The Victoria’s Secret Credit Card & Angel Rewards Program — A Full Review

Victoria Secret Credit Card: Victoria’s Secret is one of the most popular lingerie brands in the country. Their unmistakable ads and constant sales lure in shoppers far and wide, so what about their credit cards? Can it save you some hard-earned cash on those expensive little undergarments?

In this review, we’re covering the Victoria’s Secret Angel Card benefits, rewards program, fees, drawbacks, and more — so read on to find out if it’s the right fit for your wallet! Victoria Secret Credit Card.

The Victoria’s Secret Credit Card at a Glance

The Victoria’s Secret Angel Card is a basic store-branded card issued by Comenity Bank.

When applying for the card, you can choose between 2 “looks” or designs. Regardless of which design you choose, the card benefits are exactly the same.

This card can only be utilized at Victoria’s Secret (VS) and PINK stores (in the U.S.), victoriassecret.com, and Bath & Body Works stores.

Additionally, rewards can only be utilized on Victoria’s Secret and PINK purchases (in-store or online).

Hot Tip: While you can use your Angel Card at Bath & Body Works, you will not earn Angel Rewards Points there, nor can you use your rewards on Bath & Body Works purchases. Also of note, you cannot use the Angel Card at bathandbodyworks.com.  Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Card Benefits & Angel Rewards Program (In-Depth)

The Victoria’s Secret Angel Rewards Program is actually pretty popular — if you shop at VS a lot, you’re bound to reap benefits.

Status Tiers & Progression

There are a bunch of perks that come standard with the Victoria’s Secret Angel Card.  However, the program also involves tiered statuses directly related to cardholder spending.

Basically, the more you spend, the more benefits you earn. Cumulative points toward status are based on a rolling 12-month period.

The 3 VS Angel Card rewards statuses are:

• Angel
• Angel VIP (500+ points)
• Angel Forever (1,000+ points)

Terms and conditions of the VS reward program state that Angel members and Angel VIP members will remain at their achieved status until the next higher status is reached. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Once a member reaches Angel Forever status, they will stay at that tier for the remainder of that program year as well as 1 subsequent program year. The terms also state that “the program year” begins on February 1 and ends on January 31.

After that, the Forever Angel cardholder must re-qualify for their Forever status by earning 1,000 points during each subsequent program year. If they don’t, they’re bumped back down to Angel VIP status. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Once a shopper has reached VIP or Forever status, they’ll never be bumped back down to base Angel level. This is true even if their spending falls below the (initially) required 500 points in a program year.

Basic Perks

Earn rewards for shopping (1 point per $1): Basic points earning is 1 point per $1 spent at VS stores, PINK stores, and victoriassecret.com. In general, rewards earnings are calculated as follows:

• Angel: $10 reward for every 250 points
• Angel VIP: $10 reward for every 250 points
• Forever Angel: $15 for every 250 points

(More on this below in “How Basic Rewards Are Issued”)

 Triple points on all bra purchases: Angel rewards members earn triple points for all bra purchases, including clearance and discounted bras. This triple points bonus will be applied as 3 points per $1 of new net purchases on bras. If there are other non-bra items purchased in the same transaction, these will still earn 1 point per $1. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

At no time can a rewards member earn more than triple points on bra purchases — meaning bonus promos can’t be applied on top of this perk (i.e., no adding triple points on bras to triple points days for 6x points).

Choose your triple points day(s): 

All Angel rewards members are entitled to triple points day(s) during the program year. Interestingly enough, Triple Points Days are chosen after a shopper makes their purchase. But keep in mind that a Triple Points Day selection must be within 90 days of said purchase. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

The number of Triple Points Days you get corresponds to your tier status at the time your Triple Points Day is selected:

• Angel: 1 Triple Points Day
• Angel VIP: 2 Triple Points Days
• Angel Forever: 3 Triple Points Days

To designate a day, rewards members must call 1.844.3XANGEL (1.844.392.6435). If you don’t choose a day within this time period, you can no longer earn triple points for that purchase. Your points will be awarded within 3-6 weeks of selecting your Triple Points Day.

The terms and conditions of this perk also state:

“Program Year” for purposes of the triple point day(s) is based on a 12 month period commencing on February 1 each year and ending on January 31 of the following year.

$15 off a future purchase:

Comenity Bank states that the $15 reward coupon/certificate will arrive in the mail with you your VS Angel Card welcome kit. Think of this as a type of “sign-up bonus.”

“Little Book of Exclusive Perks”: In addition to your $15 future purchase credit, your welcome kit will also include a “Little Book of Exclusive Perks” that’s said to contain up to $65 worth of savings in coupons.

Free shipping on purchases that include bras: This is pretty self-explanatory. All online purchases that include a qualifying* bra are eligible for free standard shipping for Angel rewards members.

To apply free shipping to order, members must use promo code JUST4ANGELS at checkout.

Hot Tip: *There is an exception to this (of course): clearance items (prices ending in $.99) and purchases with other shipping or bra offers do not qualify.

Annual birthday gift: All Angel rewards members receive a special birthday gift as long as their account is in good standing. This is usually a $10 reward for any purchase made in-store.

Angel Card Month

One additional perk not mentioned above in the main benefits is “Angel Card Month,” which happens once a year. Benefits during this appreciation month are available to all tier status levels.

At the time of writing this piece, VS was pulling out all the stops during Angel Card Month (September 2018) to offer additional exclusive perks, “can’t-miss offers,” sweepstakes with weekly prizes, a chance to win tickets to the VS Fashion Show, etc.

Additional Tier Perks

Angel VIP status members and Forever Angels receive all of the basic perks above. They also receive a few extra benefits as a sort of loyalty appreciation.

 Insider access & invitations to events throughout the year:  Both VIP and Forever Angels are eligible for this perk. Events can include special sales, early access to general/public sales, triple points promo periods, etc.

Annual thank-you gift: This perk is only applicable to Forever Angels. Last October, the thank-you gift was free 3-piece travel set with no purchase necessary.

The thank-you gift is only available for a limited time and is usually in-store only, so you’ll need to head out to your closest VS store within the promo window to snag it!

Earning Points

The Basics

We discussed the basic points earning strategy above, but we’ll rehash it here:

• VS cardholders earn 1 point per $1 spent at VS stores, PINK stores, and victoriassecret.com.
• Triple points on eligible bra purchases
• Triple points on your designated Triple Points Day (or days if you’re a higher-tier member)
• Possible bonus points during special members-only promo periods

If you don’t earn enough points to add up to $250 for your $10 reward in 1 statement period, they’ll carry over to the following period and will continue to add up until you reach a reward.

It’s important to note, however, that your rewards points DO expire 12 months from the date they are earned (or if your account is inactive for 12 consecutive months).

Interesting Perk for In-Store Payments

One last earnings strategy that may interest serious points collectors is the additional benefit you receive if you pay your credit card bill in-store.

Some other websites report that rewards members receive double points on their balance if they pay it off in-store. However, this is not quite what the FAQ online says:

“Cardholders are eligible to earn double Points on any Net New Purchases if an in-store payment is made at the time of transaction. Double Points will not be awarded on bra purchases, and cannot be combined with any other bonus Point promotions. This benefit can only be earned once per month up to a maximum of 1,000 Points.”

We also called customer service to see what they had to say, which seemed to contradict the online FAQ a bit.

The Victoria’s Secret Angel cardholder customer service representative reported:

If a cardholder pays their billing statement in-store, their last month’s activity is reviewed and double points are issued for the largest transaction that was made. She confirmed the double points do not apply to the entire statement balance.

Alternatively, you could pay online, but you won’t get this bonus. And if you pay by phone, there’s actually an added fee.

Bottom Line: 

We’re not sure which information is actually correct here (we’re leaning toward the printed online FAQ), but the associates at checkout should be able to clarify. Just make sure you’re ready to make a purchase if you want double points and the stated rules apply. 

No Points at Bath &Body Works

Remember, though you can physically use your card, purchases made at Bath & Body Works do not earn points — nor can Angel Rewards be redeemed at Bath & Body Works.

How Basic Rewards Are Issued

As we mentioned above, Angel and VIP cardholders will receive a $10 reward for every 250 points earned, and Forever Angels receive a $15 reward for every 250 points earned.

Basically, that means each Angel/VIP point is worth 4 cents, and each Forever Angel point is worth 6 cents. To put this into perspective, the majority of travel-related points and miles are valued between 1-2 cents…so this is a pretty excellent value (although they can only be redeemed at VS).

VS states that Angel Rewards are mailed within 3-6 weeks of being earned. This is the only thing Victoria’s Secret FAQ states in regard to receiving your reward. So, I used VS’s “live chat” to speak with a customer service rep and inquire if snail mail was the only way to get it.

The rep stated that you can also receive your rewards via email, but you have to contact customer service to let them know you would like to receive them that way.

Hot Tip: Unfortunately, unlike many other store-branded credit cards, there is currently no way to access and/or utilize your rewards within the VS mobile app. 

Using Your Rewards

If you receive your rewards via standard mail, you can take your reward to any VS or PINK store to redeem it. You can also utilize it online with the unique code found on the reward.

The process is the same if you opt to receive your rewards via email. You can either print out the certificate and use it in-store, or use the unique code and the certificate value during your online checkout process.

VS states that when making a purchase with the rewards card, the value of the purchase must be equal to or greater than the value of the Angel Reward. Any remaining balance after the rewards card is used must be paid for with your VS Angel Credit Card.

There will be a clear expiration date marked on your reward (90 days from issue), so don’t say we didn’t warn you — you snooze, you lose!

Managing Your Rewards

In order to view your rewards status, members can log in to their accounts via the web platform. Additionally, they can call (800) 695-9478 or (800) 695-1788 (TDD/TTY) Monday through Saturday from 8:00am-9:00pm EST.

As we mentioned previously, there is currently no way to view/print your actual rewards directly from the card management platform.

Fees & Drawbacks of the VS Credit Card

All credit cards come with their share of pros and cons. So when it comes to fees, how does the VS card shake out?

Fees

What you’ll notice right off the bat is that there’s no annual fee for this card. This is always a big selling point for those cards that are considered “no-annual-fee credit cards” — but they’re hoping you don’t look too much further into all the other associated fees and penalties. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

For example, they’re definitely hoping you’ll ignore the hefty APR associated with this card. At  27.24%, you’ll certainly regret carrying any type of balance due to the interest you’ll wind up owing. You’ll also get docked if you make a late payment or have a payment returned.

So how can you avoid these fees and penalties? Be a responsible cardholder. 

Being a responsible cardholder involves only applying for a credit card if you can stick as strictly as possible to the following:

• Make payments on your statement each month
• Always make payments on time
• Pay off each statement balance in full (or pay as much as you possibly can)

Obviously, one of the reasons many people take out a credit card is for the special financing options because they can’t pay for larger purchases upfront. But this is the Victoria’s Secret Credit Card we’re talking about here. The card doesn’t even offer special financing, and let’s be honest — no one needs to put themselves in debt with hundreds of dollars worth of lingerie. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Additional Drawbacks

As we touched on briefly earlier, the other drawbacks of this card depend on how much of a die-hard VS shopper you are. If you love the store and feel your money is well-spent there, then you won’t have much of a problem with the fact that you can only utilize this card at Victoria’s Secret (and only redeem your rewards there). Victoria Secret Credit Card.

However, this card is not for you if:

• You want to earn cash-back
• You want to earn travel rewards
• You want to earn points (and often bonus points!) on everyday spending categories like groceries, gas, and dining
• You need a card that can be used virtually anywhere
• You travel a lot and need a card you can use internationally, with no foreign transaction fees
• You want a card with 0% APR

You can find out more about other specific cards that may benefit you in the next section.

Alternative Rewards Credit Cards (Recommended)

As mentioned above, this is a very rewarding card if you’re happy to use those rewards exclusively at Victoria’s Secret.

However, if you want to earn cash-back instead and have the flexibility of using that cash anywhere, then consider one of the cards below to use on purchases at VS (and at any other store, for that matter).

If you’re a traveler (or are looking to travel more), consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which is an excellent travel rewards card.

With this card, you’ll earn 1pt/$1 spent at Victoria’s Secret stores and anywhere else — as well as 2pts/$1 spent on ALL dining and travel purchases.

Points earned with this card are called “Chase Ultimate Rewards,” and they’re very valuable.

Applying for the Victoria’s Secret Card

Individuals may apply for the Victoria’s Secret Angel Card online at vsangelcard.com.

Shoppers can also apply at the register in any Victoria’s Secret or PINK store. If you’ve shopped at VS in the past, you’ve probably already heard this sales pitch!

Neither VS nor Comenity Bank officially states the minimum credit score needed for approval on the card. That being said, most credit card review websites mention applicants will likely be approved with a credit score of “fair” or better.

Remember that the Angel reward statuses are not different credit cards, but simply reward program tiers under the same credit card.

Login & Online Account Management

Victoria’s Secret credit card holders can utilize Comenity Bank’s co-branded platform to manage their accounts.

If you haven’t yet registered for online access, you will need to do so before you can log in to an account.

Once a user has registered and/or logged in, they can perform the following tasks online:

• View account activity
• View and download statements
• Make payments
• Update personal information
• And more…

Sidenote: while VS does have a mobile app, you can’t manage your credit card account through it, which is kind of a bummer compared to other popular store apps.

An Additional Note on Victoria’s Secret Coupons & Sales

Victoria’s Secret is pretty generous with its coupons and sales. Is it because their items may be slightly overpriced, to begin with? That’s not for us to say…

Regardless of whether you’re an Angel cardholder or not, there are still plenty of opportunities to save.

Semi-Annual Sale & Others

Victoria’s Secret holds a semi-annual sale twice a year — usually just after Christmas and just before the 4th of July. They also hold a number of other minor sales throughout the year that are worth some consideration.

Secret Rewards

Based on my personal experience, I can definitively say — DO NOT DISCOUNT the value of these secret rewards cards!

Yours truly received a secret rewards card along with an online purchase for a pair of yoga pants. When I went to redeem this secret rewards card on a swimsuit purchase (when VS still sold swimsuits), I entered the code at checkout and was flabbergasted when the site told me I had $465 left to spend on my Secret Rewards card. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

IT WAS A $500 card! I immediately nixed the swimsuit idea and headed straight to the store to cash in on a ton more items…can you say shopping spree??? They even announced over the PA system that “there’s a lucky $500 Secret Rewards winner in the store,” and everyone clapped. It was pretty epic!

So, how do these rewards work? Usually, Victoria’s Secret picks 1 month a year where you can earn these secret rewards cards worth $10, $50, $100, or $500. They advertise that you can earn them with a purchase, but it’s technically a no-purchase-necessary deal. (Check out The Krazy Coupon Lady for an in-depth look at how to leverage this opportunity.) Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Subscribe to Mailings

Signing up for emails can get you extra coupons and freebies in your inbox, and signing up for snail mail offers can earn you perks too if you prefer the old-fashioned way.

You’ll usually get a couple of coupons a month, like $10 off a specific purchase and/or a free panty (historically, you didn’t even have to make a purchase to use that one — these mail offers have been going on for quite a long time). Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Take Advantage of Freebies

Additionally, VS often offers “freebies” with certain purchases. From totes to headbands, backpacks, makeup bags, phone cases, and more…you can take advantage of these freebies while making a purchase that adds points to your rewards account. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Utilize the Latest Technology

Downloading the mobile app (iPhone, Android) gives you a way to track current offers and sales, plus it gives you access to exclusive app-only deals.

Final Thoughts

The Victoria’s Secret Credit Card is pretty popular and useful for a store-branded card. The majority of cardholders are very satisfied with the rewards program and their opportunities to save.

Remember, though, that you can only use this card at VS, PINK stores, and Bath & Body Works. And the points you earn aren’t flexible — they can only be utilized for purchases at Victoria’s Secret or PINK. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

Additionally, there’s a high purchase APR on the card. So be a responsible cardholder and pay off that balance in full each month to avoid ridiculous penalties and fees. Victoria Secret Credit Card.

If you’re looking for a flexible rewards card, one that earns bonuses on everyday spending categories, or one that earns travel perks, this is not the card for you.

However, if you’ve already got one of those cards in your wallet and you really love to shop at Victoria’s Secret, this might not be a bad addition to your arsenal! Victoria Secret Credit Card.

The article was originally published here.

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