Ollie’s Credit Card: A Powerful Loyalty Tool for Bargain Hunters
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, known for its “real brands, real bargain prices,” has taken a bold step to deepen customer engagement by launching its first-ever co-branded credit card. In July 2024, Ollie’s partnered with fintech company Sunbit to issue a Visa credit card that ties directly into the retailer’s popular loyalty program, Ollie’s Army.
Key Features & Benefits
- No Fees & Broad Accessibility
One of the most attractive aspects of the Ollie’s Credit Card is that there are no annual fees, making it an accessible offer for a wide range of customers. - Thanks to Sunbit’s underwriting model, the card reportedly offers high approval rates, even for customers who may not have strong credit.
- Instant Bonus & Automatic Enrollment
New cardholders receive a $10 statement credit after making a qualifying purchase, offering immediate value. - In addition, if a cardholder is not already part of Ollie’s Army, signing up for the card automatically enrolls them in the loyalty program.
- Accelerated Rewards on Ollie’s Purchases
The card significantly boosts loyalty earning: cardholders get one extra Ollie’s Army point for every $2 spent at Ollie’s stores.
This acceleration helps frequent Ollie’s shoppers climb the loyalty tiers faster, unlocking more rewards and coupons.
- Earn Rewards Everywhere Else
Unlike many store-branded cards that limit benefits to in-store purchases, Ollie’s card gives you one point for every $2 spent wherever Visa is accepted. - This makes the card more flexible and valuable beyond the physical Ollie’s outlets.
- Integration with Ollie’s Army Program
- For existing Ollie’s Army members, the credit card amplifies their loyalty earnings.
- The extra points earned via the card feed directly into the same Ollie’s Army account, pushing users toward reward certificates and rank-based discounts.
More specifically:
On Ollie’s store purchases, cardholders earn 50% more loyalty points.
- On all other Visa purchases, they earn 0.5 point per dollar (or “half a point” per dollar), which is equivalent to 1 point per $2.
- High Approval & Responsible Lending
- Sunbit’s platform is known for using innovative underwriting technology, which allows approval for a broader pool of customers than typical retail credit cards.
- Plus, because there are no hidden fees, the card leans toward being more consumer-friendly — a strategic choice by Ollie’s to build trust and long-term loyalty.
Strategic Significance for Ollie’s
- From a business perspective, this card is more than just a financial product — it’s a strategic loyalty lever.
- Ollie’s Army membership is already central to the company’s business model: as of early 2025, Ollie’s Army has over 15 million members, and these members spend significantly more per trip than non-members.
- By aligning the credit card with the loyalty program, Ollie’s is encouraging more frequent purchases and higher spend — both in its stores and beyond.
- According to Ollie’s executives, the credit card is part of a larger strategy to make their customer experience “so much more than the typical retail store card.”
- The flexibility of earning points everywhere Visa is accepted gives the card broader appeal, and the seamless digital application process handled by Sunbit allowed Ollie’s to roll out the program quickly.
Customer Perspectives & Considerations
While the offering is compelling, some users have raised valid points. On Reddit, one user commented:
- “It’s a rolling launch … there are much better credit card options out there … unless you do all your shopping at Ollie’s.”
Reddit - Another noted that the interest rates can be quite high:
- “More like 27% … probably … they do a lot of retails ones … with those crazy interest.”
Reddit - These concerns underscore a common tension: while store-branded cards often provide strong rewards within the retailer, their value can diminish if used mainly as a general-purpose credit card — especially if the APR is steep.
Future Outlook
Ollie’s intends to roll out the credit card across all its stores by the end of fiscal 2025.
As adoption grows, the company could deepen its engagement with high-frequency customers, using data from credit card use to tailor promotions, increase spend, and foster more loyalty.
For customers who already love shopping at Ollie’s — and who pay off their credit balances each month — the Ollie’s Credit Card offers an interesting way to accelerate rewards and unlock more loyalty benefits. But potential applicants should weigh the rewards against the card’s interest rate and compare with other credit cards, especially if they plan to use it broadly outside Ollie’s.