Regardless of the color, the bank card is the main item of bank fees. The classic model costs 44 euros on average, the higher one (Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold) 130 euros, according to Panorabanques calculations. However, you can amortize your price by using the “cashback” services set up by some devices. Customers who sign up for these offers will be reimbursed a fraction of the cost spent on the bank card.
Unlike loyalty programs offered by big brands in the form of a discount on a future purchase, cashback leads to the payment of cash to the bank account of the holder, who can then spend it as they please.
The principle is not new, American Express has offered it in France since the 90s, but cashback is now also present in network banks such as BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, La Banque Postale and SG. LCL, for its part, ended its program focused on local stores in March 2023 due to a lack of a sufficient number of partners. Online banks BoursoBank, Hello Bank, Ma French Bank and Revolut have also launched and BforBank is considering this as part of its new positioning.
In order to receive offers, you generally need to register – for free – with your bank’s program. Depending on the establishment, it is really a reimbursement of a fraction of the purchase from the partner (often around 10%), but sometimes also a favorable offer (e.g. −10% on the invoice) or even vouchers.
Partner Brands
This last system is preferred by Jérôme (first name changed), a 50-year-old sports fan who trains at Decathlon. “With automatic checkout, I buy a voucher for an amount close to my account through the BoursoBank app and scan it to pay. The reduction is immediate: I pay €95 for a €100 voucher, it’s much better than being reimbursed for part of my purchase later”, testifies. BoursoBank customers saved an average of 75 euros from the 1stahem January 2023 thanks to The Corner program at partner brands such as Carrefour, Cdiscount, Fnac, Ikea and Pathé Gaumont.
Each bank therefore offers a list of partners with whom cashback works. These include physical brands as well as e-commerce sites. With SG, the cashback amounts accumulated during purchases are deposited in the bank, which is paid to the customer once it reaches 20 euros. BNP Paribas pays cashback to its customer once a month, within thirty to ninety days after the purchase.
You have 25% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
