- Office Depot No Longer Selling Visa Gift Cards Online by GC Galore.
- The United States Could Soon Allow Visitors from Europe, Britain and Brazil After Nine-Month Ban by Paddle Your Own Kanoo.
- HSBC considers exit from U.S. retail banking – FT.
- Alaska Airlines Offers 5000 Bonus Miles To New Members by VFTW
Deals starting/expiring at the end of today or starting today (view the full deal calendar here):
Deals starting/expiring at end of tomorrow:
- Southwest Will Stop Blocking Middle Seats On December 1, 2020
- Ibotta: Earn $10 On $200+ Best Western Stay
- Aegean: Become A Member & Earn 5,000 Bonus Miles
- [Targeted] eBay Sellers: Sign Up For eBay Managed Payments & Get $15 Credit
- H-E-B: Purchase $100 In Giftcards & Get $20 H-E-B Giftcards (Visa, Home Depot & More)
- Target Circle: 10% Off One Item (12/1-12/12)
Popular posts from yesterday:
HSBC is a weird company, they were uber sensitive where any purchase you made triggered a fraud alert when I was first with them in 2009. Since some of the credit reporting firms do not report HSBC, it might not affect my credit scores as much. I have 824-836 credit where I likely could afford the ding to have the card canceled for non use if I do not like the new owner of the HSBC USA credit card portfolio.
The problem isn’t with HSBC alone. Most foreign banks only operate in the US just so they claim to have a stake in the US market. But their hearts aren’t really in it and inevitably the US business is just a side gig for them. They don’t invest in the US so customers have no reason to choose foreign banks. Customers don’t choose the foreign banks so the banks lack the scale to achieve any meaningful profit. The cycle continues…
Union Bank (MUFG parent), Bank of the West (BNP Paribas), HSBC Bank USA, and BBVA (which recently sold to PNC) are all just pitiful also-rans in the industry. The problem is that HSBC’s customer service was beyond atrocious. Since they were burned so many times for laundering money on behalf of terrorists and drug cartels, their processes just bore down on the average person. Good riddance!
The only foreign banks that have somewhat managed to make it in the US are the Canadians: BMO Harris, CIBC, City National (RBC).
I also noticed that this OD page was spoilering a promotion which set to live in December, but now this page no longer exist.
https://giftcardmall.officedepot.com/deal/default/visa-gift-card-129
Wow there is no other behemoth like HSBC when it comes to presence in most continents. I can withdraw cash in Singapore or China or De or Australia without a hitch under one name.
Agree. HSBC is the only truly global bank. The next one would probably be Citi — but much fewer footprints in other countries, and Citigold has higher international transaction fees than HSBC Premier.
I opened an HSBC checking account in June and did fake DDs (ACH push) with Ally and Chase, which normally work based on recent DPs but did not trigger the bonus for me.
Wouldn’t think of calling the bank since I didn’t have actual DD. I’ve seen some people file complaints with CFPB but again that’s probably for people who did actual DD and didn’t get their bonuses?
HSBC was a pain to deal with, weird website and online system, phone operators all based out of India. However I put up with it for a whooping $750 bonus with no spend and only DD required.
Agreed. I always wondered how HSBC stayed afloat in the US with such a crappy checking account offering.
So disappointing about OD – on a positive note P2 got $200 appreciation credit on Biz Plat earlier this month after renewal – was able to snag the $15 off $300 by mail offer – it was delivered last week.
More disappointing was my nearest Staples WAS near PDX airport – picked up P2 yesterday she spent 10 days with the in-laws, planned on stopping by to use $40 back on $400 Amex offer on P1/P2 Biz Plats with the no activation fee MC. Oh the humanities. I had no clue the store had closed.
Alas, I used to let P2 run into Ulta while I did some MS next door.
Gotta get in on one more round of hsbc bonuses before they leave
I assume the reason HSBC is struggling is how difficult they are to deal with. Their biggest strength would be their Asia presence, but unless you have Premier you still have to pay forex fees when making transactions there, negating that. Plus a very limited footprint. I will miss the bonuses though if they do pull out.
I always thought their biggest strength was willingness to launder money (in seriousness)
Ne’er-do-wells have regularly relied on retail branches to drop off wheelbarrows of cash. Probably explains why they are only considering dropping the US retail experience – not Asia/Russia/South+Central America.
I’ve never personally banked with them (I’d heard they could be a bit difficult, as mentioned) but I hopped over to their website and they seemed to be pretty mediocre at everything. Checking accounts had quite a few fees and footnotes, never a good sign when fee-free checking is the new normal. A couple credit cards seemed maybe okay, and if I lived anywhere near a branch I MIGHT consider a tiny bit of legitimate business with them, much like Key or TD. But overall? Not super impressive from my view. But losing those bonuses will suck for some of you. RIP
People who have banked with HSBC: That’d be best.