Why Kohls?
Founded in ’62, this Wisconsin-based department store now has over a thousand locations, spread across the country in all but one state. They’re now one of the nation’s largest retailers, with an emphasis on discount clothing.
But even though they may be a great place to go to pick up a sweater or pair of shoes, you may want to think twice before you apply for their credit card. Here’s why…
Rewards
Of course this is probably what sparked your interest in the Kohls credit card in the first place. They offer an incentive to reel you in and get you to apply for the card; a 10% savings on your first purchase. This is a common “deal” a lot of store charge cards offer, hoping it will persuade you to signup. Savings are always great, but don’t fall for this bait and get hurt in the long run…
You see, the reason department stores have to offer gimmicks like this to get people to fill out the application is because their cards are crap, to put it frankly. Why you ask? Here are the reasons…
The Fine Print About Interest Rates
If you carry a balance – ever – this card is going to hurt, and it’s going to hurt bad! At the time of this review, the APR is an outrageous 21.9 percent!
To make matters worse, they may give you “penalty” APR which is even higher – 24.9 percent! According to the Kohls cardmember agreement, they may give you this higher rate if you (a) make a late payment, or (b) make a payment that is returned. So if you pay on time, your paying almost 22% and if you make a late payment, you might be paying almost 25% or possibly higher!
Credit Card Acceptance
Because it’s not a part of a major payment network (like MasterCard or Discover) it can only be used at the Kohl’s department store. So it serves no use anywhere else.
Credit Record
Many experts warn that you should avoid store charge cards at all costs. Why? Because every time you apply for a store card, it results in what is known as a “hard pull” on your credit report. This inquiry is used to check your creditworthiness, but is also known to knock down FICO scores.
Also, reportedly a department store charge card may not look too good on your report. Why? Because these cards are often associated with those that have bad credit (and the only reason they’re applying is because they can’t get a major credit card). Whether that’s the case for you or not, it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is that many view them as a red flag. Is it really worth saving 10% off your first purchase if it means consequences which can hurt you in the long run?
A Better Option
You can do much better than the Kohls credit card. Instead, why not go with a major credit card that also saves money at department stores? Discover offers a card which has no annual fee and up to a full 5% cashback bonus at every department store, including Kohls! Get the full scoop and check out our Discover More review!
