5 Things to Know About the Brooks Brothers Credit Card
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The Brooks Brothers credit card — from financial technology company Imprint in partnership with First Electronic Bank — earns rewards on purchases made with the retailer and in everyday categories like gas, groceries and restaurants, making it easier to collect points quickly.
In addition, you'll get a few premium perks to go with your purchases of ascots and cummerbunds — and less formal wear, too. The card's annual fee is $0.
But despite the card's relatively high reward rates, the redemption process can be limiting. A general-purpose credit card can reward you handsomely at Brooks Brothers and elsewhere without imposing such obstacles.
Here’s what to know about the Brooks Brothers World Mastercard.
A previous version of the Brooks Brothers credit card, issued by Citi, was discontinued in July 2024, and Imprint transitioned a number of those customers to the new card. (Some accounts were closed.) If your account was transferred, you’ll need to activate your physical card and set up your login information to manage the account.
1. You'll get modest upfront incentives
Getting a discount on your first purchase is common for retail store co-branded cards — that is, cards that are branded by the retailer and the bank. The Brooks Brothers credit card offers 20% off your first online purchase with the retailer within the first 30 days of account opening, and a $40 reward on your first purchase outside of the retailer within 60 days.
Those are fairly modest offers as sign-up bonuses go, but at least they're easy to snag. If nothing else, you could use them to get, say, a pair of argyle socks — which, for good or ill, Brooks Brothers is credited with bringing to America from Scotland in the 1950s.
Be aware, though, that better sign–up offers exist on general-purpose credit cards if you can qualify for one. A card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, for instance, offers the following for new cardholders: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. That’s enough to defray some of the costs of purchasing a new wardrobe. You’ll also earn 2% cash back on purchases.
2. Rewards are solid, especially for big spenders at Brooks Brothers
The Brooks Brothers credit card earns rewards as points in the store's loyalty program, My Brooks Brothers Rewards. You'll earn:
Up to 6 points for every $1 spent with Brooks Brothers, depending on your membership tier (see table below).
4 points per $1 spent on restaurants, groceries and gas.
1 point per $1 spent everywhere else.
You’ll be automatically enrolled in the loyalty program, and depending on how much you spend annually at Brooks Brothers, you’ll be assigned one of the following tiers:
Membership level | Insider | Preferred (requires $300 spent per year) | VIP (requires $600 spent per year) |
|---|---|---|---|
Points earned | 4 points per dollar spent at Brooks Brothers | 5 points per dollar spent at Brooks Brothers | 6 points per dollar spent at Brooks Brothers |
If you don’t want to deal with membership tiers and confusion about where you stand on the rewards spectrum, consider a credit card like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. Instead of points, it earns cash back in the form of statement credit, and it can be especially valuable if you're willing to shop for your wardrobe online. You'll get 3% back at U.S. online retailers on up to $6,000 spent per year; 3% back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 spent per year; 3% back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 spent per year; and 1% back on other purchases.*
It also has a welcome offer: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Terms Apply.
3. Redemptions come with limits
Points are worth a penny each. More specifically, you get $10 in rewards for every 1,000 points you accrue. But those rewards come with some limitations, compared to the flexibility you might get from a general purpose rewards credit card.
For starters, as with many store credit cards, the rewards you earn are usable only with the retailer, either online or at eligible Brooks Brothers stores. Secondly, rewards are sent to you automatically via email once you hit that 1,000-point threshold — and while that may be ideal for those who prefer simplicity, it doesn't allow you to "bank" your rewards for eventual use on a one-time large purchase.
Beyond that, a maximum of five rewards certificates may be redeemed during a single online transaction, and rewards expire six months after being issued, unless otherwise noted on the reward. If you return merchandise, any redeemed rewards used in the transaction will not be returned to you.
Most general rewards credit cards don't come with such restrictions.
4. Insider perks might add value
Cardholders get a few nice premium perks:
$20 annual birthday reward and an additional $20 anniversary reward.
Free return shipping in the U.S. on web and phone orders.
Advance notification of special events and sales.
If you’re in the Preferred or VIP membership tiers, you may also get early access to sales and new arrivals.
5. It’s a poor choice for carrying a balance
Depending on your credit, the APR on the Brooks Brothers credit card may be quite high, which is typical of most retail rewards credit cards. As of September 2024, the card was charging between 19.74% and 33.24% for purchases. For context, the average APR for credit cards that assessed interest in May 2024 was 22.76%, according to Federal Reserve data. Regardless of where you fall on an APR range, the Brooks Brothers World Mastercard will get expensive if you carry a balance, and the interest charges are likely to surpass the value of your rewards.
But then, if you regularly enjoy clothing from Brooks Brothers — and can afford the premium prices — you probably wouldn't be carrying a balance anyway.
If you do need a break on interest charges, consider whether you might qualify for a credit card that offers a 0% introductory APR period. A card like the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 18.74%-28.99% Variable APR. It earns 5% back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of your choice from a list of several options, including department stores. You’ll also earn 2% back on one everyday category of your choice each quarter from a few options, and 1% back on everything else. The sign-up offer can also defray the cost of a new wardrobe. It offers a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Information related to the Brooks Brothers World Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product.
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