, Columnist
Holiday Shoppers, Skip the Store Credit Cards
Last-minute checkout deals are so tempting. But most retailers don’t offer charge cards worth having.
Buy the merch, leave the plastic.
Photographer: Bloomberg/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
As holiday shoppers head to the stores in search of Black Friday deals, they'll hear the familiar pitch: Would you like to save an extra 10% on your purchase today by opening a new credit card?
A discount dangled at the checkout counter is always tempting. Almost 70% of shoppers who have applied for a retail-branded card say they've done so impulsively. Holiday sticker-shock can make that 10% (or more) discount even more alluring.