The report, at CreditCards.com, is titled "Store-card issuers top list of complaints with the CFPB" and the subheading is" Purchase issues, unexpected fees or interest are most common card-related gripes." The report lists the most-complained-about issuers per $100M in card balances and also reports on which issuers give the most refunds. Here's an excerpt:
It makes sense that store cards, used exclusively at a single merchant, would be more sensitive to customer complaints than general purpose cards, said Kevin Morrison, senior analyst of retail banking and payments at Aite Group.
“If they’re processing the store credit card, now you have a merchant involved that’s very sensitive about their relationship with the customer,” he said. “If there’s a dispute, the card issuing bank is much more apt to waive the fee.”
On the other hand, the largest card issuers are more likely to depend on automated processes, he said, and have less time for one-on-one hand holding.
