Digital payment companies spend money on customer acquisition through bonuses for two basic reasons.

• Customers need a reason to adopt a new technology, even if it’s easy they need to be convinced to pay attention

• Technology providers often bet that there’s a lock-in effect or path dependence, whomever gets you to pay attention first and gets you using the technology has a good shot at retaining your business out of habit.

The bet is that customers who try a technology will keep using it, so new customers are valuable since they’ll more than pay back acquisition costs over time through future use.

There are of course ways to overcome that path dependence … such as bonuses from other technology providers. Sure you may be used to one mobile wallet, but for a big enough bonus you might try another. And then the idea that you’re locked in starts to break down.

Card issuers want you to use their product with Uber, with postmates or seamless, with Amazon because it’s easy to set and forget your payment mechanism. When you go to check out the simple thing is to pay with the card on file. The last thing you want to do when using a convenient on demand technology is to spend time setting up new payment details. Which is why I’m surprised we don’t see even more bonuses for Amazon spend. And why we don’t see card companies figuring out payment integration to one-click populate a whole series of apps with a cardmember’s details.

The latest bonus for using a mobile payment technology comes from Wyndham and MasterCard: 7500 points for paying for a stay completed by October 31 with Masterpass, and you can earn the bonus twice.

Bookings can be made using the Wyndham Rewards mobile app or online at www.wyndhamhotels.com but not WyndhamRewards.com.

With this offer 2 stays earns enough points for a free night at any Wyndham property (including managed vacation properties, where 15,000 points per bedroom is the cost of a night).

Terms and conditions:

Masterpass is not available for payment when a booking is made through WyndhamRewards.com.

Capitalized terms used without definition in these terms and conditions (“Promotion Terms”) will have the meanings ascribed to them in the Wyndham Rewards program terms and conditions (the “Program Terms”).

To qualify for the “Masterpass Marketing Promotion” (“Promotion”) and earn 7,500 Wyndham Rewards bonus points, a Wyndham Rewards member must: (i) have or create a new Masterpass Account, (ii) sign into their Wyndham Rewards account; (iii) between August 7, 2017 and October 31, 2017 book a Qualified Stay at a Participating Hotel; (iv) use Masterpass as payment for such stay; and (v) complete a Qualified Stay at such Participating Hotel by October 31, 2017, as so booked, between August 7, 2017 and October 31, 2017 (“Qualified Stay”). The period beginning on August 7, 2017 and ending on October 31, 2017 hereinafter referred to as the “Promotion Period”.

Each Member and Masterpass accountholder who books and completes a Qualified Stay in accordance with these terms and conditions will receive 7,500 Wyndham Rewards bonus points (each, a “Bonus”) for each such Qualified Stay during the Promotion Period, up to a maximum of two (2) separate Bonuses. One stay includes all consecutive nights at the same hotel, regardless of check-ins or check-outs. Stays with check-out dates after November 1, 2017 will not count towards the Promotion. Members who have elected to earn Travel Partner Currency in their member profile and who book and stay in accordance with the Promotion, will receive their base point earning in Travel Partner Currency with the Bonus denominated in 7,500 Wyndham Rewards points. The credit card associated with a member’s Masterpass account acts as a guarantee for the reservation(s) at the time of booking(s). Member must also present a credit card at time of check-in. Such credit card does not have to be the same credit card as the one associated with the member’s Masterpass account provided, however, member may not change their method of payment if their reservation(s) is pre-paid. Registrants should allow four to six weeks after completion of stay(s) for the bonus points to be credited to their Wyndham Rewards account. This Promotion is available to Wyndham Rewards Members who are residents of the U.S. or Canada (other than Quebec) and are in good standing. Not valid toward prior stays. This Promotion and its terms and conditions are subject to cancellation or change without notice. Rates offered by on-line travel agencies and certain other rates do not qualify. Void where prohibited by law. Full Wyndham Rewards program terms and conditions apply and can be found at www.WyndhamRewards.com/terms