Adapting Cude’s (1987) measure of the potential payoff,
the percent APR search payoff was calculated based on
the distribution of respondents with credit cards. Across
the full range of APRs, the highest calculated value for
the percent APR search payoff in the credit card market
was 900% (i.e. 2.9% vs. 29%, column 3 in Table 3),
indicating a huge potential payoff to search. At the
median APR (15%), the percent of APR search payoff is
over 400%. However, these calculated values may
overstate the benefits somewhat because these rates may
include “teaser” introductory rates on some credit cards
at the lower end and may include some non-traditional
lending in the sub-prime markets at the upper end. Also,
for high-risk consumers, the lowest credit card rates may
not be available. If the 90th percentile (19% APR) is
compared to the 10th percentile (7.9% APR), perhaps a
more realistic market comparison, the potential payoff is
140%. If the median is compared to the 10th percentile,
the payoff would be 89%. Thus, the savings with respect
to search are still substantial, even when teaser rates are
eliminated from the calculation.