14 replies to this topic

[Stu.Padaso]

I was just browsing thru the massive pile of flyers I received this weekend (*sigh* Christmas). I was flipping thru the Best Buy flyer, which in turn made me go to their website.

I see they have 2 cards, one is an actual Visa and the other is an in-store card. I'm interested in the in-store card only. I don't need a Visa.

I like the look of the 90-day zero interest on all purchases made in store if I use their in-store card. It doesn't mention it on the website, but the flyer leads me to believe the purchase must be more than $299 to qualify. And this 90-day thing seems to be ongoing. (IE, it isn't just a limited time promotion). The flyer actually says something about 6 months zero interest on some items for a limited time.

Anyways....Is it hard to get an in-store Canadian Best Buy card? I see they don't do online applications (they do for the Visa, though. YAY, I get to give my personal info to a fat pimply faced nerd kid!!!) I have 4 recent inquiries at Transunion. Not sure about EQ at the moment. Scores are 788 TU and 795 at EQ. I don't carry a balance on any of my 3 MCs (BMO, CapOne, CanTire) and 1 Visa (TD). Total credit limit is about 35k. TU always reports my statement balance, so on any given month there is usually anywhere from 2 to 5 grand charged to all of my cards combined. But like I said, I pay them all off...typically by the end of the month (I hate waiting to the last couple days.)

I'm just super paranoid about being denied. Especially in front of that fat pimply faced nerd kid at BB. So I wouldn't mind knowing what to expect ahead of time.

Does the in-store card have this Reward Zone thingy? Judging by the website I'd say "no", but I just want confirmation. Do you need to buy something to apply? Or can I just walk up to customer service and apply?

I admit I don't shop there a whole lot, and I don't really need anything from BB at the moment. But I wouldn't mind having the ability to jump on something if the time is right and I see it's on sale. And keeping my money for 90-days appeals to my frugal (read: cheap) nature.

[Quasei2]

Not sure how easy it is to qualify. I know you can call HSBC directly to app for the Futureshop Card so I would imagine the same is true for the BB card. And yes you can app without intention to buy on that particular day. My ex app'ed over the phone for the FS card before we went out shopping last Xmas. When we got to the store he just had to stop by the Customer Service desk and sign some papers before he could use the acct. Pretty painless really. And yes you can just walk up to the desk to apply.

You're quite right that the 90 day is the standard offer and pretty much applies anytime you use the card. They also have a fee to take advantage of bigger offers - $99 for 1 yr no interest, etc.

[Stu.Padaso]

Well, I sent a message to Best Buy from their website asking if there was a number I could call and apply over the phone. My nearest BB isn't too far away, but it's in an odd location that it's a rarity for me to even go near there. So it's kind of inconvenient to go just to apply for their in-store credit card.

I'm sorry if I seem paranoid. I know my scores are high enough that, realistically, getting approved shouldn't be an issue. It's just those bleak years from 2000-2006 have soured me, especially when applying in person. Too many times I was told "Denied" right to my face that it was like another knife being jabbed into my chest. Especially that one occasion when I had a momentary lapse of judgement and I was denied in front of my kids when I applied at the checkout at a Zellers store. Man, I feel like crying just thinking about that.

Anyways. Like I said, there isn't anything I want to buy at BB at the moment. I just want it ready to use if I happen to see some wild sale on something I've wanted and need to quickly and easily take advantage of any "don't pay for X days/months" specials. Like, perhaps on their Boxing Day sale or something.

I'll update this thread when/if I get a response from BB and I'll relay what I was told to do and any other pertinent info.

[hurricanesfans27]

cant you apply at the website or did I overlook something in your post that said you cant do it? I hope you get approved.

[Stu.Padaso]

cant you apply at the website or did I overlook something in your post that said you cant do it? I hope you get approved.

No, not for the in-store Best Buy only card. The website says "Apply in any of our stores".

The BB Visa I can apply online, but I'd rather have the simple in-store card. Judging by the website, the in-store CC is the one you need to take advantage of the automatic deferred payments and a few other perks. The BB Visa gives Reward Zone points, and that looks like about it (other than the typical Visa perks.)

[Stu.Padaso]

Well I sucked it up today and went to my local Best Buy (about 20 minutes away, but in a horrible location if you ask me. So it takes another 10 minutes just to get in the parking lot.) I get myself all worked up over dumb stuff like this, so I said to hell with it and just went and did it.

I went to the customer service desk and told the young lady I'd like to apply for the in-store Best Buy credit card. And she was more than helpful and explained all the benefits and such. She very gently pushed the BB Visa, but I wasn't interested and she moved on. Which was nice. No pressure.

The in-store BB Canada credit card is thru Chase. She said "we normally use HSBC, but they're getting fussy with approvals so they told us to start pushing them thru Chase." Which, I assume, means HSBC was turning down too many credit apps. (So I dunno, maybe the customer has a choice?) She was a very chatty and friendly lady and made the whole ordeal quite nice. Very private too, which I appreciated. She kept her voice down when she was asking me some personal questions and ensured that the other people in line and her co-workers couldn't see her computer screen.

She needed ID and a major credit card, so I gave her my drivers licence and my BMO Mastercard. She got most of the basic info from there and typed it all in her computer and asked me the other basic credit app questions (gross pay, where I work, phone numbers, etc).

Then she asked me how much I was requesting for a limit and I said I don't know. I never even thought about it, so I hesitantly said $1500 would do me just fine. She paused and was nice enough to give me a hint -- "just ask for what you think you'll need...if you ask for 10 grand you'll probably be disappointed unless you have a sparkling credit rating. If your rating is average or better then just ask for what you need and you'll get it and usually a little more. $2000 is generally what they've been giving out lately for the average person who requests a limit of $1500, but if i really really wanted it limited to $1500 then I should probably ask for $1000 or $1200....if you have a below average rating then it won't matter what you ask for, you'll probably only get $500...or maybe $750 if you're really lucky. Or declined if you're really unlucky LOL." (like I said, she was a little chatty but not annoyingly chatty...and very personable. I'd hire her in a minute if I ran a store.)

I told her my rating was above average so I told her to put in $1500 and we'll see what happens, figuring I'd get approved for $2000 or somewhere in between. She ran it thru and it came back approved for $3000. ahahahaha. I said "so much for your little hint" and we both laughed.

She gave me the account number and said I could use it today if I wanted. The sales rep would just have to manually key it. She also told me I shouldn't be surprised if I find a card in my mailbox by the end of the week.

So, I was all worked up over nothing. Got myself a $3000 Best Buy card and can jump on any extraordinary specials that might pop up from time to time. I might buy a Bluray movie once in a while, just to keep it active, but more or less the actual card is relegated to one of those dirty unused slots every man has in the back of his wallet.

(this has been a good day. Check out my other post in the AMEX thread.)

[Quasei2]

Congrats on the great experience!!! I sure would have been squirming especially after she mentioned that HSBC has been twitchy. lol I haven't conquered my fear of the face to face app yet. Once I know my Equifax score is pulled up I'll give it a try though.

[Stu.Padaso]

Well, I have no idea which credit bureau they pulled. I won't be looking into my reports until early in the new year, so I'll be sure and reply to your "who pulls what bureau" thread so people in the future will have an idea of what to expect.

But yeah, the face-to-face app is most likely what I was fearing the most. I just didn't want to admit it...even to myself.

[Stu.Padaso]

Just a quick update--

The temporary card they gave me is just a slip of paper with the account number printed on it. It also has an expiry date: 3-12-09, which was yesterday. The actual card hasn't come in the mail yet, so I guess I'm out of luck if I wanted to use it this weekend. Not that I wanted to....just saying. (The BB flyer sucks this week anyways.)

But it just seemed odd* to give the temporary card such a quick expiry without ensuring the actual card made it to the customer in time.

Oh well. It's their loss if a customer in this same situation wants to buy something now.

* - I meant to say 'stupid'

Edited by Stu.Padaso, 04 December 2009 - 12:29 PM.

[Stu.Padaso]

Quick update and then I guess this thread will have run its course...

I received the actual Best Buy credit card today, and it is indeed from Chase. That makes it 6 business days from applying in-store to my mailbox.

I considered asking for a credit limit increase before I activated it, not that the 3k they gave me wasn't more than enough. But after reading the credit forum that seems to be the popular thing to do. But you know what? I didn't even bother. I have never done that, and I don't think I ever will. It's poor etiquette if you ask me. Reminds me of my oldest daughter, when she was about 4 years old, coming home from trick or treating with a pout on her face because, in her eyes, she didn't seem to have enough candy. She seen other kids on the street with more candy than she had, so she felt like she was owed more.

Anyways, my mother brought me up to be grateful for what others give me. So I have the attitude that Best Buy/Chase was kind enough to extend credit to me, the last thing I should say is "THANKS!....ummm, can you give me more?"

EDIT. Had to call Chase (I had difficulty signing up for online access to my account) and the nice fella told me that Chase just took over the BB store cards from HSBC. He said the changeover was done in the middle of November. (So the lady at my local BB store wasn't entirely truthful, but I'm certain she didn't do it on purpose. Oh well.) He also said that in some BB stores I'll still see HSBC swipe machines, but they're eventually being removed and replaced as well.

Yeah, that WAS a boring edit, wasn't it? Meh.

Edited by Stu.Padaso, 08 December 2009 - 11:57 AM.

[Quasei2]

Interesting tidbit there, Stu, about them moving all their cards to Chase. Actually the day you first posted this I double checked on their website and it was still saying HSBC/Chase for Store Card/Visa.

Glad it finally arrived so you can be more free to snag the deals as they come along!

[Stu.Padaso]

I forgot to mention that when I called today I asked the guy how I could pay online thru TD Bank. I went thru my list of a few available payees for Chase and Best Buy, but none would work for my BB card. Obviously this is because of the current changeover from HSBC to Chance, and the CSR confirmed it. He said they supplied all the banks with their necessary information so they (TD and other banks) could offer online payment. I just have to be patient. Royal was the only bank he knew of that was already processing Best Buy Store Cards payments.

He said if it isn't on on the payee list by the end of January I should call TD and get them get moving on it.

EDIT. Just updated my Equifax info and seen that Chase did a hard pull for this Best Buy Store Card. Cost me 11 points on my FICO. Oh well. That was my first hard inquiry on EQ since I had one a year ago in November by my cell phone carrier.

Edited by Stu.Padaso, 08 December 2009 - 11:44 PM.

[Quasei2]

I'll check tomorrow to see if we've changed it up too. Usually TD & Scotia are pretty much neck in neck with this sort of an update.

As far as you getting TD to get on it, honestly there really isn't much a customer can do to force the issue. If they've ACTUALLY provided the documentation it's usually within a week or 2 that it's set up, but most frontline merchants have no clue what the back office accounting/contracting offices are doing. In fact, the idea that a front line store CSR at Best Buy would have any idea the contract agreements, etc between Chase & TD is kind of well... silly. lol

Edited by Quasei2, 08 December 2009 - 11:51 PM.

[Stu.Padaso]

I'll check tomorrow to see if we've changed it up too. Usually TD & Scotia are pretty much neck in neck with this sort of an update.

As far as you getting TD to get on it, honestly there really isn't much a customer can do to force the issue. If they've ACTUALLY provided the documentation it's usually within a week or 2 that it's set up, but most frontline merchants have no clue what the back office accounting/contracting offices are doing. In fact, the idea that a front line store CSR at Best Buy would have any idea the contract agreements, etc between Chase & TD is kind of well... silly. lol

I know. That's what I thought too. But after having worked in a call center you'd be amazed at how these rumours get spread around. All it would take would be one CSR to overhear somebody who overheard somebody who overheard somebody who overheard somebody...well, you get the idea.

[Quasei2]

Scotia already updated this info to enable payment to Chase! In fact, that happened before you even applied for the card.

As for the viral whispers in call centres, yip it's pretty crazy how fast things spread.