I wish I could say how I really felt about this comment but alas due the SJW’s I can’t so I will just have to give you a like.
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Say it how it is brother, you’re not going to hurt me - that’s for sure. 
If I did I’d get banned 
I think the reason for this on both platforms is that it is after all something associated with Monzo and Starling and they don’t want to be seen allowing any sort of intolerance or something potentially damaging to their image to be left up, even if it is not something their staff have posted on themselves. It could definitely be twisted eg an extreme example “xx company allows pro-Nazi gifs to be left online” or “xx company embroiled in xx controversy over their online forum”. Freedom of speech doesn’t quite protect you against hate speech or defamation so there is a place for all sorts of ideological discussions, but probably isn’t here.
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Plus, I don’t wanna have to read through a thread of which half has devolved into an argument going in circles, or an argument that has started to include pointless attacks that are personal/ sustained. It’s a forum for a bank at the end of the day.
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Only 3 days after deleting the entire thread about Loans it seems the feedback about loans has fallen on deaf ears. (Also the reason I deleted my account over there)
https://community.starlingbank.com/t/obnoxious-sales-copy-in-transaction-feed/8929
From my perspective pushing loan advertising automatically for transactions over £500 is like Yahoo scanning your email to provide “relevant advertising.”
I hope Monzo don’t do anything like this
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This isn’t responsible in my view. Any bank that does this to me is out as far as I am concerned. I’ve just said as much over on their forum.
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I’m not sure how Monzo will do it. Monzo’s was spread the cost rather than a loan so it’s designed to spread the cost for large transactions, in which case they might do a similar notification after large purchase. Not sure if this is still the case. Wouldn’t want it on the feed though, think it’s irresponsible
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I’m happy for banks to provide these services. If that stuff makes them money so they can keep providing free banking and make a profit then we all win. But it has to be advertised responsibly
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What’s the difference between spread the cost and a loan? Are Monzo not giving you credit in return for paying interest?
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I think the difference is that spread the cost happens after the transaction, so it’s like you already bought it and Monzo just makes it easier for you, vs. your transaction declined and you clearly can’t afford this but we want you to get a loan anyway.
Honestly I’m fine with both approaches (I seem to be able to manage debt just fine despite being completely irresponsible with finances) but I can see the Starling approach upsetting some people.
For clarity - The decline had nothing to do with it.
The loan was offered after the successful purchase of an item of £500 or more (the decline was irrelevant here).
Not a fan personally - Waiting on examples of where this could benefit someone…
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This was inevitable and it was clear Starling weren’t listening. I’m not getting back into it over there because it will fall on deaf ears. Kris is doing his best to be helpful, which is new at least, but I don’t think he understands the issues with the product and the solutions offered are workarounds to keep the feed item. Nothing should be messing up your feed, much else a loan advertisement for an item you’ve already paid for. Maybe put it in the item description.
Barclaycard offer payment plans for some purchases and yet they’ve never specifically highlighted a transaction or messed with the feed trying to get me to use it.
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I certainly think Starling could articulate some real world examples of how they see it working.
“Spread the cost” which on paper, is an identical product (with potentially worse rates and lower amounts), was received far better here, than the loans proposition was at Starling.
Part of that is the delivery of the message, and part of it is the user base reading it.
Spread the Cost has also been foreshadowed forever so it’s not exactly a surprise that they’re starting to look at it more seriously now. I wouldn’t use it at all for myself so I’d personally hope not to see it pushed at me in the feed after a large purchase (which would likely be on a credit card anyway).
Saying that, I freely admit that I have no concept of how long Loans have been on the cards with Starling, so that may not be a differentiator.
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Sorry, I meant from the 2 correlating threads.
Spread the cost might have been on the roadmap for a while, but when the details were released, people were generally more appreciative (despite it looking worse on paper).
I wasn’t - the rate is terrible compared to other options. Maybe that will change, maybe it won’t. But right now they’re not targeting individual transactions or messing up the feed; it’s ‘hidden’ away in the account tab. That’s fine as far as I’m concerned, I’m sure it will be useful to some to take a loan out with their bank.
Starling messed this up from day one, staring with the changing of the UI and putting these where people were managing their savings. From there it was all down hill.
Edit: and Monzo staff were up front and centre responding. I’ve yet to see a Starling response.
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Yeah, the Monzo testing is just for a loan. I’m not sure how spread the cost would work anyway. You’d have to make the purchase before knowing whether you would be accepted for the loan?
So you have already bought it why spread anything? Is it cheaper than Monzo’s overdraft?
The difference will hopefully be, that Monzo won’t be acting in a predatory manner. I won’t be impressed if they start shoving ads for it in my feed. Let me know the service is there, and then leave me to turn it on if/when I want it.
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