Stupid Sears ... or stupid me!

[Watchmann]

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@bmagnant wrote:

I'm the OP. There was an additional 5% discount if you used your Sears card. All they had to do to keep my business was offer me the 5% discount with another payment option. I left that out of the original post. That is why I was fixated on the Sears account. I was a little peeved that I never received any notice my account was being closed.
I understand closing an inactive account... I don't understand not wanting to make the sale.

Brent 
 

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Well, that changes the equation.  I agree they could have offered the 5% discount and let you use another card or payment option to keep your business.  Having them soft your credit file to get you a new account on the spot as someone else suggested is probably asking a bit much.  Sales people on the floor are not credit specialists and unless you got a savvy manager (good luck) that probably wasn't going to happen.  I've had accounts closed a few times and I can't remember them ever sending me a notification.  I found out by looking at my credit report.   

[bmagnant]

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@Watchmann wrote:

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@bmagnant wrote:

I'm the OP. There was an additional 5% discount if you used your Sears card. All they had to do to keep my business was offer me the 5% discount with another payment option. I left that out of the original post. That is why I was fixated on the Sears account. I was a little peeved that I never received any notice my account was being closed.
I understand closing an inactive account... I don't understand not wanting to make the sale.

Brent 
 

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Well, that changes the equation.  I agree they could have offered the 5% discount and let you use another card or payment option to keep your business.  Having them soft your credit file to get you a new account on the spot as someone else suggested is probably asking a bit much.  Sales people on the floor are not credit specialists and unless you got a savvy manager (good luck) that probably wasn't going to happen.  I've had accounts closed a few times and I can't remember them ever sending me a notification.  I found out by looking at my credit report.   

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When I got home, I called the credit card side of the house and they told me they used to reactivate accounts with 30 days, but even then it was a hard pull. So they decided to do away with reopening, and just make everyone go thru the new account process. Which I would have done if I wasn't in the middle of building a house.

Brent

[Anonymous]

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@Watchmann wrote:

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@bmagnant wrote:

I'm the OP. There was an additional 5% discount if you used your Sears card. All they had to do to keep my business was offer me the 5% discount with another payment option. I left that out of the original post. That is why I was fixated on the Sears account. I was a little peeved that I never received any notice my account was being closed.
I understand closing an inactive account... I don't understand not wanting to make the sale.

Brent 
 

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Well, that changes the equation.  I agree they could have offered the 5% discount and let you use another card or payment option to keep your business.  Having them soft your credit file to get you a new account on the spot as someone else suggested is probably asking a bit much.  Sales people on the floor are not credit specialists and unless you got a savvy manager (good luck) that probably wasn't going to happen.  I've had accounts closed a few times and I can't remember them ever sending me a notification.  I found out by looking at my credit report.   

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First of all get facts straight first before speaking...nobody stated anything about soft-pulling your credit to get a NEW account opened. Soft-pulling can be done for reinstating........reinstating an existing cardholder account, my wife had the same thing happen to her a few years back "and it can be done". Any card that has been closed due to inactivity can be reinstated if to much time has not past usually no more then a year or so.

King 

[hyprble]

I had a Sears account closed on me for inactivity (I wasn't notified and had no idea until I checked my credit report).  I was bummed I lost another $4000 credit line which affected my debt to credit ratio, but I guess I should've used the card at least once.  I agree good customer service would've been to extend you the 5% discount, but who knows what their manager policies are with that kind of stuff at big stores.

[Imhotrodcrazy]

Bmagnant,

I agree with you, I did  the same with Sears about 20 yrs ago.  I had a legit gripe with Sears and they would not budge, so,  I closed the account and have not been back to Sears since.  Stick to your principles and say the hell with everyone else. ( i.e. companies )

Message Edited by Imhotrodcrazy on 06-03-2009 06:43 PM

[Kay_Cee]

Sears cards are issued by Citi Bank for their prime customers or HSBC for sub-prime.  Doesn't that explain the hard pull and the lack of flexibility in this situation??

[Watchmann]

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74king wrote:

First of all get facts straight first before speaking...nobody stated anything about soft-pulling your credit to get a NEW account opened. Soft-pulling can be done for reinstating........reinstating an existing cardholder account, my wife had the same thing happen to her a few years back "and it can be done". Any card that has been closed due to inactivity can be reinstated if to much time has not past usually no more then a year or so.

King 

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Sorry, King, for not getting my facts straight before speaking, but the OP said;  "When I got home, I called the credit card side of the house and they told me they used to reactivate accounts with 30 days, but even then it was a hard pull. So they decided to do away with reopening, and just make everyone go thru the new account process."  Looks to me that no reinstating is possible with Sears and a soft pull would be of no help.  It was a hard pull or nothing. 

[Anonymous]

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@Watchmann wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

First of all get facts straight first before speaking...nobody stated anything about soft-pulling your credit to get a NEW account opened. Soft-pulling can be done for reinstating........reinstating an existing cardholder account, my wife had the same thing happen to her a few years back "and it can be done". Any card that has been closed due to inactivity can be reinstated if to much time has not past usually no more then a year or so.

King 

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Sorry, King, for not getting my facts straight before speaking, but the OP said;  "When I got home, I called the credit card side of the house and they told me they used to reactivate accounts with 30 days, but even then it was a hard pull. So they decided to do away with reopening, and just make everyone go thru the new account process."  Looks to me that no reinstating is possible with Sears and a soft pull would be of no help.  It was a hard pull or nothing. 

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I can't speak too that....I can only speak to what I know and what my wife went through. Maybe they changed their policy. But in any case, all is well.

King

[Anonymous]

REMINDER:  Sears has nothing to do with Sears Credit.  It is backed by Citi.  So, it isn't Sears that doesn't want your business, it's Citi.