Earn $10 Certificate After $200 in JCPenney Purchases
Retail credit cards are often lacking serious benefits, even though they’re typically paired with a high Annual Percentage Rate (APR). But the JCPenney Credit Card breaks that mold, despite its 27.49% Variable APR.
For every dollar you spend with your JCPenney Credit Card at JCPenney or JCP.com, you’ll earn one point. But even if you don’t have your card with you at the time of purchase, use another form of payment and you will still receive one point for every $2 you spend.
Immediately when you’ve built up 200 total points, you’ll get a $10 rewards certificate credited back to your account. While your points won’t expire as long as you’ve made a purchase sometime in the last 12 months, your certificates will, giving them a somewhat short lifespan.
Bonus discount opportunities are staples of the JCPenney Credit Card, as offers are given left and right. If you can take advantage of the birthday savings, special coupons and other benefits, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth with this card.
When you spend at least $500 annually with JCPenney, you’ll be upgraded to Gold status. This will get you coupon books, thank you gifts and more. But $1,000 of annual spending pushes you to Platinum status, even further boosting the above listed perks.
Smart Features
No annual fee - There’s no annual membership fee necessary to remain a cardholder.
JCPenney Rewards - You are automatically enrolled in this program and will earn one point per dollar spent on eligible purchases made with your JCPenney card at the retailer’s stores or online at JCP.com. Using another form of payment will get you one point for every $2 spent, as long as you still add your rewards account to the transaction.
- Smart Tip: Your points will not expire as long as you’ve made a qualifying purchase with your card during any 12-month period.
Redeeming your points - Once you’ve accumulated a total of 200 points, you will have them automatically redeemed for a $10 JCPenney Rewards certificate. These are usable on eligible JCPenney and JCP.com purchases. The expiration of the rewards certificate will be stated on the coupon itself.
Special financing - When you make a furniture, window treatment, in-home custom decoration, mattress, fine jewelry or watch purchase and pay with your JCPenney Credit Card, you will receive various financing offers to pay over time with reduced or no interest.
Gold and Platinum upgrades - Completing at least $500 in annual purchases over the course of a calendar year will earn you JCPenney Gold status, whereas doing the same with $1,000 will earn you JCPenney Platinum status. This gets you things like a coupon book, a thank you gift and Sephora Inside JCPenney bonuses, among other perks.
Birthday offer - For your birthday each year, you'll get a special savings offer, either by email or snail mail. So long as you’ve made a purchase with your card over the last 12 months, you’ll be eligible for this.
Special events and coupons - Although the majority of your rewards earnings will be related to what’s above, there will also be limited offers of percent-off or dollar-off coupons every now and then, as well as other perks.
Tracking your rewards - If you give JCPenney your email address, the retailer will directly send you your coupons as you earn them. But your point totals and current rewards coupons will always be accessible through JCP.com/Rewards and your mobile app account.
- Smart Tip: Keeping a close eye on your JCPenney online account has its benefits, as you’ll get constant updates for upcoming sales and coupons.
Who It Benefits
The JCPenney Credit Card is clearly meant for loyal JCPenney shoppers, who ideally won’t hold balances for very long. This is due to the 27.49% Variable purchase APR of this card, meaning you’ll accrue interest very rapidly.
How It Works
For every dollar spent with your JCPenney Credit Card at JCPenney stores or through JCP.com, you will receive back one point. In the event you choose to use a different form of payment on the same purchases, you will earn one point per $2 spent.
The points you acquire through the above rates will not expire, as long as you have completed a purchase with your JCPenney Credit Card sometime within the last 12 months. The $10 rewards certificates you get when you reach 200 points do expire, with that date specified on the coupon itself.
There are many extra savings available through the JCPenney Credit Card, and each has one of two methods to get to you – via email or postage. Your birthday offer, special sale event notifications and other coupons will be sent in this manner.
Special financing offers can only apply to purchases of furniture, window treatments, in-home custom decorations, mattresses, fine jewelry and watches. The exact terms of the financing will be given to you on the day of purchase, and you can speak to JCPenney retail employees for more information.
You can reach Gold status by spending $500 or more annually with JCPenney, and Platinum status by doing the same, only with a minimum of $1,000. Each year you must continue to hit the spending requirements of your status level to remain there.
JCPenney allows easy access to your most current rewards numbers through its mobile app and at JCP.com/Rewards. But if you’d rather just receive your coupons, you can add your email address to your account and they’ll be sent automatically.
What’s the Catch?
The 27.49% Variable APR associated with the JCPenney Credit Card is high, even for a retail store card. It would be wise not to hold on to a large account balance for too long, as this rate could leave you with an increasingly burdensome debt relatively quickly.
Although automatic point redemptions are quite normal for retail cards, this feature does steal some freedom from you as the cardholder. As soon as you hit 200 total points, JCPenney will redeem a $10 rewards certificate for you, so saving up for bigger rewards isn’t an option.
Points you accumulate won’t expire as long as you make a purchase within any 12-month timeframe, but rewards certificates do. When they’re sent to you from JCPenney, an expiration date will be specified on the coupon itself, so use it while you can.
Just the Math Please
Rewards
When you’re using your JCPenney Credit Card, purchases you make with JCPenney either in-store or online will earn one point per dollar spent. But if you choose to pay in a different way, your earnings will diminish a bit to one point per $2 spent.
Rates and Fees
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Purchases
27.49% Variable
APR for Balance Transfers
N/A
APR for Cash Advances
N/A
Penalty APR and When It Applies
N/A
How to Avoid Paying Interest on Purchases
Your due date is at least 23 days after the close of each billing cycle. You will not be charged any interest on purchases if you pay your entire balance by the due date each month.
Annual Fee
$0
Penalty Fees
Late Payment: Up to $38
See all Rates and Fees
How It Stacks Up
The JCPenney Credit Card is a solid store credit option, but there are other clothing retailers who give it some stiff competition. The Gap Visa® Credit Card is one such competitor, but how well does it really stack up?
Not only does the Gap Card cover the Gap, but it also earns you equivalent rewards at the retailer’s sister brands, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta. You’re afforded five points per dollar spent at the Gap and one point per dollar at the others. Once you’ve received 500 points ($100), you'll get a $5 rewards certificate. While this is ultimately the same rate as the JCPenney Credit Card, you’ll earn rewards quicker with the Gap Card, getting money back in your hands faster.
For all the coupons and special deals the JCPenney Credit Card has going for it, the Gap Card simply has more. Those perks include 20% off and free shipping on your first purchase within 30 days of opening your account and a “Choose Your Own Sale Day” coupon once a year.
The 27.49% Variable APR of the JCPenney Credit Card is equal matched to the Gap card's APR, so there isn't an interest rate difference to factor in. That similarity pretty clearly puts the Gap card ahead, as its extra coupons and slightly more forgiving rewards program are simply better for cardholders.
Bottom Line
Being that JCPenney is such a popular retail brand, the JCPenney Credit Card likely makes a lot of sense for consistent shoppers. While its one-point-per-$1 rewards rate does leave a bit to be desired, the coupons and extra perks make becoming a cardholder well worth your while.
Make sure to use your rewards certificates soon after you get them, though, as the expiration dates attached to them could prevent you from redeeming your perks if you don’t. Despite that drawback, the JCPenney Credit Card is a great option for you if you’re a regular shopper at the retailer.
Next Steps
- Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors in your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- Saving money is easier said than done, but having a high-yield savings account is a great start. To see what's available today, take a look at our overview of the top savings accounts.
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