B&N Credit card Question

myndreamland · ‎11-16-2013

Hi y'all,

Thank you for all your advice during my app spree 2 weeks ago. Now that all of my cards were approved, I am planning for my GF's app spree. High on the list is the B&N Card due to the 5% rebate at B&N. However, because most of our purchases are from the B&N College bookstore on our campus, I'd like to know if these purchases will be eligible for the 5% rebate. We don't want to lower our already low AAoA only to apply for a card that will be sockdrawered. Thank you very much for your information. Have a wonderful weekend.

Creditaddict · ‎11-16-2013

If it's still owned by Barnes and Noble then it should be standard rewards... However what aqbout the Sallie Mae card instead for more categories that get 5%

Anonymous · ‎11-16-2013

Or, would the Citi Forward Visa (student edition) work with the 5% for books at free standing bookstores?

myndreamland · ‎11-16-2013

Then I'm afraid the purchase will not earn the rewards. My college bookstore purchase shows up on my SallieMae card without any mentioning of B&N, even though the receipt clearly says "Barns and Nobles College bookstore". I have both the cards that you two mentioned. However, SallieMae is capped at $750, which won't be enough for the shopping spree at the beginning of each semester. And Forward is no longer offered.

Anonymous · ‎11-16-2013

Checked the Citi Cards website and the Citi Forward Visa is available for college undergrads and grads. I also contacted Citi Bank on the status of the Citi Forward Card and they informed me it was available to college students. Now as luck would have it, Citi did me a favor and gave me a card as a non college student and I like it. This information is current as of 4:04 PM CST on Saturday, November 16, 2013.

longtimelurker · ‎11-16-2013

@Anonymous wrote:
Checked the Citi Cards website and the Citi Forward Visa is available for college undergrads and grads. I also contacted Citi Bank on the status of the Citi Forward Card and they informed me it was available to college students. Now as luck would have it, Citi did me a favor and gave me a card as a non college student and I like it. This information is current as of 4:04 PM CST on Saturday, November 16, 2013.

It's available to students but I believe it (very) recently changed to 1 point on everything. Did you get a different offer?

longtimelurker · ‎11-16-2013

@myndreamland wrote:
Then I'm afraid the purchase will not earn the rewards. My college bookstore purchase shows up on my SallieMae card without any mentioning of B&N, even though the receipt clearly says "Barns and Nobles College bookstore". I have both the cards that you two mentioned. However, SallieMae is capped at $750, which won't be enough for the shopping spree at the beginning of each semester. And Forward is no longer offered.

So do you get the 5% on the Sallie Mae (because it is a bookstore even if it isn't marked as B&N"). And, if you can cover the expense, does the bookstore sell gift certificates or something? If so, you can buy ~ $750 a month and then use them for the shopping spree.

myndreamland · ‎11-16-2013

Yes, the bookstore qualifies for 5% on my SM. However, the category is constantly maxed out at this point already because of reimburseable student organization expenses. And as the new Forward is not offering 5x anymore, we are preparing for the time when they stop the 5x on my Forward. Plus straight 5% is very nice, compared to point.

Anonymous · ‎11-16-2013

WOW! Did not know they eliminated the 5% on theatres, free standing bookstores etc. Just called Citi Cards to verify. My account has the 5%. The CSR said that Citi may offer the 5% to a student account holder or even possibly and applicant but it is no longer an automatic. I received an invite to apply with a reduced rate to 10.99% purchases and the 5%. Never realized the new card applicants were not guaranteed the options. That was a big plus for the card. Hmm ... why pursue for the future if other cards offer better returns? As an add on, I missed the point about preparing for the loss of the 5X but it has been absorbed now begging the question on a future for the Citi Foward Visa?

longtimelurker · ‎11-16-2013

@Anonymous wrote:
WOW! Did not know they eliminated the 5% on theatres, free standing bookstores etc. Just called Citi Cards to verify. My account has the 5%. The CSR said that Citi may offer the 5% to a student account holder or even possibly and applicant but it is no longer an automatic. I received an invite to apply with a reduced rate to 10.99% purchases and the 5%. Never realized the new card applicants were not guaranteed the options. That was a big plus for the card. Hmm ... why pursue for the future if other cards offer better returns?

Right, the Forward without those options is a below-standard card, and not clear that an informed person would apply for it (but there are lots of students who wouldn't know better.) That said, until recently the Thank You Preferred was a straight 1% point card, and it had lots of people even here quite enthusiastic about it.