Consider a retail credit card.
You probably thought of a card with the name of a major retailer like Ikea, Big Lots or BJ’s, right? But retailers are generally not the ones who issue their cards, even if their names are on them. Instead, the banks that partner with these retailers provide and manage these types of cards.
Several credit card issuers specialize in retail credit cards, and Comenity Bank is one of the largest. The bank offers branded cards from several retailers, many of which offer ongoing rewards.
However, whether these retail cards are a good choice for you depends on your shopping habits. Retail cards are limited – typically only offer benefits when shopping at a specific store – and often come with higher interest rates. If you are not a frequent customer at a particular store, it may not make sense to apply for a card from that store.
Which stores cooperate with Comenity Bank?
With so many partner stores, Comenity Bank offers a wide variety of retail credit cards, including online stores, clothing stores, furniture stores, and more. Here are some of the more prominent stores for which Comenity provides a retail credit card:
- Loft Credit card
- Bed Bath & Beyond Welcome Rewards Credit Card
- Credit card Visa IKEA
- Ulta’s Ultimate Rewards Credit Card
- Victoria’s Secret Mastercard credit card
- Credit card with big lots
- BJ’s Perks Plus Mastercard Credit Card
- BJ’s Perks Elite Mastercard credit card
Other credit cards of Komeniti Bank
Comenity Bank is primarily known for its retail credit cards, but it also provides cards related to other types of businesses. You can find travel credit cards, car cards, medical cards, and even an insurance credit card that lets you earn rewards when you pay for your insurance coverage.
Here are some non-retail offerings of Comenity cards:
- Mastercard credit card for holidays and travel around the world
- Toyota Premium Visa
- Smile Generation Financial Credit Card
- mycash Mastercard
Popular cards of Komeniti Bank
Comenity offers a variety of retail cards, but how do you choose the right one for you? It depends mostly on your shopping habits. If you rarely shop at a retail store, there’s no point in applying for the associated Comenity card – no matter how valuable that card’s rewards program is.
But if Comenity offers a card associated with one of your favorite stores, that card might make sense. Here’s a look at three of Comenity’s most popular credit cards.
Victoria’s Secret Mastercard credit card
If you shop frequently at Victoria’s Secret, Comenity’s Victoria’s Secret Mastercard credit card might be a good choice. The card has a decent rewards program that can enable frequent shoppers to receive a steady flow of credit from the retailer. However, how much you earn depends on what you buy.
To start, you’ll get $25 off your first purchase with your Victoria’s Secret or Pink card. As a primary cardholder, you’ll receive 5 percent on purchases made at Victoria’s Secret and Pink, 2 percent on food, travel and streaming services, and 1 percent on all other purchases. Plus, you get free shipping on orders over $50.
Built into this rewards structure is a points system where for every 2,000 points you earn $10:
- $1 spent in the 5 percent category earns you 10 points.
- $1 spent in the 2 percent category earns you 4 points.
- $1 in the 1 percent category earns you 2 points.
- Plus three times more points for buying a bra
After the basic card membership status, there are Silver and Gold statuses whereby your Victoria’s Secret and Pink purchase rewards can earn you up to 7.5% return (plus increased perks). You will need to spend $250 a year on Victoria’s Secret to reach Silver status and $500 a year to get Gold status.
Credit card IKEA Visa
If you’re short on Ikea furniture or Swedish meatballs, you can apply for an Ikea Visa credit card from Comenity.
In terms of the reward structure, you’ll get 5 percent for purchases at Ikea, 3 percent for food, grocery, and utilities, and 1 percent for everything else. There is also a $25 Ikea Reward bonus when you spend $500 or more outside of Ikea, Traemand and TaskRabbit within the first 90 days of opening an account. Plus, for every $15 you earn, you’ll receive a $15 Ikea gift certificate.
This retail card is interesting in that most retail brand credit cards only reward you when you spend in their own stores, making it harder for consumers to get as many points or cash back as they would with a standard rewards card. The card’s 3 percent category for restaurants, grocery stores, and utilities sets it apart from most other retail cards.
BJ’s Perks Elite Mastercard credit card
Loyal customers at the BJ’s Wholesale Club can get a quick refund using the BJ’s Perks Elite Mastercard credit card.
This is because you will receive a 5 percent cashback on most BJ purchases in store and online. You’ll also receive 2 percent for dining out and at non-BJ gas stations, plus 1 percent for refunds wherever Mastercard is accepted. To sweeten the deal, cardholders are also getting a 10-cent rebate for every gallon of gasoline they charge at BJ’s Gas outlets.
As with the Ikea branded card, you are not limited to earning rewards at BJ outlets only, making this card more valuable than many other retail cards.
How to apply for a Komenity Bank card
The easiest way to get a credit card from Comenity Bank is to do it online. Find the name of the card and find a link to the seller’s website or the Comenity website. From there, click “Apply” and fill in the required information.
For example, searching for “Victoria’s Secret Credit Card” opens this page where you can apply. A search for “Ultimate Rewards Credit Card” opens this app page.
You can also apply for most of these cards in the store. The cashier may ask if you would like to sign up for the card when you pay, or you may simply ask to fill out an application.
bottom line
A store credit card can be a way to increase your credit. You’re more likely to get a store card because you usually don’t need as high a credit score as you need to qualify for a traditional rewards card. And if you then use the card and pay off your balance in full each month, you’ll gradually build up a solid credit history—just don’t delay payments or accumulate expenses that you can’t fully repay.
Before you apply for a Comenity Bank credit card, make sure it’s a good option for you. Store credit cards charge some of the highest interest rates and credit limits are usually lower.
After all, such cards can only be a good choice for brand enthusiasts. Those interested in rewards may be better off with a shared reward credit card. Even if your credit is not in the best shape, you can still find other options.
Editorial disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective judgment of our contributors and is not based on advertising. It was not provided or ordered by credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to our partners’ products.