Belk Rewards+ Mastercard®

In-Depth Review: Belk Rewards+ Mastercard® Credit Card

Not to be confused with the store-only Belk Rewards Card, the Belk Rewards Mastercard® can be used to make purchases and earn points just about anywhere. While most points awarded will come from Belk purchases, you’ll also earn 2X points at gas stations and grocery stores. Combine this with 1X points on all other spending and exclusive Belk discounts, and you have a Belk lover’s dream rewards card.

Applying for the Belk Rewards Mastercard®

Before we get into the rewards, it’s important to point out that even if you apply for a Belk Mastercard, that may not be the card Belk gives you. This is because your application applies to the store-only Belk Rewards Card and Mastercard versions.

While these cards come with the same perks (including upgrades), only the Mastercard can be used outside of Belk stores. Therefore, that card offers the most flexibility and bang for your buck. Unfortunately, that means applying for this card is a bit like playing Russian roulette – you won’t know which one you’ll get until you apply. The rule of thumb is that the better your credit history, the more likely you will get the card you want. It’s also possible to start out with the store card and work your way up to the Mastercard with responsible use.

How to Earn Belk Rewards

If you do happen to receive the Mastercard version of this credit card, you’ll hit the ground running when it comes to earning rewards. As with most great retail credit cards, you don’t just earn points on purchases from the associated store – which would be 3X points per dollar in this case. The Belk Mastercard also allows you to earn points on gas, groceries, and other daily items. In particular, you can earn 2X points per dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores. This includes service stations, bakeries, and supermarkets, but not warehouses and wholesale stores. You’ll also collect 1X points on all other purchases in addition to these exclusive cardholder perks:

• 20 exclusive savings days
• Returns with no receipt required
• Events where you can earn bonus rewards
• Cardholder savings day of the month
• Early access to new promotions and store events

In addition, you qualify for certain signup bonuses on the day your account opens. This includes 1,000 bonus points for your first purchase (worth 10 Belk Dollars) and 20% off most Belk merchandise.

How to Redeem Belk Rewards

Once you collect enough points with your Belk Rewards credit card, you’ll start to automatically redeem them for Belk Reward Dollars. Every 1,000 points earned equals 10 Belk Reward Dollars, which are always issued in this increment of 10. Any leftover points transfer over to the next billing cycle. There’s no cap to the number of points you can collect overall but note that they expire one year from the day you earn them. You can receive no more than 100 Belk Reward Dollars per billing cycle, and they will arrive in the mail within 2 to 3 billing cycles. 

To redeem them, you must shop with your Belk card in-store or on belk.com within the specified timeframe and present the rewards at checkout. One of the best parts about this system is that you have the ability to combine your rewards with other promotions for additional savings. However, if you don’t use the full value of your Belk Reward Dollars on your transaction, you forfeit the remaining balance.

Belk Mastercard® Rewards Benefits & Upgrades

Once you’ve had your Belk credit card for about a year, you become eligible for a card upgrade. Belk offers two upgraded levels depending on your yearly level of spending, though this only includes your store purchases. (Note that Belk can upgrade your rewards card and downgrade your account as your yearly spending habits change.) Each level improves upon the perks you get from the basic card, starting with the reward rate:

The Belk Premier Rewards Mastercard comes with all the exclusive benefits of the basic rewards card, with a few other additions. This includes a birthday coupon, use of the Belk Rewards Flex Pay Plan, and access to invite-only premier savings days. Likewise, the Belk Elite Rewards Mastercard gets all that, plus free shipping on Belk items, a 20% off sale day of your choice each quarter, and four invite-only savings days. 

To qualify for these upgrades, your account must also be in good standing, and you can’t be more than two payments past due – not that you’d want to be. While it’s fairly easy to achieve and maintain the upgrades on your Belk Mastercard, you want to make sure not to spend more than you can handle. This card comes with high APRs and late fees, which can quickly cancel out any savings you earn.

Mastercard Benefits

Comparisons

Not sure if the Belk credit card is right for you? Here are a few more retail credit card options to consider before applying for your next store card:

	U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™	Simon® American Express®	Capital One® Walmart Rewards™
Annual fee	$0 for the first year; $95 thereafter	None	None
Retail rewards	Earn up to 6% cash back at 24 retailers stores, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, Target, and more	Earn 5% at participating Simon merchants, including JCPenney, Brooks Brothers, and more, plus 3% with retailers at any Simon Mall, Mills, or Premium Outlet in the U.S.	Earn 5% back at Walmart.com, including Grocery Pickup and Delivery, plus 2% back at Walmart stores and at Walmart and Murphy USA Fuel Stations
Other rewards	3% back on the first $1,500 in eligible purchases on your choice of one everyday category (gas, utilities, etc.), and 1.5% back on all else	1.5% on Simon gift cards and mobile wallet purchases, and 1% back on all else	2% back at restaurants and on travel, and 1% on all else
Network	Visa	American Express	Mastercard

Belk Store Card Comparison

As mentioned, the Belk Rewards+ Credit Card is actually two distinct credit cards – a store card and a co-branded retail credit card from Synchrony. Store cards and retail cards sound similar but differ considerably in terms of access, credit needed, and usability.

When people think about a store credit card, they probably think about a “closed loop” card. A closed-loop card is a type of credit card you can use to purchase at one retailer or group of stores. In contrast, an open-loop credit card enjoys greater acceptability thanks to a payment network like Visa, American Express, or Mastercard in the case of the Belk Rewards Program.

So, how do the two Belk Rewards+ credit cards stack up? The store card provides the same rewards at Belk as the Mastercard retail card but lacks the additional categories open loop cardmembers enjoy. Those bonus categories, 2X on gas and groceries, plus 1X on all other non-Belk purchases, aren’t deal breakers if you only plan to use the card to shop with Belk but may reduce the value for those who aren’t Belk diehards.

The major benefit of the store card is the slightly lower credit requirements when applying for the credit card, but this benefit is slightly limited by the online pre-qualification Synchrony provides. This, in turn, reduces any fears of a wasted hard inquiry (or impact on your credit report) and failed application in the same go.

Synchrony Ratings

How does the Belk Card stack up? Here is a selection of expert reviews for the card and Synchrony – the card’s issuer:

Should You Apply for the Belk Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card?

If you’re a frequent shopper at Belk – and I mean a frequent shopper – then this card may be a no-brainer for you. The tiered rewards system allows you to earn rewards based on your own spending habits, and there’s almost no end to the extra discounts. At the highest level, you can take advantage of at least 25 exclusive savings days throughout the month. This means you save almost every time you’re in the store. However, this is likely not the best option unless you are Belk’s biggest fan. It has punishingly high APRs and late fees that can get your credit score if you fall behind on your payments. And given that this card encourages large amounts of retail spending, that can be a dangerous game to play.