American Express Is Good For $60 Despite Macro Uncertainty [View article]
In Australia, too many merchants charge a surcharge if I wish to pay using AMEX. So while they deliver an "affluent" customer to the merchant, it does not necessarily mean that the customer will pay by AMEX...I simply swap my AMEX with a Visa or MasterCard. Merchants tell me that people with expense accounts usually are price insensitive and end up using AMEX anyway; most people behave the way I do.
With the world spinning just a bit slower, I reckon expense accounts are becoming smaller as well. I am therefore not entirely convinced on the AMEX moat not drying up. Yes, they do have a very sophisticated BI loop, but this will not translate into $$ if I cannot be convinced to swipe my AMEX. And that's not going to happen if I have to pay a 1.25% surcharge for the privelage.
As Western Economies Totter, Don't Overlook Explosive Growth In Africa [View article]
@Buk / Rob: My children learn about Respect, Acceptance and Inclusion in primary school. Looks like both of you could do with those lessons as well. There's a word, called "contrarian" that could be used in this situation - not everybody HAS to see things your way. Disappointed that an otherwise engaging debate got flushed down to personal slander. Think we can bring the game back up?
Big Return Investing: Excellent Companies With Fixable Problems [View article]
I agree! During the BP leak, I wanted to buy, but chickened out when the uninformed energy and environment "experts" suggested gravely that this was big enough to fold the company. Ah - to build conviction and circle of competence....!! <sigh!>
Buy Visa: The Company Is In Great Shape, And That's A Fact [View article]
No, I haven't seen Paypal enter the offline world (yet). The "Big 4" banks are gearing up to provide some competition via "social" payments (e.g. pay your Facebook friend), and contact-less payment options though (e.g. Kaching from Commonwealth Bank). I think these options bypass the VISA / Mastercard duopoly as well - in fact I am not sure what response VISA, et al are formulating for the social / micro-payment phenomenon.
Buy Visa: The Company Is In Great Shape, And That's A Fact [View article]
@Huffboy: "Very few people outside USA use Paypal". This might not be correct. I am in Australia, where EBay is extremely popular. And Paypal is right next to it as the medium of choice for anything that you cannot pick up. I know at least 40-50 people who buy online - and if Paypal is available, they prefer paying via Paypal rather than direct deposit. I suspect this anecdotal evidence will be true for the larger online buying public as well.
American Express Is Good For $60 Despite Macro Uncertainty [View article]
With the world spinning just a bit slower, I reckon expense accounts are becoming smaller as well. I am therefore not entirely convinced on the AMEX moat not drying up. Yes, they do have a very sophisticated BI loop, but this will not translate into $$ if I cannot be convinced to swipe my AMEX. And that's not going to happen if I have to pay a 1.25% surcharge for the privelage.
As Western Economies Totter, Don't Overlook Explosive Growth In Africa [View article]
Big Return Investing: Excellent Companies With Fixable Problems [View article]
Ah - to build conviction and circle of competence....!! <sigh!>
McDonald's Sell-Off? Investors Should Be Lovin' It [View article]
:D
Buy Visa: The Company Is In Great Shape, And That's A Fact [View article]
Buy Visa: The Company Is In Great Shape, And That's A Fact [View article]