Forever 21 Visa® Credit Card

Forever 21 Visa® Credit Card Review

The Forever 21 Visa® Credit Card rewards loyal Forever 21 customers with exclusive  discounts (on top of their already very affordable prices) and a handful of practical cardholder perks. The rewards themselves aren’t remarkable, but those who shop here regularly will find the card convenient. Free shipping, a birthday discount, and an anniversary bonus – and since the Forever 21 credit card has no annual fee, it’s easy to hold on to.

Signup Bonuses

Regarding a signup bonus, the Forever 21 Visa® Credit Card is a bit disappointing and only offers a first purchase discount of 20% – not one single reward for using the card to make purchases outside of Forever 21. Cardholders should take a cue from the lack of incentive and strictly use this card for Forever 21 purchases. However, Forever 21 somewhat makes up for the underwhelming signup bonus with additional opportunities for savings throughout the year:

• $10 birthday discount ($25 minimum) valid during cardholder birthday month
• 21% off for cardholder anniversary and Forever 21’s birthday

Earning & Redeeming Forever 21 Points

Regarding earning rewards, the Forever 21 Visa® has average earning potential compared to other retail credit cards. Cardholders will earn points in the following categories, while can then converted to cash rewards, called Reward Certificates, at 300-point intervals (worth $5):

• 3X points at Forever 21, both in-store or online
• 2X at restaurants
• 1X for everything else

Cardholders will have to spend $100 to earn $5 in Forever 21 reward certificates – a fairly average spending amount that’s not terrible but not particularly attractive. Points expire 24 months (two years) from the month that they are issued, and reward certificates expire 60 days (two months) after being issued. Cardholders must monitor their rewards as the certificates are automatically generated once the point minimum has been reached. There is no limit on how many reward certificates can be used – reward redemption being one area where the Forever 21 credit card shines.

Store Card Versus Visa Credit Card

Like other retail credit card programs, the Forever 21 credit card from Comenity is actually two distinct products. First, there’s the Forever 21 Visa, which we are currently reviewing. Second is the closed-loop, store card version, the Forever 21 Credit Card.

The most significant difference between the two card products is the ability to earn rewards anywhere Visa is accepted worldwide – currently, over 200 nations worldwide. Additionally, thanks to that global acceptance, the Visa credit card earns additional rewards outside of Forever 21 locations. In contrast, the store card version is what is known as a “closed loop” store card, meaning that it is only good for purchases at Forever 21 outlet locations or at Forever21.com.

Here’s how the rewards with the two different Forever 21 credit cards work:

	Forever 21 Visa®	Forever 21 Credit Card
Acceptance	Worldwide	Forever 21 stores & forever21.com
Annual fee	None	None
Rewards	3X points on Forever 21 purchases, 2X on dining, and 1X on all else	3X points on Forever 21 purchases

The other major difference between store cards and retail cards is the lower credit requirements for a store card. Most store cards only require average credit for approval, but with the Forever 21 credit card, that is somewhat put on its head. The store card requires the same credit score (good, around 700), making the store card option a terrible choice.

Despite this major negative, both Forever 21 credit card versions enjoy similar welcome, anniversary, and birthday bonuses. Namely, cardholders can expect the following bonuses just for being a Comenity Forever 21 cardmember:

Other Card Features

Other notable features of the Forever 21 Visa credit card from Comenity Bank include essential fraud and purchase protections courtesy of the Visa Platinum payment network. This network provides the following:

Comenity (Bread Financial) Ratings

What’s it like living with Bread Financial (Comenity Bank) as a credit card lender? Here is a selection of reviews and ratings for Comenity:

Should You Apply for the Forever 21 Visa Credit Card?

Overall, considering the size and popularity of the trendy retail giant, one would have expected the Forever 21 credit cards to pack more of a punch. The benefits are just ‘okay’ and are more a nod of appreciation to loyal customers rather than a generous lathering of exclusive perks and groundbreaking savings.

Approval for the Forever 21 Visa® requires a surprisingly high credit score of around 700, despite the retailer’s relatively young audience. As such, young applicants with limited credit history might have difficulty qualifying for the co-branded version of the Forever 21 card – the store card is much more achievable as it only requires a score of 600. Additionally, the APR for the Forever 21 Visa® is on the higher end of the scale so cardholders who are unable to pay their monthly balance in full should steer clear of this card.

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