Three wallet cards in one

Between credit cards, cash cards, ID cards, membership cards, pass cards, travel cards and frequent customer cards—to name just a few—wallet cards are almost like passwords these days in terms of their explosive proliferation. But consumers in London now have the opportunity for a small respite thanks to Barclays Bank, which has scored a victory in the name of simplicity by combining three of those cards in one. The new Barclaycard OnePulse combines credit card, cash card and Oyster card—used by Londoners for mass transportation—to remove a few cards and a few steps from consumers’ daily lives. The card functions exactly as a regular credit and cash card does, allowing consumers to shop securely and pay for smaller purchases (under GBP 10) with one-touch payment, requiring no PIN. Even better, though, is that the card includes a built-in Oyster travel card, giving consumers access to area bus, Tube, tram and train services. Just as with a stand-alone Oyster card, consumers either buy a season ticket or prepay as they go, replenishing the card periodically as they use it. Barclaycard’s Auto Top-off service will even replenish the pay-as-you-go Oyster function automatically with GBP 20 or 40 when the balance falls below GBP 5, saving consumers the need to queue up to do so. The focus is highly localized on this one, but the same basic idea can be applied virtually anywhere. And in an industry as fiercely competitive as credit cards and personal banking, it’s hard to imagine a better way to create a competitive advantage: make things easier for consumers, and they’ll reward you with more business and greater loyalty. New York, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, anyone…? Spotted by: Junaid Kazi