Most credit card issuers offer their card holders participation in a customer loyalty programme. On 1 July 2007 the IASB issued IFRIC 13 Customer Loyalty Programmes to give specific guidance to suppliers on the accounting treatment of customer loyalty programme transactions. Despite the fact that credit card rewards programmes are specifically included in the scope of this Interpretation, in practice not all credit card rewards programmes currently account for award credits under the revenue deferral model (IFRIC 13). These divergent practices make one question the relevance of the current guidance provided in IFRIC 13 to credit card rewards programmes; otherwise what is the reason behind credit card rewards programmes accounting for these transactions differently? During May 2014 the IASB and the United States Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), published IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers intended to replace six existing Standards and Interpretations, including IFRIC 13. The aim of IFRS 15 is to streamline accounting for revenue across all industries and to correct inconsistencies in existing Standards and practices. Credit card rewards programme respondents raised many queries and uncertainties based on the proposed model but despite these concerns the Boards decided against providing any additional guidance to credit card rewards programmes. They indicated that they leave it up to management

Credit card rewards programmes are a common phenomenon in the South African market. On 1 July 2007 the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued IFRIC 13 Customer Loyalty Programmes to give specific guidance to suppliers on the accounting treatment of customer loyalty programme transactions. Although credit card rewards programmes are specifically included in the scope of this Interpretation, in practice not all credit card rewards programmes currently account for award credits under the revenue deferral model (IFRIC 13). During May 2014 the IASB and the United States Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) published IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers intended to replace six existing Standards and Interpretations, including IFRIC 13. Currently there is uncertainty whether or not a credit card rewards programme transaction falls within the scope of IFRS 15. Despite concerns raised the Boards decided against providing any additional guidance to credit card rewards programmes and indicated that they leave it up to management

Several South African universities do not require students to have completed Accounting at secondary school level in order to enrol for a degree in Accounting. At Stellenbosch University such students with no prior Accounting knowledge can still graduate and receive a Bachelor of Accounting degree (which is the first step of many towards becoming a CA (SA)) within the minimum time frame of three years given that an Accounting conversion examination is passed at the beginning of their second academic year. The literature on student performance where students have no prior Accounting knowledge focuses predominantly on first-year Accounting students. Limited studies have been expanded beyond the first academic year to investigate these students' academic career up to their final year and whether such students obtain a professional degree in Accounting. The main objective of the research reported in this article was to analyse the results of first-year conversion students (with no prior Accounting knowledge) in order to report on their success rate towards obtaining a Bachelor of Accounting degree within the minimum time of three years. In order to meet this objective, a quantitative research method was applied. It was found that half of the population was successful in obtaining their professional degree in Accounting within three years and 81 per cent of the conversion students eventually obtained their professional degree in Accounting (irrespective of time). This finding suggests that Accounting as a subject at secondary school is not necessarily essential in order to obtain a professional degree in Accounting. Receiver operating curve analyses were also done to predict optimal cut-off marks for Accounting subjects in order to obtain the desired degree within three years. These predictions, together with the actual marks obtained by the identified population, should be welcomed by prospective conversion students who now have more data available for decision-making.

The popularity of client loyalty programmes has increased drastically over the past few years, with more than 100 suppliers in South Africa currently making use of them. On 1 July 2007 the IASB issued IFRIC 13 to give specific guidance to suppliers on the accounting treatment of client loyalty programme transactions. In the process of compiling a new revenue standard, the International Accounting Standard Board published Exposure Draft ED/2011/6 Revenue from Contracts with Customers on 14 November 2011 to supersede virtually all existing revenue standards and interpretations under IFRS, including IFRIC 13. Although the effective date of the new revenue standard is 1 January 2017, in view of the nature of a client loyalty programme transaction it would be prudent for suppliers to start collecting data immediately for the retrospective application. Given the time limit and the minimal specific reference to client loyalty programme transactions in the proposed new model, the main aim of the research was to investigate the proposed new model’s impact on the accounting treatment of client loyalty programme transactions. The similarities and differences between the guidelines in IFRIC 13 and those of the proposed new model as well as the specific paragraphs in the proposed new model that are applicable to client loyalty programme transactions were considered. A specific recognition difference and a presentation difference has been identified between the accounting treatment of a client loyalty programme transaction under IFRIC 13 and that of the proposed new model.

Client loyalty programmes have been prevalent in South Africa since the 1980s, but the popularity of these programmes has increased drastically over the past few years, with more than 100 suppliers in South Africa currently making use of them. On 1 July 2007 the IASB issued IFRIC 13 to give specific guidance to suppliers on the accounting treatment of client loyalty programme transactions. The IASB is currently compiling a new revenue standard. This single new revenue standard will replace six existing standards or interpretations, including IFRIC 13. A critical analysis of IFRIC 13 will assist the development of this new revenue standard. The main objective of the research was therefore to determine whether the guidance in IFRIC 13 regarding the accounting treatment of a single-company client loyalty programme transaction is consistent with other accounting standards and recent developments. The accounting treatment of each component of a client loyalty programme transaction with a change in estimate was considered. It was found that inconsistencies exist in the initial measurement of the fair value and how a change in accounting estimate is recognised.