I am the perfect person to give you an answer.

I worked for Best Buy for a year and a half and was the #1 employee in the territory for new credit card applications. During my time I easily signed up hundreds of people. If I recall correctly, I had had 1 person instantly approved with it being their first card. DO NOT WASTE A HARD INQURY ON THE BEST BUY CARD this early in the game. Citibank requires you to have history.

Also, I believe there is a signup bonus for the Best Buy card that you need to use right away, so I would wait until you have a big purchase planned anyway.

For your first card, I would go with Discover. Also, if you're a student, go for that option.

No get a regular starter card like a Discover It, store specific cards seem nice with their intro discounts but their earning potential is incredibly low over time. Starter cards like the Discover It, Capital One Platinum/Journey or a decent secured card from a local credit union are much better options to get started.

No, the Best Buy card is issued by citi bank meaning they want to see some credit history. Plus their APR is higher than a credit building card like a discover secured or capital one platinum. My advice is get a credit builder first, then apply for the Best Buy card possibly a year later.

It was instant for me. It asks you which card you want visa or bby only and tells you your limit. The physical card arrives around a week in the mail but the account is active and ready to be used.

If it wasn't an instant approval, it's probably a denial.

Usually it’s immediately.

Yeah you don't want to apply again, since an account was just opened now, could just pull an immediate denial. It could've been an honest mistake from the rep saying that, but guess you won't truly know unless you go into the store or wait for the card to come in. Hope you get it all figured out.

Log into your best buy account and look. It will tell you what you were approved for I imagine under payment options

Wait for card.

There's nothing they can do for you in store.

the store is useless -- everything from the credit card to gift card usage....their staff are about as useful as lab monkeys.

This happened yesterday but vice-versa 🤷🏽‍♂️

All the information about setting up and making payments will be included with the card when you get it in the mail. If you’re really stressing about your first payment, you can go into a store and make a payment there. However, they only have access to your last statement so it may show a $0 balance when they look it up in store.

You create an account through citis bestbuy page when your card comes in the mail.

Don’t forget when you’ve finished your promotional balance to ask for an upgrade to the no annual fee version of the card.

You got into college?

You can apply online or at the store. I've heard that online approval rate is not the same as in store approval rate, but I don't know if I trust that since everything is linked to your information, but someone told me it had to do with the verification of your ID and such.

What I know is that if you apply in store, you will make someone's day since they get tracked by application. If you apply, online or in store, you will be able to use the card ONLY in store (they will search your card in the system, you need to provide an ID and enter your ssn). If you want to use the card online, regardless where you apply for the card you will have to wait until you receive the card in the mail.

I don’t believe you’ll get access to all the CC info immediately if approved online, but you will be able to use it to make purchases immediately if you go into a BB store.

The process is fairly similar in store. But I’d recommend doing it in store because it helps the person out, performance wise, who helps you run your credit application.

Good luck! Use it wisely :)

I’ve been told by the Citi reps that it is better to do it in store. You are more likely to be approved and for a higher amount because there is human verification.

If you are in the USofA if you apply and are approved online or in store you would use your drivers license or state id to use the card in store. You, to my knowledge (could be wrong), can’t use your card online til it arrives in the mail.

As someone stated don’t get a Best Buy card - who even shops there still... they have higher prices and way less inventory than online retailers (like new egg or you know, Amazon)

Anyhow - just get the amazon or US Bank cash back, they both have 5% back (US bank on electronics stores)

Yes, applying would show on your report as a hard pull. As someone who made the mistake of getting a Best buy credit card, unless you plan to shop there a ton, I really recommend getting something better. You could try for one of the Amazon cards, or the US Bank Cash plus, which has electronics stores as a 5% category.

Go in store, Speaking as an employee, you’ll know instantly, and there have been cases where we receive the “not instantly approved “ message, but don’t be afraid! I have gotten that message and called our direct line to the bank and have gotten the customer approved minutes after !

The website approved me just about instantly

In store you get an instant decision. If approved you can use the card right away. I have heard, though not seen that people can get declined instantly but are approved within the 2 weeks. Otherwise you get reasons for the decline in the mail.

Try calling (800) 695-5171. That’s the Citibank application status and reconsideration line.

Length of credit history debt to income ratio I also seen people who have excellent credit history with black amex cards get denied 4 yrs with company

See if your mom will open one and list you as a secondary card holder. That way you can still finance it and get the payments you want. Then get some sort of secured credit to build your history.

You don't have any real credit at this point and they'll likely not approve it, especially for that amount. If you want to start building your own credit look for a secured credit card. Use it every month and pay it off every month.

If you really need that computer see if one of your parents can charge it on their card and let you pay back. Also check to see what you actually need for school - a $1600 Mac is a nice laptop but unlikely you need something at that price point just starting school.

When you applied, did you give a physical address? I had a customer give a PO Box and it failed the instant approval. After calling CitiBank and the customer providing them with a physical address they approved it. If that’s not it, I would just call them and they can give you more insight.

I got the BB card over 20 years ago and while I don’t normally recommend store cards, I do like it for one reason. The only time I use it is for large purchases, and there is always 0% financing available for 6/12/18/24 months depending on the amount financed.

If you’re buying an Apple computer, the Apple Card would be another option for you, if you qualify for it.

Citi DoubleCash would be better. Then you could use FlexPay on it.

Usually not.

I think the best buy credit card is one of the few cards I would recommend. I got offered 18 months zero interest on a MacBook pro purchase for my mom. Comes out to less than $75 a month.

Personally it's a no brainer for large expenses there. I used it for a fridge once too.