PROS:

- Credit cards have been around for nearly half a century. Despite the economic difficulties we are now facing, they probably aren’t going to disappear anytime soon.
- Most major financial institutions continue to offer their credit cards to affiliates, including American Express, Discover, Chase, Capital One, and Citi.
- Rewards, airlines points, and cash back have become big incentives on cards. In turn, many consumers apply for credit cards just for this purpose.

CONS:

- Some banks, like Capital One, do not allow affiliates to write their own credit card reviews. Instead, they are forced to use the standard ad copy that everyone else uses.
- It’s much harder to get approved for a credit card now than in the past. This is especially true for high end options like the American Express Gold Card and Visa Black Card.
- The annual fees on the American Express Gold Card and Platinum Card have recently gone up (to $125 and $450, respectively) and many consumers don’t like the idea of paying that much.
- Due to the new Credit Card Reform Act passed by legislators last year, this industry may become less profitable for banks. In turn, this might lead to lower commissions on some cards.

CONCLUSION:

The credit card industry is here to stay, but for affiliates, it’s not nearly as profitable as it once was.