John Lewis Partnership credit card

[brightncheerful]

As (some of) you may know, JLP is ending its credit card provider relationship with HSBC on 31 October 2022 and changing to NewDay.

Existing Partnership card holders are being invited to apply for a new card with NewDay. I have had a JL Partnership credit card for decades, I cannot remember when but likely since the late 1970s early 1980s. I have however been a loyal customer of JLP and Waitrose since the early 1970s. In all that time i have never missed a payment and usually I pay the balance due so only occasionally pay interest.

NewDay from my research is in my view a downmarket operator and whilst I am surprised JLP has gone down that route I accept that JLP is not what it was. This afternoon I embarked upon applying for a new card only to find that after entering some basic details and agreeing for what JLP knows about me already to be shared with NewDay and clicking whether eligible I was told I cannot have a new card.

I am livid. i telephoned the contact number provided which transpired is NewDay, a voice of entirely different calibre to that which i have been used to when I contact JLP said he'd put me through to the applications person. I held on during the music until the line went dead. i redialled and this time I got through to someone.

i was told that i should expect to receive an email within the next couple of days with the reasons for refusal, and that i can appeal if I want. i asked what sort of reasons would they be; the person looking at my details their end said that none of the reasons he could think of would apply but I should wait. I said that the call was hopefully being recorded for training and quality purposes Iso would be as polite as possible. I said I'd been a loyal customer of JLP and Waitrose for decades but if I am going to be refused a Partnership card then I shall in future think twice about whether to buy from JLP and Waitrose rather than anywhere else. I said i would not under any circumstances buy anything from any of the other retailers associated with NewDay. (No big del, I've only ever once in my life bought something from Argos (a mains-powered outside wall light which when I suggested my electrician fit it he said it was rubbish and didn't.]

When i told Mrs Bnc, she would also be affected by the refusal as she has a card on my account, as well as one in her own right, the only thing she could think of was that perhaps my age is the reason. (as my existing card expires in 2027 I didn't think so). As we talked, it occurred to me that as being a card provider is about extracting as much interest as possible from cardholders on late or under-payment, perhaps NewDay aren't interested in having anyone on their books that doesn't pay interest.

What would you think?

[brightncheerful]

i know this is the wrong board but I am doing some due diligence. The parent co is based in Jersey, it is owned by Cinven and CVC Capital Partners and has hired 4 investment banks to advise on a £2.5Bn flotation next year.

On Trustpilot under the 1 star rating "Roger" writes:

"New Day Incompetent Cowboys
New Day are out to destroy the John Lewis / Waitrose brand. Despite 100% payment records and sufficient net assets they do not want existing Partnership Card customers to transfer. They should leave the business with their false claims of service for customers, computer driven morons."

[CliffEdge]

I haven't heard from them yet. Seems John Lewis is going the way of all things in the UK. Waitrose no longer stock McDougal's thickening granules. Makes me wonder what Waitrose is for. I wish the local Waitrose would sod off and let Aldi have their premises. So, apparently do most of their staff. Though many of them have cleared off elsewhere already. I wonder how big a bribe sorry bonus the JL chief partner is getting.

[XFool]

As (some of) you may know, JLP is ending its credit card provider relationship with HSBC on 31 October 2022 and changing to NewDay.

Existing Partnership card holders are being invited to apply for a new card with NewDay. I have had a JL Partnership credit card for decades, I cannot remember when but likely since the late 1970s early 1980s. I have however been a loyal customer of JLP and Waitrose since the early 1970s. In all that time i have never missed a payment and usually I pay the balance due so only occasionally pay interest.

NewDay from my research is in my view a downmarket operator and whilst I am surprised JLP has gone down that route I accept that JLP is not what it was. This afternoon I embarked upon applying for a new card only to find that after entering some basic details and agreeing for what JLP knows about me already to be shared with NewDay and clicking whether eligible I was told I cannot have a new card.

I am livid.

i was told that i should expect to receive an email within the next couple of days with the reasons for refusal, and that i can appeal if I want. i asked what sort of reasons would they be; the person looking at my details their end said that none of the reasons he could think of would apply but I should wait. I said that the call was hopefully being recorded for training and quality purposes Iso would be as polite as possible. I said I'd been a loyal customer of JLP and Waitrose for decades but if I am going to be refused a Partnership card then I shall in future think twice about whether to buy from JLP and Waitrose rather than anywhere else. I said i would not under any circumstances buy anything from any of the other retailers associated with NewDay.

Doubt if they cared, they are not those companies and you aren't their customer - especially the phone jockeys!

When i told Mrs Bnc, she would also be affected by the refusal as she has a card on my account, as well as one in her own right, the only thing she could think of was that perhaps my age is the reason. (as my existing card expires in 2027 I didn't think so). As we talked, it occurred to me that as being a card provider is about extracting as much interest as possible from cardholders on late or under-payment, perhaps NewDay aren't interested in having anyone on their books that doesn't pay interest.

What would you think?

Possibly.

I remember when, long ago, Access was closed down and I had to find another CC provider. I applied to GM Cards (possibility of a future discount on a GM car) and was refused. I was amazed - no history of debts, always paid the CC off every month. "How can I possibly be refused" I asked them. Failed the automatic Credit Check; they recommended I apply to another CC supplier. Did they recommend Goldfish (remember them?)? Anyway I did apply and was accepted.

Much later, with a little more insight into these things, I guessed at the likely reason I failed the GM automatic Credit Check: At the time, I didn't have any credit accounts! So a likely auto-fail.

[AF62]

NewDay from my research is in my view a downmarket operator

Yes. Had some experience of them from a few years ago when my wife’s Laura Ashley card was moved to them.

To say that NewDay were useless would be praising them too highly, so god knows why JL want to get themselves involved with them.

[Lanark]

I looked at the WHICH customer ratings for Best and worst credit card providers, Newday get 60%, JL get 75%, but then HSBC (who currently provide the JL card) get a score of just 63%

So Im guessing a lot of the JL cards current high rating is just brand loyalty, a lot of customers probably haven't had to deal with their customer service.

[Redmires]

We have had John Lewis cards for years. We've had the letter about having to apply for a new card but not had any further details yet, apart from letting us know that the existing card will not work after October. I've decided not to apply for a new card as

a) why should I ?
b) Who the hell are Newday ?
c) I have other credit cards
d) I retired a couple of years ago and my income is similar to my outgoings (as planned) so I doubt if I would be accepted anyway
e) I'm not going to risk my credit score by being rejected by poxy credit card company
e) John Lewis have decided to alienate their existing loyal customer base. Their rewards scheme is now only available by 'app' on a smartphone etc. Not much use to the typical elderly customer.
f) My elderly mother-in-law worked for them for many years and was as loyal as it's possible to be. She's had enough of them now.
g) They shut down their store in one of the locations I used to frequent.

I feel a stiff letter to the new CEO is in the offing.

[bluedonkey]

...
e) John Lewis have decided to alienate their existing loyal customer base. Their rewards scheme is now only available by 'app' on a smartphone etc. Not much use to the typical elderly customer.

Could you expand on that bit (in bold) please or provide a link?
Thanks.

[Redmires]

...
e) John Lewis have decided to alienate their existing loyal customer base. Their rewards scheme is now only available by 'app' on a smartphone etc. Not much use to the typical elderly customer.

Could you expand on that bit (in bold) please or provide a link?
Thanks.

This is one from March. Things might have changed now but after having to mess about, printing out vouchers etc, we gave up.

https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/0 ... ty-scheme/

[Lanark]

I find the best way to use a loyalty card is to show it instore about once every 3 months, they will then assume you are not a regular customer and send you a bunch of vouchers through the post which are probably better than anything you could get wrestling with their app/website.

[brightncheerful]

I cried myself to sleep last night. At mid-night standing in the garden with puppy, tears rolled down my face (and onto puppy).

On Linked-In, I have put a comment on ND's entry where its Rob Holt in a video talks about doing the right thing by your customers especially during times of need. I've said "Your customers are the retailers, not the card-holders. The John Lewis Partnership is your customer and it needs as many higher-spending regular customers like myself as it can get. "

JL contacted me this morning apologetic and asking for more details so that someone can contact me. I'd like to think some good comes of it because as I've told Rob Holt in the short version of what i've said to JL : What you have done by saying I am not eligible for your card is kill more than 50 years of my loyalty to JL and Waitrose; and also prevent JL from thanking me for my custom by sending me vouchers to buy more from JL and Waitrose."

if need be I shall have to get a cash-back credit card from my bank but that doesn't solve the problem of getting vouchers from JL for my spending. I am going to suggest to JL they resurrect a modern equivalent of a JL account (via MyWaitrose card and/or MyJohnLewis card) which would keep a tally on spending to enable the vouchers to be sent even if one does not have a partnership credit card.

[pje16]

To say that NewDay were useless would be praising them too highly, so god knows why JL want to get themselves involved with them.

My amazon car is run by Newday
Never had a problem
just recently when my points total get to the required parameter they automatically update my gift card balance on Amazon
That's a nice touch as you used to have to do that part yourself
The login on their site is easy and its well laid out IMHO

What is so bad about them?

[88V8]

To say that NewDay were useless would be praising them too highly, so god knows why JL want to get themselves involved with them.

My amazon car is run by Newday
Never had a problem

Maybe, but we don't all run old Volvos.

V8

[pje16]

ok forgive the typo
"car" s/be "card"
I'm still waiting to hear what is wrong with Newday

[Redmires]

Take a look at the reviews on Trustpilot, as mentioned by BNC . The majority of reviews are either excellent or terrible. Always a suspicious sign.

[Maroochydore]

To say that NewDay were useless would be praising them too highly, so god knows why JL want to get themselves involved with them.

My amazon car is run by Newday
Never had a problem
just recently when my points total get to the required parameter they automatically update my gift card balance on Amazon
That's a nice touch as you used to have to do that part yourself
The login on their site is easy and its well laid out IMHO

What is so bad about them?

Absolutely nothing in my experience.

I have an Amazon card with them, runs like clockwork, as you said, rewards automatically added to Amazon account at statement date.

The only time I've had to contact them I found them pleasant and very helpful.

Perhaps it's because I'm not snobby about using John Lewis/Waitrose or the accent of the people I deal with on the phone.

[88V8]

Having read this thread, thought we'd better get our application in, so we did and it seems our accent fits.
Hopefully we won't need the app, whatever that is, seeing as we don't bother with a smartphone.

Meanwhile, our existing card is good until October... we suddenly have double our normal limit.
Maybe we'll liberate some of the turbot from the fish counter this week.

V8

[Lanark]

Take a look at the reviews on Trustpilot, as mentioned by BNC . The majority of reviews are either excellent or terrible. Always a suspicious sign.

When it comes to financial services I want to use a company which is properly run, not some shiesty chancers with a premium rate phone line. There are just too many red flags with this outfit.

That said Trustpilot is a scam, none of those reviews can be trusted for good or bad.

On balance, I think the carrot of some JL cashback vouchers is not quite enough to make me want to apply for this card.

[brightncheerful]

Update.

ND have responded to my comment on Linked-in. I have replied with my contact details and have received an auto-acknowledgement that they will contact me within 2-3 working days.

JL have also responded and have thanked me taking the time to provide my very detailed feedback which they will share within the appropriate parties within John Lewis and Newday. The reply ending with "We truly appreciate your time."

--

In the meantime Mrs Bnc and i have until 31 October 2022 to buy some appliances for the kitchen. I wanted to get them a coupe of years ago but Mrs Bnc said we should wait until necessary. So now the prices will have increased -

[Redmires]

Any update since last week BNC ?
I've been following the JL posts on the moneysavingexpert forum and it seems a common theme is to either be rejected or be accepted but with a much smaller credit limit.