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The Belk Rewards Card is a store card offering rewards and benefits when you shop at Belk stores or on the Belk website. Unfortunately, the credit card is limited and the cashback rewards are complicated and expire after a year.
Quick Review
When you apply for a Belk credit card, you’ll be approved for one of two cards: the Belk Rewards Mastercard® or the Belk Rewards Card. The card you get will depend on your credit score, with the Belk Rewards Card being offered to those with lower credit scores. As the card can only be used at Belk, it’s less favorable than the Mastercard option.
The Belk Rewards Card has a high APR of 25.49% (fixed) and rewards that are equivalent to 3%–5% cash back. However, these rewards are complicated and not overly generous, as you have to spend a lot at Belk to benefit from the higher rates. There are also limited options for redemption: you can only redeem rewards as Belk vouchers, and the vouchers expire after a year.
However, the Belk Rewards Card gives you a nice introductory offer and other cardholder benefits that may be valuable for frequent Belk shoppers. As there aren’t too many physical Belk stores in the US, this card will be useful mainly for people who do a lot of shopping on the Belk website.
Belk Rewards Card Important Details
Basic Card Details
- Card issuer: Synchrony Bank
- Card type: Store card
- APR: 25.49% (fixed)
- Annual fee: $0
- Rewards rate: 3%–5%
- Grace period: 23 days
- Can be used at: Belk and Belk.com
Additional Information
- $10 Belk voucher when you make a purchase on the first day you open your credit card plus 20% off purchases on your card that day.
- Your rewards rate for Belk purchases depends on your yearly spending at Belk (with three tiers for 3%, 4%, or 5% rewards).
- Bonus points and bonus rewards events for cardholders.
- Exclusive cardholder discount events.
- Receipt-free returns for cardholders.
- Additional benefits for cardholders who spend $600–$1,500 annually (special birthday bonuses, VIP savings days, flexible payment options, free shipping, pick-your-own-sale days).
Belk Rewards Card Feature Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of the important features of a Belk Rewards Card, from rates and fees to how the application process works.
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Late fee: Up to $40
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 25.49% (fixed)
- Minimum interest charge: $1
If you don’t pay off your statement balance each month, you’ll be charged interest on your Belk Rewards Card. Your APR represents the annual rate of interest you’ll pay. For the Belk Rewards Card, your monthly interest rate would be roughly 2.12% (i.e., the APR divided by 12).
This interest rate is high. If you don’t plan to pay off your balance each month, these interest charges could counteract whatever you earn through rewards.
Rewards
When you use the Belk Rewards Card, you’ll earn 3%–5% cashback rewards on Belk purchases.
You’ll get rewards at a rate of:
- 3% if you spend $0–$599 at Belk each year
- 4% if you spend $600–$1,499 at Belk each year
- 5% if you spend $1,500+ at Belk each year
Your rewards will come in the form of Belk rewards certificates. You’ll get these in the mail after you’ve earned 1,000 points (worth $10). You can spend the certificates either in physical Belk stores or on the Belk website, but they expire after a year.
Other Benefits
Belk Rewards cardholders get various benefits depending on how much they spend at Belk in a year:
- All cardholders: Receipt-free returns and exclusive events with discounts and point bonuses.
- Cardholders who spend $600+ per year: Special birthday bonus, VIP savings days, and flexible payment options.
- Cardholders who spend $1,500+ per year: Free shipping and pick-your-own-sale days.
Welcome Bonus
You can get 20% off purchases you make with your Belk Rewards Card on the first day you open your account. You’ll also get $10 in Belk vouchers if you use your card for a purchase on the same day you open your account.
Credit Reporting
Synchrony Bank reports to credit bureaus (including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
Credit card issuers aren’t legally required to report your borrowing history (which can help boost your credit score), and having your credit activity regularly reported to all of the bureaus allows you to build credit, so this is a significant plus. Just make sure you don’t miss payments, as that activity will also be reported and will hurt your credit score.
Application and Approval
You can apply for a Belk Rewards Card online. When you apply, you’ll first be considered for a Belk Rewards Mastercard®; if you’re not eligible for the Mastercard, you’ll then be considered for the Belk Rewards Card.
Managing Your Account
You can manage your Belk Rewards Card account and pay your bill online. Alternatively, there’s an app you can download (Android or iPhone) for managing your Belk credit card account.
You can also pay your Belk credit card bill at a Belk store or over the phone. Your billing statement will include instructions for the various payment methods.
To pay your credit card bill by mail, you can send it to:
Synchrony Bank/Belk
P.O. Box 530940
Atlanta, GA 30553-0940
If you send a payment by mail, it should be a money order or check payable to BELK and with your account number written on it.
Customer service
If your Belk Rewards Card is lost or stolen, call (855) 752-8046. If you need other help from customer service, call (800) 669-6550.
Customer service reputation
Unfortunately, Synchrony Bank, the issuer of the Belk Rewards Card, doesn’t have a great reputation for customer service. In a 2021 study, Synchrony received a below-average score for customer service among major credit card issuers.
Should You Get the Belk Rewards Card?
FinanceJar verdict
The Belk Rewards Card has a limited range of use, a complicated system for redeeming rewards, and points that expire. We’d recommend it only if you’re an avid Belk shopper and/or have an upcoming purchase you can use the welcome discounts for. Otherwise, you should shop around for store cards with more lucrative or versatile rewards.
Who is this card for?
The Belk Rewards Card is best for:
- Regular Belk shoppers: As the vouchers you’ll earn with a Belk Rewards Card will work only at Belk, and as these vouchers expire fast, there’s not much point in getting this card unless you shop at Belk regularly. However, for diehard Belk shoppers, the rewards are fairly generous if you can use them before they expire.
- Anyone planning a big Belk purchase: If you don’t mind getting a hard inquiry on your credit report, you might as well apply for a Belk credit card if you have a big purchase planned (jewelry or furniture items, say). That way, you can enjoy a substantial discount on your purchase plus a free $10 voucher.
FAQs About the Belk Rewards Card
1. What credit limit do you get with the Belk Rewards Card?
Belk doesn’t say what credit limit you’ll get with the Belk Rewards Card. Your credit limit will depend partly on your credit score, with a higher credit score usually getting a higher credit limit.
2. What credit score do you need for the Belk Rewards Card?
Unfortunately, Belk also doesn’t specify what credit score you’ll need for a Belk Rewards Card. They also don’t offer preapproval to help you understand whether you’re likely to qualify.
However, there’s a chance you’ll be able to get a Belk Rewards Card even if you don’t qualify for the Mastercard alternative. Experian says “Many retail cards are available if you have limited or bad credit.” 1 This suggests that you may be able to get one of the Belk credit cards even if you have a score of less than 600.
3. What’s the difference between the Belk Rewards Card and the Belk Rewards Mastercard®?
Unlike the Belk Rewards Card, which you can use only to make purchases from Belk, you can use the Belk Rewards Mastercard® anywhere that accepts Mastercard®. The Belk Rewards Mastercard® also gives you cash back on non-Belk purchases. However, you’ll need a higher credit score to qualify for a Belk Rewards Mastercard®.
4. What are the Premier Belk Rewards Card and the Elite Belk Rewards Card?
The Premier and Elite Belk Rewards Cards are the upgraded versions of the Belk Rewards Card. They give you additional benefits (e.g., birthday bonuses, flexible payment plans, free shipping) and better cashback rates on Belk purchases.
- The Premier Belk Rewards Card: Your Belk Rewards Card will get upgraded to a Premier Belk Rewards Card if you spend more than $600 in a year. Your cashback rate for all Belk purchases will then go from 3% to 4%.
- The Elite Belk Rewards Card: If you spend more than $1,500 at Belk, you’ll then get another upgrade to an Elite Belk Rewards Card, and your cashback rate will go from 4% to 5%.
Your card can be either upgraded or downgraded according to how much you spend at Belk in a particular year (and your account must also be in good standing to qualify for upgrades).
Comparable Cards
To help you decide whether the Belk Rewards Card is the right choice for you, take a look at how it measures up against the credit cards that other stores offer.
Belk Rewards Card vs. Dillard’s Credit Card
Both of these cards are similarly restrictive in terms of how you can redeem rewards. However, Belk offers a better cashback rate. If you redeem Dillard’s rewards for Dillard’s vouchers, you end up with a cashback rate of around 1.3%, which is unimpressive.
Alternatively, you can opt to receive a 10% discount voucher (instead of the normal rewards vouchers that are worth a set amount) every time you spend $750 on your Dillard’s Credit Card. It’s nice to have this alternative, but you’d still have to spend $225 (and get a $22.50 discount) to match Belk’s minimum cashback rate of 3%, so this discount won’t usually get you bigger savings.
One major advantage of the Dillard’s Credit Card is that cardholders can get special financing for some products (furniture, men’s tailored clothing, luggage, and home furnishings). This offer gives you a 0% introductory APR for 12–24 months. After that, there’s an APR of 24.99% (variable), which is similar to Belk’s.
As such, if you’re looking to finance a major purchase like ones mentioned, the Dillard’s Credit Card may be helpful. If you’re simply looking to earn rewards for general use, the Belk Rewards Card is better.
Belk Rewards Card vs. Banana Republic Store Card
Unlike Belk’s or Dillard’s credit cards, the Banana Republic Store Card gives you rewards at a family of clothing stores—Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, or Athleta. The Banana Republic Store Card gives you 5% back in rewards for shopping at these stores, which means the cashback rewards are more generous than what you’d get with the Belk Rewards Card (for which only people who spend more than $1,500 a year get a 5% cashback rate).
Otherwise, the cards are pretty similar: neither has annual fees, Banana Republic’s introductory offer is similar to Belk’s (giving you a 20% discount), and the APRs are similarly high (so neither card is suitable for carrying a balance).
A major difference between the Banana Republic Store Card and the Belk Rewards Card is the nature of the retailer. If you want to use your credit card mainly for clothes shopping, the Gap family of brands will give you a variety of stores where you can earn and redeem rewards. If you want to use it for other products like cosmetics, luggage, furnishings, and homeware, the Belk Rewards card will be better for your needs.
Belk Rewards Card vs. TJX Rewards® Card
The TJX Rewards® Card is another credit card that gives you rewards at a family of stores—TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and Sierra Trading Post. Not only does the TJX Rewards® Credit Card cover more stores than the Belk Rewards Card does (which lets you earn and redeem Belk rewards only at Belk), but the TJX rewards don’t expire, whereas Belk’s do.
The other big difference between the TJX Rewards® Card and the Belk Rewards Card is the expensiveness of the retailer. The TJX family of brands is good for shopping on a budget; if that’s what you’re after, you’ll be better off with the TJX Rewards® Card than with the Belk Rewards Card.
The TJX Rewards® Card also gives you more cashback rewards at a flat cashback rate of 5% for shopping at TJX stores. Although Belk’s introductory 20% discount offer beats TJX’s (which is 10% off your first purchase), unless you’re signing up just for introductory offers, the TJX Rewards® Card wins out overall.
