<----- I.. Want.. This.. Card! ARGH!
There's one other card from Merrill Lynch, the Total Merrill card. Also Visa Signature with 1.25% cash back across the board on all purchases. Not a bad card, just not quite the same as the Plus card.
So I called in to apply today and after answering the standard application questions, the rep said that I would be mailed a decision in 30 days. Knowing better than just waiting, I call the backdoor FIA number and am greeted by a very friendly credit analyst. He agrees to look over my application and says that it was initially denied due to number of new accounts and inquiries. I countered by saying that I have been aggressively establishing credit over the past two years which is why the accounts appear to be new and not all inquiries were applications for new credit. I mentioned that some were for an apartment, switching banks, refinancing an auto loan, and the ones related to cards pertained to CLIs rather than for new accounts.
He put me on hold for about five minutes and came back to ask about my Fidelity card and why I want the Merrill+. I told him it would be an excellent addition to my portfolio and the no AF, FOREX, and EMV are exactly what I was looking for in a travel card. He then put me on hold for several minutes (I have the hold music stuck in my head ahh). Finally, he tells me he will approve it for $8,000 but I bumped it to $12,500 after taking part of my CL on the Fidelity AmEx. He commented I've done an excellent job maintaining my credit and he hopes I enjoy the card while I'm abroad.
All in all, a pretty nice experience. 
@grinlikechelsea wrote:So I called in to apply today and after answering the standard application questions, the rep said that I would be mailed a decision in 30 days. Knowing better than just waiting, I call the backdoor FIA number and am greeted by a very friendly credit analyst. He agrees to look over my application and says that it was initially denied due to number of new accounts and inquiries. I countered by saying that I have been aggressively establishing credit over the past two years which is why the accounts appear to be new and not all inquiries were applications for new credit. I mentioned that some were for an apartment, switching banks, refinancing an auto loan, and the ones related to cards pertained to CLIs rather than for new accounts.
He put me on hold for about five minutes and came back to ask about my Fidelity card and why I want the Merrill+. I told him it would be an excellent addition to my portfolio and the no AF, FOREX, and EMV are exactly what I was looking for in a travel card. He then put me on hold for several minutes (I have the hold music stuck in my head ahh). Finally, he tells me he will approve it for $8,000 but I bumped it to $12,500 after taking part of my CL on the Fidelity AmEx. He commented I've done an excellent job maintaining my credit and he hopes I enjoy the card while I'm abroad.
All in all, a pretty nice experience.
Haha! good for you!
Thanks Lexie! Thank you to you and everyone else who offered their experiences and helped me app for the card
@grinlikechelsea wrote:So I called in to apply today and after answering the standard application questions, the rep said that I would be mailed a decision in 30 days. Knowing better than just waiting, I call the backdoor FIA number and am greeted by a very friendly credit analyst. He agrees to look over my application and says that it was initially denied due to number of new accounts and inquiries. I countered by saying that I have been aggressively establishing credit over the past two years which is why the accounts appear to be new and not all inquiries were applications for new credit. I mentioned that some were for an apartment, switching banks, refinancing an auto loan, and the ones related to cards pertained to CLIs rather than for new accounts.
He put me on hold for about five minutes and came back to ask about my Fidelity card and why I want the Merrill+. I told him it would be an excellent addition to my portfolio and the no AF, FOREX, and EMV are exactly what I was looking for in a travel card. He then put me on hold for several minutes (I have the hold music stuck in my head ahh). Finally, he tells me he will approve it for $8,000 but I bumped it to $12,500 after taking part of my CL on the Fidelity AmEx. He commented I've done an excellent job maintaining my credit and he hopes I enjoy the card while I'm abroad.
All in all, a pretty nice experience.
woohoo!!! WTG chelsea!!! nice limit! Congrats!