▁accum ulated ▁“ re ward ▁miles ” ▁that ▁a ▁customer ▁could ▁later ▁re de em ▁for ▁free ▁travel . ▁Within ▁a ▁few ▁years , ▁many ▁other ▁travel ▁industry ▁companies ▁launched ▁similar ▁programs . ▁The ▁A Ad v antage ▁program ▁now ▁has ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁million ▁members . ▁ ▁Card ▁linked ▁offers ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁A hold ▁Inc ▁launched ▁a ▁frequent - sh o pper ▁re wards ▁program ▁in ▁ 4 ▁of ▁its ▁US ▁based ▁gro c ery ▁ch ains , ▁Fin ast ▁Friend ly ▁Mark ets , ▁Map le ▁He ights , ▁Ohio . ▁Stop ▁& ▁Sh op ▁Cos , ▁and ▁Bi - lo . ▁The ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁saw ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁Card ▁Linked ▁Off ers ▁( C LO s ) ▁as ▁a ▁new ▁loyal ty ▁market ing ▁technique ▁for ▁br ands , ▁ret ail ers ▁and ▁financial ▁institutions , ▁stem ming ▁from ▁a ▁rise ▁in ▁popular ity ▁of ▁both ▁mobile ▁payment ▁and ▁coup ons . ▁C LO s ▁connect ▁offers ▁or ▁disc ount s ▁directly ▁to ▁a ▁consumer ' s ▁credit ▁card ▁or ▁deb it ▁card , ▁which ▁can ▁then ▁be ▁re de emed ▁at ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁sale . ▁C LO s ▁have ▁been ▁implemented ▁by ▁American ▁Express ▁and ▁Gr ou pon ▁and ▁C LO ▁technology ▁has ▁been ▁developed ▁by ▁companies ▁such ▁as ▁Str ands , ▁Men iga , ▁Sm art ▁Engine , ▁Car tera ▁Com merce , ▁W om ply , ▁Card ly t ics , ▁Link