Out of all of the retail store credit card reviews we have done, the Buckle Credit Card rewards program may be the worst. The problem is that you have to read the fine print closely to completely understand how bad and limiting it really is. The great thing is we DID read the fine print and we'll layout why you should probably avoid this extremely high interest rate card and what we found out about their screwy B-rewards program (they really should call it 'F'-rewards!). Not to mention they chose Comenity Bank to issue and manage their customers Buckle Credit Card which was a big mistake. You should consider the Comenity Buckle Card if you are looking for extremely high interest rates, low value rewards, and shitty customer service. Choosing a more traditional card over the Buckle Comenity Bank Card could literally save your credit score and thousands of dollars in interest payments over your lifetime.
REWARDS
Points value extremely low
RATES & FEES
One of the highest APR's we reviewed
EASE OF USE
Limited to Buckle stores and website use
SUPPORT
Only concerned about you making your payments
Credit Knocks Overall Star Rating:
SUMMARY:
The Buckle Credit Card has a very high variable APR rate and you have between 5 and 7 weeks from the time you earn a reward to redeem it or it is lost forever.
Keep in mind that the Comenity Bank Buckle Store Card cannot be used anywhere else but at Buckle Comenity owned stores.
A major problem with this card is the issuer, Comenity Bank, who will cancel your card if you do not keep a balance and pay them interest regardless if you always pay on time or how long you have been a customer.
When a revolving credit card account is closed it can hurt your credit score which plays a major role in the interest rates you receive on future credit card offers, auto loans and even home mortgages.
There are many traditional credit cards that would be a better choice over the Comenity Buckle Card if you are looking for a credit card.
This Buckle Credit Card review was written so that you can understand how their card works, its short comings, and better alternatives.
What's The Buckle Credit Card?
The Buckle Credit Card accounts are issued by Comenity Bank for use only at the Buckle stores and their online website.
Just to be clear, this card cannot be used anywhere but on the Buckle website or in their stores.
You will not find a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, logo on this card.
Customers who use the Buckle Card to make purchases will receive 1 reward for every dollar they spend.
For every 300 points you earn in a set quarter, they will automatically mail you a $10 reward THAT EXPIRES APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEKS (35 DAYS) FROM THE DATE IT WAS ISSUED.
Here's where it gets fine printy...
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Every quarter you have a chance to earn a $10 reward card for every $300 you spend during the quarter.
Now, if you spend $199 or less in that quarter you lose all of your points when the quarter ends and do not get any rewards.
However, if you spend $200-$299 during the quarter but don't reach the 300 points, those points will rollover to the next quarter but can't be rolled over again if you fail to reach 300 and they will be lost.
So that kind of sucks.
But it gets worse... You cannot combine your B-rewards (again, these things should be called F-Rewards!) to make a purchase as you can only use one $10 reward per purchase.
So, if you spend $1500 in the first quarter and received five $10 B-rewards cards, you cannot combine them to make a $50 purchase.
You would have to make five separate purchases to redeem all of your B-rewards which expire only five weeks (35 days) after you receive them.
A load of crap, right?
In a 2019 Credit Card Insider survey, they found that 40% of retail store credit card holders regretted applying for their store card. We recommend that you apply for a traditional credit card.
Check out today's most popular credit cards with the best rates.
Basically, this rewards program is almost worthless, plus they charge a super high APR rate, there is literally zero reason to apply for the Buckle Card.
Basically what you get with a Buckle CC is a high interest rate card that can't be used to purchase anything anywhere but Buckle.
Regardless of your credit score there are many better alternatives to the Buckle card option that will save you more money which we will discuss.
Who Is Comenity Bank?
Comenity Bank and Comenity Capital Bank are owned by Data Alliance and together manage multiple customer loyalty programs.
Generally, they work with retail locations and provide them with store credit cards, rewards programs and marketing information to retain customers.
They have a horrible reputation for cancelling customers store credit cards of people who pay off their credit cards regularly and don't pay interest.
It doesn't matter how much you charge on your card, or how long you have had it, if they are not making money in the form of interest or late payments, and you pay off your card...
They will cancel it!
Many Comenity Bank Reviews can be found complaining about how bad their credit score was affected after having their revolving credit account closed for no reason.
Beware, signing up for a store credit card issued by Comenity Bank or Comenity Capital Bank can cost you a lot of money.
Comenity Buckle Card Basics
Below are some of the basic features of the Comenity Bank Buckle Credit Card:
Remember that if you payoff the complete balance of your card regularly, Comenity Bank may close your Buckle Credit Account which could hurt your credit score.
Buckle Comenity Bank Benefits
The Buckle Comenity Card offers extremely low value rewards that are even harder to use based on the terms and conditions.
These Buckle Rewards (B-Rewards) include:
What Is The Starting Comenity Buckle Credit Limit
Your initial Buckle credit limit will be determined by a number of factors including your credit history and income.
There is no way of predicting the credit limit you will be given.
Buckle Credit Limit Increase
Your Comenity Bank Buckle Credit Card will periodically be reviewed for eligible credit limit increases.
If you make you payments on time, Comenity Bank will consider you for a credit limit increase.
You can also request a credit limit increase on your customer dashboard or by calling Comenity Bank directly.
The above is actually true for most credit cards and should not be a determining factor in choosing a high interest, low reward, Buckle Card.
What makes credit limit increases so great is that they allow you to:
The Buckle Credit Card Pros & Cons
PROS
CONS
Reports To Major Credit Bureaus
Rewards Program
$0 Annual Fee
26.49% Variable APR
Limited Use
Bad Customer Service
Low Rewards Value
Best Alternatives To The Comenity Bank Buckle Card
Comenity Bank is the 'Nancy' of credit card companies, only caring about their profits with little concern for their customers.
Before applying for a Comenity Buckle CC I hope you understand that you will be paying much more in interest rates than a more traditional credit card.
Buckle Rewards program offers some of the lowest value of rewards compared to their competitors.
In addition, Comenity Bank Buckle has a long history of closing good customers accounts and hurting their credit score if they do not carry a balance and pay interest.
Read some of the recent reviews submitted below about Comenity Bank which is the issuer and company you are actually working with if you apply for the Buckle Comenity Credit Card.
Steps To Take After You're Approved
The real work starts once you have been approved for your Buckle Comenity Credit Card.
Monitor Your Credit
One of the most overlooked areas of building credit, is monitoring your credit.
This is truly your first line of defense when trying to build or rebuild your credit.
You should try to find a service that allows you to monitor all 3 of your reports.
Helpful Tip
If your application goes to "Pending" status it doesn't mean Declined. Usually, more information may be needed.
Make On Time Payments
Making on time payments sounds like a super simple thing to do; however, we all live in the real world where things almost never go as planned.
Be sure, no matter what, to make your payments on time because it is super important and is one of the largest factors in your credit score.
No matter what, avoid late payments.
Keep Credit Utilization Low
Another factor to consider is credit utilization, you really want to keep this under 3% of total credit if you can but try to never get it over 15%.
For example, if your Buckle card has a $300 limit and you spend $60.
Spending $60 on a $300 card limit means you are utilizing is around 20% of your credit on that card and it is above the recommend credit utilization percentage, so be mindful of how much you spend.
How Do I Cancel My Buckle Comenity Bank Credit Card?
You can cancel your account at any time by contacting their Customer Service Department at the phone number listed on your billing statement or on the back of your credit card.
Low Credit Score?
Get a free consultation with a credit repair expert to see how much they can help your credit score.
It's quick, easy, and free.
Is There A Fee For Closing My Account?
Outside of the fees associated with your remaining balance, there is no fee for closing your account.
I would recommend keeping the card active as long as you can, there really isn't a reason to cancel the card any time soon.
Taking Action On Your Credit
Hopefully, you found this Buckle Credit Card Review helpful because applying for their card could be a terrible mistake.
Click on any of the orange buttons in this article to be taken to a page with a detailed list of many better alternative credit cards.
Today is a great day to apply for a new credit card that you can use anywhere and be charged fair APR interest rate, but the Buckle Card is not that card.
Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, statements or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.
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