Hello! First time poster, apologies if this isn't the right place. I just got approved for this card which gives 5% on a category of your choice, one of which is Department Stores.
I'm curious what this entails. Does something like H&M count as department stores?
According to the max rewards app, it does not, but it does say that WalMart and target would count, as well as other random stores like Marshall's, Ross, and obviously stuff like Macy's and Dillard's (which I don't shop at).
Just curious if anyone out there has experience with what counts and what doesn't.
Off topic sort of, but I wasn't expecting Walmart and Target to count as department stores, if that's true then that's huge for me. That'll be a big gap filler.
TO 
Some credit card issuers exclude target for some reason and it will only count as your default CB offer so YMMV.
There is the Target REDcard that gives you a 5% discount upfront 
For the sake of DP, I will test purchase from there and report back to you guys how it goes. I'll hut WalMart and target both.
It is VERY geofenced to southern AZ. I've been trying to find a way in for years now. From my understanding, this card got hit by the myFICO wave when it came out and they shut their doors to outside apps.
On Deck: New Truck Oct. '23
@ShinsekaiYori wrote:For the sake of DP, I will test purchase from there and report back to you guys how it goes. I'll hut WalMart and target both.
I can't get this card due to the geo, but I'm very interested in the DP! I know that the Elan MCP card includes Target and Walmart in its grocery category specifically, but it would be very interesting to hear that Vantage West includes them as Department Stores (while accurate imo!)
I would think for the most part that what counts as a Department Store is going to depend on the MCC... US Bank Cash+ separates Clothing Stores from Department Stores, so I would guess that something like H&M, while they do seem to dip slightly into home decor, would be predominantly a Clothing Store? When I Google H&M, it comes up as a "clothing retail company" initially.
Emotionally, I would say that if it's normally been a "mall anchor", instead of a shop between corner anchors, then it prolly counts as a Department Store.
SD - 
Biz - 
@Taurus22 wrote:It is VERY geofenced to southern AZ. I've been trying to find a way in for years now. From my understanding, this card got hit by the myFICO wave when it came out and they shut their doors to outside apps.
That's exactly what happened, they reached FOTM status about 3 years ago and quickly put up a tight geofence.
@unsungivy wrote:
@ShinsekaiYori wrote:For the sake of DP, I will test purchase from there and report back to you guys how it goes. I'll hut WalMart and target both.
I can't get this card due to the geo, but I'm very interested in the DP! I know that the Elan MCP card includes Target and Walmart in its grocery category specifically, but it would be very interesting to hear that Vantage West includes them as Department Stores (while accurate imo!)
I would think for the most part that what counts as a Department Store is going to depend on the MCC... US Bank Cash+ separates Clothing Stores from Department Stores, so I would guess that something like H&M, while they do seem to dip slightly into home decor, would be predominantly a Clothing Store? When I Google H&M, it comes up as a "clothing retail company" initially.
Emotionally, I would say that if it's normally been a "mall anchor", instead of a shop between corner anchors, then it prolly counts as a Department Store.
I fear you may be right. Honestly, I got this thinking it would be my salvation for rewards on clothing stores, something I tend to frequent. But the max rewards app claiming that it will instead count for Walmart and Target now has me more intrigued.
Also, in embarrassed to admit it took me this long to realize I could simply buy the gift cards at the grocery store on my flex which earns 9% at the moment to achieve basically the same thing. Even so, having this card as a Walmart/Target card fills quite a large gap and is even more useful than my original plans for it.
Of course this all bets on the fact that it works. As soon as I have the card I will make a trip to both for a quick purchase and report back here with my findings.
Ok, just to update. I've received the card, set it to department stores, spent $3.21 at Walmart to test if it was working.
I recieeeeeved ...... 6 points. So I earned 2x.
HOWEVER,
I realize now what I should have picked is wholesale clubs. So. Now I need to wait for quarters to change in October and then test it again. I will keep this post updated.