Cap1 and their measly increases

[Rebuilding69]

Spent about $2100 on my QS Visa in the last month I used it(made a >$2k payment this last month), and they offered me $400 cli after 7 months of usage now, which I politely declined. I've spent >3x my limit on this card in the first 6 months. My rebuilder Plat card which I've had awhile now, which I PC'd into a QS MC, was given >3x that $400 CLI amount in the steps program after only 3 months of having the card, and putting way way less through it(since it was only a $500 card to start with).

I'm not sure how a rebuilder Plat card which I barely used to begin with can get >3x the CLI amounts of a QS Visa which I've already put >3x the limit through it in the first couple of months, but apparently it's possible with their computer system.

This isn't how you keep customers. I'm all for rewarding customers who use their cards, but to give out random increases on cards that aren't even being used, and then to literally slap the face of a good usage card member, is a quick way to lose that customer, or at the very least guarantee the card sees no usage.

[UncleB]

I can add a data point...

I tried for a CLI on my QS1 (now QS) MasterCard back in the fall of 2014 and was offered $200.  I was disappointed, but I took it.  This card started off as an HSBC/Orchard Bank account, and is soon to be nine years old.

The next few months my scores took a nice jump, and I got to the 690s and I tried again... this time I was given $1000.  My score is now hovering between 710 and 720, and my last CLI on that card back in December was another $1000. 

Oddly, the $200 increase was during a time of high usage, and both of the $1000 increases have been during times of low usage, so while usage can make a difference if everything else is in line (I've personally seen this) it's not the "end all, be all" with Capital One - your scores have an impact as well. 

For reference I also have a QS Visa Signature that was opened last spring; I used it heavily the first few months and my first CLI was $2000.  However in December when I was eligible to try again I only got $1000 - the exact same as my QS MasterCard CLI - so low usage likely came into play for this one.

Hope this helps! 

[Rebuilding69]

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@UncleB wrote:

I can add a data point...

I tried for a CLI on my QS1 (now QS) MasterCard back in the fall of 2014 and was offered $200.  I was disappointed, but I took it.  This card started off as an HSBC/Orchard Bank account, and is soon to be nine years old.

The next few months my scores took a nice jump, and I got to the 690s and I tried again... this time I was given $1000.  My score is now hovering between 710 and 720, and my last CLI on that card back in December was another $1000. 

Oddly, the $200 increase was during a time of high usage, and both of the $1000 increases have been during times of low usage, so while usage can make a difference if everything else is in line (I've personally seen this) it's not the "end all, be all" with Capital One - your scores have an impact as well. 

For reference I also have a QS Visa Signature that was opened last spring; I used it heavily the first few months and my first CLI was $2000.  However in December when I was eligible to try again I only got $1000 - the exact same as my QS MasterCard CLI - so low usage likely came into play for this one.

Hope this helps! 

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Congrats on your increases on scores & cli's! 🤑

[Anonymous]

Uncle B, I can certainly understand credit scores playing a role in addition to card usage and dollar flow.  In my case though, it still doesn't make sense.  When I got the card my credit score was around 650.  After 6 months around the time I received my first $500 CLI I was nearing 700.  A week and a half ago when I was given my second $500 CLI which is now 13 months since being issued the card my FICO 08's are 720/733/773.  To me, it just doesn't make sense, especially when I had a human being evaluate my account and not just a computer.

Question for you guys that have received measly increases verses those that have received respectable or favorable increases:  What other CC's and limits do you possess in your portfolio?  For me, the Capital One QS is the only card I have other than a Care Credit (Synchrony) card that I literally never use and just used for an initial purchase 3+ years ago.  One of my theories is that Capital One takes a look at your profile and if you don't have anything else noteworthy in it in terms of CC's, which is my case, they have no incentive to give you favorable CLI's.  I'm curious if those of you that have received decent CLI's from Cap One have had other CC's in your profile with greater limits, and perhaps Cap One grants you greater CLI's in an attempt to place themselves more competitively with them?

I'll be a good test for this when it's time for my next Capital One CLI.  As I stated earlier, next month I plan on acquiring 3 more CC's and from reading on here based on my credit profile and scores I'm quite confident that ALL of them will give me SL's in excess of my current Capital One limit.  I'm also confident that all 3 will give me CLI's in about 3 months time (before I get my next Cap One CLI) so when it comes time for my next Capital One CLI they will be able to see that I now have multiple cards with greater limits than their card.  I'm curious if this will result in a different outcome for me next time, and I look forward to sharing those results with all of you when the time comes.  If nothing changes, clearly other cards don't matter.  If I do get a more substantial CLI then I will conclude that since nothing else has changed that Cap One does look at the other cards in your portfolio and their limits and possibly plays a little "Keep up with the Jones'" as a result.

[UncleB]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Uncle B, I can certainly understand credit scores playing a role in addition to card usage and dollar flow.  In my case though, it still doesn't make sense.  When I got the card my credit score was around 650.  After 6 months around the time I received my first $500 CLI I was nearing 700.  A week and a half ago when I was given my second $500 CLI which is now 13 months since being issued the card my FICO 08's are 720/733/773.  To me, it just doesn't make sense, especially when I had a human being evaluate my account and not just a computer.

Question for you guys that have received measly increases verses those that have received respectable or favorable increases:  What other CC's and limits do you possess in your portfolio?  For me, the Capital One QS is the only card I have other than a Care Credit (Synchrony) card that I literally never use and just used for an initial purchase 3+ years ago.  One of my theories is that Capital One takes a look at your profile and if you don't have anything else noteworthy in it in terms of CC's, which is my case, they have no incentive to give you favorable CLI's.  I'm curious if those of you that have received decent CLI's from Cap One have had other CC's in your profile with greater limits, and perhaps Cap One grants you greater CLI's in an attempt to place themselves more competitively with them?

I'll be a good test for this when it's time for my next Capital One CLI.  As I stated earlier, next month I plan on acquiring 3 more CC's and from reading on here based on my credit profile and scores I'm quite confident that ALL of them will give me SL's in excess of my current Capital One limit.  I'm also confident that all 3 will give me CLI's in about 3 months time (before I get my next Cap One CLI) so when it comes time for my next Capital One CLI they will be able to see that I now have multiple cards with greater limits than their card.  I'm curious if this will result in a different outcome for me next time, and I look forward to sharing those results with all of you when the time comes.  If nothing changes, clearly other cards don't matter.  If I do get a more substantial CLI then I will conclude that since nothing else has changed that Cap One does look at the other cards in your portfolio and their limits and possibly plays a little "Keep up with the Jones'" as a result.

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I understand your frustration, and I certainly can't speak to how Capital One makes their decisions (nor can anybody else on here).  All I can do is provide data points related to my own experience so that others can possibly use those points to get an idea of how Capital One may go about making their decisions.  While some things will be obvious, any thoughts in addition to the data points mentioned are merely speculation, at least on my part.

That being said, you might have something when you mention that Capital One might take other accounts into account.  While it's well-known that our overall score is (of course) driven by our accounts, it makes sense that Capital One would use information on the reports in addition to the raw credit scores when making their decision.

In my own case, I have a couple of things likely in my favor... my oldest account with Capital One, the QS MasterCard, had very humble beginnings as a HSBC/Orchard Bank Platinum card with a $300 credit line.  It's now nearly nine years old, which isn't 'extraordinarily old' but is considered "strong" for a Capital One account (per the last CSR I spoke with). 

As for my other accounts, I have a couple in addition to the QS MasterCard that are also older than my other accounts (Lowe's at 12 years and Belk at 10 years).  As for them matching credit lines, I don't personally have any data points to drive that, however I'll share that my Lowe's has a credit line of $10k and my NFCU MasterCard has a credit line of $15.3k.  That being said, my Lowe's card only recently got pushed to that credit line, and the NFCU card was only opened in November, so I'm not sure how much those limits mattered to Capital One for my last CLIs. 

Again, I'm just providing my data points here, I'm not supporting Capital One's decision making process.  I'll also add that for years I felt that I was somehow "lesser" with Capital One due to them not giving me a PC until a couple of months ago.  Until that PC, my AF was $79, which is more than double the annual fee for someone with a brand new account - which was a point of continual annoyance with me.  Even the couple of times they agreed to waive half of my old AF, I was still paying 50¢ more than someone with a brand new account... and I had been around for years with a perfect history, so I definitely understand your frustration.

[Rebuilding69]

re: above, My highest card is my NFCU card @ $19k + CLOC @ 15k. I have NFCU, Amex, 2x Chase, 2x Cap1

Cap1 wants to give me a generous $400 cli after spending >3x my limit on my QS Visa in the last few months. I've been with them for several years.

[Gmood1]

My QS cards grow much slower than the Ventures. Both Ventures were bumped up another $3000 each after 3 months of use. My oldest original QS only went up $1400 from SL in a 9 month period. I closed it and PC'd my Platinum to QS, combining the two. The Platinum started out as a HSBC card. And currently my oldest Cap one card. It stayed at $1100 for over 8 years. I've never gotten a CLI on it.

Basically I had a $1100 CL with Capital one June 2015. Now I have $48,500 in total limts with them.
We PIF every month. We don't carry balances on any of the cards. I let the statement cut and then schedule a payment.

[Anonymous]

Here is another data point:

My first rebuilder card was from Orchard bank est. 2012 with $300 limit.  Capital One bought them out converted me to a Classic MC.  Over the years my limit has grown to $2600 and they recently started waiving my annual fee.  I had to call and ask.  My biggest CLI were by far AUTO.  I got a $1500 auto CLI after about 3 years.  I also had a late payment on this card in 2012.  

[driftless]

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@UncleB wrote:

I can add a data point...

I so while usage can make a difference if everything else is in line (I've personally seen this) it's not the "end all, be all" with Capital One - your scores have an impact as well. 

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UncleB makes a point that this thread, and my previous post, has missed: your score is an important factor in your CLI's.

[Anonymous]

So we all agree that card usage and credit scores are big (possibly the biggest) factors in receiving CLI's and/or their values.  My scores aren't bad (borderline between "good" and "excellent" and I've pumped plenty of usage monthly through my card and have never seen a >$500 CLI.  Again, the only other variable that I can see that could be impacting this is other CC's, or lack therof, in my portfolio.  I really am looking forward to seeing if my Capital One CLI next time around is more significant once I have 3 other cards reporting for several months with greater credit limits.