NOW CLOSED Win a £500 Amazon voucher by trying out comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service

[TheOtherHelenMumsnet]

comparethemarket.com, one of the UK's biggest price comparison sites, has just launched a new credit card comparison service and they want to find out what you think of it. Here's what comparethemarket.com says about it: "Using our experience in the insurance comparison market, we aim to give customers a quicker, easier and more intuitive way of finding the right credit card for them - we'd like you to put our new service to the test and look forward to hearing what you think."

They want as many of you as possible to put the new service to the test and add your feedback to this thread. This is open to all UK MNers aged 18 and over. Please note that you don't have to sign up to any of the credit cards offered on the website to take part in this - it's purely for research purposes.

Some of you may have already taken part in testing this service if you are on the Mumsnet Research Panel but please feel free to add your comments about the service to this thread too.

If you'd like to take part then here's what you need to do:

1. Visit www.comparethemarket.com/credit-cards, have a look around and compare some of the credit cards on offer, then
2. Come back to this thread and add your feedback on what you think of the service - there are some feedback questions below to start you off but please feel free to add any other comments too.

This thread will be open until Weds 8th Feb - everyone who takes part and adds their comments below by the closing date will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get £500 of Amazon vouchers. Please note that your comments may be used (anonymously) by comparethemarket.com for marketing purposes.

Questions:
Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Haven't I done this before????????

Can you promise that comparethemarket and the credit-card providers will not phone me up and hassle me?

This has been timely for us, as we're looking at transferring.

Questions:
Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?
Pretty easy compared to the other site that I tried. Not sure what it means in the examples by "assumed borrowing of £X", when that isn't the same figure as the one I entered for the balance that needs to be transferred.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?
Very useful just now, because we're currently looking at transferring, but this isn't something we'd do very often. Particuarly like the section that says what you need to do to apply for each option.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?
Liked the display, with highest savings at the top. However, I worry that it's too simple IYSWIM - that I might look at the savings and disregard other information that might also be important.
Slider tools I found are a useful concept but in practice a bit slow, as they seem to reload each time you move the slider. Also, it's hard to hit an exact figure (e.g. for balance), and if you hit the wrong one, waiting for the reload is extra annoying.
Unfortunately, the site then got so slow that I couldn't go back for a second look (possibly with a huge influx from MN!)

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?
Yes, there are a few good options there.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, planning to show it to OH to discuss our balance transfer. Info is better laid out than other site I tried. Comparethemarket is a familiar brand. Might not use it if it's really slow like that, but am assuming this is just because it's new and loads of people are looking at the same time.

Thanks for chance to try it!

PS - looking at Ninja's comment - haven't done a MN feedback thread before as am quite new. If I do get marketing calls, then I certainly won't be using the site again!

Questions:
Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

After some initial confusion, probably more down to lack of coffee than the actual website - I found it easy to understand.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

I did not personally find it useful as I don't use credit cards, but I think it would be useful for anyone who wants to compare the various deals before opening a new credit card account, or before doing a balance transfer, etc

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

The display was very clear and easy to understand. I did use the slider tools and they were easy to use and understand also

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

I did not, but I wasn't looking for a credit card for myself, purely to assess the web page.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes. If at any point I do actually want to look for a good credit card deal, I would use the service.

I don't know if it is comparethemarket or gocompare or whoever, but I have had calls from comparison websites before (usually when looking to buy insurance of some kind). Well, not technically from the comparison websites but from the insurers themselves, but they can only have got my details from the comparison website.

I am not accusing comparethemarket personally, but I am asking for confirmation that they have clear and easy-to-see boxes stating "do not call me or email me or bother me in any way". Ideally the default would be "do not call me", and we would be able to obtain a quote without having to put in our phone numbers.

Great idea. I second that .

Ninja you don't have to put any details into it at all. Just click on stuff

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?
Easy.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?
Yes, if you need it.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?
Good.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?
Yes I did

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?
Might do, it was very simple and displayed info easily.

OnlyANinja - I tested one such website a few months ago, using a false name and my work email address to get some quotes. Lo, within days I was getting spammed by financial/credit companies, all addressed to the fake name. RUMBLED.

Questions:
Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

Really simple, and easy to use. Gave me the details I need to know about each card.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Yes, very useful. Good to have all the info in one place.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

I liked the savings info. Very easy to use.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

Yes I found a card that suited.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I will use it again. Really useful to have.

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

Easy to use, though the slider was a bit fiddly on my laptop's trackpad. I liked the categories, ie balance transfer/credit building etc.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Not personally useful as I'm not looking for any more debt credit at the moment

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

As before - fiddly on a trackpad but useful in principle

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

As before, not looking for credit at the moment. I would like to make a point about how I believe 'credit building' credit cards are unethical, what with being a way to fleece extortionate rates of interest out of those who can least afford it, but I suppose that's an issue for the provider rather than the broker.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Unlikely, as I'm planning on being debt-free and living within our (very modest) means within two years.

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not? I found it very easy to use and was able to understand all of the information. It was a lot easier to use than I was expecting

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not? I did find it reasonably easy, I keep thinking about getting a credit card that offers cashback advantages and was able to look at a list of all that was available and select specific ones that I was interested in.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use? Display is great, very easy to understand. I like slider tools because they are so simple.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't? I found a few I might be interested in, although would need to chat to DH first.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not? Yes, I would. It seems pretty easy to use and clear to understand. I've not used a credit card comparison site before (didn't realise they existed ) but this one seems pretty decent.

Questions:
Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

Was well laid out and easy to understand.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Liked how it was split into categories, and displayed in a table. Definitely found that useful.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

Used the slider tool and liked the overall savings box. Liked the + / - section so that you can easily see drawbacks of card.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

Wasn't looking to get a credit card today, but if I had, I would definately have seen one I liked.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

I think I would use it if I was looking to get a new card in the future

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

There is not enough information provided. I was looking for the best card to earn airmiles. Yesterday I researched this on moneysavingexpert.com who had a specific section on credit cards that earn airmiles. This site had a much broader section on cards that earn rewards. Within that the airmiles cards were scattered about and not easy to compare. There was no usful comparison info and the info that was provided was too scant to be helful (e.g. what does "Fantastic if you want to spend £15,000 for companion ticket offer" mean?).

To be honest I found the moneysavingexpert.com comparison miles better.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Not really. See above. You need more specific categories (e.g. not just "Credit cards that earn rewards" but instead "Credit cards that earn cash back in high street shops" "Credit cards that earn airmles" etc.). There also nees to be more comparison data such as "This card is great if you are a regular traveller on one airline. However, if you shop around between airlines you would be better looking at a more general airmiles card such as xxx" or "This card offers you 2 miles per £ spent compared to AMEX's 1 mile per £ spent but remember that this as a sign up fee whereas AMEX does not". That kind of comparison info is available on other sites and is really helpful.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

I think I am being stupid, or have an odd browser, because I cannot see slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for credit cards that give rewards. It is there on the other dropdown menus but not the one I was interested in. Why is that?

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

I found what I needed on moneysavingexpert.com which provided much more inforamtion and gave prompts for the kind of questions I needed to consider when choosing a card.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

No. It did not have enough comparison info and it did not allow detailed searches for specific types of card.

Thanks for your responses so far - here's a message from comparethemarket.com in response to your queries:

"No one participating in this research for comparethemarket.com will be required to enter any personal details and will not receive any marketing calls. More generally, comparethemarket.com has a clear privacy policy around the use and protection of private data which can be found here. With regard to this research, comparethemarket.com may simply use your feedback anonymously in future marketing or PR materials. If you have any more questions then please do let us know."

Ps Posie - if you're on the MN research panel you may have taken part in something similar but you're welcome to take part in this too!

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

I understood all the information provided, found it a clear and easy to follow layout, liked how it split into categories

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Yes as it was useful to check if another crd would offer us a better deal.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

I didn't use the slider tools as the range of cards I would be interested in did not have that tool (credit building cards)

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

I did find cards suitable to my needs although would run decision past DP first(who is better with figures)

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Website was slow and 'glitchy' for me which would put me off a little but information is clear to follow so if I were looking to get a new card I may well check here first

Thanks TOHM.....

I did wonder what you would be known as.....

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

Very easy and straight forward. All info was clear.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Yes I did - was surprised that the "big" names weren't necessarily the cheapest.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

The sliders were fine on the sensitivity test and were useful. Easier than typing in info too :)

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you
have liked to see offered that wasn't?

I'd like to see more Charity Donation cards listed. Coz I'm a soppy old hippy

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes and have sent a link to my sister to try hers.

Thanks for clarification, MN/Compare .

Questions:
Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?
I found it easy to use, and the information provided was in an easy to understand format.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?
Yes, because we have a credit card, and it's always good to see if you can get a better deal elsewhere.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?
The overall savings was handy to see. I found the sliders a little difficult to use with my laptop track pad, as they seemed a little slow.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?
Yes, a few.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, I think I would. It's quick and easy to use.

I did this test as part of the MN panel.

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

It was simple enough. If anything, I found the information lacking, though.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

No. I had been genuinely researching cashback credit cards at the time of the MN panel survey and had already narrowed down to a few. None of them were listed on comparethemarket.com

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

I didn't use these. I can do the sums, myself. I always pay off at the end of the month, so I'm not interested in interest rates.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't?

No. M&S, Amazon and John Lewis weren't listed, as far as i can remember. There was also no way to compare the cashback given by the cards that were listed.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

No. I found much better information elsewhere.

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

It was very easy to use but at times I would have liked more information.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not? > It would have been useful if I had been planning to change.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use? > It was easy to use the sliders and I could see that if you were wanting to change cards this would really help you.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you have liked to see offered that wasn't? > No - I wasn't looking to change cards.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not? > If I ever want to change cards then I would certainly look at it (as well as others).

Q1. How easy or difficult did you find the credit card comparison service to use? Did you find it easy to understand all of the information provided or not?

Easy to understand, no problems at all.

Q2. Did you find the credit card comparison service useful? If so why? If not, why not?

Yes it is a good idea to have lots of providers together, I was shocked at some of the cards on offer though.

Q3. What did you think of the display showing your overall savings for each credit card? Did you use the slider tools at the top of the comparison pages for balance transfers, purchase or combination cards? If so, how did you find them to use?

I liked the sliders very much, simple to use and much quicker than typing everything.

Q4. Did you find a credit card that suited your needs? If not, what would you
have liked to see offered that wasn't?

Yes I like the cards that offer rewards/cash back.

Q5 Do you think you'd use comparethemarket.com's credit card comparison service again in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes and will tell my best friend to do this too