The wonderful world of catalogues

allthingsconsidered2009

I've heard catalogues are a good way to build your credit rating and acquire green zero's.

What have your experiences been? Which ones are good? What are the credit limits like and how often do they increase?

Yesterday I applied for an Empire catalogue. They've done a search on me on Equifax just to send me out a catalogue. Then I got an email saying my catalogue is on its way to me. Does this mean they have opened me a credit account?

My catalogue experiences:

Next Directory: applied in January. Got given a £200 limit. 7 days later the limit had gone up to £300 for some reason. Every time i place an order above £50 they do a credit check on me on Equifax

Littlewoods: applied in January. Got given a £500 limit.

Additions Direct: applied in January. £250 limit

Studio: applied in December. Account takes forever to open, goods take forever to arrive. Starting limit of £100. Went up to £150 with first payment.

londonuk2008

My catalogue experiences:

Next Directory: applied in January. Got given a £200 limit. 7 days later the limit had gone up to £300 for some reason. Every time i place an order above £50 they do a credit check on me on Equifax account opened six years ago started low now at 4k. In 2007 checked me with Equifax agian twice.

Littlewoods: applied in January. Got given a £500 limit. Until recently three accounts (choice/littlewoods/additions) since 2005 started with £300 and kept going up with orders and payments until I had 8k between three , which was silly.

Additions Direct: applied in January. £250 limit -as above still open , sometines when I place a order as well as when I pay some of the balance , the credit limit will increase.

Studio: applied in December. Account takes forever to open, goods take forever to arrive. Starting limit of £100. Went up to £150 with first payment.[/quote] - as you have said - but hardly use - normally Christmas . Limit £500.

Yes they do help a lot as in 04/05 I was struggling for anything - now I more or less am ok. took around 2-3 years once I had built up histories.

hope this helps!

Robert_Sterling_3

allthingsconsidered2009 wrote: »

Studio: applied in December. Account takes forever to open, goods take forever to arrive. Starting limit of £100. Went up to £150 with first payment.

I would not wait that long. :eek:

allthingsconsidered2009

Robert_Sterling wrote: »

I would not wait that long. :eek:

you don't have much choice but to wait once you've applied lol

Mrs_Ryan

I've got 7 catalogue accounts :eek:

Simply Be - started at 125. Now at 400.
Fashionworld - started at 125. Now at 400 - at one stage, them and Simply Be seemed to be having a race to see who could increase the limit fastest
Ambrose Wilson - started at 125, now 525 :eek: they seem to increase my limit on average every 10 minutes
Shoe Tailor - stalled at 125 for ages as I fell behind on payments... but once i put that right they put it up to 200 and its now 300...
Viva La Diva - started at 125 and now 300.
Brilliant Gift Shop - started at 125 but I've just cleared the arrears so will probably stay at its current level of 300 for a while...
Littlewoods - dearie me.
Started at 600. Dropped to 525 with no notice in September when I had problems with all my catalogues when I changed jobs. (Thankfully was under limit but was gutted as was making larger payments so I could get OH's PS3 for Xmas)
balance cleared with a big fat payment in November but maxed when I bought said PS3 Limit just put up to £825 :eek:
Far as I know they mustnt have credit checked me as Im turned down for everything else I apply for
Catalogues are evil :mad:

cifpower

I have 4 accounts.

Next - £3600 limit after 2 years of use; started at £150
Jacamo - £1200 limit after 17 months; started at £125
Studio - £130 limit but only used it once to buy some Xmas things; given a starting limit of £80
Freemans - just opened with a £100 limit but not been used

PROLIANT

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

I've got 7 catalogue accounts :eek:

Simply Be - started at 125. Now at 400.
Fashionworld - started at 125. Now at 400 - at one stage, them and Simply Be seemed to be having a race to see who could increase the limit fastest
Ambrose Wilson - started at 125, now 525 :eek: they seem to increase my limit on average every 10 minutes
Shoe Tailor - stalled at 125 for ages as I fell behind on payments... but once i put that right they put it up to 200 and its now 300...
Viva La Diva - started at 125 and now 300.
Brilliant Gift Shop - started at 125 but I've just cleared the arrears so will probably stay at its current level of 300 for a while...
Littlewoods - dearie me.
Started at 600. Dropped to 525 with no notice in September when I had problems with all my catalogues when I changed jobs. (Thankfully was under limit but was gutted as was making larger payments so I could get OH's PS3 for Xmas)
balance cleared with a big fat payment in November but maxed when I bought said PS3 Limit just put up to £825 :eek:
Far as I know they mustnt have credit checked me as Im turned down for everything else I apply for
Catalogues are evil :mad:

Women and their shoes.....:p

davethorp

JD Williams group are the only ones to touch me at the moment

JD Williams opened with £100 limit... increased £100 with each statement... now £400
Fashion World opened with £100 limit last month no increases as yet

sammie383

Morning!

I have the following:

Littlewoods - best catalougue for choice, and delivery so far. Started with a £350 limit ( when I expected to be declined - as everyone else had! ) in Dec 07, then the limit has went up around every 4-5months, it went upto £600, then £900, then £1150, and now its at £1400! :O.

I have about £350 to pay on ti, which is no problem, and Iam on a BNPL, until Feb 2010 - for my new bedroom furniture!

NEXT Catalogue - Opened July 08, starting limit of £250 - then it dropped to £150 for no reason after 2 weeks. Then I called them up about it and they said they had just increased it to £250 again ( when I got the statment it was actually £300 ). Then the following month they'd increased it to £900.

Studio, This has been open since Dec 07, Started with £100, its now £250 I think, but hardly use it so have asked to close it.

kaisersoze_2

Afternoon

I currently have 3

Littlewoods - (excellent service) started at £300 about 12 months ago now at £2000, seems to go up everytime i pay the bill!! I also have 12% cashback on every payment i make to add to the 8% i make on topcashback with every purchase.

Great Universal - (Same company i know) wanted to buy GF an engagement ring and as she uses the littlewoods one i wanted to keep it a secret! Got an opening credit limit of £900

Next Directory - Never used it got a limit of £250 got the account for cashback on TCB.

Kaiser

squidge60

littlewoods 10000,:eek: but have been with them a while,keep thinking about getting it reduced but always useful :j