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Competition in the small-business credit card market ratcheted up a notch with Visa Inc.'s launch today of Visa SavingsEdge, which provides small-business credit or debit cardholders with automatic discounts through retailers. Visa Business cardholders can get a 5% discount on purchases at UPS, Alamo Rent-A-Car and CompUSA. Issuers supporting the program include JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp., PNC Financial Services Group Inc.'s PNC Bank, Wachovia Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. MasterCard Worldwide launched a similar automatic-discounts program, MasterCard Easy Savings, in September 2007 (CardLine, 9/24/07). Supported by more than 25 issuers, the card provides MasterCard BusinessCard customers 5% discounts on Budget Rent A Car System and Avis Rent A Car System LLC, DHL Express shipping, and Midwest Airlines. American Express Co. for several years has offered an expanding array of small-business credit and charge cards. Through two dozen different small-business cards, AmEx provides category-specific offers, such as 1% to 5% cash back on purchases including gasoline, wireless service and office supplies, and savings of up to 25% on purchases at FedEx, Delta Air Lines and Hertz Car Rental. AmEx also offers special trade terms for small-business owners through its Plum Card, including a 2% early-repayment discount and 60-day no-interest financing on purchases.
