The MyPoints Story
MyPoints' roots took hold as a class project at The University of California's Haas
School of Business in 1996. Over the next ten years, the company grew into the
internet's preeminent loyalty-driven direct marketing company.
Early on, MyPoints' four founders anticipated the strong pull of a loyalty program to
influence the purchase decisions of online consumers. In 1997 the company launched
BonusMail - the pioneering permission-based email program.
By 1998, the program had grown to more than one million members and was rated "the
Internet's fastest growing membership site" by NetRatings.
The late Nineties continued MyPoints' impressive growth. The company filed for its
Initial Public Offering in 1999, allowing it to invest in building the scope of the program
and the size of its membership. 2000 brought additional benefits to the MyPoints
membership, including the MyPoints Rewards Credit Card that allowed members to earn
Points for all of their charged transactions.
In 2001, MyPoints again led the industry by adopting the internet's most rigorous set of
double-opt-in membership requirements. These requirements became the accepted
standard for all legitimate email marketers.
Later in 2001, MyPoints was acquired by the New Ventures division of United Airlines,
bringing together the two leaders in travel and shopping loyalty. (
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