While the Advance cards used by corporate Jamaica to purchase gasoline might be well known, the JGRA Advance card aimed at individuals and small groups takes a distance second place in usage.

In fact, acceptance of the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) card, administered by Manufacturers Credit & Information Services (MCIS) has been almost non-existent since its introduction in November 2006, according to JGRA president Trevor Barnes.

“The card really has not taken off at all,” Barnes told Auto in a recent interview. “We thought it was a good idea then but it has not taken off at all.”

Barnes said that the cards, which are pre-paid, offer small discounts on gasoline and motor vehicle-related purchases at JGRA member service stations islandwide.

“It’s really like a debit card … it is something you would have to pre-pay. Perhaps that’s where the reluctance is,” Barnes surmised.

The meagre one per cent discount on the purchase of gasoline could also attribute to the consumer slow take-up described by the JGRA president. Barnes told Auto that purchases on vehicle-related items attract varying discounts, but the one per cent given on fuel price could be considered by motorists too small for the effort.

“It is small but over time it could add up,” he contended.

However, despite Barnes’ dismal report on consumer response, MCIS, a subsidiary of Jamaica National Building Society, is saying that their card is carving an acceptable niche for itself in the market. According to MCIS senior manager, client services & administration, Noreth Roseway-Williams, response has been moderate, with noticeable interest from specific sectors.

“There has been a keen interest in the product from families with multiple vehicles, micro-entrepreneurs and small groups,” Roseway-Williams told Auto.

“The product is catering to a niche and is well positioned in this economic climate, as consumers seek ways of improving their budget management and also to take advantage of the many discount offerings associated with the product,” she added.

Like the more popular corporate Advance card, the JGRA card is intended to provide access to a comprehensive package for motor vehicle-related purchases, and allows for budgeting and tracking vehicle performance. MCIS also administers the corporate Advance card.

Application packages for the JGRA card are available at JNBS branches, JN Money Shops or MCIS offices, Roseway-Williams said. Applicants are expected to include a $200 payment to cover the card issuance fee, plus a monthly service fee of $50, plus GCT. A prepaid sum is also deposited at the time of application to cover the proposed expenditure for a period determined by the applicant.