Closed my Express Card

[PlasticOrPlastic]

I tried and tried to get an Express card (1st card with shopping cart trick) after reading about it on this site.  I finally got one back in January, along with way to many others.  I went shopping last night for a new suit for some upcoming interviews.  I picked out over $400 worth of shirts, ties, and a suit.  I get to the check out and remember my limit is a monster $250 on my Express card.  I called in and they said all I could do was max out the card and put the rest on a different card...really?  I said no thanks I'd like to close the card and put the entire purchase on another card.  No retention attempts at Commenity I guess.  Oh well card was sort of useless anyway...thinking before 2014 is out I'll be done with Commenity entirely. 

[SunriseEarth]

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@PlasticOrPlastic wrote:

I tried and tried to get an Express card (1st card with shopping cart trick) after reading about it on this site.  I finally got one back in January, along with way to many others.  I went shopping last night for a new suit for some upcoming interviews.  I picked out over $400 worth of shirts, ties, and a suit.  I get to the check out and remember my limit is a monster $250 on my Express card.  I called in and they said all I could do was max out the card and put the rest on a different card...really?  I said no thanks I'd like to close the card and put the entire purchase on another card.  No retention attempts at Commenity I guess.  Oh well card was sort of useless anyway...thinking before 2014 is out I'll be done with Commenity entirely. 

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Express is one of the Comenity CCs that seems to a real stickler about 9 months of account history before first CLI, unfortunately.  

[keithbward]

yea I've pushed a nice bit of funds through my express card and a few other comenity cards and no go with any CLI. I'll see what happens after month 9. If nothing I'll be closing all my comenity cards after a year as well.

[PlasticOrPlastic]

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@keithbward wrote:

yea I've pushed a nice bit of funds through my express card and a few other comenity cards and no go with any CLI. I'll see what happens after month 9. If nothing I'll be closing all my comenity cards after a year as well.

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Yes I tried for the past 6 months to spend at least something...new shirt here or there but with $250 its hard to make any actual purchases.  It was probably bad to close it after only 6 months but I don't think I'll miss it. 

[keithB]

I think Comenity probably requires the 9 months payment history on many of their cards.  I have a $3000 FRN Mastercard and tried for a CLI at day one (haha, wishful thinking, I know) and they denied me.  Called the service number and the rep told me 9 months as well.  I guess unless the company they write for wants less, the magic number is 9 months.

[jd352]

I don't see the 9 month CLI being the issue, more so the initial CL. I mean, c'mon, seriously... $250? Express clothes are not cheap. These stores should really partner with banks that are willing to help them gain sales. A $250 card is not helping them in that department. 

[lonelyisland]

Their store cards dont always start with $250 limits (My Talbots card started wih $1000 limit)  it depends on credit worthiness.  They think about it this way - if someone is more likely to default based on their past credit, do they want them to do it with $250 or $1000? Their risk alogrithm tells them that people are statisically more safe after a certain amount of time, so they wait until they feel confident about ability to repay. It is what it is. They give lots of people a stepping stone into rebulding, and sometimes people outgrow them faster, then you just have to decide to drop them, or be patient. 

Also sadly, for the stores that have the 6 or 9 month wait periods, its usually 6-9 statements, not months. So, if a statement didnt generate, it doesnt count. :-/

[ExplicitElicit]

Same here with Buckle. I'm waiting till after my 9th statement to see what happens. When I buy clothes from Buckle I can easily spend $500 in one session and $500 is also my limit and so far they will not budge on a CLI. If I can't get anything after the 9th statement I will probable close the account.

[SunriseEarth]

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@lonelyisland wrote:

Their store cards dont always start with $250 limits (My Talbots card started wih $1000 limit)  it depends on credit worthiness.  They think about it this way - if someone is more likely to default based on their past credit, do they want them to do it with $250 or $1000? Their risk alogrithm tells them that people are statisically more safe after a certain amount of time, so they wait until they feel confident about ability to repay. It is what it is. They give lots of people a stepping stone into rebulding, and sometimes people outgrow them faster, then you just have to decide to drop them, or be patient. 

Also sadly, for the stores that have the 6 or 9 month wait periods, its usually 6-9 statements, not months. So, if a statement didnt generate, it doesnt count. :-/

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Comenity seems to follow a 9 calendar month schedule.  I didn't have 9 statements on VS or Gold Violin when I got my CLIs, but I did have to wait for the 9 month mark.

[lonelyisland]

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@SunriseEarth wrote:

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@lonelyisland wrote:

Their store cards dont always start with $250 limits (My Talbots card started wih $1000 limit)  it depends on credit worthiness.  They think about it this way - if someone is more likely to default based on their past credit, do they want them to do it with $250 or $1000? Their risk alogrithm tells them that people are statisically more safe after a certain amount of time, so they wait until they feel confident about ability to repay. It is what it is. They give lots of people a stepping stone into rebulding, and sometimes people outgrow them faster, then you just have to decide to drop them, or be patient. 

Also sadly, for the stores that have the 6 or 9 month wait periods, its usually 6-9 statements, not months. So, if a statement didnt generate, it doesnt count. :-/

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Comenity seems to follow a 9 calendar month schedule.  I didn't have 9 statements on VS or Gold Violin when I got my CLIs, but I did have to wait for the 9 month mark.

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Maybe. Its just what I have been told by the reps I have spoken with for my VS Card, my now closed Limited Card, Loft Card and Talbots card when I called to get CLIs after the appropriate time limits. ;-)  It also the reason Limited is closed, and VS is on the way out. I rarely charge anything, and never let it report, so I'll never generate statements for those cards.