You can earn 1000 Marriott points for setting up and using Visa Checkout once through September 24.

• Earn 500 points when you sign up for Visa Checkout on Marriott.com
  
• 500 points when you use Visa Checkout within 15 days of signing up

This is for new Visa Checkout users only and the address on your new Visa Checkout account must match the email address on your Marriott Rewards account.

Highlighting the big Wyndham bonus for paying with MasterPass, I wrote about how new payment technologies businesses spend money on customer acquisition through bonuses for two basic reasons.

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

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

The bet is that customers who try a technology or process 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 companies. And then the idea that you’re locked in starts to break down.

Terms and conditions:

To qualify for the “Marriott Visa Checkout Marketing Promotion” (the “Promotion”) and earn 500 Marriott Rewards® bonus points, a Marriott Rewards member must enroll in Visa Checkout by creating a Visa Checkout account at http://www.marriott.com/about/online-hotel-booking/visa-checkout.mi between July 24 and September 24 while supplies last (the “Promotion Period”). If a customer does not have a Marriott Rewards account at the time of enrollment he/she must create an account to be eligible for this Promotion. A Visa Checkout account and a Marriott Rewards member account are free to create. Email address on Visa Checkout account must match email address associated with Marriott Rewards member account.

To receive the additional 500 Marriott Rewards® bonus points, a Marriott Rewards member who enrolled in Visa Checkout during the Promotion period must use their new Visa Checkout account anywhere Visa Checkout is accepted within fifteen (15) days of opening a new Visa Checkout account. Marriott Rewards members who enrolled in Visa Checkout prior to the Promotion Period are not eligible for this Promotion.

This Promotion is available to Marriott Rewards members who are residents of the U.S. and whose Marriott Rewards accounts are in good standing. 1,000 points maximum reward per Visa Checkout and Marriott Rewards account. One enrollment per person. Not valid toward previous enrollments in Visa Checkout. Bonus award points cannot be processed if email address on Visa Checkout account does not match email address associated with Marriott Rewards member account. Allow 6 to 8 weeks from the end of the Promotion Period for delivery of the bonus points award. Marriott Rewards members who have elected in their account profile to earn miles are not eligible for the Promotion.

Visa and Marriott may cancel or suspend this offer and any transaction associated with the cardholder’s name, email address or account and close any associated Visa Checkout accounts at any time with immediate effect and without written notice, if Visa or Marriott determines that a cardholder has engaged in fraudulent activity or breached the terms and conditions. This Promotion and its terms and conditions are subject to cancellation or change without notice. Void where prohibited by law. All Marriott Rewards program terms and conditions apply. See http://www.marriott.com/rewards/terms/default.mi for full details.

(HT: dubs3011)