Store Card Discussion

[MSE Wendy]

This thread is specifically to discuss the Store Cards article.

To reply, discuss the article or report any more introduction offers click reply

[bargainhunter]

I did a lot of Christmas shopping in Debenhams this time last year and was offered one of their store cards. I was very reluctant to take one, but they assured me that I could apply for a store card, but pay for my purchases on any card and still receive the 15% discount. So I applied for a store card to get the discount on my purchases, paid for them on a cashback credit card and then cancelled my store card application the following week.

I don't know if you are still able to do this, but it's worth a try!

[susanb1066]

The Oasis card offers you no initial opening discount, however, they do offer the following:

• If you open an account and spend on it that day you receive a £5 welcome voucher with your card and free postage off first online spend (No minimum spend required when using the voucher either so you could get a pair of £5 earrings for example and not have to pay anything towards it!)
• Four times a year they do minimum of 15% off in store except sale
• Every month there is a minimum of 10% discount off selected items in store
• Free postal service to any address
• Free alterations

The APR is 24.9% though. But like you say, if you pay the full amount before the bill date your not losing out!

[Mozette]

I've taken out a few store cards - get usually I've found 10% off the first purchase, wait 'til I'm buying something at a fair cost/a lot of stuff, then pay it off. Unless there is a continuing offer or a cardholder 'special' I never use them again. I always pay store cards off in full though.

Must have a look at Debenhams!

[lynsmed]

Don't know if this is old hat to MSE regulars, but I've just taken out my first ever storecard (aged 45!), to get what seems to be a great offer. If items are bought on their card, and then appear in the sales later on, you get the difference back. There's no limit on this, so you can keep on doing it even if further reductions are made later on. You need to do is take out their price protection option on the card (costs 10% of purchase price) , be methodical about keeping receipts, and wait until the prices come down, but reductions are always more than 10%, so you get your premium back and more besides. This has got to be better than trudging out to the sales and fighting over racks full of stuff!

[max8579]

can you claim back store card charges and how?

[Becky 2]

I have had my debenhams card for a few years. The reason why I keep it is that I find it really handy that if I am clever I can have 2 months to save the money to pay off the bill in full once it arrives. My trick is to use the card the day after the cut off day on the bill, i.e my bill is cut on the 8th every month so if I go shopping on the 9th I will have 2 months to pay the bill.

[chuckley]

i personally love storecards, as u get discounts/codes/sale invites with added xtra discount. Also great for when youve got no money till say next week/month but u need a new outfit for a party that day. As long as you pay them off in full, or as much as you can, when the bill arrives its cool.

[lynsmed]

Originally Posted by max8579

can you claim back store card charges and how?

You don't claim back the charges, but you get back any difference between what you originally paid, and any subsequent reduction in the price. Large priced items are done automatically - your credit card account shows a credit. For smaller priced items, you take the original receipts in, and get the store to check them and put the reductions on to your account. Easy, but you need to keep an eye on the prices. Clothes and consumer electronics always come down in price quite quickly, so these are ideal fodder.

[loadsacash]

I bought a pair of trousers back in September and took out the insuarnce. I paid £28.00 and the price has just come down to £7.00.

I have phoned them up for a form to apply for the difference.

Is there anythin that I need to look out for and is it as easy as it sounds?

[BHSWORKER]

Hello,
the bhs no longer sell the gold card, for the momnet, they do not have a store card to sell.
Though, they do now have the 'thankyou card' with no statment, you get a stright 5% discount at the till without the apr or anything. This is only a temp messure before a new card is introduced.
if anyone wants any more info, just ask

[smac84]

Hello Im lookin for some advice

I had a Dorothy Perkins store card, and as I was moving home I decided to pay off the balance and close my account. As I had moved and never heard from them I was under the impression it was all dealt with, but since coming back into contact with my old flat mate, he showed me a few letters from them. This was all interest amounting to over £200 and even letters from a debt collection service - I was really shocked so phoned GE Money to try sorting it out, and ended up speakin to a really rude woman who didn't want to help me at all. What can I do? I dont see why i should have to pay when I havent spent anything - the card was cut up after i payed the last payment. The woman at the call centre said it wasnt cancelled. someone please help!

I even sent a letter back in 2006 because they were still taking my last payment of £4 every month - like it was set up as direct debit. But no one ever replied to me.

Cant believe this has happened to me!

[£23000 to go...]

I have a debenhams store card that I have just paid off in full.

I am now working on paying off my 3 credit cards (all at 7k each). I have always met minimum payments but no more than that before now.

Is it best to cancel my Debenhams Store Card or leave it with a zero balance? I won't be using it as I have a lot of debt to shift.

Please advise what is best for me and my credit rating?

Many thanks

[lisarose]

house of fraser are currently offering a "shopping card" which entitles you to 20% off purchases until 12th of december when you open a store card. also you get 3 months interest free and 3 points for every £1 spend. so i have spent £300 on christmas pressies, got them for £240, earned 720 points and have 3 months to pay it off with no interest!

[Shop_til_you_drop]

I bought several items in the Debenhams sale prior to Christmas and while I was trying something on in the changing rooms, I noticed a sign that tells you their refund policy (usually only available in small print near the checkout!). I learned a useful fact - if you pay with a Debenhams card, you are guaranteed a refund *at any time* e.g. after 30 days or even if the item is over 75% reduced (if you paid cash/debit card, they state that an item reduced by 75% or more would be non-refundable unless faulty).

I also took advantage of the "save an extra 10% on certain purchases" if you paid with your Debenhams card (applicable to existing cardholders, not just new account cardholders).

[belleaboggle]

I took out a style store card in 2006 was a tad lazy in paying the balance off so it went to a debt recovery agent who I have been paying off as agreed each month the final balance of the card was £360 which shot up to £473.45 with late payment fees etc. I found out today when I phoned them that I have actually paid off £500 but I still owe them £104.69 they say it is the interest from style themselves. If a comapny buys the debt can the original company still charge you interest on your balance ???? where do I stand on this ???

[jojo240]

Can anyone advise me how I can reclaim overpayment on an old Principles storecard? I opened a card ages ago (1989/90!) and probably only used it twice - last in 1991. I thought it I had closed it when I moved house, but was contacted recently by GE Money who had traced me through my bank to advise me of the payments I was still making on a long-dormant account! They promptly repaid me 75 quid!!

However, GE Money had only had the account for a short time - previously it had been with Ikano and I have been unable to trace how to contact them to reclaim the remainder of any overpayments. Any advice on how I can go about getting hold of them or how I proceed would me much appreciated!!

[LaurenM9]

They offer you

• A £5 welcome spend voucher with first statement
• 2 points for every £1 you spend which turn into vouchers to spend in store.
• Free catalogue twice a year
• Sometimes 10% off for cardholders
• Double and Triple Points Events
• They also do a Mastercard so you can earn points outside Laura Ashley but has a higher credit limit and usually lower APR
• Shopping Cover - Insurance covering price of items

[hoyles10]

I'm soooo annoyed with myself. I have a Topman/Topshop store card and recently had to buy a new suit for a wedding so I took myself to Burtons and got a cheap one from there and put it on my card.

I have had my card now for years and have always paid at least the minimum payment or paying more if I had the spare cash, I usually just go in store and pay it at the till.

My minimum payment has been £10 per month for ages but because I bought the suit my minimum payment was £11. I went into the store as usual and made my payment of £10. Now the !!!!!!s have charged me £12 for not meeting the minimum payment.

I know it's my own fault but I thought if I called them they might refund the charge because of my account history and the difference was only £1. Anyway to cut a long story short they have refused to refund the charge.

So be careful people that you don't make the same silly mistake I did.

[Yaklet]

I recently took out a Topshop card and am really regretting it. Like hoyles10 I have learned too late that they are grasping gits! The initial discount has probably been outweighed by hidden charges since then - I would have been better off paying cash - not to mention the hassle.

I accepted the card from the girl in the shop because I was buying something expensive and wanted the introductory discount, intending to pay the balance immediately and thus benefit without too much danger. (I am shopperwoman! Hear me roar!)
However I have discovered now that:
1) I've been charged £2 for item insurance that I wasn't told about fully
2) I have attempted to pay off the amount immediately but my payment has "gone astray", so the balance is still on the account and I can't close the card down
3) phoning their customer helpline, which is the ONLY way to administrate the account, costs 10p per minute!! And it takes 4 minutes minimum to get through the "press this, press that" rubbish!

I had to phone this helpline twice today to try and sort out this missing payment, was told different things on the two occasions, and apparently have to wait for a 28-day investigation to happen. The first speaker told me we could sort it out pronto if I provided some bank details but when I called back, couldn't get through to him, and another bloke said that was untrue and he had opened an investigation. I am convinced that operatives do this on purpose to keep your case going on (and you ringing up) for as long as possible. I am loathe to ring back to try and get a third opinion, or speak to a manager, because of the cost - I must have been on the phone for 40 mins today at 10p a minute already, and it's soul-destroying as well as pricey.

To be fair, the second bloke said that any interest charges etc will be waived, but my faith in their word is not strong. Also, the lass in the shop who encouraged me to sign up was doing her best with a huge long jargonated form on a busy Saturday. But I feel that this card, administrated by Santander so probably in common with other Santander cards, is a very good example of the extortionate charges at every turn, and trickery employed to stop you leaving, that make store cards a bad idea. My only revenge is to list it on here and hopefully discourage other users from taking out Topshop or Santander cards. PAH!!