Opt for e-commerce card if you are a regular buyer

Those who already own three-four cards can give it a pass

• To attract the growing population of online shoppers, banks are launching credit cards in tie-ups with e-tailers. HDFC recently launched a co-branded credit card with Snapdeal and SBI Cards has tied up with multiple online players to offer a SimplyCLICK card.
• Around 65 million consumers in India are expected to purchase online in 2015, against around 40 million in 2014, says a report by Assocham-PwC on e-commerce.
• "For e-tailers, a co-branded card is a strategic way of having their brands in the wallet of the customer and build loyalty," says Parag Rao, senior executive vice-president, HDFC Bank.
• Though there are 'accelerated' benefits for consumers who would enrol for such cards, experts say those who already own three-four credit cards can stay away. "At present, the discounts offered on these cards are at par with what cardholders of other banks get. It's not too attractive for someone to surrender his current ones and go for an e-commerce card, unless he is a regular buyer on one of the portals, say, those who order groceries online," says Rishi Mehra, co-founder, deal4loans.com. These are best suited for youngsters who are into their first job and have one card through the bank where they have a salary account, and are looking for a second card.