Everyone around here gets Comenity cards right and left, but.....

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'm cursed, maybe I'm blessed....haven't figured out which. I got the Overstock and Sportsman's Guide thru the SCT. I cold apped for Barney's. I have a 3.9k cl with Overstock, a 2.5 cl with SG and a 15k cl with Barney's, I can't catch a card from them since then to save my life. Total Rewards = Denial Red Roof = Denial Virgin America = Denial

I don't get how some folks are getting so many of these cards. My scores are in my signature and my current reported UTIL is 2%.  I make over 120k per year. I'm not doing it right???  I have a ton of inqs. 18/27/21

There are people around here who have 70% +/- of their huge exposure in Comenity cards. Most of mine is over Cap One, Barclay's, PenFed, Credit Unions and Synchrony.

[msbia]

Arlo, what are your denial letters listing for reasons? You have a lot of available credit, but good income. I only had Overstock, Ann Taylor and Elder Beerman and i closed the first two. Seems like your denials are for their network cards, and lately they've been cracking down on those approvals/closures of existing accounts. I am inclined to think it may not be your profile but something internal with Comenity maybe. 

[Anonymous]

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@msbia wrote:

Arlo, what are your denial letters listing for reasons? You have a lot of available credit, but good income. I only had Overstock, Ann Taylor and Elder Beerman and i closed the first two. Seems like your denials are for their network cards, and lately they've been cracking down on those approvals/closures of existing accounts. I am inclined to think it may not be your profile but something internal with Comenity maybe. 

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Frankly, I forgot most of the reasons. The few I remember are: You already have sufficient credit lines, too many inquiries and BK on file.

[msbia]

I would probably go with inquiries then, even though i've seen people with way more get approved. #baffled

[Anonymous]

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@msbia wrote:

I would probably go with inquiries then, even though i've seen people with way more get approved. #baffled

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I really think I just need to stop applying for anything for 2 years and let my BK fall off. Obviously, I have plenty of credit. Reality is, I'm probably just seeking "trophies" at this point. The reality is: No Chase, Citi, Amex, BOA, US Bank for me until I have a completely clean file. This will require discipline!

[ddemari]

Arlo, I have some similar experience in this field. When I had a bk reporting I couldn't get any comenity store card. As denied for bankruptcy / past due on something way old
And paid off. The second the bk feel off, I was instantly approved for jcrew cold apping. Then it took a while for store card pop ups but they came rolling in. No offers for visa/mc of Cold apps approved until I had a year of history with them.
Then all the sudden they opened their gates. I was honestly shocked because I couldn't get a single major credit card from them.

[msbia]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@msbia wrote:

I would probably go with inquiries then, even though i've seen people with way more get approved. #baffled

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I really think I just need to stop applying for anything for 2 years and let my BK fall off. Obviously, I have plenty of credit. Reality is, I'm probably just seeking "trophies" at this point. The reality is: No Chase, Citi, Amex, BOA, US Bank for me until I have a completely clean file. This will require discipline!

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Hey I'm with you and understand the struggle lol. I'm not really hindered by bk but by my own self-discipline. I was on Cabelas website at 4am contemplating the Visa for a gun purchase lol. Then i asked myself whether it was a "need" or "want" and it was definitely the latter, so i closed out the page. Trophy cards, as you called them, or "braggables" as i call them, are why we get denied when good cards come along. I have over $300k in unsecured cards and definitely don't need more cards, inquiries, denials or AA. 

Good luck to you Arlo. 

[Anonymous]

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@msbia wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@msbia wrote:

I would probably go with inquiries then, even though i've seen people with way more get approved. #baffled

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I really think I just need to stop applying for anything for 2 years and let my BK fall off. Obviously, I have plenty of credit. Reality is, I'm probably just seeking "trophies" at this point. The reality is: No Chase, Citi, Amex, BOA, US Bank for me until I have a completely clean file. This will require discipline!

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Hey I'm with you and understand the struggle lol. I'm not really hindered by bk but by my own self-discipline. I was on Cabelas website at 4am contemplating the Visa for a gun purchase lol. Then i asked myself whether it was a "need" or "want" and it was definitely the latter, so i closed out the page. Trophy cards, as you called them, or "braggables" as i call them, are why we get denied when good cards come along. I have over $300k in unsecured cards and definitely don't need more cards, inquiries, denials or AA. 

Good luck to you Arlo. 

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You just made a lot of sense. Thank you. This fortifies my move of "no more", until..... I can work with what I have and in two years I know I'll have everything I want. Is there really such a thing? Naaaaa. The quest for life and enjoyment is unsatiable, at least, to those of us who are living. lol

[Imperfectfuture]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@msbia wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@msbia wrote:

I would probably go with inquiries then, even though i've seen people with way more get approved. #baffled

---

I really think I just need to stop applying for anything for 2 years and let my BK fall off. Obviously, I have plenty of credit. Reality is, I'm probably just seeking "trophies" at this point. The reality is: No Chase, Citi, Amex, BOA, US Bank for me until I have a completely clean file. This will require discipline!

---

Hey I'm with you and understand the struggle lol. I'm not really hindered by bk but by my own self-discipline. I was on Cabelas website at 4am contemplating the Visa for a gun purchase lol. Then i asked myself whether it was a "need" or "want" and it was definitely the latter, so i closed out the page. Trophy cards, as you called them, or "braggables" as i call them, are why we get denied when good cards come along. I have over $300k in unsecured cards and definitely don't need more cards, inquiries, denials or AA. 

Good luck to you Arlo. 

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You just made a lot of sense. Thank you. This fortifies my move of "no more", until..... I can work with what I have and in two years I know I'll have everything I want. Is there really such a thing? Naaaaa. The quest for life and enjoyment is unsatiable, at least, to those of us who are living. lol

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You do know ch 7 stays on ten years, not seven?

[takeshi74]

Everyone does not get Comentiy cards.  Cards are not one-size-fits-all.  Do not conflate popular and everyone.  And don't rely on popularity (or keeping up with the Joneses) to determine which cards you should get.  Start with your needs/wants and use that to select cards that suit you.

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@Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I'm cursed, maybe I'm blessed....

Has nothing to do with either.  It's all about your credit profile.

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@Anonymous wrote:

I don't get how some folks are getting so many of these cards. My scores are in my signature and my current reported UTIL is 2%.  I make over 120k per year. I'm not doing it right???  I have a ton of inqs. 18/27/21

Based on what you've posted:  Revolving utilization can have a signficant impact but it's not the only thing that matters.  Income is good but, again, it's not all that matters.  You have a BK reporting and that in itself is a limiting factor (I have been there myself).  You have a lot of inquiries with each CRA.  Inquiries are generally a small factor but it's not just about inquiries either.  Recent credit activity can limit even those with very good credit profiles.  No profile can indefinitely add new accounts.  The stronger profiles can just handle more activity.  Whatever the specifics may or may not be, you've surpassed what Comenity considers safe with your profile.

Why does it matter who else gets them and how many?  Your decisions need to be based on your needs/wants.  You need to select cards that suit you -- not because others selected them.  You cannot assume that the experiences of others indicate what you will experience.  Everyone's credit profile is not identical.

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@Anonymous wrote:

Frankly, I forgot most of the reasons. The few I remember are: You already have sufficient credit lines, too many inquiries and BK on file.

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The reasons aren't always straightforward but you need to use them as a starting point versus just dismissing them and saying you're "cursed".  The total in your sig is a good amount for your profile.  "Too many inquiries" is always really "too many inquiries for your profile".  Without the BK you'd have a bit more room to work with.

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@Anonymous wrote:

Reality is, I'm probably just seeking "trophies" at this point. 

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Bingo.  If you want to trophy hunt -- which I don't recommend (and Comenity cards aren't great trophies IMO but that's subjective) but it's your call -- then do it when your credit profile is in better shape.

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@Imperfectfuture wrote:

You do know ch 7 stays on ten years, not seven?

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This.  Get in the right mindset and adjust expectations.