Q&As

The Upper Deck Co., a trading card company, has launched its first rewards program for kids. The program gives kids points for cards purchased in the company’s Major League Baseball line of products.

Shell Oil Products U.S. is dangling gift cards as an incentive to get prospective customers to sign up for its new credit card.

Monster, Inc., an online career and recruitment resource, is rewarding those hungry for a job in three key cities with discounts on meals and chances to win free dinners for opening a My Monster account.

Convenience-store chain AmeriStop has launched a loyalty program using cards that tailor messages to members each time they visit the store.

McDonald’s CMO was in New York City yesterday, dressed in running pants and T-shirt, spreading the message that the company plans to do a better job telling its story—that it offers choices for consumers, not just burgers and fries.

DRM Labs has developed Voupon iTV, an interactive system that lets TV watchers use and redeem coupons—almost—from their couches.

Melitta USA is bringing a taste of Europe to Philadelphia for the next six weeks, and may tour a slate of U.S. cities in 2007.

Technophiles can now get their dining and entertainment discounts via GPS. Coupon-book publisher Entertainment Publications has launched SaversGuide, a GPS subscription service offering 45,000 discounts from restaurants, hotels, retailers and entertainment venues. GPS users plug into the geo-coded service to find local deals across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Visa USA is lending its debit card to strengthen the bond between retailers and shoppers.

(Direct Newsline)—Experian will close most of its incentive and loyalty programs, including Web-based incentive marketing, and will lay off two-thirds of the staff in its MetaReward subsidiary or about 50 people, according to a report in ClickZ.