VISA Black Invitation

[Spanky]

Received an invitation of a per-qualified VISA Black card. The annual fee is $495.
Is the provider of the card actually expect many people to sign up? Have you received such invitation? If so, have you signed up and why?

 

[rescueme]

"A man (or woman) is not measured by the color, nor the logo of his/her credit card"....

Yeah, I just made that up ...

Looks like they are looking for folks to take the bait, IMHO...

 

[harley]

I'll send you a royal purple one for $350.

 

[Leonidas]

For $450 you can get an AmEx Platinum which is a better card by far.

 

[MichaelB]

All the credit cards have levels, they all charge a fee, they all promise exclusivity, and to an certain extent they are legit. That is, it lets cardholders feel in some way superior because they belong to a more exclusive group and it tells merchants that the cardholder has more money. American Express is really good at this.

The cards usually brings benefits that have actual financial value for a few people. For most, having an exclusive card is a benefit for the issuer because it allows them to target their offers with much greater precision, which they do without hesitation. In effect it is a double value for the issuer: a higher fee and a more valuable marketing target.

 

[Bikerdude]

Received an invitation of a per-qualified VISA Black card. The annual fee is $495.
Is the provider of the card actually expect many people to sign up? Have you received such invitation? If so, have you signed up and why?

I think its for people who want/need 24hr concierge service.

 

[Spanky]

I think its for people who want/need 24hr concierge service.

and a sense of superiority.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Why, we are in that exclusive club that gets Visa Black cards offers at least weekly! Woo hoo.

We have 2 not-black Visa cards we use for travel that were upped to Signature status, who knows why. No fee, and they also offer 24/7 concierge service (in fact, they offer most of what the "Black" card does). Which we will likely never use but at least we're not paying for the card.

Signature Visa benefits (on top of existing benefits like miles, etc.): Visa Signature Credit Card Benefits | Visa USA

Black Visa benefits (site won't open for me beyond the main page): https://www.blackcard.com/

 

[laurence]

I got that invite, too, and I think I slapped my forehead in much the same way. Isn't the card made of carbon fiber, or some such? At first I was excited, thinking it might have a better cash back deal than my current platinum card, then as I read the details I think I said out loud, "Wait, you want me to PAY YOU to help you make more merchant exchange fees"

 

[W2R]

What a gyp!

There's a sucker born every minute. Ever feel like every business in the world is constantly trying to chip away at your nestegg in one way or another? I do. (I'm mad that my basic landline went up $1.42/month and thinking of cancelling). And yet, they expect me to jump at the idea of paying $495/12 = $41.25/month for their stupid Visa card that I don't even need.

Not likely...

 

[73ss454]

But just imagine the prestige of pulling the Black Card out in a restaurant and having everyone thinking how stupid you are.

I was just thinking that I got rid of my Debit card last month because of a $4 fee. (heh)

 

[RockMonkey]

I got one of those "exclusive invitations" last week too. I was astounded at the fees. The card has a "carbon fiber" print, but the letter says it's "made from carbon". Yeah, all plastic is made from carbon...

 

[W2R]

But just imagine the prestige of pulling the Black Card out in a restaurant and having everyone thinking how stupid you are.

I just pull out cash so instead of impressing everyone, they probably marvel at how crass I am. I could care less.

 

[eytonxav]

I just pull out cash so instead of impressing everyone, they probably marvel at how crass I am. I could care less.

Nothing beats the feeling of a nice thick wallet filled with $1s

 

[73ss454]

I just pull out cash so instead of impressing everyone, they probably marvel at how crass I am. I could care less.

Yup, how stupid are people to pay a credit card company or bank to use your own money.

 

[W2R]

Nothing beats the feeling of a nice thick wallet filled with $1s

It does help that I can carry it in a purse - -

Yup, how stupid are people to pay a credit card company or bank to use your own money.

Everybody wants a piece of our nesteggs in this economy.

 

[growing_older]

I have a regular ordinary VISA card (Alaska Airlines affinity card), but the card itself is almost all black. Does that mean I should expect waiters and store clerks to start mistaking me for a high-roller who thinks nothing of dropping $495 a year for the color of my credit card. Should I start to expect more fawning attention?

 

[73ss454]

I have a regular ordinary VISA card (Alaska Airlines affinity card), but the card itself is almost all black. Does that mean I should expect waiters and store clerks to start mistaking me for a high-roller who thinks nothing of dropping $495 a year for the color of my credit card. Should I start to expect more fawning attention?

If I were next to you I'd be thinking there is one of those guys who spent $495 for a credit card, what a dummy.

 

[Spanky]

If I were next to you I'd be thinking there is one of those guys who spent $495 for a credit card, what a dummy.

It seems likely that most people are unaware of the prestige or fee that card incurs and therefore completely oblivious to someone using it.

 

[braumeister]

There's [-]a[/-] only a single member of the [-]sucker[/-] special, elite class of people born [-]every[/-] in any given minute.

Fixed it for you.

 

[l2ridehd]

Some cards at this level make sense for some people. The Amex Platinum at one time gave you access to all the airline lounges. When I was doing a lot of global travel for business it was worth having. Now it is not.

 

[Leonidas]

Some cards at this level make sense for some people. The Amex Platinum at one time gave you access to all the airline lounges. When I was doing a lot of global travel for business it was worth having. Now it is not.

That was my take on it as well. BiL is a world traveler and I talked him into getting the AmEx platinum just for that. He even managed to get his company to pick up the annual fee so it's all gravy for him.

Mine is the purple looking SPG awards card. I get comments and second looks all the time from cashiers/waitresses, "I've never seen a card that color". Can't say that it gets me better service or respect or anything like that.

 

[chinaco]

The card that might be worth it for some that does a lot of business traveling.

I'll keep my no fee card for now.

 

[powerplay]

I got that same wonderful offer for Visa Black. The laughter I derived from it was free though.

 

[growing_older]

Interestingly, I can buy a magnetic stripe encoder and make my own card out of any color I like for less than $495. Do you suppose it's legal to make your own card including the magnetic account info if it's a legitimate copy of your own real account? I could have a different color card for every day of the week.