Bloomingdale's Card Closed Because I Stopped Using It?! Reversal Possible?

[DollazSense]

I think my Bloomingdale's store credit card was closed because I stopped using it.

I received a MyFico score alert saying my score dropped by 3 points. Reason?

"Closed or paid account/zero balance. Account closed by credit guarantor" next to my Bloomies account.

However, when I logged on to my online account, the card appeared to be open/active.

I will call later to confirm.

My balance has been zero since I last used it and paid it off a couple years ago. My last "lates" were almost six years ago.

I've always known not using a card could put me at risk for this action but I'm still frustrated.

I noticed my credit line had been reduced from $1200 to $1000 sometime in the last 18 months, maybe last year. And I know Macy's and Bloomies switched their web interface and CLI system with Citi back in 2015.

Why me?!

Last year, my mother closed an Express Clothing Store Credit Card she opened in the late 1990s for my older sister. She hadn't used it in nearly TWO DECADES and the darn card was still open!

The real frustrating part is that I planned on using the card next weekend for a trip to Chicago. We don't have a Bloomies in the Detroit area.

Does anyone have any experience reversing such decisions? If so, did it require another hard pull?

Did you receive a letter explaining the closure?

I didn't.

If the card is truly closed and they have to initiate a hard pull to reopen, I'll pass. I recently (read: in the last 12 months) opened a Nordstrom's card that now has a $7,500 limit. I bet Bloomies didn't like that. Haha.

[DollazSense]

Just an update. Department Stores National Bank, which issues the Bloomingdale's Card, did indeed close the account because stopped using it. 

As I mentioned before, I paid it off. 

FYI: The analyst/customer service representative I spoke to back when I made this post said that the terms of closure were outlined in the Cardholder Agreement. 

I think for Bloomingdale's it's either 24, 30 or 36 months. 

Consider yourself warned, especially if you're rebuilding and need the available credit for utilization ratio purposes. 

I found the following list online but I don't know how accurate it is. It is a limited list that doesn't include Synchrony, Comenity, Department Stores National Bank, TD Bank, et al. 

Amex: No disclosed time limit but will sometimes close based on inactivity. They’ll notify you first and give you a chance to use your card to prevent it, though.
Barclaycard: Will close as soon as 3 months. They won’t notify you in advance.
Capital One: Will close as soon as 12 months. They will notify you beforehand and give you a chance to use your card.
Chase: Will close after 1 year of inactivity. They will send you a letter inviting you to use your card to prevent it from being closed.
Citi: Will close accounts after 24 months of inactivity. They won’t notify you until after they close the account. Only making a purchase counts as activity.
Discover: No disclosed time limit but will notify you if your card is in danger of being closed for inactivity.
U.S. Bank: No disclosed time limit but will sometimes close based on inactivity. May notify you beforehand.
Wells Fargo: Will not close accounts based on inactivity.

[QuakerOatmeal]

Just chiming in that I *literally* had an "Express Next" CC for a DECADE with zero use that never got closed.

[DollazSense]

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@QuakerOatmeal wrote:

Just chiming in that I *literally* had an "Express Next" CC for a DECADE with zero use that never got closed.

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Ain't that somethin'? :-)

[Anonymous]

My Men's Warehouse Card was closed after 36 months of inactivity. My problem was a two hundred mile drive so it didn't get used after moving (understand they have costs too). Was surprised as I had no experience with "credit grantors" closing cards. As has been said, you learn and live. Since then I don't use store cards enough to worry about buying something just to keep the accounts open. Instead I look for category cards and Discover "Deals" and that has satisfied my small purchase needs. Truth, I felt guilty not buying something at least once a year so closing the store cards eliminated the problem for me. Certainly a YMMV for each one of us.

[FinStar]

The Bloomingdale's closure isn't really a surprise as it has been mentioned in the forums in the past regarding similar experiences with Macy's for long periods of inactivity.

It's all disclosed in the CCA and while some lenders do provide a "heads up", it's in the consumer's best interest to use their card periodically to avoid unexpected closures for lack of activity.

[longtimelurker]

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@DollazSense wrote:

Amex: No disclosed time limit but will sometimes close based on inactivity. They’ll notify you first and give you a chance to use your card to prevent it, though.
Barclaycard: Will close as soon as 3 months. They won’t notify you in advance.
Capital One: Will close as soon as 12 months. They will notify you beforehand and give you a chance to use your card.
Chase: Will close after 1 year of inactivity. They will send you a letter inviting you to use your card to prevent it from being closed.
Citi: Will close accounts after 24 months of inactivity. They won’t notify you until after they close the account. Only making a purchase counts as activity.
Discover: No disclosed time limit but will notify you if your card is in danger of being closed for inactivity.
U.S. Bank: No disclosed time limit but will sometimes close based on inactivity. May notify you beforehand.
Wells Fargo: Will not close accounts based on inactivity.

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I assume it's all YMMV.   Certainly for me, Cap One closed a card without warning

[UncleB]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@DollazSense wrote:

Amex: No disclosed time limit but will sometimes close based on inactivity. They’ll notify you first and give you a chance to use your card to prevent it, though.
Barclaycard: Will close as soon as 3 months. They won’t notify you in advance.
Capital One: Will close as soon as 12 months. They will notify you beforehand and give you a chance to use your card.
Chase: Will close after 1 year of inactivity. They will send you a letter inviting you to use your card to prevent it from being closed.
Citi: Will close accounts after 24 months of inactivity. They won’t notify you until after they close the account. Only making a purchase counts as activity.
Discover: No disclosed time limit but will notify you if your card is in danger of being closed for inactivity.
U.S. Bank: No disclosed time limit but will sometimes close based on inactivity. May notify you beforehand.
Wells Fargo: Will not close accounts based on inactivity.

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I assume it's all YMMV.   Certainly for me, Cap One closed a card without warning

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+1

This is all YMMV; I've gone a while without using a card (several) with no problems, while others have reported having those same cards closed with a shorter non-use period than I was allowed.

I'll also add that specific to Wells Fargo, there was a thread not too long ago where somebody was complaining about their card being closed for non-use, so the last data point in the list is definitely suspect.

[UpperNwGuy]

OP’s story is an excellent illustration of two principles:

— Don’t have lots of credit cards, because some of them inevitably don’t get used

— Avoid store cards because they are even harder to keep using than general purpose cards

[FinStar]

While those two principles may apply to a variety of folks at a given moment in time (i.e. post-rebuild, lifestyle changes, etc.), the 2nd principle is not necessarily an absolute. It all boils down to the individual.

I have quite a few store store cards that continue to get lots of use and some are 20+ years of age. That's on top of several major CCs. Then again, some of us are outliers when it comes to others outside of the MF spectrum.