Staples provides businesses with nearly all the supplies they need to operate. You can pick up office supplies and equipment such as office furniture, cash registers, printers and computers. You can even order business cards or ship items.
The Staples® More Account™ Business credit card is the retailer’s branded credit card for small and large companies. It rewards loyal customers with perks including special financing, cash rewards and free shipping. This Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card review breaks the card down to help you decide if the card is a good addition for your business-related purchases.
There are plenty of business credit cards available. The question is, how many does your small business need? A branded gas or office supply credit card could be helpful to keep spending organized and limit what your employees can purchase with your credit cards. But is the Staples More Account business card a good option?
Choosing the right business card takes some consideration. Here are the benefits and drawbacks of the Staples More Account business card:
Pros:
No annual fee
Special financing available for larger purchases
Flat rate of 5% in rewards on online and store purchases
$75 off bonus on orders over $150
Business owners with lower-than-average credit may get approved
Cons:
APR of up to 29.99%
It can only be used at Staples and Staples.com
Rewards can only be redeemed for purchases and expire in one month
It does not help you build business credit
Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card at a glance
If your preferred office supply retailer is Staples, the More Account business card will reward you for your purchases. Here are some quick stats:
Card type: Closed-loop rewards business card
Card issuer: Citibank
Rewards: 5% rewards on Staples purchases
How to redeem rewards: Spend them on Staples purchases
Approval bonus: $75 off your company’s first purchase of $150 or more
Annual fee: $0
APR: 14.99% to 29.99% variable APR
Credit score: Fair or better
Special features: Special financing | Itemized billing | Free deliveries
Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card review
The Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card is a closed-loop credit card, meaning it can only be used at the retailer. For companies with multiple employees, the fact may not be a dealbreaker. Staff can only purchase office supplies and business services at Staples with the credit card, which could help your company control employee spending.
Who may qualify
Although the Staples More Account card is for businesses, card approval is based on your personal credit. On one hand, small businesses without a credit history don’t need to worry about getting declined. On the other hand, a business credit card could affect your personal credit since Citibank (the card issuer) will report your usage and payment history to the personal credit bureaus.
Staples provides a provision in the application process for companies who do not want to personally guarantee the card. However, to qualify for business-only liability, your company must be structured as a corporation, non-profit or government entity, have been in business for three years or longer and have sales of at least $5 million. Many small businesses won’t meet the requirements.
How to apply
It’s fairly easy to apply for the card online. You’ll need to complete the one-page form, which should take just a few minutes. Have the following information ready before you apply. There is no “save” feature when you start the application. If you don’t complete it in one go, you may have to start again. You’ll need:
Your personal information (address and date of birth)
Social Security number
The legal business name (DBA)
Tax identification number
Business structure type (corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship)
Once you complete, electronically sign and submit the application, you should receive a decision in a few minutes.
How the card works
Store credit cards such as the Staples More Account business card are fairly easy to understand — use them for online or store purchases at the particular retailer.
5% rewards
The Staples card could be considered no frills. It doesn’t offer cardholders many bells and whistles but comes with a flat 5% rewards offer on all store purchases. It’s a pretty decent rewards rate — you could fiddle around with revolving categories on cashback credit cards without achieving 5%.
The rewards are not redeemable for cash. They’re automatically issued each month in $5 increments for your next purchase. It’s important to stay on top of your rewards — they expire in one month. If you don’t apply them to your store purchases within the short window, they’re gone. While this strategy is a clever way for Staples to get business card customers to shop at the office supply chain regularly, it’s inconvenient for smaller businesses that may not make Staples purchases so often.
Free shipping
Busy small business owners will appreciate that they can make their purchase online at any time and have the items delivered. Staples More Account cardholders receive free shipping on orders over $14.99. However, Staples has a couple of fine print restrictions that make the free shipping offer less interesting. Larger-box or oversized orders are not eligible. In addition, design orders, custom printing and promotional items may not qualify for free shipping.
Special financing
Small businesses that need to make larger purchases to buy computer equipment or furniture could benefit most from the card’s special financing. You can choose from deferred payment plans of 6, 12 or 18 months. While this can be a cash-flow lifesaver, it’s important to pay the balance off in full before your deferment period is over — the card’s APR is fairly steep at a variable rate of 14.99% to 29.99%.
Security
Staples does not disclose much information about card security. Instead of relying on issuer-side security, it’s best to keep the card in a safe place, monitor the account for activity and notify the card issuer immediately if you notice any unusual charges.
How to get support
If you have any questions, Staples offers live chat during business hours. To make a phone order or for other questions, you can contact Staples support at 1-800-333-3330.
Bottom line
The Staples More Account business credit card is the office-supply retailer’s branded line of credit for small business customers. Earn a 5% rewards rate on what you buy, which can be applied to future purchases. Business owners and founders need a credit score of fair or better to get approved. Keep in mind that this card may be a business card, but it pulls your personal credit file and reports to the consumer credit bureaus. If you were hoping to build your company’s credit, this card may not be the right choice.
Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card FAQ
What office supply credit cards help me build business credit?
None of the major office supply retailers offer small businesses the option to build business credit. Credit card activity on the branded business cards will be reported on your personal credit history.
However, some smaller office supply companies do offer credit lines that report to the business credit bureaus.
They are:
Crown Office Supplies
Grainger
Ohana Office Products
Uline
Do I need to have a business to get a Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card?
When you apply for the Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card, staples will ask for your company’s name, business structure, and tax ID number. If you’re not a business or it’s not legally structured yet, you could apply for the Staples® More Account™ Personal Credit Card for individuals.
How do credit card rewards work?
Credit card rewards will award you points, cashback, miles or some type of reward rate for your spending which can be redeemed for cash, travel, merchandise and more. In the case of the Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card, you’ll earn 5% back. This means that for every $100 you spend, you’ll receive $5 you can use for your next purchase at the retailer.
