Dress Barn Credit Card: This Review Shows The Ugly Side
Q: My sister almost applied for the credit card from Dress Barn when we were shopping there today. I convinced her to hold off and then when we left, I tried explaining why store cards are a bad idea but she doesn’t get it. What can I say to get the point across?
A: Just because you shop at a given store a lot, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should get their credit card. While it’s true there are a few good ones on the market, most of them will offer you very little. I looked at the Dress Barn credit card application and here are 5 reasons she may want to think twice.
Reason #1: Do you want to pay 24.99% interest?
Paying almost 25% interest is foolish, plain and simple. The prime rate is close to an all-time low and banks are able to borrow their money for next to nothing. So for them to turn around and loan it at nearly 25% is nuts. Does that feel like highway robbery to you?
Interest rates on credit cards can fluctuate and hopefully Dress Barn will lower it someday. But as long as they have a rate in the mid-twenties, it’s excessive to say the least.
Reason #2: Do you want rewards or not?
What’s the point of a credit card if you’re not going to earn a rebate on your spending? Surprisingly I didn’t see any mention of a point/cash back program at all on their site.
Everything from petite tops to their signature collection of jewelry could be earning you cash back if you simply paid for your purchases at Dress Barn using a regular credit card instead. There are other cards out there that give up to 5% off at clothing retailers. Wouldn’t those make more sense instead?
Reason #3: Do you think the 10% off first purchase is worth it?
As I’m sure you know most clothing stores offer 10% to 15% off your first purchase when you get their credit card. When you think about it this is a lousy deal.
Even if you spent $500 on that first purchase, 10% is only $50. When there are major credit cards offering bonuses which are 5-10x higher ($250 to $500) why would you settle for less?
Reason #4: Do you want coupons?
The Dress Barn card does offer coupons and sale invitations. Obviously both are good things, but does it make getting the credit card worth it?
Here’s what I found on their Twitter account when I looked:
And this was on the Dress Barn Facebook page:
So while it’s true that having their credit card will mean getting coupons and sales, it looks like Dress Barn makes some pretty darn good promotions available to everyone through their Twitter/Facebook.
Reason #5: Do you care about good customer service?
I looked on several sites such as ConsumerAffairs.com, Pissed Consumer and Complaints Board and saw a slew of negative Dress Barn credit card reviews.
This doesn’t surprise me, because the financial institution which issues/manages their cards also does so for tons of other stores and I almost never hear anything good about them. That being said, I would like to point out I haven’t personally heard any feedback (good or bad) from Dress Barn cardholders, so the verdict is still out on this one (feel free to share your thoughts below).
What this all means…
If I had to sum it up, this credit card is subpar even for a clothing store. It’s especially a bad idea for carrying a balance since the APR is so atrociously high.
If you’re looking for a card with good rewards at clothing retailers, then check out the Chase Freedom. Yep, I do advertise it, but if you think that’s the reason I’m recommending it… review its rewards program and judge it for yourself.
Written or last updated Sept. 2011
Do you really want to shop at a company that can look up your receipt with your credit card. I prefer to shop at places like Dressbarn that is not keeping my private information on file. Yes it is the 21st century but whats wrong with keeping your receipt and following stores policies? The associates and the store are only following policy.
I have shopped at dressbarn for many, many years and have NEVER had a bad experience. If the item is damaged, they take it back. What’s wrong with a store credit if you shop there anyway. Yes I agree the interest rate is way too high, but you can also pay off your credit card in the store with your reward card. There are great perks to having a store card.
I recently had a rather disheartening experience relating to the Dress Barn credit card recently.
I purchased an item with the Dress Barn card and as it turned out, it didn’t look right, so I went to return it. However, I forgot to look for my receipt before I left the house…..so when I was at the desk returning the item, I realized that I didn’t have the receipt with me, so the sales clerk told me that I would have to get a store credit.
So I said, “but I charged it on my Dress Barn credit card”; she said, it doesn’t matter….we have no way of looking it up; so I asked if by chance, I cannot find my receipt, can I bring in my credit card statement with the transaction on it, so my account can be credited….she adamantly said, NO!
I was 99% sure that I had my receipt at home somewhere, so I took the item back and told her I would look for the receipt and come back. She let me leave without any sign of remorse or an apology.
I came back with my receipt a few minutes later and I realize this may have been my imagination but she had a look of DISAPPOINTMENT on her face as if I was taking something away from HER!!!!
Later that day, when I returned home, I placed a call to the Executive office of Dress Barn to complain about this return policy. I explained to the woman in the Executive Office that ALL other stores nowadays can just use the credit card that was used for the purchase to pull up the transaction on the system and process the return….with NO HASSLE.
So, the woman at the Executive Office told me that their systems are not equipped like that and so I told her that if they are doing business in the 21st Century, they need to update their systems…..so her response was that the business is run by Mr. and Mrs. (so and so) and they’re the original owners, etc. and it may be a money issue to get that feature on their system, etc.
Who gives a flying F*** who owns the business!!! Whomever owns it needs to step up their game and come into the 21st Century to ACCOMMODATE their customers, which obviously from what I’ve been reading on the internet, Dress Barn seems to know NOTHING about!!!! After reading all of the NEGATIVE stories elsewhere about Dress Barn credit cards, etc., I plan to close out my account ASAP! I may as well use my American Express and get points for my purchases! I see no benefit to using my Dress Barn card!
As far as saving 20% that is a one time thing on one item. When you initially begin the Mobile Fashion club, which will give you coupons randomly. That is a great service.
The 30% coupon for friends and family is a twice a year thing.
I suggest the new blush perks card, it is an on going program that you can get a point for every 25$ that you spend at Dress Barn. Once you get 10 points you get a 15$ savings card.
The Dress Barn credit card has high interest just like any credit card. That is an obvious fact.