickly before the cards are reported stolen.

The goal of the credit card companies is not to eliminate fraud, but to "reduce it to

manageable levels", such that the total cost of both fraud and fraud prevention is

minimized. This implies that high-cost low-return fraud prevention measures will not be

used if their cost exceeds the potential gains from fraud reduction.

Most internet fraud is done through the use of stolen credit card information which is

obtained in many ways, the simplest being copying information from retailers, either

online or offline. Despite efforts to improve security for remote purchases using credit

cards, systems with security holes are usually the result of poor implementations of card

acquisition by merchants. For example, a website that uses SSL to encrypt card numbers

from a client may simply email the number from the web server to someone who

manually processes the card details at a card terminal.

Naturally, anywhere card details become human-readable before being processed at the

acquiring bank, a security risk is created. However, many banks offer systems such as

Clear Commerce, where encrypted card details captured on a merchant's web server can

be sent directly to the payment processor.

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Controlled Payment Numbers are another option for protecting one's credit card number:

they are "alias" numbers linked to one's actual card number, generated as needed, valid

for a relatively short time, with a very low limit, and typically only valid with a single

merchant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are responsible

for prosecuting criminals who engage in credit card fraud in the United States, but they

do not have the resources to pursue all criminals. In general, federal officials only

prosecute cases exceeding US $5000 in value. Three improvements to card security have

been introduced to the more common credit card networks but none has proven to help

reduce credit card fraud so far. First, the on-line verification system used by merchants is

being enhanced to require a 4 digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) known only to

the card holder. Second, the cards themselves are being replaced with similar-looking

tamper-resistant smart cards which are intended to make forgery more difficult. The

majority of smartcard (IC card) based credit cards comply with the EMV (Europay

MasterCard Visa) standard. Third, an additional 3 or 4 digit code is now present on the

back of most cards, for use in "card not present" transactions. See CVV2 for more

information.

The way credit card owners pay off their balances has a tremendous effect on their credit

history. All the information is collected by credit bureaus. The credit information stays

on the credit report, depending on the jurisdiction and the situation, for 1, 2, 5, 7 or even

10 years after the debt is repaid.

Profits and losses

In recent times, credit card portfolios have been very profitable for banks, largely due to

the booming economy of the late nineties. However, in the case of credit cards, such high

returns go hand in hand with risk, since the business is essentially one of making

unsecured (uncollateralized) loans, and thus dependent on borrowers not to default in

large numbers.

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Costs

Credit card issuers (banks) have several types of costs:

Interest expenses

Banks generally borrow the money they then lend to their customers. As they receive

very low-interest loans from other firms, they may borrow as much as their customers

require, while lending their capital to other borrowers at higher rates. If the card issuer

charges 15% on money lent to users, and it costs 5% to borrow the money to lend, and

the balance sits with the cardholder for a year, the issuer earns 10% on the loan. This 5%

difference is the "interest expense" and the 10% is the "net interest margin".

Operating costs

This is the cost of running the credit card portfolio, including everything from paying the

executives who run the company to printing the plastics, to mailing the statements, to

running the computers that keep track of every cardholder's balance, to taking the many

phone calls which cardholders place to their issuer, to protecting the customers from

fraud rings. Depending on the issuer, marketing programs are also a significant portion

of expenses.

Charge offs

When a consumer becomes severely delinquent on a debt (often at the point of six

months without payment), the creditor may declare the debt to be a charge-off. It will

then be listed as such on the debtor's credit bureau reports (Equifax, for instance, lists

"R9" in the "status" column to denote a charge-off.) It is one of the worst possible items

to have on your file. The item will include relevant dates, and the amount of the bad debt.

A charge-off is considered to be "written off as uncollectable." To banks, bad debts and

even fraud are simply part of the cost of doing business.

However, the debt is still legally valid, and the creditor can attempt to collect the full

amount. This includes contacts from internal collections staff, or more likely, an outside

collection agency. If the amount is large (generally over $1500 - $2000), there is the

possibility of a lawsuit or arbitration.

In the US, as the charge off number climbs or becomes erratic, officials from the Federal

Reserve take a close look at the finances of the bank and may impose various operating

strictures on the bank, and in the most extreme cases, may close the bank entirely.

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Rewards

Qantas Frequent Flyer co-branded credit cards

Many credit card customers receive rewards, such as frequent flier points, gift

certificates, or cash back as an incentive to use the card. Rewards are generally tied to

purchasing an item or service on the card, which may or may not include balance

transfers, cash advances, or other special uses. Depending on the type of card, rewards

will generally cost the issuer between 0.25% and 2.0% of the spend. Networks like Visa

or MasterCard have increased their fees to allow issuers to fund their rewards system.

However, most rewards points are accrued as a liability on a company's balance sheet

and expensed at the time of reward redemption. As a result, some issuers discourage

redemption by forcing the cardholder to call customer service for rewards.

On their servicing website, redeeming awards is usually a feature that is very well hidden

by the issuers. Others encourage redemption for lower cost merchandise; instead of an

airline ticket, which is very expensive to an issuer, the cardholder may be encouraged to

redeem for a gift certificate instead. With a fractured and competitive environment,

rewards points cut dramatically into an issuer's bottom line, and rewards points and

related incentives must be carefully managed to ensure a profitable portfolio. There is a

case to be made that rewards not redeemed should follow the same path as gift cards that

are not used: in certain states the gift card breakage goes to the state's treasury. The same

could happen to the value of points or cash not redeemed.

Fraud

Where a card is stolen, or an unauthorized duplicate made, most card issuers will refund

some or all of the charges that the customer has received for things they did not buy.

These refunds will, in some cases, be at the expense of the merchant, especially in mail

order cases where the merchant cannot claim sight of the card. In several countries,

merchants will lose the money if no ID card was asked for, therefore merchants usually

require ID card in these countries.

The cost of fraud is high; in the UK in 2004 it was over £500 million. Credit card

companies generally guarantee the merchant will be paid on legitimate transactions

regardless of whether the consumer pays their credit card bill.

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"Soft fraud" is fraud committed by the customer himself: getting a card and using it with

no intention ever to repay the balance. Such customers are called "diabolicals" by the

credit card companies that try to avoid them at all cost.

Security

An additional feature to secure the credit card transaction and prohibit the use of a lost

credit card is the MobiClear solution. Each transaction is authenticated through a call to

the user mobile phone. The transaction is released once the transaction has been

confirmed by the cardholder pushing his/her pin code during the call.

Revenues

Offsetting costs are the following revenues:

Interchange fees

Interchange fees are charged by the merchant's acquirer to a card-accepting merchant as

component of the so-called merchant discount rate (also referred to as "merchant service

fee"). The merchant pays a merchant discount fee that is typically 2 to 3 percent (this is

negotiated, but will vary not only from merchant to merchant, but also from card to card,

with business cards and rewards cards generally costing the merchants more to process),

which is why some merchants prefer cash, debit cards, or even cheques. The majority of

this fee, called the interchange fee, goes to the issuing bank, but parts of it go to the

processing network, the card association (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, etc.),

and the merchant's acquirer. With a corporate card, the interchange is also often shared

by the

Company in whose name the card is issued as an incentive to use that issuer's card

instead of someone else's.

The interchange fee that applies to a particular merchant is a function of many variables

including the type of merchant, the merchant's average transaction amount, whether the

cards are physically present, if the card's magnetic stripe is read or if the transaction is

hand-keyed or entered on a website, the specific type of card, when the transaction is

settled, the authorized and settled transaction amounts, etc. For a typical credit card

issuer, interchange fee revenues may represent about fifteen percent of total revenues,

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but this will vary greatly with the type of customers represented in their portfolio.

Customers who carry high balances may generate low interchange revenue due to credit

line limitations, while customers who use their cards for business and spend hundreds of

thousands of dollars a year on their cards while paying off balances every month will

have very healthy interchange revenues.

Industry jargon for customer categories

Customers who do not pay in full the amount owed on their monthly statement (the

"balance") by the due date (that is, at the end of the "grace period") and are not in a

promotional period owe interest ("finance charges") are known in the industry as

"revolvers." Those who pay in full (pay the entire balance) are known in the industry as

"transactors," or "convenience users". Those that shift usage of their credit cards or

transfer balances frequently are known in the industry as "rate surfers", "rate tarts" or

"gamers."

Interest on outstanding balances

Interest charges vary widely from card issuer to card issuer. Often, there are "teaser"

rates in effect for initial periods of time (as low as zero percent for, say, six months),

whereas regular rates can be as high as 40 percent. In the U.S. there's no federal limit on

the interest or late fees credit card issuers can charge; the interest rates are set by the

states, with some states, like South Dakota, having no ceiling on interest rates and fees,

inviting some banks to establish their credit card operations there. Other states, like

Delaware, have very weak usury laws. The teaser rate no longer applies if the customer

doesn't pay his bills on time, and is replaced by a penalty interest rate (for example,

24.99%) that applies retroactively. So customers should be wary of these offers that

usually contain some traps. Cash withdrawals will never carry the teaser rate, for

example.

Note that for some banks, even if you had paid it off an outstanding balance along with

interest fees, for the next two months, they will also charge you interest rates for

anything you had purchased.

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Fees charged to customers

The major fees are for:

Late payments

Charges that result in exceeding the credit limit on the card (whether done

deliberately or by mistake), called over limit fees

Returned cheque fees or payment processing fees (e.g. phone payment fee)

Cash advances and convenience cheques (often 3% of the amount). Transactions in a

foreign currency (as much as 3% of the amount). A few financial institutions do not

charge a fee for this.

Membership fees (annual or monthly), sometimes a percentage of the credit limit.

Issuers love monthly fees as it allows them to charge substantial amounts without the

customer realizing how expensive the charge really is (a monthly amount is perceived as

half the price of the equivalent annual fee)

Foreign Exchange Premium

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

A credit card from VISA, MasterCard, or any other network allows you to pay for

purchases or services by borrowing from the credit card company. You then repay by

making monthly payments towards the amount borrowed. That is, you do not have to

repay the whole borrowed amount in full at one go.

Then there are charge cards, such as the American Express card, that require full

payment of the borrowed amount each month.

Either way, the credit card is a very convenient alternative to paying by cash.

Essentially a credit card allows you to:

Purchase products or services whenever and wherever you want, without ready cash

and paying for them at a later date.

Have the option of paying only a part of the total expenses. The balance amount can

be carried forward, with an interest charged.

Withdraw cash whenever, wherever you are, through ATMs and other withdrawal

centres.

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Enjoy a revolving credit limit without any charges for a limited period (mostly 20 to

50 days)

Transact money of more than one currency, from one country to another.

Other facilities afforded on a credit card include reward points on card usage,

insurance cover against air and road accidents, loss of baggage, and so on. All credit

cards have built-in safety features like signatures and personal identification numbers.

International credit cards you financial flexibility when you travel abroad.

Advantages:

They allow you to make purchases on credit without carrying around a lot of cash.

This allows you a lot of flexibility.

They allow accurate record-keeping by consolidating purchases into a single

statement.

They allow convenient remote purchasing - ordering/shopping online or by phone.

They allow you to pay for large purchases in small, monthly instalments.

Under certain circumstances, they allow you to withhold payment for merchandise

which proves defective.

They are cheaper for short-term borrowing - interest is only paid on the remaining

debt, not the full loan amount.

Many cards offer additional benefits such as additional insurance cover on purchases,

cash back, air miles and discounts on holidays.

Disadvantages:

You may become an impulsive buyer and tend to overspend because of the ease of

using credit cards. Cards can encourage the purchasing of goods and services you

cannot really afford.

Credit cards are a relatively expensive way of obtaining credit if you don't use them

carefully, especially because of the high interest rates and other costs.

Lost or stolen cards may result in some unwanted expense and inconvenience.

The use of a large number of credit cards can get you even further into debt.

CHAPTER 4

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CURRENT SCENARIO

Banking scenario

The industry is currently in a transition phase. On the one hand, the PSBs, which are the

mainstay of the Indian Banking system, are in the process of shedding their flab in terms

of excessive manpower, excessive non Performing Assets (Npas) and excessive

governmental equity, while on the other hand the private sector banks are consolidating

themselves through mergers and acquisitions.

PSBs, which currently account for more than 78 percent of total banking industry assets

are saddled with NPAs (a mind-boggling Rs 830 billion in 2000), falling revenues from

traditional sources, lack of modern technology and a massive workforce while the new

private sector banks are forging ahead and rewriting the traditional banking business

model by way of their sheer innovation and service. The PSBs are of course currently

working out challenging strategies even as 20 percent of their massive employee strength

has dwindled in the wake of the successful Voluntary Retirement Schemes (VRS)

schemes.

The private players however cannot match the PSB’s great reach, great size and access to

low cost deposits. Therefore one of the means for them to combat the PSBs has been

through the merger and acquisition (M& A) route. Over the last two years, the industry

has witnessed several such instances. For instance, Hdfc Bank’s merger with Times

Bank, Icici Bank’s acquisition of ITC Classic, Anagram Finance and Bank of Madura.

Centurion Bank, Indusind Bank, Bank of Punjab, Vysya Bank are said to be on the

lookout. The UTI bank- Global Trust Bank merger however opened a pandora’s box and

brought about the realization that all was not well in the functioning of many of the

private sector banks.

Private sector Banks have pioneered internet banking, phone banking, anywhere

banking, mobile banking, debit cards, Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) and combined

various other services and integrated them into the mainstream banking arena, while the

PSBs are still grappling with disgruntled employees in the aftermath of successful VRS

schemes.

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Also, following India’s commitment to the W To agreement in respect of the services

sector, foreign banks, including both new and the existing ones, have been permitted to

open up to 12 branches a year with effect from 1998-99 as against the earlier stipulation

of 8 branches. Talks of government diluting their equity from 51 percent to 33 percent in

November 2000 have also opened up a new opportunity for the takeover of even the

PSBs. The FDI rules being more rationalized in Q1FY02 may also pave the way for

foreign banks taking the M& A route to acquire willing Indian partners.

Meanwhile the economic and corporate sector slowdown has led to an increasing number

of banks focusing on the retail segment. Many of them are also entering the new vistas of

Insurance. Banks with their phenomenal reach and a regular interface with the retail

investor are the best placed to enter into the insurance sector. Banks in India have been

allowed to provide fee-based insurance services without risk participation invest in an

insurance company for providing infrastructure and services support and set up of a

separate joint-venture insurance company with risk participation

Currently, India has 88 scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) - 27 public sector banks

(that is with the Government of India holding a stake), 29 private banks (these do not

have government stake; they may be publicly listed and traded on stock exchanges) and

31 foreign banks. They have a combined network of over 53,000 branches and 17,000

ATMs. According to a report by ICRA Limited, a rating agency, the public sector banks

hold over 75 percent of total assets of the banking industry, with the private and foreign

banks holding 18.2% and 6.5% respectively.

The Indian banking industry is currently termed as strong, having weathered the global

economic slowdown and showing good numbers with strong support flowing in from the

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) measures. Furthermore, a report "Opportunities in Indian

Banking Sector", by market research company, RNCOS, forecasts that the Indian

banking sector will grow at a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around

23.3 per cent till 2011. Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), together

account for 38 per cent of India's outsourcing industry (worth US$ 47.8 billion in 2007).

According to a report by McKinsey and NASSCOM, India has the potential to process

30 per cent of the banking transactions in the US by the year 2010. Outsourcing by the

BFSI to India is expected to grow at an annual rate of 30–35 per cent.

According to a study by Dun & Bradstreet (an international research body)—"India's

Top Banks 2008"—there has been a significant growth in the banking infrastructure.

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Taking into account all banks in India, there are overall 56,640 branches or offices,

893,356 employees and 27,088 ATMs. Public sector banks made up a large chunk of the

infrastructure, with 87.7 per cent of all offices, 82 per cent of staff and 60.3 per cent of

all ATMs.

According to the RBI, Indian financial markets have generally remained orderly during

2008-09. In view of the tight liquidity conditions in the domestic money markets in

September 2008, the Reserve Bank announced a series of measures beginning September

16, 2008. Thus, the average call rate which was at 10.52 per cent declined to 7.57 per

cent in November 2008 under the impact of these measures.

Measures aimed at expanding the rupee liquidity, included significant reduction in the

cash reserve ratio (CRR), reduction of the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR), opening a

special repo window under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) for banks for on-

lending to the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies

(HFCs) and mutual funds (MFs), and extending a special refinance facility, which banks

could access without any collateral.

Banking capital (net) amounted to US$ 4.8 billion in April-September 2008 as compared

with US$ 5.7 billion in April-September 2007. Among the components of banking

capital, non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits witnessed a net inflow of US$ 1.1 billion in

April-September 2008, a turnaround from net outflow of US$ 78 million in April-

September 2007.

The reserve money lying with the RBI as on November 21, 2008 as per the January 2009

bulletin, is a total amount of US$ 179.28 billion and RBI’s credit to the commercial

sector stood at US$ 3.65 billion. Further, banks in India put up strong growth and profit

numbers in the October-end-December 2008 period owing to high credit growth and

easing of yield on government bonds. Top Indian banks have increased their earnings by

almost 40 per cent year-on-year for the same period. According to latest Reserve Bank of

India (RBI) data, bank credit grew by 24.6 per cent year-on-year as of December 19,

2008. The resulting credit growth was even better at 41 per cent during the April-end-

December 2008 period. Deposits grew by 20.6 per cent as of December 19, 2008.

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The growth in advances reflects that the net interest income (NIM) too would indicate

higher growth rate. RBI has taken a number of steps to lower the cost of credit in this

quarter like cutting cash reserve ratio (CRR), the amount of funds banks have to keep on

deposit with it, repo and reverse repo rate. The CRR rate, which had been reduced in

December 2008, to 5.50 per cent, repo rate to 6.50 and reverse repo rate to 5.00, were

further reduced – CRR to 5 per cent, (its lending rate) repo rate to 5.5 per cent and

reverse repo, at which it absorbs cash from the banking system, to 4 per cent in January

2009.

Indian Banking Sector

An analysis of Indian Banking sector including the Growth in advances and deposits,

Market share, NPAs, CAR, Exposure norms, Retail Banking Initiatives and Major

Players.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as the central bank of the country, closely monitors

developments in the whole financial sector.

The banking sector is dominated by Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs). As at end-

March 2002, there were 296 Commercial banks operating in India. This included 27

Public Sector Banks (PSBs), 31 Private, 42 Foreign and 196 Regional Rural Banks. Also,

there were 67 scheduled co-operative banks consisting of 51 scheduled urban co-

operative banks and 16 scheduled state co-operative banks.

Scheduled commercial banks touched, on the deposit front, a growth of 14% as against

18% registered in the previous year. And on advances, the growth was 14.5%against

17.3 % of the earlier year.

State Bank of India is still the largest bank in India with the market share of 20%. Icici

and its two subsidiaries merged with Icici Bank, leading creating the second largest bank

in India with a balance sheet size of Rs1040bn.

Higher provisioning norms, tighter asset classification norms, dispensing with the

concept of ‘past due’ for recognition of NPAs, lowering of ceiling on exposure to a

single borrower and group exposure etc., are among the important measures in order to

improve the banking Sector.

A minimum stipulated Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) was introduced to strengthen the

ability of banks to absorb losses and the ratio has subsequently been raised from 8% to

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9%. It is proposed to hike the CAR to 12% by 2004 based on the Basle Committee

recommendations.

Retail Banking is the new mantra in the banking sector. The home loans alone account

for nearly two-third of the total retail portfolio of the bank. According to one estimate,

the retail segment is expected to grow at 30-40% in the coming years.

Net banking, phone banking, mobile banking, ATMs and bill payments are the new buzz

words that banks are using to lure customers.

With a view to provide an institutional mechanism for sharing of information on

borrowers/ potential borrowers by banks and Financial Institutions, the Credit

Information Bureau (India) Ltd. (Cibil) was set up in August 2000. The Bureau provides

a framework for collecting, processing and sharing credit information on borrowers of

credit institutions. SBI and Hdfc are the promoters of the Cibil.

The RBI is now planning to transfer of its stakes in the SBI, NHB and National Bank for

Agricultural and Rural Development to the private players. Also, the Government has

sought to lower its holding in PSBs to a minimum of 33 per cent of total capital by

allowing them to raise capital from the market.

Banks are free to acquire shares, convertible debentures of corporates and units of

equity-oriented mutual funds, subject to a ceiling of 5% of the total outstanding advances

(including Commercial Paper) as on March 31 of the previous year.

The finance ministry spelt out structure of the government-sponsored ARC called the

Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Limited (Arcil), this pilot project of the ministry

would pave way for smoother functioning of the credit market in the country. The

Government will hold 49% stake and private players will hold the rest 51% - the

majority being held by ICICI Bank (24.5%).

Growth of Banks

HDFC Bank and Axis Bank continue to remain as leaders of the private sector banks.

Both the banks have maintained the advances growth and NIM. SBI, Punjab National

Bank, Bank of India and Union Bank are expected to lead among PSU Banks.

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The State Bank of India is planning to open 1,000 new branches across the country to

cover 100,000 villages in the coming FY 2009-10, according to the bank Chairman, Mr

O P Bhatt. The bank had decided to rope in 300 new customers every year for each

branch using initiatives. According to Mr Bhatt, the bank could get a record US$ 5.54

billion during December 2008, the highest amount collected by any bank in the country.

Further, public sector banks (PSBs) on January 12, 2009 also decided to lower interest

rates on bulk deposits and to offer a maximum rate of 7.5 per cent for one-year maturity.

Earlier, on January 1, banks had lowered the interest rates on bulk deposits from 9.5 per

cent to 8.5 per cent. According to the latest RBI data, growth in broad money (M3), year-

on-year (y-o-y), was 19.6 per cent (US$ 151.04 billion) on January 2, 2009 lower than

22.6 per cent (US$ 141.82 billion) a year ago. Aggregate deposits of banks, year-on-year,

expanded 20.2 per cent (US$ 133.08 billion) on January 2, 2009 as compared with 24.0

per cent (US$ 127.49 billion) a year ago.

The growth in bank credit continued to remain high. Non-food credit by scheduled

commercial banks (SCBs) was 23.9 per cent (US$ 102.78 billion), year-on-year, as on

January 2, 2009 from 22.0 per cent (US$ 77.79 billion) a year ago. Scheduled

commercial banks’ credit to the commercial sector expanded by 27.0 per cent (year-on-

year) as on November 21, 2008, as compared with 23.1 per cent a year ago. Non-food

credit of scheduled commercial banks expanded by 26.9 per cent, year-on-year, as on

November 21, 2008, higher than 23.7 per cent a year ago.

According to earlier RBI data, for the third quarter (September 26-December 27, 2008),

total bank credit was up US$ 21.91 billion compared with a growth of US$ 22.91 billion

in the same period a year ago. In the preceding quarter, credit had risen by US$ 26.50

billion.

RBI data for deposits shows that for the Oct-end December 31, 2008 period, although

deposit growth has slowed to US$ 25.99 billion against US$ 33.18 billion in the April-

end to September, 2008 period, it was still stronger in the December 31 quarter period,

2008, as compared to the year-ago quarter when absolute growth was US$ 16.37 billion.

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Net banking capital amounted to US$ 4.8 billion in April-September 2008 as compared

with US$ 5.7 billion in April-September 2007. Accounting for a part of banking capital,

non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits showed a net inflow of US $ 1.1 billion in April-

September 2008, increasing from net outflow of US$ 78 million in April-September

2007.

Lending by banks also rose more than 76 per cent to Rs 2,80,000 crore (US$ 57.26

billion) during April-November 2008-09 from the same period a year ago, according to

data available with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Reserve Bank of India on

January 21, 2009 fixed the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 48.93 per dollar and

the single European unit at Rs 63.70 per euro from Rs 49.12 per dollar and Rs 63.61 per

euro, respectively.

Credit card market in India

Market Share

ICICI Bank emerged as the leader in the credit card issuance category for the year,

with its continued aggressive strategy, registering a 62 percent growth rate. ICICI

Bank crossed the 36 lakh mark in terms of credit cards, galloping ahead (within

four years of its launch) of pioneer Citibank (27 lakh cards), the global leader in

credit cards.

ICICI Bank holds 27% market share followed by Citibank with 19% market share.

SBI-GE occupies the third slot with 14 % market share.

Estimates for the year 2005-06 indicate a similar surge and aggressiveness. The

credit card numbers are expected to cross 208 lakh by March 2006.

For the year 2004-05, no new bank forayed in credit card market. However some

of the key banks like UTI Bank, J&K Bank, Union Bank of India, PNB etc.

announced their decision to launch their cards in the year 2005-06.

Industry Spend

With over 141 lakh credit cards in use in India, the pattern of usage is also undergoing a

sea change. The total spends in the payment industry for the year 2004-05 crossed Rs.

33,000 crores at the POS. This reflects a growth of 53% over the previous year. ICICI

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Bank is the leader in capturing maximum spends with 32% market share, followed by

Citibank at 20% market share. The combined share in terms of spends of the MNC

Banks is about 43%.

ICICI Bank saw its spends shoot up since 2004 end, pointing out that a combination of

factors are responsible for the jump - the high spending festival season and three

simultaneous promotional programmes.

India currently has over 141 lakh credit cardholders, who make purchases totalling Rs.

33,000 crores per annum. Compared to the Asian market, the card market in India is at a

nascent stage. Total card spending in India is only at around 1.22% of Asian spending.

Market for credit cards in India is made up of 18 major banks and financial

institutions providing credit card products and services. There are 11 major types of

credit cards available in India.

Major Credit Card Providers in India

Following are major credit card providers in India:

ABN Amro

HDFC

American Express

ICICI Bank

Axis Bank

SBI

Bank of Baroda

Canara Bank

Citibank

Visa

HSBC

MasterCard

Deutsche Bank

Amex

Barclays Bank

Diners Club

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Standard Chartered

Kotak Mahindra

Various types of credit card schemes offered by different banks

ABN Amro Credit Cards

ABN Amro is issuing nine credit cards in India. They may be mentioned as below:

ABN AMRO Freedom Credit Card

ABN AMRO One Credit Card

ABN AMRO Smart Gold Credit Card

ABN AMRO Titanium One Credit Card

ABN AMRO Wellness Credit Card

ABN AMRO MakeMyTrip Go Credit Card

ABN AMRO Barista Credit Card

ABN AMRO Platinum Credit Card

ABN AMRO Adlabs Credit Card

AMEX Credit Cards

AMEX is issuing eleven credit cards in India. They may be mentioned as below:

American Express Kingfisher First Credit Card

American Express Credit Card

American Express Platinum Credit Card

American Express India Today Group Credit Card

American Express Indian Airlines Credit Card

American Express Indian Airlines Gold Charge Card

American Express HPCL Credit Card

American Express Indian Airlines Green Charge Card

American Express Gold Credit Card

American Express Gold Charge Card

American Express E Credit Card

Axis Bank (UTI) Credit Cards

Axis Bank (UTI) is offering nine credit cards in India. They may be enumerated as below:

Axis Bank Gold Plus Credit Card

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Axis Bank Corporate Credit Card

Axis Bank Gold Credit Card

Axis Bank Secured Credit Card

Axis Bank Visa Platinum Credit Card

Axis Bank Shriram Credit Card

Axis Bank Silver Plus Credit Card

Axis Bank Travel Currency Card

Axis Bank Silver Credit Card

Bank of Baroda (BOB) Credit Cards

Bank of Baroda (BOB) is issuing eight credit cards in India. They may be enumerated as

below:

BOBCARD Corporate Global Credit Card

BOBCARD Exclusive Woman credit card

NEXTGEN BOBCARD Gold Credit Card

BOBACRD Exclusive Youth Credit Card

BOBACRD Gold Visa Credit Card

BOBACARD Silver Credit Card

BOBACRD Gold MasterCard Credit Card

BOBACARD Exclusive Credit Card

Citibank

Citibank is issuing 26 credit cards in India. They may be named as below:

Citibank Platinum Credit Card

Citibank Choice Credit Card

First Citizen Citibank Credit Card

Reliance Gold Credit Card

Citibank Cash Back Credit Card

Reliance Silver Credit Card

Jet Airways Citibank Gold Credit Card

Vodafone Citibank Credit Card

Jet Airways Citibank Platinum Credit Card

MTV Citibank Credit Card

Jet Airways CitiBusiness Credit Card

International Times Credit Card

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Jet Airways Citibank Silver Credit Card

CRY Citibank Credit Card

Diners Club British Airways Credit Card

WWF Citibank Credit Card

IndianOil Citibank Gold Credit Card

Citibank Woman’s Credit Card

IndianOil Citibank Credit Card

Citibank Woman’s Visa Mini Credit Card

Maruti Suzuki Auto Credit Card

Diners Club International Credit Card

Citibank Gold Credit Card

Taj Epicure Diners Club Credit Card

Citibank Silver Credit Card

Delhi Metro Citibank Credit Card

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HDFC Bank is bringing out eleven credit card products in India. These cards offer a wide range of benefits and rewards for cardholders.

HDFC Bank Silver Credit Card

Following are some features of HDFC Bank Silver Credit Card:

Cardholders can earn 1 reward point for every INR 150 they spend with the card.

Regular interest rate is 2.95% per month.

There are zero liabilities in case of lost cards.

Cash advance fee is 2.5%. Minimum cash advance fee is INR 300.

Joining fee is INR 300.

Issuer is MasterCard.

Renewal fee is INR 700.

HDFC Bank Gold Credit Card

Following are some facts about HDFC Bank Gold Credit Card:

Cardholders receive a maximum of 5% cash back. This offer is applicable for train

And air tickets.

Renewal fee is INR 2,000.

Cardholders receive discounts on products and services of HSBC Bank.

Regular interest rate is 2.95% per month.

Credit limit is higher than most cards.

Cash advance fee is 2.5% per month. Minimum cash advance fee is INR 300.

Cardholders earn 2 reward points in case of every INR 150 spent with the card.

Issuer is VISA.

Joining fee is INR 500.

HDFC Bank Titanium Credit Card

Following are salient features of HDFC Bank Titanium Credit Card:

Cardholders receive exclusive concierge services.

Fees for joining and renewal vary.

Cardholders receive rebates at hotels and clubs.

Regular interest rate is 2.65% per month.

Rate of interest is low.

Cash advance fee is 2.5% per month. Minimum cash advance fee is INR 300.

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There is an accelerated reward program that is based on expenses made with the card.

Issuer is MasterCard.

There are balance transfer and 0% fuel surcharge facilities.

HDFC Woman’s Gold Credit Card

Following are some features of HDFC Woman’s Gold Credit Card:

Cardholders receive a maximum of 5% cash back on buys.

Renewal fee is INR 2,000.

There is an accelerated rewards program.

Regular interest rate is 2.65% per month.

There are a number of options to redeem points.

Cash advance fee is 2.5% per month. Minimum cash advance fee is INR 250.

Joining fee is INR 500.

Card issuer is VISA.

HDFC Bank Platinum plus Credit Card

Following are some salient features of HDFC Bank Platinum Plus Credit Card:

Cardholders receive rebates at hotels.

Joining fee is INR 1,000.

There is a maximum of 5% cash back in case of air tickets.

Renewal fee is INR 3,999.

There are concierge services.

Regular interest rate and cash advance fee are both 2.5% per month each. Minimum

cash advance fee is INR 300.

There are 0% fuel surcharge facilities available at all outlets.

Issuer is VISA.

Rate of interest is low and there are balance transfer options as well.

Following are some other credit cards provided by HDFC Bank in India:

HDFC Bank Health Plus Credit Card

HDFC Bank Platinum Plus Credit Card

HDFC Bank Corporate Credit Card

HDFC Bank Visa Signature Credit Card

HDFC Bank Gold Business Credit Card

HDFC Bank Value Plus Credit Card

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ICICI Bank is issuing 29 separate credit cards in India. These cards cater to a wide

client base including sports lovers and businessmen for example.

ICICI Signature Credit Card

Following are some points on ICICI Signature Credit Card:

Cardholders get 5 points for International Spends worth INR 100.

Joining fee is INR 25,000.

Cardholders receive air accident insurance cover worth INR 3 crores.

Renewal fee is INR 2,500.

Cardholders receive Free Welcome gifts of INR 35,000. Prizes could be Tag Heuer

watches, Travel Points or Travel Vouchers.

Regular interest rate and cash advance fees are 2.75% per month.

Cardholders get 2 points for spending INR 100 with the card for dining purposes.

Issuer is VISA.

Cardholders receive 4 points for spending INR 100 with the card for travel purposes.

There are 0% fuel surcharge facilities at all outlets.

ICICI Bank Platinum Credit Card

Following are some features of ICICI Bank Platinum Credit Card:

Cardholders get access to airport lounges on a priority basis.

Renewal fee is INR 2,500.

Cardholders receive air accident insurance covers worth INR 1crore.

Regular interest rate is 1.99% per month.

Cash and credit limits are high.

Cash advance fee is 3.15% per month.

Cards are only offered via invitation.

Issuer is VISA.

Joining fee is INR 25,000.

There are 0% fuel surcharge facilities.

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ICICI Bank Platinum Premiere Credit Card

Cardholders receive personalized concierge services.

Regular interest rate is 2.95% per month.

Cardholders receive air accident insurance covers worth INR 40 lakhs.

Cash advance fee is 3.15% per month.

Cash and credit limits are high.

Issuer is VISA.

Joining and renewal are free.

There are 0% fuel surcharge facilities at all outlets.

Following are other credit cards issued by ICICI Bank in India:

ICICI Bank Titanium Credit Card

ICICI BPL AMWAY Credit Card

ICICI Bank Solid Gold (Visa) Credit Card

ICICI Bank Big Bazaar Silver Credit Card

ICICI Bank Solid Gold (MasterCard) Credit Card

ICICI Bank Big Bazaar Gold Credit Card

ICICI Bank Gold American Express  Credit Card

ICICI Bank Trinethra Credit Card

ICICI Bank Travel Smart Credit Card

ICICI Bank Orchid An Ecotel Credit Card

ICICI Bank Golf Credit Card

ICICI Bank Mohun Bagan Credit Card

ICICI Megamart Credit Card

ICICI Bank Ebony Credit Card

ICICI XBOX 360 Credit Card

ICICI Bank Airtel Silver Credit Card

ICICI Sarovar Hotels Credit Card

ICICI Bank Airtel Gold Credit Card

ICICI Bank HPCL Silver Credit Card

ICICI Bank Toyota Credit Card

ICICI Bank HPCL Gold Credit Card

ICICI Bank Thomas Cook Titanium Credit Card

ICICI PRU Life Credit Card

ICICI Bank Ascent American Express Credit Card

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ICICI BPL Mobile Credit Card

ICICI Bank Platinum Identity Credit Card

In Indian credit card market there are 12 major types of credit cards being

provided by banks and financial institutions. These cards provide a wide variety of

financial benefits to holders.

Major Indian Credit Card Types

Following are various types of credit cards available in India:

Premium Credit Cards

Cash Back Credit Cards

Gold Credit Cards

Airline Credit Cards

Silver Credit Cards

Business Credit Cards

Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Co-branded Credit Cards

Low Interest Credit Cards

Lifetime Free Credit Cards

Rewards

There are some additional credit cards that are available in India as well. Rewards credit

cards available in India can be subdivided into six categories – Points, Hotels and

Travels, Retail, Auto and Fuel.

A number of banks are offering low interest credit cards in India in order to

help the cardholders manage their finances in a better way. These cards are

highly availed by Indian consumers on account of their low interest rates.

ICICI Bank Platinum Credit Card

Following are some salient features of ICICI Bank Platinum Credit Card:

Cardholders receive priority access facilities to airport lounges.

Regular interest rate is 1.99% per month.

Cardholders receive air accident insurance coverage worth INR 1 crore.

Cash advance fee is 3.15% per month.

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Cardholders have higher cash limits and credit limits.

Card issuer is VISA.

The card is offered via invitation only.

Issuing bank is ICICI Bank.

Joining fee is INR 25,000.

There are 0% fuel surcharge facilities.

Renewal fee is INR 2,500.

American Express Indian Airlines Credit Card

American Express Indian Airlines Credit Card has the following salient features:

The cardholders receive 10% discounts on business class flights and 15% discounts

on economy flights.

Renewal fee is INR 3750.

There is a 5% discount on super saver fares.

Regular interest rate is 1.9%.

Cardholders receive business class upgrades for free.

Cash advance fee is 1.9%.

Cardholders receive complimentary tickets.

Credit card issuer is AMEX.

Joining fee is INR 3750.

There are 0% fuel surcharge facilities that can only be availed at HPCL outlets.

HDFC Bank Titanium Credit Card

Following are the salient features of HDFC Bank Titanium Credit Card:

Cardholders receive exclusive concierge services.

Regular interest rate is 2.65% per month.

Cardholders receive rebates at hotels and clubs.

Cash advance fee is 2.5% per month. The minimum cash advance fee is INR 300.

There are accelerated rewards programs that are provided on the basis of expenditure

with the card.

Issuer is MasterCard.

Cardholders receive 0% fuel surcharge and balance transfer facilities.

Issuing bank is HDFC Bank.

Joining fees and renewal fees are variable.

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Following are some other low interest credit cards that are available in India:

HDFC Bank Visa Signature Credit Card

BOBCARD Exclusive Woman credit card

HDFC Bank Platinum Plus Credit Card

BOBACRD Exclusive Youth Credit Card

HDFC Bank Corporate Credit Card

BOBACARD Silver Credit Card

Hero Honda SBI Credit Card

BOBACARD Exclusive Credit Card

BOBCARD Corporate Global Credit Card

Axis Bank Secured Credit Card

NEXTGEN BOBCARD Gold Credit Card

HSBC Platinum Credit Card

BOBACRD Gold Visa Credit Card

Yatra Barclaycard Platinum Credit Card

BOBACRD Gold MasterCard Credit Card

ABN AMRO Platinum Credit Card

CREDIT CARD FRAUDS

There is an international racket of cyber criminals. Credit card information in India is

sold to cyber criminals in other countries. The information is misused for carrying out

major financial frauds. . Due to lack of awareness, people submit personal details and

credit card information to fraudulent emails. Sometimes, fraudsters steal credit card

information. Some fraudsters go through trash to find discarded receipts or carbon for

obtaining information and then use the account number illegally.

There were underground “carder” forums where credit card numbers are bought and

sold. These forums bring together people who steal the numbers and those who use them.

An individual researcher in cyber crime and cyber laws, Patil said economic offences

using credit cards have increased in India and countries like US. An FBI report indicated

that credit cards were largely responsible for the $ 315 billion loss the US endured from

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financial fraud in 2005. A study in Europe revealed that over 22 million customers fell

victim to credit card fraud in 2006. “The numbers are increasing.

“The frauds are increasing because of problem faced in extradition of cyber criminals

from other countries. Even during the panel discussion on cyber terrorism at the hacker’s

convention, cyber law expert Rohas Nagpal said India was so far not associated with any

extradition treaty with a foreign country due which the cyber criminals in could not be

held. US expert Chris Goggans said even US is facing difficulties in extradition of

criminals.

Today plastic is the convenient, easy and fashionable alternative to wads of paper. With

one swipe, credit cards have changed the way we live. Unfortunately, along with the

convenience has come related crime. Credit card fraud involves withdrawal of funds and

obtaining of goods and services by using an unauthorized account. Otherwise

inaccessible personal information stored on computers is stolen in order to use a card.

Due to the virtual explosion of credit card business throughout the world, security has

become critical in the entire process. There were about 60 million credit card holders in

the sixties and according to an estimate, the number has gone up to more than a trillion

now.

In India, credit card companies make a provision in their contract with the client that

they, the company, would not be liable for the fraudulent transaction unless the client

loses his/her card and reports the loss immediately. Sometimes the banks and credit card

companies try to save their skin by inserting a clause in the relevant contract. This is

purported to absolve the company in case a fraud occurs on the stolen card and the client

fails to notify the loss in time. This unilateral provision however has not stood the test of

legal scrutiny. The courts have placed the burden of loss on the issuers.

In India, the Mail Order Telephone Order (MOTO) type account for the bulk of credit

card frauds. This occurs when the card is not actually presented, but the details are given

on the application form to buy goods or services or when the transaction is done on the

telephone.

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Fraud through fake cards is not as rampant in India as in the USA. Techniques have been

developed whereby the number and other information on the magnetic strip is erased and

a new number is embossed. When the card does not work on the swiping machine, the

merchant manually processes the details of the card to complete the sale.

This procedure is called skimming of the cards. In the USA, identity theft is also quite

prevalent and is supposed to be one of the fastest growing offences in America. The

fraudsters adopt another person’s identity to gain access to their monetary sources. In the

case of online transactions, ‘site cloning’ is resorted to where the site clone created is

made to look like the original site in order to obtain the credit card details of

unsuspecting customers. Similarly, false merchant sites are also created where cheap

goods lure customers into giving their card details.

Scared by the ever increasing cases of credit card fraud, the affected companies and

banks have taken various steps to minimize it. Manual reviews of the transactions on the

card are undertaken, but this requires a high level of human intervention and increases

costs. In the USA, Address Verification System (AVS) has been developed for use in the

‘card not present’ scenario

The system is designed to check whether the address given by the buyer matches with

the one on record. Visa has devised a Payer Authentication System based on PIN similar

to the system used on ATM cards. This is a channel between the bank and the customer

used to authorize online transactions. With the increase in cross border ecommerce the

issuers in India will have to update their arsenal to combat the forgers on the same lines

as their Western counterparts.

The Information Technology Act and Rules, passed in 2000, provide penalties for the

tampering of computer source documents and hacking of computer systems. No specific

mention has, however, been made of Credit cards or financial transactions. The RBI has

formed the Credit Information Bureau of India (CIBIL) in collaboration with Dun and

Bradstreet who will maintain the records of all individuals who want to avail of finance

from banks and credit card companies in India.

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Fantastic Example of Credit Card Fraud

Amit Tiwari had many names, bank accounts and clients. None of them were for real.

With a plan that was both ingenious and naïve, the 21-year-old engineering student from

Pune tried to defraud a Mumbai-based credit card processing company, CC Avenue, of

nearly Rs 900,000.He was arrested by the Mumbai Police on August 21, 2003 after

nearly an year of hide and seek with CC Avenue. He's been charged for cheating under

Section 420. Amit will remain in custody till Friday, August 29.

Protect yourself from credit Card fraud by following the simple suggestions given below:

Do's

If you lose your credit card, please report the loss immediately.

When you dispose of a card at the time of renewal/up gradation, please make sure

to cut it diagonally before disposal.

Please keep your card in a safe place. Treat it as carefully as you would treat your

cash.

Please ensure the card is swiped in your presence.

Please make sure you conduct any ATM transaction in complete privacy.

If your card is held back by the ATM, please inform the concerned Call

Center/Branch personnel immediately.

Before you use an ATM, please ensure that there are no strange objects in the

insertion panel of the ATM.

Please remember to take your Debit/Credit Card back after completing your ATM

transaction.

If you spot any suspicious looking people at or around any ATM, please inform the

security guard immediately.

Please change your ATM PIN once every 3 months.

When you make any transactions, please make sure that the charge slip is complete

before signing.

Please pay attention to your billing cycles. Please follow up with Bank’s Credit

Cards Customer Care if your bills don't arrive on time. A missing credit card bill

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could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing

address to cover his tracks.

Please be wary of promotional scams. Identity thieves may use phony offers to get

you to give them your personal information.

Please secure all personal information in your home, especially if you have

roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done in your home.

Please sign your credit cards as soon as you get them.

Please check your cards periodically to make sure none are missing.

Please destroy and dispose of copies of receipts, airline tickets, travel itineraries

and anything else that displays your card numbers.

Please keep items with personal information in a safe place. Please keep a list of all

credit cards, account numbers, expiry dates, and the customer service phone

numbers in a secure place so that you can quickly contact Bank’s Credit Cards

Customer Care in case your cards are lost or stolen.

Don’ts

Please do not disclose your Credit Card Number/ATM PIN to anyone.

Please do not hand over the card to anyone, even if he/she claims to represent the

Bank.

Never get carried away by strangers who try to help you use the ATM machine.

Please do not write the ATM PIN on the card or on a paper which you carry along

with the card.

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Do's and don'ts for online transactions:

Always Bank's Netsafe feature for making online transactions. It is safe and

secure.If you have not registered for it, please visit the Netsafe page.

Preferably transact on sites which mandate validation of CVC2 value (the last 3

digits after the card number, mentioned on the signature panel at the back of the

card) or at websites that are certified by Verified-by-Visa or MasterCard Secure

Code.

Please be careful when providing personal information online. Never give out your

personal or account information to anyone you do not trust. Please make sure that

you verify a business's legitimacy by visiting its web site, calling a phone number

obtained from a trusted source, and/or checking with a reliable resource.

Please keep your passwords secret. Some online stores may require you to register

with them via a username and password before buying. Online passwords should

be kept secret from outside parties the same way you protect your ATM PIN.

Please look for signs of security. Identify security clues such as a lock image at the

bottom of your browser, or a URL that begins with https://. These signs indicate

that only you and the merchant can view your payment information.

Never send payment information via email. Information that travels over the

Internet (such as email) is not fully protected from being read by outside parties.

Most reputed merchant sites use encryption technologies that will protect your

private data from being accessed by others as you conduct an online transaction.

Please keep a record of your transactions. Just as you save store receipts, you

should keep records of your online purchases. Back up your transaction by saving

and/or printing the order confirmation.

Please review your monthly account statement thoroughly. Immediately investigate

suspicious activity to prevent any possible additional fraud before it occurs.

Promptly notify your financial institution of any suspicious email activities.

Please be wary of promotional scams. Identity thieves may use phony offers to get

you to give them your personal information.

In case you use your Credit Card for online transactions in Internet cafes or public-

use computers, please ensure that you erase the history of websites

visited/accessed.

Please open and respond only to emails that pass some basic tests, such as:-

Is the email from somebody you know?

Have you received emails from this sender before?

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CHAPTER 5

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Porter’s FIVE FORCE analysis for Indian Credit Card Industry

BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS

-low supplier bargaining power

- few alternatives available

-subject to RBI rules & regulations INDUSTRY RIVALRY

Intense competition

Many private, public

Do's and don'ts for online transactions:

Always Bank's Netsafe feature for making online transactions. It is safe and

secure.If you have not registered for it, please visit the Netsafe page.

Preferably transact on sites which mandate validation of CVC2 value (the last 3

digits after the card number, mentioned on the signature panel at the back of the

card) or at websites that are certified by Verified-by-Visa or MasterCard Secure

Code.

Please be careful when providing personal information online. Never give out your

personal or account information to anyone you do not trust. Please make sure that

you verify a business's legitimacy by visiting its web site, calling a phone number

obtained from a trusted source, and/or checking with a reliable resource.

Please keep your passwords secret. Some online stores may require you to register

with them via a username and password before buying. Online passwords should

be kept secret from outside parties the same way you protect your ATM PIN.

Please look for signs of security. Identify security clues such as a lock image at the

bottom of your browser, or a URL that begins with https://. These signs indicate

that only you and the merchant can view your payment information.

Never send payment information via email. Information that travels over the

Internet (such as email) is not fully protected from being read by outside parties.

Most reputed merchant sites use encryption technologies that will protect your

private data from being accessed by others as you conduct an online transaction.

Please keep a record of your transactions. Just as you save store receipts, you

should keep records of your online purchases. Back up your transaction by saving

and/or printing the order confirmation.

Please review your monthly account statement thoroughly. Immediately investigate

suspicious activity to prevent any possible additional fraud before it occurs.

Promptly notify your financial institution of any suspicious email activities.

Please be wary of promotional scams. Identity thieves may use phony offers to get

you to give them your personal information.

In case you use your Credit Card for online transactions in Internet cafes or public-

use computers, please ensure that you erase the history of websites

visited/accessed.

Please open and respond only to emails that pass some basic tests, such as:-

Is the email from somebody you know?

Have you received emails from this sender before?

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KEY POINTS:

Supply:

Credit policies are decided by banks in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India(RBI).

Demand:

India is a growing economy and demand for household credit is high though it could be

cyclical.

Barriers to entry:

THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES

High threat from substitutes

THREAT OF NEW ENTRANT

-LOW BARRIERS TO ENTRY

- Govt. policies are supportive

-Globalization and liberalization policy

- High exit barriers

BARGAINING POWER OF CUSTOMERS

-High bargaining power

- Low switching cost

- Large no. of alternatives

-Homogenous services by banks

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Licensing requirement, investment in technology and branch network.

Bargaining power of suppliers:

Few suppliers available such as Mastercard, Visa, Amex etc.

Bargaining power of customers:

For good creditworthy borrowers bargaining power is high due to the availability of large

number of banks and credit card providers.

Competition- High

There are public sector banks, private sector and foreign banks competing in similar business

lines.

RIVALRY AMONG THE INDUSTRY

Rivalry among the industry is very high. There are so many private, public and foreign banks

operating in the industry. They are fighting for same customers. Due to government

liberalization and globalization policy, banking sector became open for everybody. So, newer

and newer private & foreign firms are opening their branches in India. This has intensified

the competition. The numbers of factors that have contributed to the increase rivalry are as

follows:

1. A large no. of Banks providing credit card facility:

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There are so many banks and non-financial institutions fighting for same-pie, which has

intensified competition.

2. High market growth rate:

India is seen as one of the biggest market place and growth rate in Indian credit card industry

is also very high. This has ignited the competition.

3. Low switching cost:

Customer switching cost is very low. They can easily switch from one credit card to another

credit card and very little loyalty exists.

4. In differentiate services:

Almost every credit card provides similar services. No differentiation exists. Every bank tries

to copy each other’s services and technology, which increases the level of competition.

5. High Fixed cost:

6. High exit barrier:

High exit barriers humiliate banks and credit card providers to earn profit and retain

customers by providing world-class services.

7. Low government regulations:

There are low regulation exist to start a new business due LPG policy adopted by India. So,

sector is open for everybody.

BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS

Suppliers of credit cards are credit card companies along the banks. In credit card industry

suppliers have low bargaining powers. Following are the reasons for low bargaining power of

suppliers.

1. Nature of suppliers

Suppliers are the credit card companies like MasterCard, Visa, Amex etc. they have tie ups

with various banks from whom they get ready clientele. In such situations suppliers hold less

bargaining power compared to clients.

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2. Few alternatives

Suppliers i.e. Credit Card companies and banks have no alternatives than to tie up with each

other. Both have their own reasons. Credit Card companies are looking for ready clientele

and banks want to provide financial services to their clients.

3. RBI Rules and Regulations

Banks’ credit policies are subject to RBI rules and regulations. Banks have to behave in the

way that RBI wants. So, RBI takes all decisions relating to interest rates, transaction charges

etc. This reduces suppliers bargaining power.

4. Suppliers are not concentrated

Banking industry’s suppliers are not concentrated. There are numerous suppliers with

negligible portion to offer. So, this reduces their bargaining power. If they were concentrated

then they can bargain with banks or can collectively invest in other no-risky projects.

BARGAINING POWER OF CUSTOMERS

Customers of the banks and credit card companies are those who are in need of credit, loans,

advances and use services of banks. Customers have high bargaining power. Following are

the reasons for high bargaining power of customers.

1. Large No. of alternatives

Customers have very large no. of alternatives. There are so many banks, which fight for same

pie. There are foreign banks, private banks. These all increase preferences for customers.

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2. Low switching cost

Cost of switching from one card to another card is low. Banks have entered into fierce

competition by providing variety of cards with lots extra facilities. They are free to select any

bank’s service. Switching costs are becoming lower with internet banking gaining momentum

and as a result consumers’ loyalties are harder to retain.

3. Undifferentiated Service

Banks provide merely similar services. There is no much difference in services provided by

different banks. So, bargaining power of customer increases. They cannot be charged for

differentiation.

4. Full information about the market

Customers have full information about the market globalization and digitization consumers

have become advanced and sophisticated. They are aware with each market conditions. So,

banks have to be more competitive and customer friendly to serve them.

THREAT OF NEW ENTRANT

Barriers to an entry in banking industry no longer exist. So, lots of private and foreign bank

are entering in the market. Competitors can come from any industry to “Disintermediate”

banks. Product differentiation is very difficult for banks and exit is difficult. So, every bank

strives to survive in highly competitive market. So, we see intense competition and mergers

and acquisitions.

Government policies are very favourable to customers and day by day it is becoming hard for

credit card companies to satisfy needs of customers. There are less statutory requirements

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needed to start a new venture. Every bank tries to achieve economies of scale through use of

technology and selecting and training man power.

Threat of substitutes

Competition from the non banking financial sector is increasing rapidly. Sony & software

giants such as microsoft are attempting to replace the banks as intermediaries. The threat of

substitute products is very high. These new products include credit union and investment

houses. One feature of using an investment house is that the fees that the investment house

charges are tax deductible, whereas a bank it is considered personal expenses, which are not

tax deductible. The rate of return with using investment houses is greater than a bank. There

are other substitutes as well for banks like mutual fund, Stocks(shares), Government

securities, debentures, gold, real estate etc. So, There is a high threat for substitute.

Conclusion

Indian credit card sector is one of the highly competitive sectors where high growth rate and

high degree of competition exist. Low entry barriers and high exit barriers ignites competition

in this industry. Every bank and credit card industry strives to survive in the shadow of these

barriers. There are so many substitutes available with customers and they have high

bargaining power whereas suppliers i.e. credit card companies have low power in their hands.

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CHAPTER 6

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Which type of credit card do you use?

Visa

MasterCard

Classic

Gold & Diners

Platinum

The pie chart drawn above suggests that MasterCard leads the competition in the Ahmedabad

city. 38% of the respondents use the MasterCard. It is followed by visa which is being used

by 30% of the respondents. The two are followed by classic, gold & diners and platinum

respectively.

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Which is the issuing bank of credit card?

SBI

HDFC

ICICI

HSBC

Others

Majority i.e. 28% of the respondents have credit card facility from the SBI. There is stiff

competition between HDFC and ICICI for the second position, where HDFC has slight edge

over ICICI. HDFC is being used by 22% of the respondents whereas ICICI is being used by

21% of the respondents. HSBC is being used by 16% of the respondents and the rest 13%

percent used credit card from various other banks such as Standard Chartered, American

Express, Citibank etc.

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Since how long you have been using the credit card?

< 2 years

2 – 4 years

4- 6 years

Above 6 years

Above pie chart suggests that 59% of the respondents has been using the credit card for more

than 4 years but less than 6 years. 26% of the respondents fall in the category of 2 – 4 years,

13% percent of them have been using the card for more than 6 years. Only 2% of the

respondents are such who have used credit card for less than 2 years.

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How much satisfied you are with your existing credit card?

Highly satisfied

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

Highly dissatisfied

Majority of the respondents had not much to comment on how satisfied they are. It can be

seen from the pie chart above. 43% of the respondents are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

with the card that they are using i.e. they are neutral. 36% of the respondents says that are

satisfied with their credit card facility. Only 11% says they are highly satisfied and 9% says

that they are dissatisfied with the facility that they have. 1% of the respondents are highly

dissatisfied with the credit card facility.

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What percentage of income do you save monthly?

< 10%

10% - 20%

20% - 30%

Above 30%

Saving level of the respondents has turn out to be largely in the range of 20% - 30%. 63% of

the respondents claims that they save 20% - 30% of their monthly income. 24% of them

saves between 10% - 20% and 13% of them saves above 30% of their monthly income. None

of them saves less than 10%.

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What are the major purposes for which you use credit card?

Shopping

Hotels

Health

Petrol Pump

Travel and others

The main use of credit card if for refueling vehicles and for shopping. 32% of the card usage

is at petrol pumps and for shopping. For hotels and restaurants bill payments the card usage is

15%, for travelling and others its 11% and for health related payments card usage is merely

10%.

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Occupation:

Self Employed

Business

Private Sector

Professional

Govt. Sector

From the sample surveyed, 37% of the respondents were from the private sector, 21% were

professionals, and 14% each from govt.sector, business and self employed. It shows people

working in the private sector are the major target audience of the credit card companies.

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Sex:

Male

Female

The chart shows that more than 2/3rd of the respondents were male. The major reason for this

could be that male have regular source of income. 76 % of the respondents were male

compared to just 24% of the female respondents. This Many of the housewives who uses the

credit card are those which are been issued as free card along with existing card.

TEST OF HYPOTHESIS

ISSUING BANK AND THE SEX OF THE CARD HOLDER

GENDER

FEMALE MALE

SBI 5 17HDFC 8 20ICICI 3 18HSBC 3 13OTHERS 5 8

24 76

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ISSUING BANK AND AGE OF CARD HOLDER

AGE

< 18 YEARS

18 - 25 YEARS

25 - 40 YEARS

40 - 60 YEARS

ABOVE 60 YEARS

SBI 0 3 9 7 3

HDFC 0 0 15 9 4

ICICI 0 1 10 8 2

HSBC 0 3 7 5 1

OTHERS 0 2 2 9 0

The above table shows the relationship between the credit card issued by different bank such

as SBI, HDFC, ICICI, HSBC and Others and the sex of the card holders.

Null Hypothesis: There is no significant association between the issuing bank and the sex of

the cardholder.

More than 75 % of the cardholders are male because they stable source of income. Most of

the females, who are housewives, use the additional cards which are issued at concessional

fee for family members. 71% of the cardholders use SBI, HDFC and ICICI.

Conclusion: The Null hypothesis is accepted as the calculated value = 3.159 and the table

value is 9.488.

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The table and the graph have been drawn to show if the issuing bank varies among the card

holders of different age group. It is clear from the table that nearly 52% cardholders belong to

the age group of 18 – 40 years. This category consists of students who are using add on cards

or youngsters who are yet to settle in life; these people have a greater need for credit cards.

On the other hand, the number of cardholders in the age group of above 40 years is low

comparatively. These people are settled in life, they have the propensity to save more than

spend.

Null Hypothesis: There is no significant association between the issuing bank and age of the

cardholder.

Calculated Value = 15.243, Table Value = 21.026

Conclusion: Since the calculated value of chi-square is less than the table value, the

hypothesis that the credit card chosen by the cardholder does not depend on the age is

accepted.

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ISSUING BANK AND OCCUPATION OF CARD HOLDER

OCCUPATION

SELF EMPLOYED BUSINESS

PRIVATE SECTOR

PROFESSIONAL

GOVT. SECTOR

CC_BANK

SBI 4 1 9 4 4

HDFC 3 2 15 4 4

ICICI 1 5 4 9 2

HSBC 6 1 4 3 2

OTHERS 0 5 5 1 2

From the table it can be seen that more than 50 % of the cardholders belong to the salaried

class i.e. the private and government sector employees, as they have a limited source of

income whereas the other 49% cardholders belong to the self employed and professional

group. The credit card helps the cardholders to meet sudden expenses in case of non-

availability of cash.

Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between the issuing bank and the occupation of the

card holder.

Conclusion: Calculated Value = 31.779 Table Value = 26.296. Therefore the null hypothesis

that there is no relation between issuing bank and the occupation of the cardholder is rejected.

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ISSUING BANK AND INCOME OF CARD HOLDER

INCOME

< RS. 10000RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000

ABOVE 20000

CC_BANK

SBI 0 1 7 14

HDFC 0 0 6 22

ICICI 0 4 6 11

HSBC 0 3 5 8

OTHERS 0 0 3 10

The above table and graph has been drawn to determine the relationship between the different

banks issuing credit cards and the monthly income of the card holders. Most of the people

who have taken credit cards are those whose income is greater than 10000 pm. Those with

higher income are more willing to avail the type of services offered by banks. Also banks

take all precautions in selecting the cardholders; they generally do not issue cards to a person

unless they are satisfied about the credit worthiness of the applicants.

Null Hypothesis: There is no association between the issuing bank and the monthly income

of the card holders.

Calculated Value = 11.987, Table = 15.507

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Conclusion: The Chi-square value is less than the table value. The Hypothesis that there is

no association between the credit card selected and monthly income of the card holder is true.

ISSUING BANK AND SAVINGS OF CARD HOLDER

SAVINGS

< 10% 10% - 20% 20% - 30%ABOVE

30%

CC_BANK

SBI 0 3 13 6

HDFC 0 9 18 1

ICICI 0 4 16 1

HSBC 0 6 9 1

OTHERS 0 2 7 4

GENDER

FEMALE MALE

YES 11 19NO 13 57

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The table shows the relationship between bank issuing credit cards and savings of the

cardholders. Savings is shown as a percentage of the monthly income. Approximately, the

tendency of the people is to above something in between 20% - 30% of their monthly

income. Credit cards not only help the cardholders to acquire purchasing power, but also help

in rotation of funds.

Null Hypothesis: The issuing bank and monthly savings of the cardholder are independent of

each other.

Calculated Value: 14.696, Table Value = 15.507

Conclusion: The calculated value of chi-square is less than the table value, hence it can be

inferred that the basis on which the cardholders selects the issuing bank doesn’t depend on

their monthly income.

CHANGE IN BUYING BEHAVIOUR AND SEX OF CARD HOLDER

This table is drawn to show if the change in buying behaviour of a credit card holder is

associated with sex. Respondents were asked to tick either “Yes” or “No” to show if credit

cards have brought a change in their buying pattern and the data collected was tabulated.

About 30% of them feel that credit cards have changed their buying behaviour significantly.

They go for instant purchases or meet sudden cash shortage with the help of cards.

Comparatively, 84% of females feel that there is a change in their buying behaviour.

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Null Hypothesis: The change in buying behaviour is not related to the sex of the card holder.

Calculated Value = 3.770, Table Value = 3.841

Conclusion: Since the calculated value is less than the table value, the hypothesis that

changes in buying behaviour are not related to the sex of the card holder is accepted.

SPENDING LIMIT ON CREDIT CARD AND INCOME OF CARD HOLDER

INCOME

RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000 ABOVE 20000

< 5000 1 1 15000 - 10000 1 6 115000 - 25000 6 18 20ABOVE 25000 2 2 41

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The above table and graph would help us draw an inference about the relationship between

the average monthly spending limit using credit cards and the monthly income. The figure

says that those with income level above 20000 pm have been availed spending limit above

25000 to large extent. Therefore the distribution for this would be skewed, in the sense that

those who have higher income would have higher spending limit.

Null Hypothesis: The monthly spending limit of the cardholder is not related to the monthly

income. Calculated value = 33.609, Table Value = 12.592

Conclusion: The Calculated value is greater than the table value which means that the hypothesis

that monthly spending limit of the cardholder is not related to the monthly income is rejected.

PURPOSE OF CREDIT CARD AND AGE OF CARD HOLDER

AGE

18 - 25 YEARS

25 - 40 YEARS

40 - 60 YEARS

ABOVE 60 YEARS

SHOPPINGHOTELSHEALTHPETROL PUMPTRAVEL & OTHERS

3 11 10 2

1 8 7 3

1 1 1 1

3 22 18 3

2 1 1 1

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The table and the graph above determines the relationship between purpose for which the

credit card is used and the age of the card holder. The early nester-first time user, 18 – 45

years of age, just married, new to his career, has greater need for consumer finance to buy

durables, clothes etc. The cardholders above 40 years are more prudent and cautious when

they purchase as they dont want to get in heavy debts.

Null Hypothesis: The purpose of credit card usage doesnot depend upon the age of the card

holder.

Calculated Value: 10.966, Table Value = 21.026

Conclusion: The value of chi-sqaure is less than the table value, the hypoyhesis that there is

no association between the age of the cardholders and the purpose for which cards are used

holds good.

PURPOSE OF CREDIT CARD AND INCOME OF CARD HOLDER

INCOME

RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000

ABOVE 20000

SHOPPINGHOTELSHEALTHPETROL PUMPTRAVEL & OTHERS

1 9 16

3 8 8

0 2 2

5 6 35

1 2 2

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The above table determines the relationship between the purpose for which the credit card is

used and the income of the cardholders. If a person wants to make purchase, he needs money;

otherwise he has to postpone the purchase. But credit cards help him to purchase whatever he

wants and pay later.

Null Hypothesis: The purpose for which the credit card is used is independent of the card

holders’ income.

Calculated value = 12.239, Table Value = 15.507

Conclusion: The value of chi-square is less than the table value, hence the hypothesis is

accepted.

MEMBERSHIP DURATION AND OCCUPATION OF THE CARD HOLDERS

OCCUPATION

SELF EMPLOYE

DBUSINES

SPRIVATE SECTOR

PROFESSIONAL

GOVT. SECTOR

< 2 YEARS 2 0 0 0 0

2 - 4 YEARS 5 1 14 3 3

4 - 6 YEARS 7 10 22 12 8

ABOVE 6 YEARS

0 3 1 6 3

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The above table shows the relationship between the duration of the membership and the

occupation of the cardholder. Nearly 60% of them have been using the credit card for the

period greater than 4 years and less than 6 years.

Null Hypothesis: There is no significant difference between membership duration and

occupation Value: 28.739, Table Value: 21.026

Conclusion: The calculated value is greater than the table value hence the null hypothesis is

rejected. This means that there is significant relation between membership duration and the

occupation of the cardholders.

CORRELATION ANALYSIS

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GENDER * SPD_LIMIT Cross tabulationCount

SPD_LIMIT

Total< 5000 5000 - 10000 15000 - 25000ABOVE 25000

GENDER FEMALE

2 5 7 10 24

MALE 1 3 37 35 76Total 3 8 44 45 100

From the above we can infer that 76% of the respondents are male which more

than 2/3rd of the sample size. 41% of the females have credit limit above 25,000

whereas 46% of the males have credit limit above 25,000. This is obvious as

males have stable source of income and again all the females using credit card

are not working women. Many housewives uses credit card which are issued at

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concessional fees along with card hold by the male. Overall figures reveal that

majority of the cardholders have the credit above 15,000.

INCOME * SPD_LIMIT Cross tabulationCount

SPD_LIMIT

Total< 5000 5000 - 1000015000 - 25000

ABOVE 25000

INCOME

RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

1 1 6 2 10

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000

1 6 18 2 27

ABOVE 20000 1 1 20 41 63Total 3 8 44 45 100

The above table and graph clearly shows that their direct correlation between the

income of the card holder and the spending limit allowed to the card holder. As

the income of the card holder increases the spending limit on the card also

increases. This is obvious as bank cannot grand higher credit limit to those who

doesn’t have repayment capacity and doing so increases the chances of default.

From the figures can derive that more than 90% of the credit card holders have

credit limit above 15,000 and almost 90% of them have income above 15,000 per

month.

Page 104: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

OCCUPATION * SPD_LIMIT Cross tabulationCount

SPD_LIMIT

Total< 5000 5000 - 1000015000 - 25000

ABOVE 25000

OCCUPATION

SELF EMPLOYED

1 0 9 4 14

BUSINESS 0 2 4 8 14

PRIVATE SECTOR

1 4 22 10 37

PROFESSIONAL 0 0 5 16 21

GOVT. SECTOR 1 2 4 7 14Total 3 8 44 45 100

The figure gives clear indication that more than 50% of the cardholders are

salaried class people and this category is scattered over all the categories of

spending limit i.e. depending on the salary of the person the credit is granted.

Whereas on the other hand the figures of the professionals and business class

people show that they have credit limit above 15,000. This is so because banks

Page 105: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

generally issues credit cards to those professionals and business people who are

well established.

CONSUMER SPENDING BEHAVIOUR ACCORDING OCCUPATION

  SHOPPING HOTELS HEALTHPETROL

PUMP

TRAVEL &

OTHERS TOTALSELF EMPLOYED

6 4 2 11 4 27BUSINESS

11 5 2 9 4 31PRIVATE SECTOR 26 11 9 25 10 81PROFESSIONAL

17 8 4 15 3 47GOVT. SECTOR

9 6 4 9 4 32

The statistics shows that private sector employees makes the most use of the

credit card. They use the card to cover up the cash shortage at the month end.

The two main purpose for which the credit card is used are for fuel and

shopping. Almost 63% of the private sector people use credit card these two

purpose. These two purpose dominate the credit card usage in all categories.

CONSUMER SPENDING BEHAVIOUR ACCORDING INCOME

  SHOPPING HOTELS HEALTHPETROL

PUMP

TRAVEL &

OTHERS TOTALRS. 10000 - RS.

3 4 1 7 3 18

Page 106: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

15000RS. 15000 - RS. 20000

23 9 4 19 6 61

ABOVE 20000 43 21 16 43 16 139

The respondents having income of above 20000 are the highest user of the credit

card. In all the categories these people dominate the credit card usage. This is so

because they have higher capacity to repay the credit and also they have higher

credit limit. Income group of 15000 to 20000 mostly use the credit card for

shopping and fuel.

CONSUMER BUYING PATTERN AND AGE OF THE CARD HOLDER

  SHOPPING HOTELS HEALTHPETROL

PUMP

TRAVEL &

OTHERS TOTAL18 - 25 YEARS 4 2 3 8 3 20

Page 107: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

25 - 40 YEARS 34 11 8 31 12 9640 - 60 YEARS 25 16 7 25 7 80ABOVE 60 YEARS 6 5 3 5 3 22

This correlation table shows that people falling in the age group of 25 – 60 are

the major user of the credit card holders. This class constitute of those who are

settling in the life, who have spend for the domestic needs, for education of the

children. In short we can say that this group have higher obligation. Again in

this usage pattern the is widely used for shopping and fuel refilling. The usage of

the people within 25 to 60 years accounts for more than 80% of the card usage.

Page 108: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

AGE * SPD_LIMIT Cross tabulationCount

SPD_LIMIT

Total< 5000 5000 - 10000 15000 - 25000ABOVE 25000

AGE 18 - 25 YEARS 2 2 4 2 10

25 - 40 YEARS 0 3 24 16 43

40 - 60 YEARS 1 2 9 25 37

ABOVE 60 YEARS

0 1 7 2 10

Total 3 8 44 45 100

The picture which emerges from the above chart is that age group of 25 – 40

years mostly have credit limit of 15,000 to 20,000 whereas age group of 40 -60

years have credit limit of above 20,000. The major reason for this can be the age

group of 25 – 40 years is still not yet settle or not as well settled as age group of

40 -60 years. Hence banks are more liberal on granting credit limit to age group

of 40 – 60 years than to 25 – 40 years of age group.

Page 109: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

AGE * SAVINGS Cross tabulationCount

SAVINGS

Total10% - 20% 20% - 30%ABOVE

30%

AGE 18 - 25 YEARS 4 6 0 10

25 - 40 YEARS 13 30 0 43

40 - 60 YEARS 2 24 11 37

ABOVE 60 YEARS

5 3 2 10

Total 24 63 13 100

Page 110: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

The above table show the relationship between the age group and the

percentage savings of the respondents. The trend is very clear. More than 63% of

the respondents are saving between 20 to 30 % of their monthly income. Another

trend which can be observed is that people in the age group of 40 – 60 years

saves more than other age groups. This is again obvious as the burden on their

shoulder is more than any other. None of the respondents in the age group of 18

– 40 years of age are able to save more than 30%. The reason again might be that

they may not be well settled and need to spend extra bit on the necessities. Also

this group spends more freely than other age groups.

Page 111: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

CHAPTER 7

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Findings of the Study

The following are the major findings with regard to the study on the usage pattern of the

credit card holders.

1. Most of the respondents are male cardholders, because they are employed and have a

good source of income. (76%)

2. Most of the respondents are in the age group 25 – 40 years. The tendency and need to

purchase is more at this age. (43%)

3. Majority of the cardholders belong to the salaried class of the Government and Private

Sector, when their salary is exhausted at the end of the month, the credit card helps

them to overcome a temporary cash crisis. (51%)

4. Respondents with higher salary utilize the cards to the maximum whereas those with

lower salary are more cautious.

5. Lower the savings, higher is the requirement for the use of cards. Purchases can be

made through cards and can be paid from next month’s salary because the limit is 45

days for settling the dues.

6. Male respondents feel that there is a definite change in their consumption behaviour.

Credit cards can be used for both personal and business purpose. There is no need for

postponement of purchases due to cash shortage.

7. Credit cardholders with higher income feel that credit cards have changed their

consumption pattern. The credit card purchase is not always a rational buy; some part

of it is also impulse buying.

Page 112: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

8. Consumers are catching on the convenience of plastic. The number of card holders

has increased in the recent as it is evident from the rise in the number of members in

two years.

9. Salesmen of the banks are the main source of awareness to the cardholders.

10. Master and visa cards are two of the leading card brands in India. One of the main

reasons for MasterCard’s dominance is its advertising which is appropriately

‘Indianized’.

11. HDFC bank cards are more popular and widely accepted. On the main reasons for

HDFC dominance is its advertising. The bank has done really good job by attracting

the number of customers through personal contacts and advertisements. HDFC

provide a lot of additional benefits like phone banking, bonus points and internet

banking etc to meet the needs of the different class of people.

12. In recent years, the number of member establishments accepting credit cards has

increased which induces the customer to avail the credit facility and increase their

purchasing power.

It is seen from the finding of the study that credit cards are mostly used by cardholders for

purchase. Hence credit cards help the conscious consumers of the largest group of salary

class to enhance their purchasing power.

Page 113: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

SUGGESTIONS

With the multiplying volumes and the contest for efficiency, marketers vie with each

other out to the existing and potential card holders. A shakeout is inevitable in this field

of marketing. The card issuers face many difficulties and the credit card service market

also suffers from certain bottle necks which can be outlined below.

1. The banks must reduce the service charge which is to be paid by the card holders

for ticket booking, petrol fills and certain establishments that charge 2 to 3% on

the total price.Women should be induced to use credit cards by creating awareness

on the benefits derived from them. New schemes should be introduced to cater to

their specific needs.

2. The methods should be adopted to bring degree of popularization through mass

media channels like Television, Radio, Airports Centres, Star Hotels, Railway

Centres, and Super Markets etc.

3. Customer education is needed for increased awareness, facility derived and ways

to make the best use of the card.

4. The credit card holder should sincerely and honestly repay the balances in time

and facilitate the system to work out smoothly.

The credit cardholders should plan their economic affairs i.e. they should not buy

unnecessary or unwanted things simply because they have credits which does not

require immediate payment. They should always think about the future

commitments and arrange funds for in time.

5. The Admission fees and renewal fees should be reduced so that it can attract more

customers.

6. The interest charged by the credit card agencies is much higher than the normal

lending rates by the bankers and it should be reduced.The only way banks are

going to survive in the credit card business is by improving their overall

functioning and infrastructural systems. This especially true of some nationalized

banks that delay billings due to a lack of adequate informational systems and

trained persons.

Page 114: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

The liberalization of the economy, boost to exports and the increased business

travelling and spending in India favour the credit card industry. The present

environment needs to be matched by increased awareness about credit cards

among retailers and should be fool proof for preventing misuse. Credit cards are

catching up with the middle class despite its late entry in the Indian market.

They are no longer a status symbol as it is only a mode of convenience and

integral part of the busy life style of the people, matching with the pace of

development. Credit cards all set to make a definite impact on the buying

behaviour of people. In present days, the credit card is mostly used by urban

people but it is not easily available to rural people. Hence, all commercial banks

should take necessary steps to provide credit cards to rural people. It leads to

increasing the personal income, business development of bank as well as

economic development.

From the analysis of the individual questions we can come to the conclusion that

most preferred bank by the credit card holders is HDFC bank followed by ICICI

bank. MasterCard is the widely preferred card company. Majority of the

respondents approached were using credit card for the period of 4 – 6 years.

Almost 80% of the respondents are in the range of neutral to satisfied level with

their credit card service. Credit cards are widely used by respondents for mainly

two purposes viz. Fuel and shopping. Savings as percentage of monthly income

is largely in the 20% to 30%.

From the analysis of the individual questions we can come to the conclusion that

most preferred bank by the credit card holders is HDFC bank followed by ICICI

bank. MasterCard is the widely preferred card company. Majority of the

respondents approached were using credit card for the period of 4 – 6 years.

Almost 80% of the respondents are in the range of neutral to satisfied level with

their credit card service. Credit cards are widely used by respondents for mainly

two purposes viz. Fuel and shopping. Saving as percentage of monthly income is

largely in the range of 20

Page 115: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Majority of the null hypothesis has been accepted except relationship between

occupation of the cardholder and monthly spending limit and monthly income of

the cardholder. This clearly means that there is no explicit relationship between

other variables other than occupation and monthly income and spending limit

monthly income of the card holders. This is obvious as banks do consider the

occupation and the income level of the card holders while granting the spending

limit for each card holder.

Correlation analysis reveals that the correlation exists between spending limit

and the gender and also with the income level of the respondents. Also the usage

pattern and the occupation of the card holders are correlated as private are more

in need of the credit at the end of the month.

Page 116: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Aus ube l l ( 1991 ) , “The f a i l u r e o f com pe t i t i on i n t he c r ed i t c a rd

marke t s ” , Am er ican E conom ic Re v i e w , Vo l . 81 , No .1 pp .50 -81

2 . Br i to D L a nd Ha r t l e yp (1995 ) “Consum er r a t i ona l i t y and Cre d i t

c a rd s ” , J ou rna l o f po l i t i c a l e conomy , Vol .103 , pp . 400 -433

3 . Ca le m P S a nd Me s t e r L J ( 1995 ) ’ “Cons umer be hav io r and

s t i ck i nes s o f c r ed i t c a rd i n t e r e s t r a t e s ” , A me r i can E conom ic

Rev i ew , Vo l 85 , No . 5 , P P . 1327 -1336

4 . Be r l i n M a nd Me s t e r J ( 2004 ) , “ c r ed i t c a rd r a t e s and cons ume r

se a r ch” , Rev iew o f f i nanc i a l Ec onomi cs Vol .13 , pp . 179 -198

Journals

ICFAI journal of service marketing. Vol 6 no 1 2008

ICFAI journal of service marketing. Vol 4 2008

Indian journal of finance April 2009

Websites

www.RupeeTalk.in

www.creditbhai.com

ww w .ans we r s . c om

ww w .hsbc . co . i n / 1 /2 /pe r sona l / c r ed i t - ca rd s

ww w . ic i c iba nk . com/p f s us e r / c a rd s / c r ed i t ca rd / cc_hom e .h tm

ww w .cybe rc e l lm umba i . com/ cybe r - c r i mes / c r ed i t - ca rd - f r aud

www.hdfc.com

Page 117: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

ANNEXURE

Note:

We, the students of N. R. Institute of Business Management, have undertaken the project to

study the usage pattern of credit card holders of Ahmedabad city.

The details provided in this questionnaire would be kept confidential and would be used

purely for the academic purpose.

Do you use credit card?

Yes

No

Name: ______________________________________________

Sex:

Male

Female

Age:

< 18 years

18 – 25 years

25 – 40 years

40 – 60 years

Above 60 years

Occupation:

Self Employed

Business

Private Sector

Professional

Govt. Sector

Page 118: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

1. Which credit card do you use?

Visa

MasterCard

amex

OTHERS

2. Which type of credit card do you use?

Silver

Gold

Platinum

Others

3. Which is the issuing bank of credit card?

SBI

HDFC

ICICI

HSBC

Others Specify: _____________________

4. Since how long you have been using the credit card?

< 2 years

2 – 4 years

4- 6 years

Above 6 years

5. How much satisfied you are with your existing credit card?

Highly satisfied

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

Highly dissatisfied

6. From where did you have the information about the credit card?

Print Media

Sales Person

Friends

Internet

Television

Page 119: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

7. What is your monthly income?

< 10,000

10,000 – 15,000

15,000 – 20,000

Above 20,000

8. What percentage of income do you save monthly?

< 10%

10% - 20%

20% - 30%

Above 30%

9. What is the spending limit of your credit card?

< 5000

5000 – 15,000

15,000 – 25,000

Above 25,000

10. Has credit card brought any changes in your monthly spending?

Yes

No

11. What are the major purposes for which you use credit card?

Shopping

Hotels

Health

Petrol Pump

Travel and others

Page 120: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

HYPOTHESIS OUTPUT FROM SPSS SOFTWARE

Custom Tables

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 21:56:30CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=CC_BANK GENDER DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE CC_BANK [COUNT F40.0] BY GENDER /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=CC_BANK GENDER ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.016

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.012

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GENDER

FEMALE MALE

Count Count

CC_BANK SBI 5 17

HDFC 8 20

ICICI 3 18

HSBC 3 13

OTHERS 5 8

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

GENDER

CC_BANK Chi-square 3.159

df 4

Sig. .532a

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.

Page 122: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:00:19CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=CC_BANK OCCUPATION DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE CC_BANK [C][COUNT F40.0] BY OCCUPATION [C] /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=CC_BANK ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=OCCUPATION ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.000

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.018

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OCCUPATION

SELF EMPLOYED BUSINESS

PRIVATE SECTOR

PROFESSIONAL

GOVT. SECTOR Total

Count Count Count Count Count Count

CC_BANK

SBI 4 1 9 4 4 22

HDFC 3 2 15 4 4 28

ICICI 1 5 4 9 2 21

HSBC 6 1 4 3 2 16

OTHERS

0 5 5 1 2 13

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

OCCUPATION

CC_BANK Chi-square 31.779

df 16

Sig. .011*,a

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.*. The Chi-square statistic is significant at the 0.05 level.

Page 124: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:01:54CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=CC_BANK INCOME DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE CC_BANK [C][COUNT F40.0] BY INCOME /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=CC_BANK ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=INCOME ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.031

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.024

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INCOME

< RS. 10000RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000 ABOVE 20000 Total

Count Count Count Count Count

CC_BANK SBI 0 2 7 13 22

HDFC 0 0 6 22 28

ICICI 0 5 6 10 21

HSBC 0 3 5 8 16

OTHERS 0 0 3 10 13

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

INCOME

CC_BANK Chi-square 12.808

df 8

Sig. .119a

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.

Page 126: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:03:02CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=CC_BANK SAVINGS DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE CC_BANK [C][COUNT F40.0] BY SAVINGS /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=CC_BANK ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=SAVINGS ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.016

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.019

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SAVINGS

< 10% 10% - 20% 20% - 30% ABOVE 30% Total

Count Count Count Count Count

CC_BANK SBI 0 3 13 6 22

HDFC 0 9 18 1 28

ICICI 0 4 16 1 21

HSBC 0 6 9 1 16

OTHERS 0 2 7 4 13

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

SAVINGS

CC_BANK Chi-square 14.696

df 8

Sig. .065a

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.

Page 128: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:04:24CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=CHANGE GENDER DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE CHANGE [COUNT F40.0] BY GENDER /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=CHANGE ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=GENDER ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.016

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.015

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Page 130: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

GENDER

FEMALE MALE Total

Count Count Count

CHANGE YES 11 19 30

NO 13 57 70

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

GENDER

CHANGE Chi-square 3.770

df 1

Sig. .052

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.

Page 131: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:06:04CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=SPD_LIMIT INCOME DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE SPD_LIMIT [COUNT F40.0] BY INCOME /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=SPD_LIMIT ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=INCOME ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.016

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.027

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INCOME

< RS. 10000RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000 ABOVE 20000 Total

Count Count Count Count Count

SPD_LIMIT < 5000 0 1 1 1 3

5000 - 10000 0 1 6 1 8

15000 - 25000 0 6 18 20 44

ABOVE 25000 0 2 2 41 45

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

INCOME

SPD_LIMIT Chi-square 33.609

df 6

Sig. .000*,alb

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.

Page 133: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

*. The Chi-square statistic is significant at the 0.05 level.

Notes

18 - 25 YEARS

25 - 40

YEARS

ABOVE 60

YEARS Total

Count Count Count Count Count

PURPOSE1

SHOPPING

3 11 10 2 26

HOTELS

1 8 7 3 19

HEALTH

1 1 1 1 4

PETROL PUMP

3 22 18 3 46

TRAVEL & OTHERS

2 1 1 1 5

Page 134: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:10:26CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File 100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=PURPOSE1 AGE DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE PURPOSE1 [COUNT F40.0] BY AGE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=PURPOSE1 ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=AGE ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.031

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.036

AGEPearson Chi-Square Tests

AGE

PURPOSE1 Chi-square 10.966

df 12

Sig. .532a,b

Page 135: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:12:04CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=PURPOSE1 INCOME DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE PURPOSE1 [COUNT F40.0] BY INCOME /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=PURPOSE1 ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=INCOME ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.031

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.031

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Table 1

INCOME

RS. 10000 - RS. 15000

RS. 15000 - RS. 20000 ABOVE 20000 Total

Count Count Count Count

PURPOSE1 SHOPPING 1 9 16 26

HOTELS 3 8 8 19

HEALTH 0 2 2 4

PETROL PUMP 5 6 35 46

TRAVEL & OTHERS

1 2 2 5

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

INCOME

PURPOSE1 Chi-square 12.239

df 8

Sig. .141a,b

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost sub table.

Page 137: Usage Patterns of Credit Card Holders in Chennai ... Nagaraj

Notes

Output Created 20-Mar-2010 22:13:39CommentsInput Data C:\Users\compaq\Desktop\

GRANDPROJECT.savActive Dataset DataSet1Filter <none>Weight <none>Split File <none>N of Rows in Working Data File

100

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Syntax CTABLES /VLABELS VARIABLES=CC_DURA OCCUPATION DISPLAY=LABEL /TABLE CC_DURA [COUNT F40.0] BY OCCUPATION /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=CC_DURA ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE /CATEGORIES VARIABLES=OCCUPATION ORDER=A KEY=VALUE EMPTY=INCLUDE TOTAL=YES POSITION=AFTER /SIGTEST TYPE=CHISQUARE ALPHA=0.05 INCLUDEMRSETS=YES CATEGORIES=ALLVISIBLE.

Resources Processor Time 0:00:00.016

Elapsed Time 0:00:00.017

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OCCUPATION

SELF EMPLOYED BUSINESS

PRIVATE SECTOR

PROFESSIONAL

GOVT. SECTOR Total

Count Count Count Count Count Count

CC_DURA

< 2 YEARS

2 0 0 0 0 2

2 - 4 YEARS

5 1 14 3 3 26

4 - 6 YEARS

7 10 22 12 8 59

ABOVE 6 YEARS

0 3 1 6 3 13

Pearson Chi-Square Tests

OCCUPATION

CC_DURA

Chi-square 28.789

df 12

Sig. .004*,a,b

Results are based on nonempty rows and columns in each innermost subtable.*. The Chi-square statistic is significant at the 0.05 level.