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‘Are you sure? It’s not gonna take long’: Woman asked if she wants T.J. Maxx credit card at checkout. Then she finally learns what the worker gets out of it

‘Pretty sure it’s a million dollars. Has to be.’

Photo of Steve Ecker

Steve Ecker

Side by side photos of Tiktok user @mariahhopkins_ next to a photo of a TJMaxx Sign.
@mariahhopkins_/Tiktok; Shutterstock (Licensed)

Picture this, you go to TJ Maxx to buy random clothes at a nice deal. While checking out, the retailer worker shares the latest TJ Maxx credit card offer. The worker follows a script highlighting the potential rewards and even offers a percentage off this current shopping trip. 

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You politely decline, but the worker is adamant about you signing up. You decline once again and the pitch continues. So how come retail workers do this? 

In a TikTok, with over 278K views, Mariah (@mariahhopkins_) expresses her frustration with how adamant the employee was to get her to sign up for a store credit card. 

Why does TJ Maxx want you to sign up for a credit card?

Retailers want you to sign up for a variety of reasons. Mainly it’s for consumer tracking and the possibility to profit off interest when bills are forgotten about.

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In the age of data collection, the more data you have the consumer, the better you can sell them. Most consumers don’t realize how well companies know their spending patterns. When retailers own the data, they can strategically target customers to spend more on things they don’t necessarily need.

Creating sales and promotions can trigger people to buy random things just because it was on sale. Now add that bill to a retailer credit card and the retailer now becomes a bank.

If the consumer were to miss a payment, the retailer can now collect interest on the purchase leaving more room to make money. 

According to NerdWallet, the TJ Maxx credit card interest rate is 34.24%. Carrying a balance with a credit card can seriously cause some damage if the bill isn’t paid off monthly. So that little 20% off sale can easily trick people into acquiring debt which is what they want from you. 

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Is it a good idea to sign up for retailer credit cards?

Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid signing up for credit cards with retailers. These retailers offer enticing introductory offers with minor sales in hopes you bite. 

When you sign up for a credit card, that company has complete access to your financial spending with that card. The retailer will be better able to market and target your spending habits. By monitoring every move, these retailers can even tailor promotions to get you to spend more money with them.

However, the overall goal for retailer credit card companies is to have you acquire debt. Many consumers forgot about retailer credit card bills as they can easily get lost in the mix.

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So that 20% off coupon to save $4 can seriously have big time consequences down the road if forgotten about. This can lead to building up high interest and damaging your credit score. 

According to a Federal Reserve Study, 47% of Americans carry a credit card balance month-to-month. With nearly half of the country carrying debt, it would be wise to reconsider before signing up for a retailer credit card. 

Paying off any credit card debt should be the top priority instead of signing up for more cards. Interest occurring over time can create a very stressful situation.

According to Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You To Be Rich, people should consider using a travel credit card for booking travel or eating out and a cash back card for everything else. 

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What did the viewers think about this TJ Maxx credit card pitch?

“It’s probably mandatory. If they don’t ask they might get fired. It’s probably management getting the bonus,” one commented.

“They get hours, put on the schedule, and a better score on their performance review,” one shared

“Pretty sure it’s a million dollars. Has to be,” one joked

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“When I worked retail we got the threat of being written up if we didn’t get a certain number per month. Believe me, I didn’t want to ask at all,” one shared

“I worked at JCPenney in high school and we got $2 per person that signed up, and a candy bar,” one shared

“Tell them you already have one and it is maxed out. They have nothing to say to that,” one added

“I just say I already have it, but I won’t be using it today,” one kindly suggested.

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This TikTok has more than 274.8K views with over 5.8K likes.

@mariahhopkins_ I respect the hustle but for the love! I don’t want a credit card!! #fyp #fy #tjmaxx ♬ original sound – mariahhopkins_

The Daily Dot has received a statement from @mariahhopkins_ over Instagram messenger and TikTok messenger. We also contacted TJ Maxx over email.

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