In a page taken from the well-worn playbook of banks of yore, discount brokerages are trying to entice customers with alluring freebies. The Wall Street Journal reports that firms such as TD Ameritrade Holding, E*Trade Financail Corp, as well as the likes of Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab are offering DVD players, free phones, free trades, frequent-flier miles and even cash to new customers. The WSJ says many of the offers – which often come with conditions, such as a specific number or size of trades and length of investment – are originating with companies looking to expand their businesses into new areas.
