Macy's: Retail Crooks

So I visit Macy's last December to buy some sweaters.

At checkout, the clerk asks me if I would like to register for a Macy's card and save 20 percent on the sweaters.

Considering the cost of the sweaters stacked on the counter, I decide it's worth the time to fill out the paperwork.

The first bill arrives in the mail and I pay a partial amount. Usually I would pay a credit card bill in full, but for some reason (maybe all of those post-Christmas bills coming in at once) I don't.

A few months go by and I don't receive another bill. Being busy, I make a mental note of it but don't react. A few more months go by. In fact, seven months go by and Macy's never sends a new bill.

Until I get a nasty letter and nasty phone calls from a credit services firm, basically telling me I have defaulted on my Macy's card and that my credit history is now tainted.

Problem is, Macy's never sent another bill. To me, that's out of sight, out of mind.

Aren't credit card bills supposed to arrive in the mail each month if they're not paid in full?

So now I have to pay the bill with seven months accumulated interest or live with a bad credit report.

As someone who has never had a black mark on a credit report, this bothers me.

Macy's bothers me.

Macy's should accept the fact that they never followed up with billing and give me the opportunity to pay what is owed, without interest.

But since Macy's didn't bother to contact me before handing my account over to a credit agency, I have to pay off the card with interest.

So much for the 20 percent savings.

Raymond Babbitt had it wrong.

Macy's sucks.

Comments

[Karen Williams]

This happened to me before with Macy's. They get you to sign up for a card and then their customer service followup is terrible. They sent billing to my wrong address but at least they had decency to call me. Sounds like you were ignored.

[Jeff]

YOu can't blame Macys. Pay attention to your bills.

[Capp]

The only way to beat the system and come out ahead in those situations is to pay the bill in full when you get it (making sure you get your first bill w/i the first 30 days) and then calendar to cancel the card shortly thereafter. You are like me, typically pay off any credit card in full and also typically avoid getting store credit cards which are basically a scam to suck you in one hidden way or another.

[Christine]

Macy's credit card sucks. The same thing happened to me, and I talked to someone who works at the one in Leominster and they are like that with everyone. I got one because I was buying an expensive dress, and the discount helped, but after a bunch of rigamarole with "late" payments, etc., I canceled it. So not worth it.

[Elaine]

I have also had Macy's salespeople blatantly lie to me, telling me that a product I was requesting was no longer made, rudely telling me to "forget it", at which point I walked to the other end of the mall and found a whole display of said product in J.C.Penney. I, for one, was not happy to see our Bon Marche stores swallowed up by Macy's.

[Dan]

Karen - Macy's sucks.

Jeff - whatever, dude.

Capp - good advice.

Christine - nice to know I'm not alone.

Elaine - sounds like it's a national problem.

[Poppy]

This happened to me with a Victoria's Secret card. I actually had to yell at the woman, "I GOT MARRIED AND MOVED. IS THAT A CRIME? I'M NOT TRYING TO STIFF YOU FOR $20." She was very nasty to me before I said a word. I know creditor's are trained to expect people to be hooligan freeloaders, but saying nasty untrue statements should not fall into their back of tricks.

[Dan]

Poppy - that's terrible. Customer service is everything. Idiots.