Just like any credit card, make sure you are getting it to use it to your advantage.
It is not wise to open up 10 store cards you dont use to help build credit.
It is not wise to use store cards to finance anything you buy if it costs you a lot in interest.
It is not wise to open up cards because those are the only ones you can get.
Now, it is wise to open cards that you will use all the time if they offer something better than a major card will.
My Amazon card gives me 5%-20% back on stuff I would buy regardless of the card I would use.
My Lowes card gives me 5%-10% back or 0% for 6-24 months on stuff I would buy regardless........
My Walmart cart gives me 3% back on stuff I would buy regardless.......
That is why I only have 4 store cards - those are the 4 places I shop the most with cards that make it worth my effort.
What some people do that is absolutely a mistake is they buy from a store that they have credit with because that is the only way they can afford it. Sometimes they buy at a higher price. Sometimes they have to buy something different from what they wanted. Sometimes they buy and pay 25%+ interest.
This is why you must have major cards with low interest rates or great rewards or 0% promotions or all three.
If a store card does not pay me more, offer better financing, or offer a huge credit line compared to a major card I already have, I have no use for it.
YMMV.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@UpperNwGuy wrote:Women focus on the discounts, while men focus on card counts, APRs, credit limits, and FICO scores. Your wife is a smart woman.
Little OT, but....: as a man I'm not one for sexual stereotypes , but this led me to think about one of my pet peeves: people here who talk about the appearance of a credit card as an important factor, such as it being metal or beautiful (see Cash Magnet). I would think that "traditionally" the expectation would be that men would want to appear analytic: "every card in my collection has a purpose" type stuff (yes, I need five cards that give 3% at supermarkets because, well, because) whereas many men here do seem to give card appearance quite a bit of weight, whereas I expect that they would deny being concerned prettiness in many other contexts. Or maybe I'm wrong.
(And yes, the irony in the first line was deliberate...)
Men and women are entirely different when they shop and what appeals to them as while shopping regarding discounts, rewards and promotions. Hell most of Norstrom is geared towards the woman shopper and so are their cards.
My wife's favorite cards, Pink Discover, Nordstrom Visa, Macy's Amex and Victoria Secret. The only one I agree w/ is Victoria Secret, lol!
Personal Cards: Amex Plat | Amex Delta Res | CSR | Citi AA Exec Business Cards: Ink+ | Amex BGR
My favorite store card is Nordstroms because they have an in-store cafe with much better tasting (and cheaper) iced coffee than Starbucks. I don't know if it's considered subprime or not but I'm keeping it. 
The ice coffee is probably subprime. 
@Anonymous wrote:The ice coffee is probably subprime.
No 87, it's sublime......
@Anonymous wrote:As I've said, it does look like the industry prefers revolvers (because issuers earn interest from them) to transactors - according to another site's glossary, issuers call transactors "deadbeats", obviously not in a complimentary fashion!
Wow they're salty 😂😂😂
I guess I'm worse than a deadbeat then because the way I use my cards, each swipe actually ends up costing them money. 
