If you have a less than stellar credit history, getting additional credit can be hard, if not downright impossible.
Luckily, there is a technique, known as the Shopping Cart Trick, that can help you obtain credit. The approach avoids a hard pull against your credit report, increasing the odds of approval. Plus, it works with a lot of retailers, allowing you to get a store card at places you usually shop.
If you’re ready to give the Shopping Cart Trick a try, here’s what you need to know.
Where Can You Use the Shopping Cart Trick?
The Shopping Cart Trick doesn’t work with every retail store card. However, it does work with a lot of them.
Typically, Comenity bank is the most common issuer that allows the trick to work, so any retailer that uses their cards has potential. The approach also works on some cards through Synchrony and Wells Fargo, but not all of them.
However, you have to opt-in for credit card promotional emails at any store you choose, even if it is on the list. If you opt-out, it may not work regardless of who issues the card.
How to Use the Shopping Cart Trick to Get Credit
First things first, you may need to turn off your popup blocker. Otherwise, you might not see the credit offer.
Shop the site and add some items to your cart. Then, begin the checkout process.
Enter your address in the proper fields, making sure it matches the address on your credit report exactly. Next, continue through the checkout process and wait for the offer to display.
Typically, the offer will show up before the final payment phase. If it doesn’t, you may either need to make sure you chose to opt-in for promotional emails, that your popup blocker is off, and then repeat the process. If it still doesn’t work, then the Shopping Cart Trick may no longer be valid on that site.
If you see an offer, choose to accept it and complete the application. Make sure to read the fine print thoroughly to make sure a hard pull isn’t part of the process. Usually, if it only requests the last four digits of your Social Security Number, then it won’t perform a hard pull, but its best to verify that.
However, asking for your full SSN doesn’t guarantee a hard pull is coming, hence why reading the fine print is important.
You don’t have to finish your purchase to be given credit, so you can choose to abandon your cart once your application is complete.
Even Without a Hard Pull, the Shopping Cart Trick Affects Your Credit
Your credit score isn’t based on inquiries alone. The average age of your accounts, total available credit, remaining balances, and payment history all play a role.
Any time you obtain new credit, your score can change. For example, a new card decreases the average age of your accounts, which can be a negative. But, they also increase your total amount of available credit, which can be positive.
It’s important to realize that any new form of credit impacts your report and score, so take that into consideration before opening new accounts.
Ultimately, using the Shopping Cart Trick can help you get credit with greater ease. Just make sure to use it responsibly, or you may damage your score further.
Have you used the Shopping Cart Trick? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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Tamila McDonald has worked as a Financial Advisor for the military for past 13 years. She has taught Personal Financial classes on every subject from credit, to life insurance, as well as all other aspects of financial management. Mrs. McDonald is an AFCPE Accredited Financial Counselor and has helped her clients to meet their short-term and long-term financial goals.
