By Jacob Wolinsky. Originally published at ValueWalk.
The Shop Your Way Mastercard was previously known as the Sears Mastercard. As such, it was originally designed for shoppers who frequent Sears, meaning that the rewards were reserved for Kmart and Sears shoppers.
However, given that Sears and its big-box chain Kmart are all but defunct with a handful of stores left at the end of 2021, the Shop Your Way credit card now offers rewards that do not require you to shop at these two retailers. The Shop Your Way Mastercard is issued by Citibank.
On a side note, the Shop Your Way Mastercard isn’t the only Sears credit card. The retailer also offers the Sears Card, which can only be used at Sears and Kmart stores, Land’s End and the websites operated by each of these retailers. However, unless you live in an area where there are still Sears or Kmart stores or you shop on these retailers’ websites, the Sears Card will be of no use to you.
Details on the Shop Your Way Mastercard
The Shop Your Way Mastercard is a rewards card that offers points on every eligible purchase. New cardholders can receive a $40 statement credit when they make $50 worth of eligible purchases during the first 30 days the account is open.
You get the most points when using your card for purchases at gas stations. Eligible gas station purchases will bring 5% back in points on the first $10,000 in purchases during the calendar year. For example, if you spend $500 at gas stations using your Shop Your Way credit card, you will get 25,000 points, amounting to $25 in cash.
You will earn 3% in points on eligible restaurant and grocery store purchases. For example, $500 in purchases at restaurants or grocery stores will bring you 15,000 points, amounting to $15. You will also earn 2% in points on purchases at Sears or Kmart. All other purchases earn 1% in points, which means $500 in combined purchases is worth 5,000 rewards points or $5.
The easiest way to redeem the points you earn is via gift cards from a wide variety of brands, enabling you to save money in a wide range of places. However, only certain points can be redeemed on credit cards. The credit card also allows you to earn rewards on brands sold by Sears. Unfortunately, the points do expire if you don’t use them.
You have until the end of the quarter one year from the date Citibank awarded them. The points are available to redeem about one week after the eligible purchase, although they can become available as early as the next day.
You can check your available points balance here or by downloading the Shop Your Way app via the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. There is no annual fee, but there are some other credit card fees with the Shop Your Way Mastercard.
The regular APR for purchases and balance transfers is 25.24%. The APR for a cash advance is 27.15%. The cash advance fee is 5% of each transaction with a minimum fee of $5, while the balance transfer fee is 5% of the transaction with a $10 minimum. There is also a 3% foreign transaction fee in U.S. dollars.
To apply for a Shop Your Way Mastercard, you will need your Social Security Number and basic information like your name, address, phone number and other details. It is recommended that you have a credit score between 670 and 850 before you apply for this credit card, although you may qualify with a lower credit score.
Since it is a Mastercard issued by Citibank, it is accepted wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Online Account Access
Sears Shop Your Way Credit Card Online Login
The easiest way to make credit card payments on your Shop Your Way Mastercard is through the online services of the financial institution. To access your Shop Your Way credit card account online, you can log in through the Citibank site here. If you haven’t already registered your Shop Your Way Mastercard account online, you can do so at the same link.
SYW Credit Card Customer Service
Shop Your Way Customer Service Phone Number
The customer service phone number for the Shop Your Way credit card is 877-816-9063. Be sure to have your credit card handy so that you can give your account number to the customer service representative.
Shop Your Way Mailing Address
For general inquiries, you can use this mailing address for the Shop Your Way credit card:
PO Box 6282
Sioux Falls, SD 57117
To make credit card payments on your Shop Your Way Mastercard, you can use either of these two mailing addresses. Be sure to include your account number so that they know where to post your payment.
Shop Your Way Credit Card
Payments
PO Box 78024
Phoenix, AZ 85062
or
PO Box 70610
Philadelphia, PA 19176
For overnight delivery and express payments, use this address:
Overnight Delivery/Express Payments
Attn: Consumer Payment Dept.
6716 Grade Lane
Building 9, Suite 910
Louisville, KY 40213
Customer Service Hours
Customer service for the Shop Your Way Mastercard is available via phone 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Central Time seven days a week, except for certain holidays.
FAQs
Can I use my Sears Citi Mastercard anywhere?
Your Sears credit card issued by Citibank can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Who took over Sears Mastercard?
Citi bought Sears’ credit card portfolio in the U.S., while Scotia acquired Sears’ Canadian credit card portfolio from Chase Canada in 2020.
What happened to Sears?
Sears declared bankruptcy in October 2018, and Sears Holdings emerged from bankruptcy in February 2019. When the department store chain filed for bankruptcy, it reported that it had fewer than 700 stores in operation.
As of September 2021, Sears had fewer than 300 stores left. By November, there were only 21 full-line Sears stores in the mainland U.S. and two left in Puerto Rico, according to the store locator on the retailer’s website.
Transformco was formed in February 2019 to acquire some of Sears Holdings’ and Kmart’s assets.
How can I check my Sears points?
You can check the points you have available on your Shop Your Way credit card by downloading the Shop Your Way app in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store or by going to the site at this link.
Can you use Shop Your Way points at Walmart?
You can only use your Shop Your Way points on gift cards through the Shop Your Way site here or on purchases at Sears or Kmart.
Final Thoughts
The Shop Your Way Sears credit card has gone through significant changes since Sears started to wind things down. Being able to use your rewards for gift cards in addition to purchases at Sears or Kmart is a great way to enjoy the benefits of using the Shop Your Way credit card.
The 5% reward on purchases at gas stations and 3% reward on purchases at restaurants or grocery stores are quite attractive since most credit cards that offer cash back tend to do so at much lower rates, often 1% or 1.5%.
If you think your credit score is high enough to qualify you for the Shop Your Way credit card, you can apply here.
Updated on
Sign up for ValueWalk’s free newsletter here.
