Skip navigation
Reports & Analysis Strategic Insights Research Subscriptions
Sign In / Create Account Cart
Sign In / Create Account Cart
  • Reports & Analysis
  • Strategic Insights
  • Research Subscriptions

Resources

  • Analyst Buzz
  • Press Releases
  • Blog
  • Resources & Downloads

The Freedonia Group

  • Contact
  • About
  • Our Staff
  • Help Center
  • Career Opportunities
Freedonia Market Research Packaged Facts Private Label Credit Cards: US Market Trends, 14th Edition

Private Label Credit Cards: US Market Trends, 14th Edition

Industry Reports, United States

Report Overview

Play Video: Private Label Credit Cards: US Market Trends, 14th Edition

  How many shoppers using a PLCC say they use it every time they shop at the card’s retailer? 

  • 87% 

This report covers the US market for private label credit cards (PLCCs), with an emphasis on card issuers, merchants, consumers and the competitive and economic challenges shaping the industry. There is a review of retail credit card program features, benefits analysis and a review of retail card strategies, and growth trends.

Table of Contents

    • $1,072.01

      • $310.50

      • $310.50

      • $845.31

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

    • $4,061.87

      • $310.50

      • $474.79

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $1,657.51

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $646.59

      • $1,301.97

        • $916.93

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $356.94

    • $4,347.00

      • $3,083.40

        • $324.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $688.60

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $754.57

        • $310.50

        • $314.94

      • $485.65

        • $415.86

        • $310.50

      • $645.71

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $335.34

      • $501.83

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $764.99

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $602.74

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $391.77

    • $3,810.09

      • $660.38

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $386.24

      • $310.50

      • $1,312.60

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $742.64

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

      • $414.13

        • $310.50

        • $334.25

    • $491.41

      • $486.19

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

        • $310.50

Picture of Pile of Credit CardsMore specifically, the report:

  • Provides an analysis of large retailer strategies to innovate and grow market share

  • Outlines the going-forward strategies of top private label credit card issuers. Those issuers are Bread Financial, Citi Retail Services, Capital One, Synchrony Financial Services, TD Bank, and Wells Fargo.

  • Assesses new PLCC opportunities including medical PLCCs and fuel card PLCC.

  • Conducts analysis of seven private label credit card programs from within the context of the retailer’s loyalty program and its results, including Best Buy, TJ Maxx, J.Crew, Kohl’s, Target, Amazon, and WEX.

  • Assesses consumer use of private label credit cards segmented by retailer type, including the type of card they use most frequently.

Loans outstanding and purchase value estimates for the US private label credit card market are provided for 2021 to 2023 with industry forecasts out to 2027.

Report Methodology

The information contained in this report was obtained from primary and secondary research. Primary research included an MRI-Simmons Spring 2024 national consumer survey with a sample of 1,500 US adults (age 18+), with the sample in aggregate being census representative on the primary demographic measures of age, gender, geographic region, race/ethnicity, and household income.

Market estimates draw on multiple sources, including:

  • company annual and quarterly filings

  • earnings and analyst calls and presentations

  • FDIC Reports of Condition and Income ("Call Reports”)

  • credit card trusts (asset-backed securities backed by credit card loans held by financial institutions)

  • Federal Reserve data

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Private Label Credit Card Overview

Consumers who use a retailer’s private label credit card (PLCC) do so to access its roster of benefits. More than regular loyalty program members, store cardholders receive more rewards, exclusive discounts, private shopping days and “spontaneous” bonuses.

More than 87% of shoppers using a PLCC say they use it every time they shop at the card's retailer. A PYMNTS survey found that 42% of shoppers using PLCCs reported doing so because the rewards were greater than those accrued using any other method of payment. The rewards built into PLCC programs build both shopper loyalty and revenue for the retailer.

Retailer Target finds its PLCC users spend five times more than its other customers. At Kohl’s, a discount retailer, 30 million Kohl’s Rewards members spend two times more than its 35 million non-member shoppers. Kohl’s Rewards members who are also cardholders spent six times more than non-member shoppers.

PLCCs are First Step in Building Credit

Consumers are often encouraged to apply for a retail card before they apply for a network-branded, general-purpose credit card. Retail cards have lower credit rating requirements than general purpose cards, much lower credit limits (often in the range of $400) and much higher interest rates to offset any possible card program losses.

Private label credit cards are partner-branded credit cards used by consumers exclusively for the purchase of goods and services from that partner. Credit under a private label credit card typically is extended on standard terms, which means accounts are assessed periodic interest charges using an agreed non-promotional fixed and/or variable interest rate.

Credit may also be extended through a promotional financing offer, involving deferred interest, reduced interest or no interest during a set promotional period (typically between six and 60 months).

In the past, most large retailers issued their own credit cards through their in-house financial services divisions. This made the retailer responsible for risk management, regulatory compliance, credit approvals and past-due debt collection for the credit card account. The plus for the retailer was that it completely controlled every variable in the customer’s experience with its brand and retained all the operating income generated by the card.

As large retailers nationalized their footprints, the in-house management of card portfolios was deemed impossible and the collection of interest on accounts carrying balances forced retailers to charter finance companies and deal with federal supervision.

Today, all multi-state retailers have their store credit cards issued and managed by third party banks and financial services companies.

Purchase Options

Access Options

Membership

Complementary Access to Report Including:

  • consultative access to our analyst
  • unlimited downloads to reports
  • global market research in 9 languages
  • customized PPT presentations
  • passwords for your teams available
  • and more...
Become a Member
Purchase This Report

Select your license:

  • $4,500.00
  • $6,750.00
  • $12,000.00
  • — —
    Section prices in Table of Contents

Free Sample Report

A free sample report is available.

Questions & Assistance

Email us

Share This Report

Copied to clipboard. Could not copy to clipboard.

Download a Free Sample Report Now

Sample Reports include examples of all the tables, charts, infographics and topics included in this study.
By submitting this sample request you consent to receiving marketing communications from us. See our privacy policy to learn how to unsubscribe.

Use Licenses

The Single User License (SUL) authorizes a single individual to use the electronic study acquired. Agreement to the SUL is required in order to purchase the study. If you require more than one user a Departmental Site License or Global Site License should be purchased. 

The Departmental Site License (DSL) authorizes up to five users to share the study acquired. Agreement to the DSL is required in order to purchase the study. If your organization requires more than five users, the Global Site License should be purchased.

The Global Site License (GSL) allows everyone in your organization to share the study intelligence. Agreement to the Global Site License terms is necessary in order to purchase it. 

FAQs

Consumer credit is comprised of two types of consumer debt: Non-revolving (loans repaid in fixed monthly installments, often over a period of years) and Revolving (outstanding credit card balances).
At year-end 2023, outstanding consumer credit stood at $5.0 trillion, an increase of 2.6% from 2022.
Leading private label credit card issuers include Bread Financial, Citi Retail Services, Capital One, Synchrony Financial Services, TD Bank, and Wells Fargo.
;

Related Reports and Studies

  • Prepaid Cards in the US, 9th Edition

    Industry Reports

    This report presents a deeply detailed analysis of the opportunities and challenges confronting the companies participating in the prepaid card segment, whether they be card managers, marketers or issuers.

    NEW! May 2025 107 pages
    Free sample available
  • Co-Branded Credit Cards in the US, 10th Edition

    Industry Reports

    The report covers the US market for co-branded credit cards, with an emphasis on recent changes in co-branded credit card programs.

    NEW! February 2025 125 pages
    Free sample available
  • Buy Now, Pay Later:Point of Sale Installment Loans in the US Market and International Perspectives, 4th Edition

    Industry Reports

    The adaptability and resilience of the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) industry has confounded naysayers on Wall Street, in traditional banks and finance companies, and within the credit card segment.

    November 2024 139 pages
    Free sample available
  • Commercial Payment Cards: US Market Trends, 13th Edition

    Industry Reports

    The report provides a detailed analysis of commercial payment card trends in the US and sizes the method of payment’s global market.

    June 2024 90 pages
    Free sample available
  • Gen Z and Payments: The Next Big Cohort Is Here

    Industry Reports

    Gen Z, much more than Millennials at the same age, appears less willing to abandon debit and short-term buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) installment loans (with low or zero percent interest rates) as their tools for purchasing and financing purchases.

    July 2022 109 pages
    Free sample available
  • 2023 US Credit Card Market Outlook

    Industry Reports

    Credit cards have come out of the pandemic stronger than ever:

    January 2023 104 pages
    Free sample available
View More

Have unique research needs?

Freedonia Strategic Insights listens intently to your needs and objectives. Then we work diligently to define a service offering to meet them.
Learn About Our Custom Research Services

Stay informed with Freedonia

Receive periodic updates about new market research in areas relevant to your business. Have the convenience of Freedonia research at your fingertips when you need it.
The Freedonia Group needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy.
  • Contact
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Career Opportunities
  • Press Contact
  • User Agreement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

Additional Resources

  • Market Size Resources
  • Lawn & Garden Market Research
  • Roofing Market Research
  • Pet Products Market Research
  • Countertops Market Research
  • Power Tools Market Research
  • Publishing for the PreK-12 Market Research
  • Insulation Market Resaerch
  • Cabinets Market Research
  • Flooring Market Research
  • Pet Supplements Market Research
  • Agricultural Equipment Market Research
  • Open Access Publishing Market Research
  • Silicones Market Research
  • For Legal Inquiries, contact Cohen & Cohen
Copyright © 2025 The Freedonia Group, Inc. All rights reserved.