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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.32 (862 reviews)

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1.33

Based on 862 reviews, last reviewed 24th Dec 2024

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

67% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

88%

Latest highest rating:

5

Customer satisfaction They are vgery focussed and always go the extra step to ensure we are happy Reviewed on: 24th August 2024

Latest lowest rating:

1

Disaster of a credit card company - total fail! We recently tried adding our John Lewis Partnership Card to Apple Pay, only to find it blocked by NewDay, the card provider. Shockingly, this happened... Read more Reviewed on: 24th December 2024

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About this product

Read our John Lewis Finance Partnership Card reviews to help you to find out about the pros and cons of taking out the Partnership credit card. What kind of features does the John Lewis Partnership card have? What do people think of John Lewis' customer service? Does the card have great benefits?

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John Lewis Partnership Card reviews (862)

Review of the John Lewis, Partnership Card:

JLP and Newday in cahoots.

Told I'm ineligible - despite >50 years loyal JLP customer, 5 figure credit limit and score excellent - I have after communications with JLP managers concluded that this oust has been orchestrated by JLP. From sources including JLP and Newday websites,, I speculate: JL stores are in financial difficulty, currently supported by Waitrose itself on the brink. It’s not that JLP doesn't want higher spending loyal customers, it sure does; but what it wants is custom that doesn’t sap profits.    With the HBSC JL Partnership card, each £1 spent qualifies for a point, whose number depends upon whether spent at JL and/or W or elsewhere. The more elsewhere the less JLP gets the more it costs JLP. I think it used to be one point for every £1 spent in JLP, two for every £1 elsewhere. Nowadays for some eligible purchases at JL and W 5 points for every £4 spent; and for other eligible purchases at JL and W 1 point for every £4; 1 point for every £4 spent elsewhere. Fewer vouchers for spending elsewhere is not a deterrent. For example, if a card-holder with £5,000 credit limit spends £4000 a month elsewhere then JLP issues vouchers. Vouchers can only be used in JL or W but it doesn't follow the purchase price has to exceed the vouchers value. A cardholder could amass a substantial sum in vouchers without having spent a penny at JL or W. When using vouchers to buy in JL or W not have to buy anything involving any extra payment for the difference between the vouchers and price. JLP would make a loss. JLP says that over the last five years £230m has been issued in vouchers. How much of approximately £126,000 a day average has gone to customers that haven't paid JLP anything. By enlisting Newday to either render higher credit limit existing Partnership cardholders ineligible or where the applicant is eligible a substantially lower limit JLP is reducing the value of vouchers issued. JLP is probably getting a share of any interest paid by new card-holders and paying a lower commission on receivables (transaction sales). JLP I suspect envisages that where an existing Partnership cardholder is rejected that person would obtain a desired credit limit from another card provider and continue to buy from JL/W whenever. Whether enough existing Partnership cardholders would want to continue loyal to JLP is a separate issue. A JLP partner qualifying for discount told me that for most goods and services there are cheaper deals elsewhere. Not a deposit-taker Newday hasn't any revenue beyond credit cards. It borrows to re-lend, loan note interest between 2% and 6+% a year - with interest rates rising costs will go up: for how much longer its business is sustainable is anyone's guess. To finance JLP's transaction, Newday has taken out a loan of £650M. Any cardholder paying the whole balance monthly is getting an interest-free loan from the date of purchase to balance payment date - if you time it carefully then up to 45 days - so for that reason alone an existing JL Partnership cardholder is ineligible. Newday plans to float shares on the stock market next year so boosting the number of cardholders is to impress shareholders. A £5000 credit limit to one card holder (unlikely to pay interest) is akin to £500 limit to 10 card holders (likely to pay some interest). The net proceeds of a stock market float (rumoured capitalisation £2.5Bn) would provide a injection of interest-free cash. The sad part is that JLP could increase its profit margin and number of loyal customers without having to resort to destroying long-term customer relationships with JLP. Instead of the vouchers issued regardless of where a JL Partnership cardholder spends, the vouchers should be linked to the myJohnLewis and myWaitrose cards. Show or scan a my-card before paying and have the voucher value credited to the my-card - and since printing on paper is costly to administer, to issue every JL and W customer a my-card which can be produced by the customer at the check-out for credit and debit with the points/voucher value. Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

John Lewis no longer care about customers

Had the old card since it was launched and well satisfied. New card regularly demands full chip/pin insert. Amazon refused to accept new card "your bank requires verification". Yet another John Lewis change that falls flat and they clearly don't care. Reviewed on: 8th December 2022

Purchases declined and card blocked!!!!

I got a John Lewis credit card but when I used the card it was declined. I called customer service but it was 7.01pm and their phone lines close at 7pm and they don't use any other mechanism to prove that it's the cardholder making a genuine purchase - like a text or automated service like we now use in 2022!!! I called them the following day to be told that I am not the cardholder and they believe the purchase to be fraudulent!!! After some time on the phone trying to convince them that I am indeed the cardholder I was told that I will have to wait for a call back from them to discuss the matter. Well guess what, it's been 2 weeks and no one has called me to unblock my card or apologise for the inconvenience of them blocking my credit card, so today I called them to cancel the account and it was completely automated (so they use automation when it suits them - not to actually help the customer). They don't care why you're leaving, they don't even want to speak to you! So my advice is steer well clear - this company does not deserve our money! Best to stick to reputable banks such as Barclays. Reviewed on: 8th December 2022

Does John Lewis Not Care?

The new partnership card is hopeless and the service offered by Newday is non-existent. Having used the old Partnership card (and having been a loyal John Lewis/Waitrose customer for decades), I applied for the new credit card and received it in October. I quickly found out that it was unreliable and would not work for many purchases and/or failed to register with companies/apps I regularly use, was virtually impossible to settle the balance via bank transfer, and had a ridiculously short period between statement date and payment due date - all things others have mentioned. I wrote to complain, hoping it would be seen by someone at John Lewis, but so far have only had two texts on 11 and 28 November from Newday, saying I will hear from them 'soon'. I can only assume that the delay is due to the volume of complaints being so large. I wonder why no-one from John Lewis seems in the slightest bit interested in the fact that so many of its loyal customers are frustrated and furious. Like many others, I have now transferred my credit card transactions to another retail provider and now do my grocery shopping anywhere other than Waitrose, because John Lewis simply do not seem to care. Reviewed on: 7th December 2022

Friendly customer service but card operation nearly utterly useless

Since receiving the new card I have had to contact customer services three times. Their system to get through to an actual person is beyond ridiculous. Once answered they are friendly and helpful but be sure to ask them to promise to call you back if you get cut off, otherwise you'll go through the whole soul-destroying process over again. The reasons for the calls have all been the same - the card has not been accepted on a number of websites which is very unhelpful, especially just before Christmas. Having been a JL customer since the early 80's I'd like to stick with them but I confess that wasting my time having to phone them is making me think twice, I feel that if they can't get the card to work then I think I may have to give it up. Such a shame they didn't do this change-over more successfully, especially as HSBC delivered good service, as did their customer service in the past. Reviewed on: 7th December 2022

Worried about NewDay credibility

I've had the misfortune to be scammed on a purchase made on the NEWDAY credit card. Dealing with customer services has been so poor I'm beginning to wonder if this company is working properly. Since reporting the problem and sending in relevant documentation over a week ago I have received 1 text saying they were now going to send 4 questions. I haven't received them. I contacted them again and spent over an hour getting through. When I did I was told to wait for them to come through. They still haven't. I'm worried. What is going on? Reviewed on: 7th December 2022

Rubbish provider - New day

absolute nightmare with the new provider. No statements at all for nearly 2 months as others has mentioned. Payment due date is the 20th and new statement date is on the 5TH OF DECEMBER!!!! DUE DATE 20TH DECEMBER!!! what sort of credit card company is this? 15 days to generate a statement - such a big gap and payment is requested in 15 days!! I was under the impression you need to give customer at least 21 days to pay.. List can go on.. totally disappointed with John Lewis choice of underwriter.. Loved the HSBC backed partnership card. Reviewed on: 7th December 2022

Total rubbish since moving credit providers

I was happy with HSBC as the card provider, always very helpful and queries sorted out with minimum of fuss now they have moved and OMG what a change. (1) No statements for past 2 months - have to keep going on-line to print them (2) Mysteriously they have now shortened the time between statement production date and date bill to be paid - watch out for that as you will get stung charges and no doubt get a "non payment" on your credit record if you miss the shortened deadline, (3) No longer able to show purchases by card number - all my family use the account - now we have to have a family meeting monthly to sort out whose transaction is whose - pain in the rear (4) I tried to pay online via Bank - my bank could not even identify their account, (5) It would appear that this new provider is a credit line you get for store cards etc not a mainstream "bank" or financial institution and boy does it show. Are John Lewis trying to do things on the "cheap" ? - Chairman Sharon please take note. You are losing the goodwill of customers you wish to keep, (6) Display of what you owe is poor and misleading. Make sure if you pay off monthly to pick the right balance. (7) Stores and services where I used to tap my card now seem to require a pin every time - once again a pain in the rear. Their systems should be by now building your profile of use. All in All very poor substitute for HSBC and I regret after over 30 years with various JL cards I am now thinking of seeking an alternative. I wonder what it will be like if you try to use it abroad................ I certainly wont be taking this card as my sole credit card whereas before I had no fear. Come on John Lewis sharpen up - you are not going to increase use of your Financial Services with providers of this calibre. Reviewed on: 5th December 2022

Down hill

Since changing card whole Process has went down hill Cancelling account with John Lewis, customer service now very poor, how a company so respected go down hill so quickly is beyond belief. Reviewed on: 4th December 2022

Hopeless

No statements arrive despite two phone calls have spoken to several people who are going to stop using it and unless there is a almighty sort out so will I. Reviewed on: 4th December 2022

Worst credit card ever

Nothing going for this card. Shame on John Lewis for failing to negotiate the exact same terms that were offered on the old card to the new card. I was offered an interest free balance transfer on the new card - fee 1.99% very good rate - for 6 months so I transferred my old card balance to the new card. I take it on the chin for not reading the terms & conditions. If you leave the interest free deal in place they take 5% off your monthly payment to reduce this balance and for as long as the interest free balance remains there is no grace period for interest on purchases with interest being charged as soon as you’ve bought an item. Not in line with other card providers. The statement date to date payment is required is also very short. Shocking card provider. Reviewed on: 4th December 2022

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