Shopping Cart Trick 2024 – Get Credit Cards Without The Hard Pull

Update: As of 2020 the shopping cart trick no longer always results in a soft pull being done, in some cases a hard pull is done instead. The majority of the time a soft pull is done, but in some cases a hard pull is done. It seems that some stores are more likely to do a hard pull than others. FireMedic1 on myFICO forums has been keeping an updated tally of hard/soft pulls. The current tally as of May 3rd, 2020 can be viewed by clicking here.

Original post: There is something known as a “shopping cart trick” that can allow you to get store specific credit cards that don’t result in a hard pull on your credit report. Using this trick doesn’t result in a hard pull, it will still affect your credit as these cards are reported on your credit report (which will decrease your average age of accounts). There are a couple of rules we need to follow when trying to do this trick:

  • You need to be opted in for credit card promotional e-mails. You’re automatically opted in, so unless you have manually opted out you won’t need to do anything. I recommend being opted in anyway, you might receive a good targeted promotion if you are (here is how you can check for these offers).
  • Only works on cards issued by Comenity bank (and some cards issued by Synchrony & Wells Fargo)
  • Turn your pop up blocker off if you use one. A lot of the credit card offers pop up, if you have a pop up blocker then you might miss it.
  • If your asked for your full SSN, it might be a hard pull. Some of these websites ask for your full SSN when applying for the store cards, whilst others ask for your last four digits. If it asks for your full SSN it might be a hard pull so be careful. As always, your mileage may vary.

How To Do The Trick:

  • Go to the website of the store you want a card for.
  • Join their loyalty program (some people find more success skipping this step and just checking out as a guest)
  • Add some items to your shopping cart
  • Start to check out
  • Enter in your address, make sure this matches your address listed in your credit reports exactly
  • Continue going through the check out process until you get to the final payment page. You should receive your offer before this page, if you haven’t then either the shopping cart trick isn’t working or you need to try again.
  • Choose to accept your offer
  • Complete the application
Make sure you enter your information in the same as it’s displayed on your credit report.

When joining the websites loyalty programs, it’s extremely important that the information you enter is the same as it’s displayed on your credit report. Whilst the shopping cart trick isn’t a hard pull, it’s still a soft pull and if they are unable to verify your identity you will not be offered a card. Comenity bank usually uses your Experian report.

You don’t need to actually purchase anything at the store you use this trick on. Once your application is finished you’ll automatically be taken back to your check out page (if this was closed earlier) you can just abandon this after you’ve finished applying.

Credit limits on these cards are extremely low, usually $500 or less.

You can request a credit limit increase and they usually give automatic credit limit increases if you put any decent amount of spend on the cards. They typically won’t increase the credit limits if the card is not 9 months or older. Requesting a credit limit online is usually a soft pull. You might be able to get higher limits on these cards by adding a lot of items (e.g several thousand) to your shopping cart before trying this trick.

Why Is This Useful?

There are three main reasons as to why you might find this trick helpful:

  • Help to build your credit when your credit is bad. Because they don’t do a hard pull on your credit report, they will not be able to see if you have any bankruptcies on file or other derogatory items. This makes these some of the easiest credit cards you can get. Typically lenders feel more comfortable loaning to people with bad credit that have received credit from other lenders, as this allows the borrower to show that they are capable of making on time payments and might have turned over a new leaf.
  • Bonuses on the credit card. A lot of these store specific cards offer bonuses to cardholders to encourage them to use the cards or shop at the store. It’s not unusual to see stores offering a $10 statement credit to use the card for example. Some will offer a “sign up bonus” that is an instant discount on purchases. The best cards offer on going bonuses. You can read more about these cards here.

Stores That This Trick Works With

Below are a list of stores that I’ve seen successful reports on this trick working. The trick won’t work 100% of the time, so if you don’t see a pre-approved offer don’t stress out, just try again in a few weeks and hope for the best.

Comenity Bank Store Credit Cards

Most people find Victoria Secrets one of the easiest cards to get using this method, I’ve also had a lot of success with Overstock as well. If you’ve gotten the shopping cart trick to work on any other cards then please let me know.

Synchrony Bank Store Credit Cards

Wells Fargo Store Credit Cards

Discontinued Cards

This is a list of stores it used to work on, but are no longer working because the card has been discontinued:

Easiest Stores To Get It To Work With

Victoria’s Secret is usually one of the easiest stores to get the shopping cart trick to work with. Other easy stores include:

  • Boscovs
  • The Children’s Place
  • New York & Co
  • Overstock
  • Wayfair

Tips & Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks you can employ if this method isn’t working for you:

  • Make sure you try multiple different stores
  • Try using a different browser than the one you normally use or deleting cookies/cache of your main browser

Other Resources

The following are some resources & blog posts that you might find useful if you’re getting into the shopping cart trick.

Are there any blog posts or forums / threads which you think I missed? Let me know and I’ll add them.

Final Thoughts

These methods aren’t going to be for everybody, but if you have bad credit and want to get some positive trade lines reporting this might be an alternative option to a secured credit card. For people with good credit (and a high AAoA) then some of these cards might be worth considering for the on going bonuses. I also think it’s worth trying to get the Dillard’s card to have another fee free American Express card, although I haven’t been able to get that card to show recently.

Thanks to PFDigest & MyFICO forums for continually making me aware of this trick.

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Cliff
Cliff (@guest_1843221)
May 10, 2024 21:35

Synchrony hasn’t issued the Wal-Mart card for a very long time. It’s now Capital One, and there is no shopping cart trick. Might want to update your article a bit.

Pac-Mistar
Pac-Mistar (@guest_1554887)
February 11, 2023 19:46

Approved for Vs CC 400$
Maybe I did appy too quick within each other but after I tried Express and King-size denied.

Pac-Mistar
Pac-Mistar (@guest_1561397)
February 22, 2023 04:42

Said I was denied, but a week later I was sent the express card. For the king size direct, I was sent mail they needed to verify me. so.. worked for all

Nicole Kelly
Nicole Kelly (@guest_1540626)
January 23, 2023 21:34

It does in fact work with the Target red card and JC Penneys

Pac-Mistar
Pac-Mistar (@guest_1561396)
February 22, 2023 04:36

I Don’t believe it did lol! From my experience and others it doesn’t work.

Henry
Henry (@guest_1431160)
August 24, 2022 06:03

That’s an amazing idea. Next time whenever I’ll go shopping I’d give it a try. AS I was thinking to save my saving that I mostly spend on shopping. Now it’s time to avail lHi Vis Polo Shirts for more information.

Theels23
Theels23 (@guest_1294608)
December 4, 2021 11:15

New to this trick been churning travel cards for a year now. So if a hard pull isn’t done does it affect your 5/24 count with chase?

Amanda
Amanda (@guest_1465727)
October 14, 2022 23:11

I know this is an old post but just in case it’s helpful to someone, the 5/24 rule is about # of accounts opened, it’s not about how many hard pulls.

Michael Greene
Michael Greene (@guest_1293552)
December 2, 2021 11:51

I’ve been approved for Victoria Secret $300 and today Express @$450 limit.
Was pre approved for HSN which is now Synchrony Bank.
They however asked for full social and income so I backed out as it appears to be a hard pull!

Kristan
Kristan (@guest_1221380)
July 12, 2021 12:22

HSN is Synchrony Bank now.

Willie A. Adams
Willie A. Adams (@guest_1191776)
May 15, 2021 07:30

Successfully got the shopping cart trick to work for both a KingsizeDirect and Brylane Home card this week. $750 limits on both. No hard pulls.

Steve Bradley
Steve Bradley (@guest_1154918)
March 6, 2021 09:05

You’ve got a watch these cards. They recently went through at the start of Covid and started closing a bunch of peoples’ accounts even with high credit scores, high credit limits, and on-time payments. I got all my cards when I had a bankruptcy on my record. They kept increasing my limits. Bankruptcy eventually fell off, but then they started just closing my accounts or reducing the limits for what my balance is. Synchrony Bank has been the biggest problem by far, but Comenity been doing it too. Had my credit score almost up to 700, but because they closed my accounts my debt ratio is now at 30% and my score is at 596. I make a six-figure income by myself and make more than my minimum payment every month on my card. My credit was improving, but they ruined my credit.

SU
SU (@guest_1091374)
November 15, 2020 03:49

Synchrony Bank also handles Amazon store card, but I haven’t seen anyone getting it through shopping cart trick without hard pull in the past year