Does a catalogue account improve your credit score?

Posted on by Marty

Most people will turn to a catalogue account when they have a bad credit score or still want to shop but can’t afford to pay it off in one go.

It makes sense, right? It’s a quick, instant way of shopping that doesn’t require you to have the money right there and then, as soon as you need something.

But, besides buying what you want, when you want, does it do anything else to improve your financial situation? Or is it just a way to deal with the circumstances you’re in without having to sacrifice shopping online altogether?

That’s what we’ll be talking about today. We’re going to discuss what catalogue credit is, whether it can improve your credit score, and how to use it to your advantage.

Catalogue credit at a quick glance

  • A catalogue credit account can absolutely help you improve your credit score, but only if you know how to manage the account well AND the lender reports to credit reference agencies.
  • It can also hurt your score if you do things like miss any payments, apply for too much credit at once, or borrow more than you can afford to.

It’s all about looking at your current circumstances honestly and deciding whether you can handle owning a credit account without getting swept up in the excitement of having so much freedom while shopping.

Forgetting that it’s a legal contract and that your buying habits are being monitored is a quick way to find yourself in an even worse situation than before.

If you’re not 100% sure what catalogue credit actually is, you can read up a bit more about it on our blog, ‘An introduction to catalogue shopping’.

Can a catalogue account improve your credit score?

We’d like to start by saying that a catalogue credit score is not automatically good or bad for your overall credit score.

It’s all about how you use it.

When a catalogue account can help your credit score

If you’re someone who is strict about paying on time, keeping up with all of your bills, and never impulse buying, then you’re the perfect model of what a catalogue credit user should look like.

Go you! Since a catalogue account offers buy now, pay later schemes and lets you break the cost into smaller payments, it’s just a way of making shopping less stressful. However, it’s only less stressful if you do what you’re meant to do.

Here’s how a credit account can help improve your credit score:

1. You pay back on time, every time

If you’re paying off your credit before or on the date that it’s due, then you’re not going to run into any problems or build up interest for yourself to stress over later on.

With every on-time payment, your credit score may rise that little bit more.

2. You only use a small amount of your credit limit

If you’re not maxing out on your credit limit every time you shop, then you’re going to keep your balance low and manageable.

From a lender’s point of view, you’ll appear as someone who is financially literate and knows how to borrow only what you can afford, making you more likely to be accepted for bigger credit or loans in the future.

3. You avoid making several credit applications at once

Trying to apply for too many accounts at once can make you seem desperate and impulsive to lenders, which means you’re a risk if they decide to accept you.

Instead, a single, well-managed account can be more helpful at showing that you can manage a credit account.

4. You use it alongside other things

A catalogue credit account isn’t an overnight fix for improving a bad credit score.

You should be doing other things alongside it, such as paying your bills on time and handling a credit card well, to see a noticeable, positive difference. If you are, then you’re using it right.

When it can lower your credit score instead

As soon as we see something that can help us get what we want quicker, we’re all in. If it’s there and free to use (without thinking about interest or repayments), you might as well make the most of it.

However, that’s when we can get a little bit reckless and forget to read the fine print or just go, ‘It’s fine if I miss another payment; I’ll just pay it when I can, it won’t affect that much.

That’s until you get comfortable doing that, and before you know it, you’re in more debt than you started with. Here are a few quick ways to ruin your chances of being accepted for credit in the future:

1. You miss multiple payments or pay late

Making a few late payments or completely dodging them altogether is a sure-fire way to tell lenders that you can’t handle the responsibility of a loan.

Doing so will only bring your credit score down, and multiple missed payments can show up on your credit report for up to 6 years.

2. You apply for several catalogues close together

As we said before, applying for too many catalogue credit accounts at once can hurt your credit score.

That’s because these can come up as a hard search on your credit report, hurting your profile as it appears as though you’re struggling financially and aren’t in a position to be borrowing.

3. You only make minimum payments while the balance keeps growing

Chipping away at your debt only leaves you more to stress about. While paying something is, of course, better than paying nothing, you end up just spreading yourself thin.

It also means the interest will keep growing, and you’ll dig yourself into a hole you can’t get out of.

4. You use all of your available credit at once

Running close to your credit limit can make you look more financially stretched to lenders.

Even if you’re making regular repayments, it still signals alarm bells and reflects badly on your spending habits.

If you’re using your credit for things you don’t absolutely need, like designer items or indulgences, ask yourself whether it’s worth it and either save up your own money instead, or look for more affordable options.

How long does a catalogue account take to improve your credit score?

Many catalogue accounts take as little as 1 to 3 months to start showing positive improvements to your credit score.

That’s because the lender needs to update its records at the end of each billing cycle to state whether the bill has been fully paid, which often takes 30–40 days.

But again, it’s all about HOW you use it and HOW OFTEN. When you first apply for a catalogue credit account, the hard search may leave a slight dip in your score, but that should smoothen out once you start handling the account responsibly.

How to check whether your catalogue account is helping

Here are a few quick and simple ways you can monitor your account to see if it’s actually helping your credit score go up:

  • Check whether your catalogue account appears on your credit reports by requesting a copy from Experian or Equifax. If there are any discrepancies with your payments, get them removed so they don’t bring down your score.
  • Check the payment history of your account. If all payments are coming up as being paid on time, that’s a clear sign that it’s improving your credit score.
  • Check how closely you are to using the limit. A lower credit utilisation is usually viewed more positively, so use around 25% of the limit steadily to help your score.

Again, it’s not an overnight process, so it’s best to monitor these things every few months to see if the account is worth keeping open.

Better alternatives if your only goal is to build credit

If the only reason you’re opening a catalogue credit account is to simply build up your credit score, then there are plenty more ways you can do so that might take quicker.

Any of these options can help you claw back from that poor credit score that’s weighing you down, and maybe save on high-interest rates while you’re there.

Credit-builder credit cards

A credit-builder credit card comes with higher interest rates and lower credit limits, which, in many cases, can help bad spenders break their unhelpful habits.

These are great for improving your credit score and showing financial stability.

Using a current account well

By opening and managing a current account well, by staying within the overdraft limit, you’re quickly showing future lenders that you can handle a loan.

Taking out a personal loan

A personal loan is a great option if you need to pay for something important, like rent or bills.

Of course, only take what you can afford and look for ones with fixed interest rates and repayment terms that you can follow.

If you want more help on other ways to improve a bad credit score, MoneyHelper has a great guide filled with plenty of options.

Find the right catalogue credit account for you

If you’re thinking about opening a catalogue account, make sure you choose an option that fits your budget and supports your credit goals.

At Catalogues Bad Credit, we take the stress out of your search, helping you compare catalogue options for bad credit more easily so you can find a provider that works for you.

Browse our latest catalogue offers today and take the next step towards rebuilding your credit with more confidence.

Why was I refused a catalogue account? 8 common reasons

Posted on by Marty

If you’ve tried to apply for a credit account with a catalogue before and you’ve been refused, you may be wondering what went wrong.

After all, they’re designed for people who can’t pay for things upfront or have a bad credit score, so how can you be refused?

However, there’s more that goes into the approval process for a catalogue credit account than just your credit history. Things like ID checks, affordability, a thin history, and recent applications all play a role in whether you’re approved.

Today, we’ll run through some of the most common reasons for rejection of a catalogue credit account and what you should do next. If you’re looking for catalogues that will likely accept a low credit score, browse our list.

1. Your address details don’t match

This is one of the most common (and most frustrating) reasons people get refused, because it can happen even when your credit history is improving.

When you apply for any credit account, the provider will do a check of your details against information held by credit reference agencies (CRAs) and public records to confirm your identity.

If the address you have listed doesn’t match the address on your credit file, the system won’t be able to match you properly. Even a small mistake with the address can lead to a decline or a request for more checks.

What to do

  • Use the same address format you use for your main bank account and bills.
  • Raise any address errors with the CRA.
  • Check that there are no typos, e.g., “Road” vs “Rd” and “Street” vs “St”.

2. You’re not (yet) on the electoral register at your current address

A lot of people get caught out by this, especially if you’ve recently moved, you’re in a flat share, or you’re renting and your bills aren’t in your name.

Most catalogue providers use the electoral register as part of an identity and address check when going through your application.

If you aren’t listed at your current address, it can be harder for them to match you correctly, leading to a refusal even if you’re doing everything else right. Some councils update records monthly, so if you’ve only just registered, there may be a slight delay.

What to do

  • Make sure to re-register after changing your address.
  • Contact your local council’s electoral services team or register again online at GOV.UK.
  • Pause new credit applications until it’s updated.

3. Recent missed payments, defaults, or court records

While a low credit score doesn’t mean that you won’t be accepted, a lot of missed payments in the last few years can affect your likelihood of approval.

Catalogue accounts are credit, so the provider is trying to gauge how likely you are to keep up with repayments. If you’ve continuously shown that you can’t make repayments on time, some lenders will see this and think you can’t handle another credit account.

If you have a recent default due to multiple missed payments or a court order requiring you to pay a debt, this will further impact your application.

What to do

  • Set up a Direct Debit so you don’t miss any payments.
  • Ask for a reduced payment plan if you’re juggling bills.
  • Pay off any defaults and ask for written confirmation that it will be marked as satisfied.
  • Pay off a CCJ within one calendar month, as this can remove it from the public register.

4. You have a limited credit history

Sometimes you can be denied a credit account simply because there isn’t enough information on how you can handle credit repayments for the lender to go on.

If you’ve never really used any credit accounts, you’ll have a limited credit history, also known as a thin file. A lender wants to see proof that you can handle repayments, so a thin file means a provider can’t confidently make a judgement on this.

What to do

  • Open a current account with a major UK lender so your data is more likely to be shared and show on your credit history.
  • Put one regular bill in your name and pay it on time (e.g., a mobile contract or broadband).
  • Build up your history with small limits and predictable repayments.

5. Too many applications in a short period

Applying for too many credit accounts at once can make lenders think that you’re relying too much on borrowing money to get by.

Some catalogue applications also involve hard credit checks, which leave a visible record on your credit report so other lenders can see you’ve recently been applying for credit. This can affect your credit score for about 6 months.

Too many applications can appear as though you’re struggling to get accepted elsewhere, and it shows a likelihood that you’ll miss repayments.

What to do

  • Wait a while in between applying for different credit accounts.
  • Use eligibility-checking tools to avoid hard checks.

6. Affordability doesn’t stack up on your income and outgoings

If you’re spending more than you can comfortably borrow, and you’re not bringing much money in, then lenders are less likely to approve you.

An affordability check considers factors such as your income, monthly commitments, existing credit payments, and other daily expenses. If your outgoings are already high for your income, lenders aren’t going to trust that you can make repayments on time.

People who freelance work and whose income fluctuates from month-to-month may also struggle being accepted, as it’s harder to predict if you can afford it.

What to do

  • Set up a better budget plan to limit outgoings.
  • Clear or reduce “buy now, pay later” plans if you have several running.
  • Avoid taking on new monthly contracts right before applying.
  • If you’ve just moved or changed jobs, wait a while before applying.

7. High existing debt or high credit utilisation

High existing debt or credit utilisation can look risky on paper, even if you’ve never missed a payment.

If you already owe a fair amount across credit cards, overdrafts, loans, etc., or you’re using a large chunk of the credit limits you already have, it can look like you’re over-relying on credit, which can put lenders off.

What to do

  • Keep your credit utilisation under 25% to increase your chances of being approved for new credit.
  • Pay down balances that are close to your credit limit.
  • Pay more than the minimum amount to decrease interest.

8. You’re financially linked to someone with poor credit

Unfortunately, our own spending habits aren’t the only thing that can affect our credit score.

If you have a joint credit product with someone else, mispayments on their behalf can stay on your credit report until you ask for them to be removed (once you no longer share finances).

This could be a joint mortgage, loan, bank account, or credit agreement. Because you’re linked, the lender may decide your household finances could be under strain, or that repayment risk is higher and refuse the account.

What to do

  • Close joint accounts, or have them converted into one person’s name.
  • Ask for financial associations to be removed if you no longer share finances.

Get approved with Catalogues Bad Credit

When you’re ready to try again, Catalogues Bad Credit can help you compare catalogue options that may be more suitable if you’re rebuilding your credit.

We will point you in the right direction to catalogues that will most likely accept you, even with a low credit score. That way, you aren’t guessing and hoping for the best.

You can browse, pay weekly, pay monthly, and buy now, pay later catalogue credit accounts to find the best option for you.

The Biggest List of UK Catalogue Companies

Posted on by Marty

What are catalogues?

Catalogue shopping is an important sector in retail. It has been around since the middle of the 19th century in the UK and has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. 

Catalogues sell a wide selection of products, such as:

  • Clothing 
  • Technology
  • Child and baby products
  • Appliances and furniture
  • Beauty and wellness products

You can find almost anything in a catalogue, as they will host a range of products from different brands and put them all in one place for your convenience.

Catalogues are unique to online stores as they will offer you different credit options to pay for your product. With most catalogues, you will have the option to buy now, pay later and pay in monthly or weekly instalments. This helps people take control of their finances and build up their credit score. 

Even if you have a bad credit score, you will likely be accepted for a credit account on a catalogue. 

What are the payment options on catalogues?

Catalogues offer you more payment options than other online stores. Some of the popular options include:

Buy now, pay later: if you pick this option, you will not have to pay upfront costs and you will not have to pay anything for 12 months. You can delay the payments until you are ready to start paying off the purchase. However, you will have to pay compound interest. The longer you wait to pay, the higher the amount of interest you will have to pay. 

Pay monthly: if you decide to pay monthly, the catalogue will divide the purchase cost across a few months. Typically it will be between 3-12 months, depending on how much you spend and what you would prefer. You will pay instalments each month. Usually, this is an interest-free method of payment, unless you are late with payments and do not pay the full amount within the agreed period of time. 

Pay weekly: if you decide to pay in weekly instalments, the purchase will be divided across the number of weeks that you decide on. Many sites offer weekly payments between 6 to 52 weeks, depending on how much you spend.

What are the benefits of catalogues? 

There are many benefits to using catalogues to pay for the things that you need. One of the main advantages of catalogues is that it helps to improve your credit score. Catalogues accept people with all credit scores. So if you have a poor credit score, you are still eligible for credit payments. If you are reliable with the payments, it will have a positive impact on your score.

If your credit score is low, you might only be accepted for a low credit limit, but this is often still between £80 to £150 depending on the site you are using. If you are a reliable customer, this limit will increase monthly. So, starting small is a great way to build up your credit score whilst buying the items that you want.

Another benefit is that it helps you take control of your finances in terms of budgeting and being able to afford the things you need and want. Splitting payments into affordable instalments is a great way to make payments more manageable. So you do not need to save up for months to buy the things that you need. 

By paying in instalments, you do not need to set up your own budget to pay for your purchases and it does it for you. This saves you both time and energy. Often, you can set payments up as a direct debit, which means that the money will come out of your bank account on the same day every month. Therefore, this helps you budget without having the hassle of setting your own up.  

Also, catalogues sell a wide selection of products all in one place. From technology to clothes to toys – catalogues have it all. This means that you can make any purchase more affordable. Additionally, by having everything in one place you are avoiding the need to go shopping in person.

Usually, if you needed to buy clothes and toys on the same day, you would have to go to at least two stores. But with catalogues, everything is in one place, and you can shop from the comfort of your own home. Catalogues will often have better deals on their products too, such as sale and clearance items always available. 

List of UK catalogue companies

Studio 

Studio is an online catalogue that sells thousands of different products such as clothing, technology, toys and much more. New products are added every day from top brands. Studio offers a buy now, pay later option and the option to pay in instalments. 

Very 

Very is a popular online catalogue in the UK, with a vast selection of products from top brands at a competitive price. The catalogue sells everything you could need, from technology to clothes to furniture.  A typical starting credit limit for Very is from £500, and this can increase over time if you are reliable with your repayments. 

Littlewoods

Littlewoods is a fantastic and very popular catalogue in the UK, and they even have a mobile app so you can shop on the go. They offer great repayment plans, including not having to pay interest if you fully pay for your purchase in under 12 months. Littlewoods sells a huge range of products from top brands such as appliances, smartphones, jewellery and beauty products.  

Freemans 

Freemans specialises in clothing for men, women and children. This catalogue offers fantastic prices and different payment options to make purchases affordable. The credit limit starts from £100, and you can increase this over time if you prove yourself to be a reliable and loyal customer. New customers get 25% off their first order. 

Sunshine Mobile

Sunshine Mobile is a great site to purchase a mobile phone from as they do not run any credit checks. So if you have a really poor credit score, or you do not have one at all then this is the choice for you! They have different repayment options available such as paying weekly, monthly or buy now, pay later. 

Argos 

Argos is a popular catalogue in the UK with different products, but with a focus on appliances and technology. You can pay your purchases back over 3 or 6 months without having to pay interest. Argos consistently have amazing offers on their products. 

Next

Next is a fashion and homeware specialist catalogue. Next offer a great credit limit range, starting from £200 to £1500. There are different repayment options available, and you can use your Next credit card online or in-store. 

JD Williams

JD Williams is a great clothing specialist catalogue for men, women and children, making it an ideal choice for families. They run a soft credit check on you to determine your credit limit, which can be increased over time. If you are a first time user of this site, you can get 20% off your first order. 

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a fashion and homeware specialist, with a wide range of amazing deals and products available to buy. They offer a credit limit of between £100 to £1,000. A great deal they offer is 25% off your first order! 

Fashion World

Fashion World sells a great range of plus-size clothing and accessories from a huge list of brands. You can spread payments across a period of time that suits you. They run a soft credit check on you to determine your credit limit, which is increased every 28 days. 

Jacamo

Jacamo specialises in men’s clothing and accessories from a wide range of brands in a variety of sizes (from medium to 5 extra large). A typical starting credit limit is £100, which is increased every 28 days if you are reliable with payments. 

Curvissa

Curvissa is a plus-size women’s clothing company that offers a huge selection of brands at a competitive price. On average, a starting credit limit is £100, which is increased every month if you prove you are a reliable customer. 

Simply Be 

Simply Be is a very popular plus-size women’s clothing company that sells an amazing range of stylish clothing and accessories. It has a competitive credit limit, which can be increased every month. 

Ace 

Ace is an online catalogue that sells a huge range of products from a wide range of brands, including their own clothing brand. This catalogue started as a paper catalogue and has been around for over 50 years! Ace offers flexible payment options to help make the products more affordable for you. 

La Redoute 

La Redoute is an online catalogue that aims to bring French items to the UK. This includes stylish clothing straight from Paris for men, women and children as well as a small range of furniture at excellent prices. 

An Introduction to Catalogue Shopping

Posted on by Marty

Catalogue shopping has been around since the middle of the 19th century and has only grown in popularity. A lot of information is thrown around about catalogues – both positive and negative. To help you navigate through the world of catalogue shopping, we have put together this guide to answer all your questions. 

About Catalogue Shopping

First, let’s look at what catalogue shopping actually is. 

A catalogue store sells a vast selection of products from different brands all in one place. Often catalogue stores will not have physical shops, although some do like Argos, and you will order from them and get it delivered to your door from a warehouse. 

Many people use catalogues because of the credit options that they provide. Many catalogues will have payment options like buy now, pay later and pay in monthly or weekly instalments. Not only does this allow people to take control of their finances, but it also allows them to build up their credit scores. 

Many catalogues will accept people with all different credit scores, no matter how high or low it is, and if you prove you are reliable and trustworthy, they will raise your credit limit. 

How does catalogue shopping work?

Catalogue shopping is straightforward to navigate. Firstly, you must sign up for an account with a catalogue of your choice. All the details you insert must be accurate in order to be accepted and receive an appropriate credit limit. Once you are registered and know your credit limit, you can get shopping! Choose the items you want and go to the checkout.

Once you are on the checkout page, you will be presented with a few payment options. The options you have will vary from site to site, but here are the most popular options:

Buy now, pay later: this option allows you to not pay a thing for 12 months. By delaying the payments, you can decide when you are ready to pay. Often sites will ask you to pay compound interest, and the longer you delay payments, the higher the interest rate is. 

Pay monthly: this payment option will divide the purchase price across a few months, usually either 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. You will pay the instalments each month, and if you are timely with your payments, you will not have to pay interest. 

Pay weekly: by paying weekly, the purchase cost is divided across the number of weeks you decide on. The cost is usually less than paying monthly, but you will have to pay over a longer period of time. 

What are the benefits of catalogue shopping?

The benefits of catalogue shopping are amazing! One of the main benefits customers get from using credit catalogues is an increase in your credit score. If you are reliable and timely with payments, it will have a positive effect on your credit score. By having a high credit score, it is unlikely that you will be rejected from high-value credit purchases.

Additionally, catalogues can help you afford high-value products like smartphones, appliances, furniture and computers. Often, you will not even be expected to pay an upfront fee or interest. So, you can pay for the product in manageable instalments. 

Another great benefit of catalogue shopping is that you can do it from anywhere – whether you are commuting to work and on your or browsing on your laptop on the couch with a cup of tea. You do not have the stress of carrying bags between shops, transport fees and not being able to find what you want. 

What are the drawbacks of catalogue shopping?

There are a few drawbacks of catalogue shopping, but they are important to look at. One of the main drawbacks is not being able to try the items on. For example, if you purchase the wrong size you will have to return it to exchange it for a different size. Whilst you will end up with the item you want, the returns process could have been avoided if you tried on the item in-store.

Another drawback is that if you do not pay back the amount within the stated time, you will be asked to pay compound interest. The longer you do not pay for, the higher the interest is. However, this can be avoided if you stick to your repayment plan and do not spend more than you can afford. 

What are some of the top catalogue companies in the UK?

There are many brilliant catalogue companies in the UK, to just name a few: 

Studio 

Studio is a great online catalogue that you can purchase a huge range of products from, such as clothing, technology, toys and much more. Studio offers a buy now, pay later option and spreads the cost over the course of a few months with no added interest. They offer a competitive credit limit, which is determined by a soft credit check. 

Very 

One of the most popular online catalogues is Very, which allows you to pay monthly or through a buy now pay later scheme. This catalogue sells almost everything you could think of, from technology to clothes to furniture at great prices with many offers available. A standard starting credit limit for Very is from £500, and this can increase over time if you are a reliable and loyal customer. 

Littlewoods

Littlewoods is a great monthly catalogue that sells a huge range of products. They offer interest-free options if you pay off your purchase in under 12 months. Littlewoods also has the option to freeze payments if you are struggling to pay them back. 

Freemans 

Freemans is a specialist clothing catalogue with fantastic prices with 2 payment options. The first option is to buy now, pay later and the other option is to set up a Flexiway account. A Flexiway account allows you to spread payments over the course of a few months, and you do not have to pay any interest if you always pay on time.

Sunshine Mobile

Sunshine Mobile is a great choice if you want to purchase a mobile phone, as they do not run any credit checks. Their repayment options, such as paying weekly, monthly or buy now, pay later. 

Argos 

Argos are specialists in appliances and technology. They run a soft credit check on you to determine your credit limit, which can be increased over time if you are reliable with payments. You can repay over the course of 3 or 6 months without interest. However, if you fail to pay it off within that time you will be charged compound interest, which is worked out from the day of your purchase. 

Next

Next is a fashion and homeware specialist catalogue. You can purchase the products on a credit account or in-store with a Next credit card. There are different repayment plans available, many that do not ask you to pay interest. They offer a credit limit ranging between £200 to £1,500. 

JD Williams

JD Williams is a great clothing specialist catalogue for men, women and children. To determine your credit limit, they will run a soft credit check on you, and your limit will increase monthly. 

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a fashion and homeware specialist. They offer a Flexiway account, which allows you to pay off your purchases monthly. The credit limit they offer is between £100 to £1000. 

Fashion World

Fashion World sells a great range of plus-size women’s clothing and accessories, with a  huge selection of brands to choose from. You can spread the payments of your purchases over a period of time that suits you. 

Jacamo

Jacamo is a men’s clothing and accessories catalogue that sells from a large selection of brands in a variety of sizes (from medium to 5 extra large). Jacamo runs a soft credit check on you to determine your credit limit. If you are late with payments to Jacamo, you are charged an administration fee of £12 and compound interest. 

Curvissa

Curvissa specialises in plus-size women’s clothing, with a great selection of brands. The clothing is priced competitively, and they constantly have amazing offers. With orders over £100, you can repay over a period of 12 months. A typical starting credit limit is around £100.

 

 

Yes Catalogue Review – Is it Legit or a SCAM?

Posted on by Marty

Yes Catalogue Review – Is it Legit or a SCAM?

At Catalogues for Bad Credit, we want to help you navigate through the world of online catalogues without being scammed whilst getting the best possible deals to save you money and improve your credit score. So, we have put together this guide to walk you through Yes Catalogue, and to explain if it is legit or a scam.  

What is Yes Catalogue?

Yes Catalogue is an online catalogue that sells a range of products from top brands such as Apple, Dyson, Sony, Nintendo and many more. 

The unique selling point of Yes Catalogue ‌is that it does not require a credit check and provides a minimum of £500 credit to new customers. Most online catalogues will run a credit check on you to determine your starting credit limit. However, this is not to say you can’t access credit accounts with a poor credit rating. 

Yes Catalogue also offers a ‘pro’ account, which asks you to pay £19.99 a month after a 2 week free trial. The account offers benefits like free delivery, a 10% discount on orders for friend referrals, access to high-value products, discounted items and grocery credit. 

Whilst the pro account may seem appealing, many customers have claimed that upon signing up they did not opt into the pro account, yet still got charged for it and found it difficult to cancel. 

How does Yes Catalogue work?

Yes Catalogue does not run any credit checks on customers. They claim to give a £500 credit limit to every single customer that applies. You apply online and fill in a brief questionnaire, which takes around 2 minutes to complete. They ask for your full name, date of birth, address and bank details. 

You are guaranteed a starting limit of £500, and this can rise to £600, and then to the maximum of £700. The higher amounts are provided if you pass their 6 payment test.

The 6 payment test asks you to pay for your item over 6 instalments. This proves to Yes Catalogue that you can pay on a timely and accurate basis. The 6 payments can be spread across either 6 weekly payments, 6 fortnightly payments or 6 monthly payments. After this, Yes Catalogue sees you as a qualified customer.

The catch with the 6 payments test is that you do not receive the item that you have bought until the payment process is over. 

Is Yes Catalogue legit?

Yes Catalogue has a mix of reviews online, all claiming different outcomes of what happened when they ordered from the site. On the whole, it seems as though Yes Catalogue is a scam. 

Here are some of the online reviews about Yes Catalogue:

  • “I ordered an item on their website. Paid for it which was double the amount that the item is worth. Did not receive this item. I’ve contacted customer service, discussing the item I ordered over 1 year ago!! And it still hasn’t arrived…” 
  • “Seems to be a trap to lure people with poor credit in… This is definitely not a legitimate site. Stay away at all costs.”
  • “This company is a big scam. I paid for my goods 2 months ago in full and they still can’t give me a delivery date. I’ve asked for a refund and they have refused…”
  • “Made all payments upfront before bed was delivered to which it took 4 weeks for it to be delivered. When finally arrived, parts missing to which 3 weeks later still haven’t been received (7 weeks in now) to be told missing parts will be another 2 weeks…”

What we can gather from reviews is that Yes Catalogue is not a legit website. Many people do not receive the items that they ordered. For the customers who do receive their items, items are not in good condition and are either broken or have missing parts.

Additionally, the site does not rectify mistakes made on their behalf for free. Customers have been sent the wrong items, but have to pay a £20 administration and delivery fee, even though it is not their fault. 

It also appears that Yes Catalogue does not offer refunds to their customers, with customers claiming that they were refused even when it had credible grounds. 

How to contact Yes Catalogue 

If you want to contact Yes Catalogue you can call them on 0370 0340110, and you will be directed to one of the members of their customer service team. Or, you can fill out a contact form on their website, and they will respond to your query via email. 

Alternatives to Yes Catalogue 

Although Yes Catalogue seems great on the surface with a high credit limit and not running a credit check, it should be avoided. Firstly, you have to wait for 6 payments to receive the item, whereas with other sites you can receive the item immediately and without any upfront costs. Secondly, you might not even receive your item or it may arrive in poor condition.

Luckily there are great alternatives to Yes Catalogue that are legit, can save you money and improve your credit score in the process, even if you have a poor credit score.

Some great catalogues that offer a huge selection of products including toys, technology, clothing, beauty products and sports/leisure products are Very, Littlewoods and Studio. With all of these catalogues, you can get a starting limit of at least £100, which can be built up over time if you are reliable and timely with payments. 

Unlike Yes Catalogue, your purchase will be immediately dispatched, and you will not be asked for any upfront payments. With these catalogues, returning items and receiving a refund is an easier and more legit process. 

Or, if you are looking to purchase a mobile phone on credit, but you do not have a credit score or have a very low credit score, you could have a look at Sunshine Mobile. This site does not run any checks on your credit score, and you can purchase brand new and used mobile phones at great discounts. 

Savvy Benefits Card – Is it Legit or a SCAM?

Posted on by Marty

At Catalogues for Bad Credit, we want to help you avoid any scam catalogue sites. So we have put together this guide to walk you through Savvy Benefits Card and whether it is legit or a scam. 

What is a Savvy Benefits Card?

Savvy Benefits Card is based in the UK and claims to be a money saving membership that will help you to improve your credit score. This company does not run a credit check and accepts everyone regardless of their financial situation and credit score. 

This company claims to provide you with two different ways of saving money. The first is a virtual card to use for in-store shopping, this is called a Savvy Card or Vectis Card. You are asked to download an app to use codes on your phone on the go. 

The second is a portal that shows you all of the partner websites that you will have discounts for with savings from £100 to £1,000. The portal offers a credit line too, which they claim you do not have to pay interest on until you spend the money.

Savvy Benefits are supposedly partnered up with brands like Tesco, Next, Sky, eBay, Vision Express and many more. 

How does a Savvy Benefits Card work?

With the Savvy Benefits Card, it is supposed to save you money on in-store or online shopping with huge discounts on a wide range of products from over 1000 stores. Savvy claims you can use their services to save you money on clothing, technology, appliances and many more purchases. They also claim to save you money on restaurants and holidays.

To open an account you have to fill in an application form that asks for your full name, address, contact information and bank details. Savvy Benefits claim you can access the discounts by paying a £29.99 signup fee and then continuing to pay £14.99 per month. 

Is Savvy Benefits a scam?

Savvy Benefits claim you can cancel your membership by giving them 30 days notice before your membership expires, and 30 days after the renewal date. Also, they claim you can get a full refund if you cancel within 7 days of signing up to the account. 

However, this is not true. Trustpilot reviewers have revealed that even after cancelling the membership, money was continuously taken from their bank account each month. So, they are keeping card details on record beyond when they should, and scamming people out of money without them receiving the benefits and when they no longer want the card. 

Additionally, they claim to provide refunds within 7 business days from the requested date. However, TrustPilot users have stated that this is untrue, with some customers never receiving their rightful refund.  

Other users of the site have claimed that the company takes one penny out of their account at random times and without explanation. 

Another way that Savvy Benefits entices people is by claiming you can have a loan from them, and then they will unwillingly sign you up to the benefits card with the monthly fee without consent. This is a way to scam people as it is signing them up to services without their consent and then refusing to refund them. 

Why should you avoid Savvy Benefits?

Savvy Benefits has a 1.7 star rating on TrustPilot, with many negative reviews such as: 

  • “Cancelled account months ago yet money was taken from my account last week. So they kept all my card details on file and took £29.09 from my account which amounts to theft. Many emails sent and no reply…” 
  • “This company is a fraud who targets the vulnerable…”
  • “This is a scam, please do not be deceived! I tried to sign up for a loan via a broker and unknowingly signed up for Savvy Benefits. You receive no confirmation email or call so don’t even know you have signed up to a subscription service…”

There are no ‘positive’ reviews about Savvy Benefits online, so you should avoid it as it is untrustworthy and may take money from your account without your permission. 

What are legit alternatives to Savvy Benefits Card? 

Whilst the benefits of having a Savvy Benefits Card may seem enticing (after all – who doesn’t want to save money?) it should be avoided. As they will take money out of your bank account, not let you cancel your account with them, and you will not be able to access the benefits and discounts they claim to offer you. 

Luckily – there are many legit alternatives to help you save money and improve your credit score in the process, even if you have a low credit score.

If you are looking to save money on products and pay in affordable instalments, you could check out Very, Littlewoods or Argos. All of these sites sell a huge range of products from top brands at competitive prices, with discounts available at all times. These online catalogues allow you to spread the cost into affordable instalments, and it is likely you will not have to pay any interest. 

Or, if you are specifically looking to purchase a mobile phone but you do not have a credit score or have a very low credit score, you could check out Sunshine Mobile. This site does not run a credit check on you, and you can access all the latest models with great discounts. 

Alternatively, if you are specifically looking to buy clothes, then there are a few fantastic online sites to check out. These sites sell clothing at amazing prices, and often cheaper than in-store shops, from top brands. Some that are worth looking at include Simply Be, JD Williams, Jacamo and Kaleidoscope. 

If you decide to use catalogues to help you buy the things you need, then there are many benefits you can reap. As in the process of getting the things you want, you can improve your credit score at the same time, as long as you are reliable with your payments.