Do Jewelry Stores Earn a Bonus?
How jewelry stores code
A jewelry or watch retailer rings up under a jewelry-store merchant category code, which is outside the usual bonus buckets like dining and groceries, so most cards earn only their base rate. Online jewelers usually code the same way, though a purchase through a general marketplace can code as that platform instead. The logic is in merchant category codes explained.
Use the size to your advantage
An engagement ring or a fine watch is a large purchase, which makes it ideal for meeting a welcome-bonus spending requirement in one shot, or for a card with a long intro-APR period if you want to spread the cost interest-free. Either benefit can dwarf the small difference in earn rate between cards.
The best card for jewelry
Since jewelry rarely earns a bonus, a strong flat-rate card is the most reliable earner, so run your spending through the credit card rewards calculator to find the card with the best base return, then check whether its welcome bonus is within reach of the purchase. Compare the flat-rate options in best cash back cards.
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