In last week’s post on retailer credit cards, a few commenters voiced the opinion that the rewards from retailer credit cards aren’t worth getting a hard pull. Different people can disagree on what exactly a hard pull is worth, but everybody can agree that all things being equal, it’s best not to have too many hard pulls.
But did you know there’s something called the “shopping cart trick” which lets you get a credit card without a hard pull? I’ve seen it mentioned in a few places as a way for people with poor credit to build up their credit file, but it’s also a way for people to reap retail credit card rewards without getting too many applications for new credit on their file.
The basic principle is that you give retailers your info and then they’ll preapprove you and open a new card with no hard pull. I have no experience with this so I can’t vouch for it myself, but many of my readers have had success with this trick and you can read their stories in the comments in my Comenity credit card post.
I’ve seen little discussion about this on blogs. The best summary I’ve been able to find is on a blog called “Roots, Credit, and Life”:
- You MUST be opted-in for promotional offers. If you don’t know what this means, clickhere. If you know you are opted-out, you can opt-in again here. Unless you remember opting-out, you are probably opted-in already and don’t need to worry about this. If you get credit card offers in the mail, you are opted-in for sure.
- The trick applies only to cards issued by Comenity Bank. Comenity is a major issuer of retail store credit cards, but also issues a few Visa and Mastercard branded-cards.
HOW TO DO IT:
This is the simple part:
- Go to the retailer’s website, such as http://www.buckle.com.
- At this point, I usually register or join or whatever that particular store calls it. You give them your name, email, phone number and maybe address information.
- Pick an item or two and add it to your shopping bag or shopping cart.
- Begin the checkout process. Enter your shipping address, billing address, etc. and go as far as you can before it requires you to enter your credit card information. If the trick is going to work, you will get a pop up offering you an account at some point before you have to enter payment info. ACCEPT THE OFFER.
NOTE:
- If you have pop-ups blocked, you may miss the offer.
- Once you accept the account offer, you can choose whether or not you want to proceed with using your new account to finalize your purchase. You do not have to buy any of the items in your cart once you accept the offer – you will still get the account.
You may or may not be told the credit limit on the account. I would not expect it to be high though – they are typically $500 or less. You can always request a credit limit increase once you get your card.
If you’re not getting the offers, it never hurts to try incognito mode on your browser. You can also try changing up the email address you’re using; and if you’ve moved recently you can always try using an older address to get the retailer to recognize you. Make sure you match whatever is on your credit report.
If you want to take advantage of the shopping cart trick, then you will want to target retailers with cards offered by Comenity as it is by far the #1 shopping cart trick bank (though the Dillard’s credit card, offered by Wells Fargo, is reported to work as well). I have a long post on Comenity cards here. Note that you can get multiple cards with Comenity, multiple cards with the shopping cart trick, and it’s also possible to obtain multiple credit line increases over the years if you’re responsible with your credit. So keep your expenses down, pay your bills on time, and you’ll be good to go.
Cards my readers have reported success with:
Victoria’s Secret credit card (see my review here)
Ultamate Rewards Credit Card – you’ll want to ask at the register if you’re preapproved for this one
HSN – commenter Darla said that says that to get the pop-up for the HSN card, you need to register there and enter a credit card number while you’re in the shopping cart.
Dillard’s – this one is actually offered by Wells Fargo (formerly by Synchrony)
Venus – card includes $15 off, 5% rewards on your purchases, and a $15 gift certificate every birthday
Loveloft – 5% back on purchases and a $15 gift certificate on your birthday
Limited – this card is being closed down, unfortunately
New York & Company – 5% rewards + 15% off your first purchase and a $10 gift certificate on your birthday
Childrens Place credit card – Pretty good rewards here: 10% on spending, plus 30% off your first credit card purchase, 25% off for your kids’ birthdays! and 20% Off when you get your card!
Loft – 5% rewards and a $15 birthday gift certificate
Coldwater Creek – 5% back and a $25 birthday reward
If people want more discussion on this, read up on it on the myfico and creditboard forums. It’s discussed in length and you can also get a list of cards that’ll work using this method.
Mystery solved!
I’ve done this accidentally twice and always wondered 1) what was up with the low credit line 2) why I didn’t see an inquiry (I get alerts). Both were for the store specific cards, not the use anywhere store branded type.
I think one of them was from an in store instant application. I’m not 100% sure but in store is how I normally open these kind of accounts.
Yup. Just did it this weekend. Got offered cards at Dillard’s and Victorias Secret. Dillard’s was low limit so didn’t accept. VS was over $700, so I took it just to increase my ratio.
What sites does this work best on? I’ve tried Ann Taylor and Brylane Home and didn’t work for either.
I personally think Victoria’s Secret is one of the easiest stores to get this to work. Its been offered to me a couple times and even after I accepted due to my bouncing between email addresses. You have to be sure your browser settings have pop ups enabled and if using a phone or tablet always use main website vs mobile.
I did this for Ebay/Paypal. You have to be logged into your Ebay account, then place the item in your cart, go to checkout, but use paypal as you method of payment. It will then take you to your paypal account to log-in. Once you log in, you have the option to apply for paypal buyer credit. Then you click yes. Next it will only ask you for your name , last 4 digits of your social and birthdate. Then submit and you will be approved or not. I was approved for $1,000 without an hard inquiry on my credit report. And I received no payment or interest for 6 months!
I did it with Victoria secret. It works.
I just did it with Avenue overstock.Com I got 250 for each a low limit but it’s a start
I have been working on my credit for the past few months have come a long way. Last night around 2 am i started hitting the retail websites and was shocked to see a preapprovall from buckle for $250. All i did was add couple items to shopping cart, around $70, come all the way to the end of the check out where i would have to put in my cc info, and right as i had lost hope, i hit the Cancel button next to place order/submit, and right then the magical screen popped up 🙂 $250.00 I accepted the offer and gave my full ssn and went back to shopping cart and deleted the items and signed out. following this, within a coupe hours, got approved the same way from a website called Old Pueblo Traders, same amount $250 :)) went to work, came back home in the evening, another round and got approved again from Loft for the same amount and fullbeauty.com for the same amount 🙂 2 out of 4 is woman’s clothing which i will not even use unless my wife wants to buy something, the main reason i needed these is to add some trade lines without a hard inquiry. This will help with my utilization too. When i told about the first 2 in the morning to my wife, she started trying and got approved from victoria’s secret and NY & Company for the same amounts, and she has about $10K medical bills on her CR. but she also has 2 secured cc’s with low utilization and i have a total of 5 accounts being paid on time with 5% utilization on revolving accounts. You just have to try. sometimes you may have to sign out, sign back in and go to check out again. Just be patient, and try the different websites at different times. Good Luck!
Can you please explain, how? I’ve tried VS many,many times and nothing! thank you!
I have only been able to get the Victoria Secret pop up to work. That’s a start though.
I tried many times and its not working 🙁
It didn’t take me to my Paypal account. I am now trying to cancel the order because I don’t have that amount in my checking account.
I’ve been trying all day with VS via mobile and PC and no pop up for the card!!!
just tried and got approved for $750
Me too it really worked although my credit limit is only 150.00.
What did you do to make it happen? Been trying all week no success! 😔
I’m just trying to get my foot in the door with this bank!😞
Worked for me. Got a Venus ($250 limit) LOFT ($500 limit) and Limited ($350 limit). I could not get it to work for Express though.
I do already have a VS card which I’ve had for a couple of years, got it using shopping cart trick. Started with a $250 limit and I’m now up to $1,700, I hit the LUV button every few months and they add a couple hundred to the limit.
Also, be careful with Dillard’s CLI as they do hard pull since being taken over by Wells Fargo
Over the last two days Ive gotten this trick to work with Buckle ($250), Overstock ($250), Victoria Secret ($350), Brylane ($500), and J. Crew ($250). Not great limits but its a start for some building credit
what is your credit score?
I have been trying all week from my home and work computers and no pop ups come up. I want the credit card but I don’t want a hard pull on my credit report as I am trying to buy a home. What other tricks can you use to get the pop up to appear?
I’ve gotten several cards from Comenity bank now: Ashley Stewart -$150; Brylane Home $500; NY&Co -$500; Overstock.com $250(just hit luv button and got $200)$450 total; King size -$250; Fullbeauty -$250 all using the SCT Oh, and Comenity sent me a pre-approval letter for Buckle $250. No hard pulls on my credit reports! I also have a Macy’s card with no hard pull. $300 applied online.
I just recently got a Sportmans guide VISA for $3.5K SL via SCT with only a SP! Then went to overstock and got another $6K SL doing the exact SCT SP as well! Sweeeet! Now off to the garden!
Where do I obtain about the Macys
What’s the LUV button?
I did this with VS without realizing and got a 250 cl.
Just did this at Overstock. Have bad credit so trying to build it up. I was approved instantly for a $750.00 limit which is the most I’ve been offered thus far. Prior to this, only Victoria Secret would approve me, but no other store card. Thanks for the advice!
Hi.. i tried loft and brylanehome, venus and overstock, cart trick didnt work did not see a pop up for any pre approvel … is there any other store i can try ? And whats the luv button trick.. ?
I know that victoria secret and newyork & co gave me an opportunity tgey did give me a start of 250.00 each ..each im grateful trying to build my credit back up..
You just have to keep trying. VS is the easiest and so is J Crew. I have a lot of them and some I had to try 20 times. All of a sudden it will just pop. Just keep doing it over and over and not on the same day necessarily. Hope that helps
I was approved for Vs 250, children’s place 750, loft 500, cold water creek 1000, j crew 750, Eddie Bauer 750, NYC & co 750 qnd kolhs 750 as well. it does work but you have to put the EXACT same info from you credit report.
what is the luv button?
This worked for me with several retailers. I’m now in credit card debt.😔 Be careful…
Am trying to do it no luck unless am doing it wrong
I cant begin to imagine what my life without Master credit. I was drowned in inquiries and insufficient loans but Master credit who happen to be the best company for removing inquiries helped me erase all of them. Moreover with their help I was able to get the loan I needed. They are life savers. (Mastercreditfix Gmail com)