eBillme has announced it will give consumers 1% cash back for every purchase made using its cash checkout option. According to the company, "in order to qualify, online shoppers select eBillme for checkout at one of over 800 online merchant sites offering the credit card alternative payment option. Consumers can then sign-up for eBillme's cash back rewards and immediately start earning 1% cash back for every order. Once $10 in rewards has been earned, the cash can be redeemed on eBillme merchant sites, or shoppers may choose to continue earning before redeeming." READ MORE

SunTrust and Delta Air Lines have announced that consumers and businesses will soon be able to earn Delta miles on all signature-based purchases made with a new SunTrust SkyMiles Check Card, launching June 22. According to the two companies, "this will be the first time Delta has offered mileage-earning opportunities through a check card, and is the first co-branded check card relationship for SunTrust." The card will have a minimum annual fee of $20. READ MORE

Barclaycard has announced that it plans to introduce a retailer rewards scheme in partnership with Welcome Real-time "that will enable Barclaycard customers to benefit from a retailer rewards scheme that is expected to encompass retailers ranging from sole traders to major high street names." READ MORE

In an article titled "Frequent Fliers, Choose Your Card", Justin Bachman writes for BusinessWeek about the battle between US Bank and American Express over the former US Bank/Northwest Airlines WorldPerks cardholders - now that Northwest is about to merge with Delta, longtime partner with American Express. Bachman writes: "The fight over this customer base has been ferocious."

In an article titled "Revealing the Hidden Cost Of Credit Cards" in tomorrow's Sunday Washington Post, Michelle Singletary writes that "transactors" (those who pay off their credit card bills every month - sometimes called "convenience users") may soon see the return of "widespread annual fees" on their credit cards.

Could this result in a further acceleration of spending away from credit cards and toward debit cards - as transactors finally decide the float/rewards benefits of their credit cards just aren't worth the new money they might cost?

Who wins in that scenario? Debit cards are cheaper for merchants to accept. Would they be the beneficiaries?

MasterCard Worldwide has announced that the U.S. Postal Service and Dunkin' Donuts have joined the list of merchants that provide small businesses with automatic discounts and savings through the MasterCard Easy Savings Program. Eligible MasterCard business credit and signature debit, U.S. cardholders enrolled in the program will now receive an automatic 5 percent rebate on Click 'N Ship purchases made with the United States Postal Service at usps.com, and an automatic 5 percent rebate on purchases at Dunkin' Donuts. READ MORE

American Express has announced a number of new benefits available through its Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards as well as the launch of what it is calling "a 360-degree marketing campaign to build awareness for the Cards in key Delta hubs that were formerly Northwest hubs within the U.S. including Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis." READ MORE

Maria Aspan reports for the American Banker in Monday's edition that "U.S. Bancorp and American Express Co. are squaring off for a marketing battle that will be waged with reward programs but could be won on reputation." At stake are the cardholders of the Northwest WorldPerks Visa card (issued by US Bank) - with US Bank also competing for those cardholders with a new FlexPerks Visa card! See the next story for late news tonight about litigation brought by Northwest against US Bank.

Suzanne Ziegler reports for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune about a lawsuit filed today by Northwest Airlines (now merged into Delta) against US Bank trying to stop the bank's efforts to migrate cardholders from the soon to be defunct Northwest Worldperks Visa card (issued by US Bank) to U.S. Bank's new FlexPerks Visa card. Delta is, of course, planning to move those cardholders to its American Express SkyMiles card.

U.S. Bank has announced that its customers who have been earning miles on Northwest Airlines by using their WorldPerks Visa cards will now be able to earn points toward free flights on over 150 airlines with no blackout dates or award ticket redemption fees with new U.S. Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa cards. READ MORE

In an article titled "Credit card companies should stay out of the debit card market", Craig McInnes writes for the Vancouver Sun about the costs to merchants of payment card acceptance. He discusses both the costs of rewards cards to merchants as well as a concern that replacing Interac debit cards would also increase costs to merchants. According to McInnes, "that would drive up the price of everything we buy."

Bank of America has announced the launch of a new online shopping site that "allows enrolled customers to earn up to 20% cash back on their purchases at more than 270 online retailers, including top names such as Walmart.com, BestBuy.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Customers with a current Bank of America credit or check card who are enrolled in online banking can register for free through the Add It Up site at http://www.bankofamerica.com/additup." READ MORE

US Bank says that "businesses that are looking for ways to add to their bottom lines now have a new way to save and earn rewards while managing expenses with the U.S. Bank Cash Rewards Business Platinum Card. Cardholders can enjoy savings on the business purchases they make most, earning three percent cash back on cellular, gas and office supply purchases and one percent cash back on all other purchases." READ MORE

Citi has announced the launch of Citi Forward, calling it "a credit card designed to meet the specific financial needs and interests of today’s consumers. Specially built to help consumers maintain healthy credit, Citi Forward is the only credit card that lowers the purchase interest rate by a quarter percent when cardmembers use credit wisely and rewards them with ThankYou Points each billing period for paying on time and staying under the credit line." Citi Forward is a Visa-branded card. READ MORE

Citi has announced it is offering members of its ThankYou Rewards Network the chance to put their creativity into wallets around the world with the launch of the ThankYou Gift Card Design Contest. READ MORE

In an article titled "Banks Make Rewards Plans Less Rewarding", Jane J. Kim writes for the Wall St. Journal about how banks and credit card issuers have been reducing the value of rewards programs - just like the airlines have been doing for a while. The article includes a summary of changes to rewards programs either made or upcoming by the major card issuers.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has published three working papers on payment card fees and cardholder rewards:

• The Economics of Payment Card Fee Structure: What Is The Optimal Balance Between Merchant fee and Payment Card Rewards?
• The Economics of Payment Card Fee Structure: What Drives Payment Card Rewards?
• The Economics of Payment Card Fee Structure: Policy Considerations of Payment Card Rewards

Shell Oil Products US has announced it has launched the Shell Saver Card - saying it is "the first gasoline retailer to make an electronic check payment method available to consumers nationally. This latest Shell payment option provides consumers with a convenient way to pay for purchases with a direct link to a checking account and savings on each gallon of fuel pumped at Shell stations." READ MORE

Delta Air Lines and American Express have announced a multiyear extension of their exclusive Co-brand Credit Card partnerships. As part of the partnership agreement, Delta will receive an immediate $1 billion boost to its liquidity from a purchase of SkyMiles. Delta said it expects to receive an additional $1 billion from contract improvements through 2010.

Jane J. Kim reports for the Wall St. Journal about Charles Schwab's launch of the Schwab Bank Invest First Visa Signature credit card - 2% cash rebate on all purchases, with no spending limits. Cardholders must have a Schwab brokerage account which is where the rebates will be deposited monthly. More details here.

Citi’s ThankYou Rewards Network has announced that it now allows its members to redeem ThankYou Points for products fulfilled through Amazon.com. According to Citi, "members can enjoy using their points to shop the millions of items Citi has made available to them from Amazon.com, the online retailer that features earth’s biggest selection." READ MORE

Vesdia has announced the addition of several new brands to its portfolio, including: Claim Jumper Restaurants, Dale and Thomas Popcorn, Gaiam, Mori Luggage & Gifts, Puritan's Pride Vitamins, and The North Face. These merchant brands are working with Vesdia to participate in partnership marketing programs with Citibank, Citizens Bank, Hawaiian Airlines, SunTrust Banks, Inc and others. Vesdia says its "partnership marketing programs drive direct results for each merchant partner, including a positive return on investment, increased brand exposure and incremental sales." READ MORE

Safeway has announced it is doubling its PowerPump Gas Rewards for gift cards purchased at Safeway stores. READ MORE

Citi’s ThankYou Network has announced it has made arrangements with Citi Prepaid Services to introduce a new prepaid card rewards option for members of ThankYou Network. The prepaid cards – available in three denominations, $25, $50 and $100 – can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. READ MORE

MasterCard Worldwide has announced the launch of MasterCard Saving - calling it "a new, innovative program that provides Debit MasterCard and eligible Prepaid MasterCard cardholders with hundreds of significant merchant-funded discounts and special offers each day from thousands of merchants across the country. Debit and prepaid MasterCard cardholders can quickly enroll at http://savings.mastercard.com. There is no cost to cardholders." READ MORE

Capital One Bank has announced it has introduced a Rewards Checking account that "allows customers to easily earn rewards for everyday banking activities." READ MORE

Vesdia has announced it has been selected by SunTrust Banks to help enhance the bank’s debit and credit card loyalty programs through Vesdia’s merchant network and partnership marketing services. READ MORE

In an article titled "Airlines Want Cash. Card Firms Stiffen Terms. Who'll Blink?", Robin Sidel and Susan Carey write for the Wall St. Journal about negotiations between US airlines and credit card issuers over negotiations to provide the airlines with more capital.

Thanks Again, a merchant-funded reward network, and RocketBux, a mobile advertising company, have announced a partnership to enable Thanks Again registered consumers and participating merchants to interact via mobile messaging. The partnership will allow consumers to enroll in the Thanks Again Rewarding Merchant Program via mobile phone and receive scannable, barcoded coupons triggered by card transaction data. In addition, Thanks Again will be providing their participating merchant and reward partners the ability to communicate to the consumer base via opt-in mobile messaging. READ MORE