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Mobile banking applications have long served as versatile platforms for managing personal finances. However, a new generation of credit card tools, exemplified by services like Capital One Shopping, is emerging with a singular focus: to amplify consumer purchasing power.
According to a recent study by Keynova Group, credit card issuers are actively enhancing their mobile app capabilities on two fronts. They are integrating advanced digital shopping tools to stimulate consumer spending and loyalty on the front end, while simultaneously streamlining transaction dispute resolution processes on the back end.
“Issuers are strengthening the mobile credit card experience on all fronts — expanding digital shopping tools that enrich rewards and serve as powerful marketing and retention agents, while adding deepened transaction details that reduce resource-intensive disputes,” states Beth Robertson, managing director at Keynova. The comprehensive study evaluated the offerings of ten leading credit card issuers.
Digital Shopping Tools: A Catalyst for Card Usage
Keynova’s fourth-quarter 2025 Mobile Credit Card Scorecard highlights the evolution of digital shopping tools. Initially, these programs, such as Rakuten Rewards, PayPal Honey, and Wikibuy (which Capital One later acquired in 2018 to form Capital One Shopping), existed as standalone platforms. Their popularity surged significantly during the pandemic, becoming integral to the digital shopping experience.
Card issuers are now embracing various program types that link consumers with merchant products and services. Keynova’s research specifically examined digital browser extensions and mobile apps designed to automatically deliver coupons and discounts as users shop online. Once enrolled, these services monitor shopping patterns in the background, proactively identifying deals without requiring manual searching from the consumer.
Robertson explains, “Other than installing the extension, once you go out to a site to shop, the extension generally lets you know if there is an opportunity to either use a code to get rewards or to activate particular rewards.” A significant advantage of these programs is the ability to offer “stackable rewards,” allowing cardholders to combine identified savings with their existing cashback or other card benefits.
In contrast, merchant offer programs, like Chase Offers, operate differently. These are typically presented on issuers’ digital platforms, requiring cardholders to actively review and sign up for each desired offer. Such activations usually have a 30-day lifespan and must be renewed. Four out of five major issuers reviewed by Keynova currently provide these programs.
Driving Brand Visibility and Loyalty
Capital One Shopping, which partners with over 100,000 merchants, notably extends its services beyond Capital One customers. The bank generates commissions from merchant purchases and, in return, builds goodwill and brand exposure. This interaction can even lead to pre-approved card offers, keeping the Capital One brand “front of mind” for consumers.
Other banks, however, tie their digital shopping services directly to credit card usage. Citibank’s Citi Shop requires eligible cardholders to register their card to access deals from over 5,000 merchants. Similarly, U.S. Bank offers U.S. Bank Shopping Deals, collaborating with more than 1,000 merchants. Beyond savings, this function also provides opportunities for additional rewards like points or cashback.
Enhanced Transaction Details Reduce Costly Disputes
The frustration of encountering an unfamiliar charge on a credit card statement is common. While some instances point to fraud, often the cardholder has simply forgotten the purchase or is unaware of a joint cardholder’s transaction. Resolving these disputes is a time-consuming and costly process for issuers, merchants, and consumers alike.
A few years ago, some banks introduced app functionality allowing users to photograph physical receipts and link them to corresponding digital transactions. While conceptually designed to aid expense reporting and reduce disputes, the two-step process proved cumbersome for many users.
Today, more than half of the issuers studied by Keynova have advanced this concept digitally. They provide digital receipts by leveraging merchant transaction data to clearly identify purchase details and locations. Furthermore, almost half of these issuers offer the ability to differentiate between users on joint card accounts, a crucial feature for identifying transactions and preventing potential disputes.
Streamlining the Dispute Process
When a genuine issue arises, nine out of ten issuers now offer mobile dispute filing, with transaction details automatically pre-filled. Two-thirds of these issuers also allow users to track the status of their disputes directly on their devices.
Issuers are also adopting other helpful practices. Most now provide detailed merchant addresses and phone numbers within transaction records. Some even integrate mapping functions to show merchant locations, aiding in recalling purchases. Capital One goes a step further by directing users to the merchant’s own site, where available, to review transaction specifics.
“These features can be really helpful to jog your memory and can help when reaching out to the merchant first,” Robertson emphasizes, noting that issuers typically advise cardholders to contact the merchant before initiating a formal dispute. This trend of providing detailed purchase information is also growing among debit card issuers, with Bank of America currently leading in offering actual digital receipts as of Q3 2025, a practice Keynova expects more institutions to adopt.
Source: Thefinancialbrand.com