Barclays leads the way in offering online discounts

Barclays has become the first of the big four UK banks to offer

discounts to online customers in an effort to encourage them to use its

internet banking service.

Barclays, which has more internet customers than any other UK bank, is

to waive the booking fee on its tracker mortgage for online customers, a

saving of pounds 150 over those who buy it offline.

’This is the first of many special offers for our internet customers,’

said a Barclays spokeswoman. ’We are looking to grow our internet bank

customer base,’ she added.

Internet customers are popular with banks because they are cheaper to

service as many of their transactions are dealt with by automated

systems.

Barclays last week revealed that up to ten million people will join an

internet bank during the next year. The results came from a

Barclays-funded survey, which polled 1000 people of all ages.

Barclays’ announcement comes one week after the government called on

banks to increase services to poorer people (Marketing, November

18).

Surveys have shown that internet users tend to be from wealthier social

groups.

NatWest is expected to launch its internet bank, NatWest.com, next

week.

HSBC and Lloyds TSB will launch their internet offerings in the first

half of next year.

This article was first published on Marketing