A small business credit card that gives you rewards and shopping benefits at Staples.
30-second take
- Get this card if your preferred office supply shop is Staples.
- Pick something else if you want a more universally accepted credit card.
- Apply with a 680 credit score or higher.
| Product Name | Staples Business Credit Card by Citi |
|---|---|
| Card Type | Visa |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| APR (Annual Percentage Rate) for Purchases | 14.99%, 19.99% or 23.99% variable |
| Cash Advance Fee | None |
| Interest Free Period | Up to 20 days |
| Late Payment Fee | $39 |
| Returned Payment Fee | $39 |
| Additional Cardholder Fee | $0 |
| Minimum Age | 18 years of age |
|---|
The basics
With over 1,000 locations across the US, Staples is one of the largest office supply stores in the country. Whether you’re a regular or you only occasionally buy office supplies, you may find the Staples Business Credit Card by Citi helpful — especially when it’s free to own.
Enjoy earning 5% back in Staples Rewards for every purchase. Plus, you’ll enjoy free next-day delivery for every transaction over $49.99. The largest benefit you may get as a card member is the deferred payment option: For purchases over $299, you could qualify to pay off your balance interest-free for 6 to 18 months.
The perks
Signup bonus.
Save $50 on your first purchase of $150 or more during your first 45 days of account opening. This may not seem like a generous bonus, but it’s easy to earn. Keep in mind, this offer expires on September 30, 2018.
Staples Rewards.
You earn 5% back in Staples Rewards for every Staples purchase you make either in-store or online. This is one of the highest returns that you can get on office supply purchases when compared to other business credit cards.
Free delivery.
For every purchase over $49.99, you get free next-day delivery if you order by 5 p.m. local time, except on weekends and holidays. If you work from home or need to make a large order for the office, this perk could be useful.
Deferred interest payments.
As a Staples cardholder, you may be offered special promotions, such as interest-free payments for 6, 12 or 18 months. If you haven’t paid off your balance by the end of the promotional period, you’ll incur interest charges of 14.99%, 19.99% or 23.99% from the date you made your purchase.
How does deferred interest payment work?
If you need to make a large purchase for your business and you want to stretch out your payments over a few months, Staples may offer you a special promotion to do that.
The flexible financing options you could be offered include:
- 6-month financing. For purchases of $299 or more, you could get six months to pay off your balance without paying interest.
- 12-month financing. For purchases of $499 or more, you could get a year to pay off your balance — interest-free.
- 18-month financing. For purchases of $799 or more, you could get 18 months to pay off your balance without paying interest.
If your purchase balance isn’t paid off by the time your promotional offer ends, you’ll be charged interest at a fixed APR of 14.99%, 19.99% or 23.99% from the date you made your purchase. You could also incur a fixed penalty APR of 29.99% if you make a late payment.
You’ll also like …
$0 annual fee.
Owning this card costs you nothing. This makes the Staples Business Credit Card by Citi a good complimentary card for any company that needs to buy office supplies.
Ink cartridge recycling.
You get $2 back for every ink or toner cartridge you recycle — up to $40 per month. If you print a lot, this can save you up to $480 per year. However, the $2 back per cartridge only applies when you’ve spent at least $30 on ink or toner over the past 180 days.
Printing and tech discounts.
As a card member, you’ll get $25 off print and marketing services and $20 off tech services each year.
Itemized billing details.
You’ll get a monthly itemized statement to see exactly how much your business is spending on office supplies.
What to watch out for
Not universally accepted.
This card isn’t a Visa or Mastercard, and it only works at Staples stores.
Late payment fees and interest.
Try to make your payments on time. Otherwise, you’ll pay fees up to $39 and you may incur a fixed penalty APR of 29.99%
Consider other cards if …
You want a universal card with cash back for office supply purchases.
Consider the no-annual-fee Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card by Bank of America. It offers 3% cash back on office supplies and gas on up to $250,000 per year, and 1% after that; 2% cash back at restaurants; and 1% cash back on everything else. Plus, it has a 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 billing cycles after opening your account. After that, an APR between 13.24% to 23.24% variable applies.
Another card to check out is the SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express. It offers 5% cash back at US office supply stores and US wireless telephone providers, 3% cash back on select categories and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The 5% and 3% cashback rewards are valid on combined purchases up to $50,000 per year, reverting to 1% cash back after that. The card also has a $0 annual fee and comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 9 months after opening your account. After that, an APR of 14.24%, 19.24% or 21.24% variable applies.
You want travel rewards.
The Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card has a $0 annual fee and lets you earn 1.5 points on every dollar spent on travel purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center and 3 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Or you may want to consider the U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Business Edge™ Travel Rewards Card, which lets you earn 2x points on a category of your choice, including office supplies, gas or airfare. You’ll also earn 2x points on cell phone expenses and 1x point on everything else.
Compare business credit cards
What size business is the Staples Business Credit Card by Citi good for?
Both small businesses that spend thousands of dollars on office supplies at Staples or sole proprietors that need to make occasional purchases could find this card useful. It has no annual fee, so basically you can keep it in your wallet until you need to make a Staples purchase.
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the Staples Business Credit Card by Citi, you’ll need to provide information about you and your business, including:
- Business name and address
- Years in business and type of business
- Revenue and monthly purchase volume
- Personal information and income of the company owner
What credit score do I need?
You can apply with a 680 business credit score or higher. Businesses in good standing have a better chance of being approved.
What do customers say about the Staples Business Credit Card by Citi?
Cardholders loyal to the Staples brand love this card. They praise the 5% back in Staples Rewards and low prices on office supplies, and they especially love the deferred interest payment feature.
However, others complained about the high APR on purchases, as well as sale items that were inaccurately priced and cancelled orders. Some cardholders were also unhappy with the low credit line they received, but that wasn’t the case for everyone.
How to apply for the Staples Business Credit Card by Citi
- Visit the Staples website, scroll down to the footer of the page and click Staples more credit.
- Click Apply now.
- Complete the application form with all the required information about yourself and your business.
- Review your application and hit Submit application.
How long will it take to get my Staples Business Credit Card by Citi?
It usually takes one to two days to receive a decision on an application. It could take longer if more information is needed. Once approved, your card should arrive within 7 to 10 business days.
I got the card. Now what?
- Make timely payments. Avoid late fees up to $39 and a fixed penalty APR of 29.99% by making your payments on time.
- Set spending controls. Set up spending limits and billing options for every card on your account.
- Use online account management. Monitor your spending with the online tools available to you on the Staples website.
- Contact customer service. For any questions, call Staples at 1-800-333-3330 or chat with a customer service representative on the Staples website.
Bottom line
The Staples Business Credit Card by Citi can be useful for small businesses — whether you spend thousands of dollars a month or hundreds of dollars a year on office supplies. It has $0 annual fee, which makes it an ideal card to add to your suite of business credit cards.
But if you’re looking for a more generally accepted no-annual-fee card that has cash back on office supplies, you may want to consider the SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express or the Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card by Bank of America.
Before applying for a credit card, consider your options to find the best one that complements your business.
Frequently asked questions
Images: citibankonline.com
