How do store credit cards work?

Yes, store credit cards can help build credit, if you use them wisely. Store credit cards report your payment history to credit bureaus the same as a regular consumer credit card. If you make timely payments for more than the minimum due, and stay within your credit limit, a store credit card can go a long way in building, or even rebuilding your credit.… read full answer

A store credit card is a card offered by a retailer. It's not to be confused with a charge card, in that a store credit card does not require you to pay off the entire balance every month. Store credit cards are also known as closed-loop cards, which means it can be used only for purchases within the store, its website, or affiliated stores. Retailers may also offer open-loop, or co-branded store cards. They're store cards, but they're on a credit card network such as Visa and Mastercard, and can be used anywhere the network's cards are accepted.

You can use a store credit card to help build credit because they're generally easier to get. Most store credit cards require a minimum fair credit score to have a chance of being approved. The drawback is that you'll likely start out with a higher interest rate and a lower credit limit than you would with a co-branded credit card. Co-branded store cards also come with stricter approval requirements.

Where you can run into trouble with a store credit card is the temptation to overspend. Your favorite retailer may bombard you with promotional offers, discounts and sales announcements. It's pretty easy to make additional purchases in the store, or online, thinking your sales item purchases will make up the difference.

In the end, you'll end up canceling out any discounts and burning up most of your credit limit. That doesn't bode well for your credit utilization, which should be at less than 30% of your available credit. And then there's the interest that will be tacked on if you have to carry a balance to the next month.

Speaking of interest, be wary of any 0% promotional offers, particularly for large purchases. Unlike a 0% APR you'll find on some regular credit cards, over half of all store cards operate on deferred interest, according to a WalletHub study. If you don't pay off the balance by the end of the promotional period, you'll be charged all the interest accrued on the original purchase price.

So store cards can definitely help you build credit, as long as you pay your bills on time and preferably in full, while maintaining a low credit utilization. The same rules apply to a regular credit card, so feel free to check out more tips on how to build credit with a credit card. Some of the best store credit cards offer extensive rewards and are worth getting, especially if you already shop at their respective stores.

The easiest department store credit card to get approved for is the Fingerhut Credit Account, but that’s only if you count an online retailer / mail catalog as a department store. It’s the only store card you can get with bad credit. Pretty much all other store credit cards require fair credit (640+ score) for approval. But that still means most department store credit cards are easy to get for most people. It also means you should choose your card based on where you shop the most and which offers the most rewards, since there isn’t much of a difference in their approval requirements. Let’s take a look at a few good options.… read full answer

Here are some of the easiest department store credit cards to get:

• Target Credit Card: For people with fair credit. 5% discount at Target and Target.com. Returns extended by 30 days. Free shipping. $0 annual fee.
• Walmart® Store Card: For people with fair credit. 2 - 5 points per $1 on Walmart purchases and Walmart & Murphy USA Fuel Stations. $0 annual fee.
• Kohl's Credit Card: For people with fair credit. 35% discount on your fist purchase. 5% cash back on every qualifying purchase made at Kohl. $0 annual fee.
• JCPenney Credit Card: For people with fair credit. 1 point / $1 on qualifying purchases. Discounts on select items. Annual fee: None.
• Fingerhut Credit Account: For people with bad credit. Easiest store card to be approved for. No rewards. $0 annual fee.
• Amazon.com Store Card: For people with fair credit. 5% cash back at Amazon.com if you have a Prime account. $10 gift card after approval. $0 annual fee.

There are plenty of other department store cards with great deals too. For example, TJX, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sears all give savings and perks that are worth looking at. Just remember that department store credit cards can only be used at the store that issued them (and sometimes affiliates), so apply for a card from somewhere you know you’ll shop on a regular basis.

The easiest store credit cards to get are the Fingerhut Credit Account, the Montgomery Ward Credit Account, and the Walmart® Store Card. None of these cards require more than “fair” credit for approval, and they all have $0 annual fees. Some applicants might even be able to get approved with bad credit.… read full answer

• The Fingerhut Credit Account is the easiest store credit card to get because you can get approved with bad credit. Things you can buy with the Fingerhut Credit Card include clothing, shoes, electronics, garden supplies, tools, and more. And this card will build your credit - it reports to major credit bureaus monthly.
• The Montgomery Ward Credit Account is available to people with bad. This credit card doesn’t report to credit bureaus, so it won’t build your credit. But it does allow you to buy Montgomery Ward merchandise at special discounts. And there’s opportunity for a credit limit increase.
• The Walmart® Store Card is available for people with fair credit or better, but reports online suggest you can get approved with bad credit. It gives 5 points / $1 at Walmart.com and in-app, including grocery pickup and delivery, and 2 points / $1 at Walmart stores.

Although store credit cards usually can’t be used anywhere except for the store they’re branded with, they are a great way to save on some of your biggest purchases. They’re also much easier to get than most rewards cards. And if the card reports to the major credit bureaus every month, you can build up your credit score.