5 Things to Know About the Shop Your Way Credit Card
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The Shop Your Way Mastercard, issued by Citibank, effectively replaced the Sears Card in 2023. You can use this version anywhere that accepts Mastercard.
It offers a potentially valuable sign-up bonus for new cardholders, but it stands out from other store credit cards because it tends to also feature recurring — and often lucrative — limited-time bonuses for existing cardholders.
In addition, on an ongoing basis, you'll get decent rewards in some popular everyday spending categories. But there are notable limitations on how you can redeem those rewards, and they expire quite quickly if left unused. Also, the card charges a very high interest rate.
Here are five things to know about the Shop Your Way Mastercard.
Sears filed for bankruptcy in October 2018, but stores aren't disappearing entirely, nor is the Shop Your Way Mastercard.
1. There's a sign-up bonus
The Shop Your Way Mastercard frequently offers limited-time bonuses for new cardholders. For example, through Sept. 30, 2024, the card was offering a $75 statement credit for every $500 you spend, up to $225, on purchases made within the first 90 days of holding the card.
That’s a considerable bonus, especially for a store card. If you max it out by spending $1,500 in the first 90 days, you earn 15% back as part of this promotion.
2. You get rewarded for spending in useful bonus categories …
As noted, the Shop Your Way Mastercard frequently features limited-time offers that may snag you actual cash back. But on an ongoing basis, the card typically earns Shop Your Way points, which can be been redeemed through the Shop Your Way portal (more about redemption options later).
The card gets you 5% back in points on gas station purchases and 3% back in points on eligible restaurant and grocery store purchases up to the first $10,000 of combined spending in those categories per calendar year. (After that, you'll drop down to a rewards rate of 1% back in points.)
In addition, because the Shop Your Way rewards program also functions as an online shopping portal, you'll earn 2% back in points on eligible Shop Your Way merchant purchases and 1% back in points on other eligible purchases.
You'll be automatically enrolled in the Shop Your Way rewards program if you're approved for the credit card, but you don't need the credit card to join the program.
3. … But rewards are complex, limited and inflexible
With the Shop Your Way Mastercard, the rewards you earn at gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores may seem comparable with — or even better than — what's offered by the most competitive store cards on the market. But take a closer look:
With the exception of some limited-time offers, the card offers rewards not as cash back, but as a percentage back "in points." Per the program's terms, 1,000 points are equal to $1 that you can redeem in eligible places. That's a truly paltry point value of 0.001 cent each, but here's how it works in practice: If you earn 5% back (in points) on a $30 gas fill-up, you can expect to collect 1,500 points (worth $1.50 when you redeem). Using this card requires some math to figure out what you're actually getting.
Regarding those bonus categories, the elevated rates apply only to the first $10,000 in spending per year, and that's a combined cap across all bonus areas. You may never hit that limit, but many rewards cards impose no points cap at all.
You can redeem your rewards for eligible in-store or online purchases at Shop Your Way merchants, or for merchandise and third-party gift cards through the Shop Your Way portal. While there are more than 15,000 Shop Your Way merchants including Macy’s, Walmart, Walgreens and Ticketmaster, a general-purpose cash-back credit card would offer even more redemption flexibility.
Unlike other rewards programs, Shop Your Way Mastercard points can expire; they're valid only for 12 months from the date they are awarded. Use them or lose them.
Sears previously offered two cards that are no longer accepting new applicants; the Sears Card (usable only with Sears) and the Sears Mastercard with ThankYou from Citi. Existing holders of those cards can continue to earn and redeem rewards. For the Sears Mastercard with Thank You, one notable redemption option includes the ability to redeem points for travel rewards by transferring them to travel partners which include JetBlue, Choice Privileges and Wyndham Rewards.
4. You won't have to pay an annual fee …
The Shop Your Way Mastercard doesn't charge an annual fee. This can make it easier for you to keep the card open for a longer period of time. The average age of your accounts is a factor that affects your length of credit history, so having cards open for longer can impact your credit scores.
5. ... But there's a sky-high interest rate
The APR for purchases topped 34% as of September 2024. That's much higher than the average rate on credit card accounts that incur interest.
Worse, the card's "special financing" offer on select large purchases can end up costing you hundreds of dollars in interest. That's because the interest in these promotions is not waived, as it is with true introductory 0% APR offers. Instead, it's deferred.
When interest is waived for, say, 12 months, the card issuer doesn't charge you any interest. After the 12-month period ends, the issuer can charge you interest going forward, but only on the remaining balance (if you have any).
But when interest is deferred for 12 months, interest is accruing in the background. As long as you have the purchase fully paid off by the end of the 12 months, you'll owe no interest. But if any of the balance is left over — even 50 cents — you'll pay interest on the entire purchase going all the way back to the day you made it.
Information related to the Sears Card and Shop Your Way Mastercard has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
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