Burlington Credit Card Overview
When it comes to shopping for clothes for a deal, Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory) is a popular choice for Malgo. The most dedicated Burlington loyalists may want to consider opening a Burlington credit card to earn rewards on their purchases. However, with restrictive redemption policies and practically zero card-specific benefits, there are better options for even the most frequent Burlington shoppers. Card Rating*: ⭐
*Card rating Based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and not influenced by the card issuer.
A store credit card is rarely the best addition to your wallet. Although you’ll sometimes hear the pitch to get instant savings by getting approved for a credit card with a store you frequent at the checkout counter, these credit cards rarely yield truly valuable rewards.
The Community Bank Burlington Credit Card fits into this category, as you can only use it to earn points for reward certificates on purchases with Burlington and its sister stores that can only be redeemed at Burlington retailers. This makes it a strict closed loop card with a strict redemption option.
The Burlington Credit Card has no annual fee and a recommended credit score of 640 or higher.
Read on for more reasons why I don’t recommend applying for a Burlington credit card.
Information for Burlington Credit Cards is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Torrid Credit Card Review: A Store Card That’s Not Worth It
Advantages and Disadvantages of Burlington Credit Cards
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Burlington Credit Card Benefits
After you open the Burlington Card, you’ll receive a 10% discount on your first purchase. If you are valid in store, this discount can be applied on the same day. who Online applicants can expect to receive a 10% discount code in their email inbox within two days of approval.
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That ends cardmember-exclusive benefits, as other benefits you’ll receive with the Burlington Card can also be earned by joining Burlington’s loyalty program, which you’ll be automatically enrolled in if you choose to receive the card.
However, you can add to a store’s loyalty program without paying a penny by simply joining online.
Loyalty program members receive an extended period to return items purchased at Burlington, advance notification on deals and new arrivals, and a $5 bonus on completed layaway transactions. Again, you can get all of these benefits without applying for a Burlington card, although you’ll also receive these benefits if you choose to open a card.
Related: Best Store Credit Cards
Earning and Redeeming Rewards on Burlington Credit Cards
The Burlington Credit Card earns 1 point for every dollar spent at Burlington, Cohoes Fashions and MJM designer shoes on the card. You can only use the card on purchases at those stores, so it’s only worth it if you spend frequently with the retailer and its sister stores.
A positive is that points earned are rounded up per this conditions:
“Award earnings are rounded to the nearest whole point value using standard rounding. Earnings calculations that end in .5 will be rounded up to the next whole point value. For example, earnings of 1.5 points are calculated round to 2 points. All calculations that result in less than .5 will be rounded down. For example, a calculated result of 1.4 points will be rounded down to 1 point.”
For example, spending $20.50 with your Burlington Card will earn 20.5 points; Under the above conditions, you would actually earn 21 points on that purchase.
Points can be redeemed for rewards certificates that can be used in Burlington stores. You cannot use these cash certificates on “taxes, prior purchases, gift cards or services such as future levy fees or tailoring,” according to the card’s terms.
Perhaps one of the most limiting factors in the Burlington card’s earning structure is that you can only redeem points in increments of 100 at a rate of $5 per 100 points. While this means that 1 point is worth 5 cents, you are restricted to redeeming reward certificates in increments of 100.
So, if you want to spend $500 with the card, you can expect to receive a $25 reward certificate in your account within “60-90 days of receiving your reward,” according to the terms. I see this as a decent return if you’re loyal to Burlington, but 1 point per dollar might be too big a threshold to reach 100 points.
Also, it’s important to note that both your points and rewards certificates earned with the Burlington credit card have expired. Points will leave your account 12 months after the date they are posted to your points balance. Reward certificates will not be available after 60 days from the date they were issued.
This is a relatively quick turnaround for using what you earn — especially for reward certificates.
Where can I use my Burlington credit card?
You can only use your Burlington Card to shop with Burlington, Cohoes Fashions and MJM Designer Shoes. If you need a card for everyday use, this is not the card for you.
Related: Store Vs. Cash-Back Cards: Which One Should I Get?
Which cards compete with the Burlington Credit Card?
If you’re open to a card that earns more flexible rewards in more locations than just Burlington, here are some options for you:
For additional options, check out our full list The best cards for everyday spending and the best cash-back cards.
Related: Why Citi Double Cash will always have a place in my wallet
Is the Burlington Credit Card Worth It?
Unless you spend a really significant amount of money at Burlington and strictly want to earn Burlington-related rewards, I recommend virtually any card other than the Community Bank Burlington Credit Card. With solid rewards and few perks, it’s hard to justify a hard inquiry for this card; You’re practically all set to sign up for Burlington’s free-to-join loyalty program.
Related: 4 Reasons Store Credit Cards Are (Almost) Always a Bad Idea
The bottom line
It’s rarely a good idea to apply for a store card, and the Burlington Credit Card doesn’t contradict this guidance. If you find yourself tempted to go the store card route, consider whether it’s better to find a more well-rounded credit card that you can use at multiple locations. You can earn more from cards with rewards that are easier to earn, redeem and keep than this one.
Related: The best rewards credit cards