Kohl's Clarifies Credit Card Discount Policy After Customer Complaints

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A customer in Florida, Megan McBride, said her sister experienced a price jump of about $80 at the Kohl's checkout after declining to sign up for the store's credit card, which had been providing a 40% discount. Kohl's spokesperson Jen Johnson said this is not the company's standard policy, which is to show customers the discounted price if they sign up for the card, but not to automatically apply that discount without the customer agreeing to the card. Kohl's says the situation described by McBride's sister did not play out as it should have, and the company has reiterated its policy to all stores.

Why it matters

This incident highlights concerns about potential deceptive pricing practices at major retailers, where customers may feel misled about the true cost of items. It also raises questions about how stores handle credit card sign-ups and discounts at the point of sale.

The details

According to McBride, her sister was shopping for her kids' summer clothes at Kohl's when the items were ringing up at a discounted price. However, when her sister declined to sign up for the Kohl's credit card, which would have provided a 40% discount, the total price jumped by about $80. McBride took to social media to express her frustration, and the post received thousands of likes and comments from others who said they had experienced similar issues at Kohl's.

• On March 21, McBride posted about the incident on the social media platform Threads.
• McBride said she visited a Kohl's store last month and did not have the same experience as her sister.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Kohl's has reiterated its policy to all stores, and the company says managers will work to rectify the situation if customers experience something similar.