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Private Label Credit Cards in the U.S., 12th Edition

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    Report

  • 123 Pages
  • May 2021
  • Region: United States
  • Packaged Facts
  • ID: 5332886
This report covers the U.S. market for private-label credit cards (PLCCs), including store cards, with an emphasis on retail credit card program features and benefits analysis, retail card strategies, and growth trends.

More specifically, the report:

  • Analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on the retail sector and the private-label credit card market.
  • Provides an analysis of large retailer strategies to innovate/stay above water during COVID-19's window of unprecedented stress on the retail economy.
  • Outlines the going-forward strategies of top private-label credit card issuers. Those issuers are Alliance Data Systems, Citi Retail Services, Capital One, Synchrony Financial Services, TD Bank, and Wells Fargo.
  • Conducts an in-depth analysis of seven private-label credit card programs from within the context of the retailer's loyalty program and its results. Program analysis of American Eagle, Forever 21, Kohl's, Macy's, Target, and Victoria's Secret are included. Each profile includes survey-based analysis of customer demographics.
  • Assesses consumer use of private-label credit cards segmented by retailer type, including the type of card they use most frequently, and which features and benefits would entice private-label credit cardholders to use this purchasing method more frequently.
  • Loans outstanding and purchase value estimates for the U.S. private-label credit card (PLCC) market are provided for 2019 and 2020, and loans outstanding and purchase value forecasts are provided for 2021-2022.

Report Methodology


The information contained in this report was obtained from primary and secondary research. Primary research included a February/March 2021 national consumer survey with a sample of 2,000 U.S. adults (age 18+), with the sample in aggregate being census representative on the primary demographic measures of age, gender, geographic region, race/ethnicity, and household income. The discussion of store card usage patterns and demographics also draws on Fall 2020 release MRI National Consumer Study data, with field dates through November 2020.

Market estimates draw on multiple sources, including:

  • company annual and quarterly filings
  • FDIC Reports of Condition and Income (also known as Call Report data)
  • credit card trusts (asset-backed securities backed by credit card loans held by financial institutions)
  • Federal Reserve data

Table of Contents

Executive Summary


  • Scope of Report
  • Report Methodology
  • Context for Market Performance
  • Market Size and Growth
  • Table Receivables, Private-Label Credit Cards: Top Issuers, 2018-2020, with CAGR (in billions of dollars)
  • Table Purchase Volume, Private-Label Credit Cards: Top Issuers, 2018-2020, with CAGR (in billions of dollars)
  • Top Private-Label Credit Card Issuers
  • Alliance Data Systems
  • Capital One
  • Citi Retail Services
  • Synchrony Financial
  • TD Bank
  • Wells Fargo
  • Private Label Credit Card Consumer Trends
  • 55% Have Private-Label Credit Cards
  • Store Card Usage and Demographics
  • Table Credit Card Usage Rates by Type: Have in Own Name vs. Used in Last 12 Months, 2020 (percent of adults)
  • Market Size and Growth
  • Market Background
  • First Credit Cards Were Retailer-Specific
  • Retailers Sell Credit Card Portfolios to Financial Services Firms
  • Major Retailer Benefits: Data and Loyalty
  • Major Cardholder Benefit: Buying Power
  • Market Performance
  • Context for Market Performance

Market Size and Growth


  • Table Receivables, Private-Label Credit Cards: Top Issuers, 2018-2020, with CAGR (in billions of dollars)
  • Table Purchase Volume, Private-Label Credit Cards: Top Issuers, 2018-2020, with CAGR (in billions of dollars)
  • Drivers of Retail and Private-Label Credit Card Performance
  • The COVID Economy
  • Store Sales Tanked, E-Commerce Surged
  • Amazon Stumbles Gave Big Box Retailers an Opportunity
  • Troubled Retailers Filed for Bankruptcy
  • Some Big Box Retailers Reimagined Their Businesses After the Great Recession
  • In 4Q 2020, Issuers Pulled in Available Credit
  • Broad Retail Adoption of BNPL Accelerated by Pandemic
  • Retailers' Loyalty Programs Increasingly Separate from PLCC Enrollment

Profiles of Top Private-Label Credit Card Issuers


  • The Top Issuers

Alliance Data Systems


  • Overview
  • Alliance Data Stresses Corporation-wide Changes to Address Market Realities
  • ADS in POS Installment Loan Business
  • Business Strategy
  • Table Alliance Data Systems Private-Label Credit Card Purchase Volume and Loan Receivables, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Operating Segments
  • Table Alliance Data Systems: Revenue and Revenue Share by Operating Segment, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Finance Charges Drive Revenue
  • Table Alliance Data Systems, Revenue and Revenue Share by Type, 2018-2020 (in millions of dollars)
  • Competitive Positioning
  • An Evolving Client Base
  • Key Positioning: Primary Marketing, Loyalty, and Payment Services Provider
  • Other Competitive Strategies
  • Private-Label Credit Card Partners
  • Table Alliance Data Systems Top Five Retail Partners, by Domestic Sales, 2019-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Williams-Sonoma
  • Other Partners

Capital One


  • Overview
  • Table Capital One Private-Label Credit Card Purchase Value and Loan Receivables, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Program Partners
  • Walmart
  • Kohl's
  • Neiman Marcus
  • Hudson's Bay Company

Citi Retail Services


  • Overview
  • Activity and Acquisitions
  • Top Four Retail Partners
  • Table Citi Retail Services Top Four Retail Partners by U.S. Sales, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Table Citi Retail Services Top Four Retail Partners by U.S. Sales, Private-Label Card Tender Share, and Purchase Value, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Other Partners

Synchrony Financial


  • Overview
  • Table Key Synchrony Financial and Performance Metrics, 2019 and 2020 (in dollars)
  • Retail Card Sales Platforms
  • Payment Solutions
  • CareCredit
  • Corporate Strategies for 2021 and Beyond
  • Table Synchrony Financial Private-Label Credit Card Purchase Value and Loan Receivables, 2019-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Table Synchrony Financial Purchase Volume and Average Active Accounts: By Operating Segment, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Loan, Interest, and Fee Growth
  • Table Synchrony Financial Interest and Fees on Loans, by Segment, 2018-2020 (in billions of dollars)
  • Growth Strategies
  • Table Key Synchrony Retail Card Program Participants as of December 31, 2020 (length of relationship in years)

TD Bank


  • Overview
  • Nordstrom
  • Target
  • Other Partners

Wells Fargo


  • Overview
  • Table Wells Fargo Services, Key Private-Label Card Metrics, 2018-2020
  • Six Turnkey PLCC Financing Solutions
  • Move to Sell, Decision to Retain Private-Label Card Segment

Profiles of Selected Private-Label Credit Card and Loyalty Programs

American Eagle


  • Overview
  • Aerie Brand
  • Key Business Priorities & Strategy
  • Loyalty Is Real Reward(ing)
  • The App for Real Rewards

Forever 21


  • Overview
  • Afterpay's BNPL Service at In-Store Checkout

Kohl's


  • Overview
  • Relying on Loyal Customers to Survive the Pandemic Year
  • Driving Sales through Targeted and Personalized Communications
  • The Kohl's App: Familiarity Breeds Familiarity. And Sales

Macy's


  • Overview
  • Kitchen Sink Marketing Strategy
  • Customer Base
  • Table The Macy's Customer: Key Demographics, Spring 2020
  • Media Network
  • Current Guidance
  • Rewards Program
  • Top Tier Customers Represent 30% of the Chain's Revenues
  • Retooled Rewards Program Includes Non-Card Using Shoppers
  • Macy Invests in Klarna, the Largest BNPL Provider
  • Macy's App Is Both Simple and Richly Featured
  • The Marketing Angle
  • After Closing Stores, Macy's Tries New Concepts to Backfill Markets

Neiman Marcus


  • Overview
  • InCircle Loyalty Program

Nordstrom


  • Overview
  • Table The Nordstrom Customer: Key Demographics, Spring 2020

Target


  • Overview
  • Investments in Human Capital and Distribution Made Target Pandemic Ready
  • Table The Target Customer: Key Demographics, Spring 2020
  • Target Circle Brings Non-RedCard Shoppers Into Marketing Engine

Victoria's Secret


  • Overview
  • From 2015 to Early 2020, Victoria's Secret Market Share Fell by Half
  • Chain Misses the Mark on Female Sexy, Comfort and Fit
  • Alliance Data Introduces Contactless Store Cards for Victoria's Secret and PINK
  • VS Uses Rapidly Escalating Rewards to Pursue Share of Wallet
  • The Marketing Angle: Reconciling VS and PINK

Private Label Card Usage Trends


  • Private Label Credit Cards in Context
  • 72% Have Credit Cards
  • Table Overall Credit Card Customer Base: Have in Own Name vs. Used in Last 12 Months, 2020 (percent and number of adults)
  • 55% Have Private-Label Credit Cards
  • Table Private-Label Credit Card Use by Type: Have vs. Use in Last 30 Days, 2021 (percent of adults)
  • Private-Label Card Psychographics
  • Table Selected Psychographics About Store Cards, 2021 (percent agreeing)
  • Store Card Usage
  • Table Credit Card Usage Rates by Type: Have in Own Name vs. Used in Last 12 Months, 2020 (percent of adults)
  • Table Credit Card Usage Rates by Type: Have in Own Name vs. Used in Last 12 Months, 2020 (number of adults in thousands)
  • Store Card User Demographics
  • Table Credit Card User Demographics: Credit Cards Overall, Not Co-Branded Store Cards, and Co-Branded Store Cards Demographic, 2020 (percent of cardholders using card in last 12 months)
  • Historically Trended Customer Base for Selected Private-Label Store Cards
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Dillard's, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: JC Penny, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Macy's, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Nordstrom, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Sears, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Target, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Walmart, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)
  • Table Store Card Only (Not Co-Branded) Usage Trends: Other, Fall 2010 - Fall 2020 (have in own name and used in last 12 months)

Appendix


  • Terms and definitions

Samples

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Companies Mentioned

  • Alliance Data Systems
  • American Eagle
  • Capital One
  • Citi Retail Services
  • Forever 21
  • Hudson's Bay Company
  • Klarna
  • Kohl's
  • Macy's
  • Neiman Marcus
  • Nordstrom
  • Synchrony Financial
  • Target
  • TD Bank
  • Victoria's Secret
  • Walmart
  • Wells Fargo
  • Williams-Sonoma