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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

No customer service to contact after 7pm

No customer service to connect with after 7pm. It used to be 24 hour service. Unlucky for you if you need urgent help. Reviewed on: 21st July 2023

My experience is like many other reviewers - hopeless

The original HSBC underwritten card was pretty faultless with excellent fraud protection and really good customer service. Since John Lewis foolishly changed their provider to Newday it's been hopeless. Very poor/rude customer service with no ability to resolve anything. Randomly declined transactions, particularly problematic with subscriptions/continuous payments, like Dart Charge, so I've had to change all those to another card or face fines. Transport for London wouldn't even allow the card to be used for automatic ULEZ payments so presumably the problems are not new with Newday which means JLP failed to do due diligence. I will be dumping this card and replacing it with one direct from HSBC and in future avoiding all JLP financial services products. Reviewed on: 21st July 2023

Partnership Credit card - ditch at all cost

Absolutely atrocious customer service, fraud team is incompetent, card been blocked for over 1 week now. Will definitely pursue with ombudsman. All these problems began when Newday came along. Keep well away... don;t say you weren't warned. Reviewed on: 18th July 2023

Shocking!

Randomly blocks card but doesn’t inform why. Call centre a nightmare. I will be cancelling my card. Had old card for 15 years without issue. Don’t bother. A total shambles JL- not the service you expect Reviewed on: 17th July 2023

Great for the JL vouchers, nothing else

Tried to increase the imposed credit limit to pay for a holiday, computer said no. Online chat with an agent, computer said no but call to speak with an agent who they were sure would help. Had 3 goes but couldn't get beyond the automated voice responses. Gave up. Reviewed on: 12th July 2023

Ditch Newday Amazon did

Never had a credit card like it odd amounts added to balance not on statement. This month shows I haven't paid requested £5 well that's correct as I paid £289.11 early July!!! Balance us near as it should be but its a few £ up on last night?? Can't get answer on phone. Is there a Chat with a person online if so where. When probably sorted out will be closing which us a shame as I have had J/L store card since 1976/7 Reviewed on: 9th July 2023

my refund is missing

I returned an item to john lewis, under guarantee, on 4th july 2023 I was told that my refund had been sent to the old defunct JL card run by hsbc. JL customer service were awful, no help at all. HSBC does not provide any easy way to contact them either. I have raised a complaint and next step will be the financial ombudsman, Believe me, I will follow this up until my money is returned to me Reviewed on: 6th July 2023

new day are awful - avoid

with original hsbc card had a reasonable credit limit, new day reduced by almost a third when we queried told it was because they were a small bank !!!! we pay our bill in full every month and have an almost perfect credit rating. John Lewis need to get thus sorted so we can continue to spend at waitrose and john ewis Reviewed on: 3rd July 2023

Where is my refund ?

I had a nil balance at the changeover from HSBC to Newday all straight forward opening new account, however I have since had a refund from Virgin Atlantic for £100 sent to the old account in March. JL advised there’s nothing they can do as the account is closed and to take it up with Virgin however Virgin insist the money was sent and had not been returned to them so to take it up with JL. Who say not their problem as they no longer deal with HSBC. Must be a lot of people out there who are in the same position. Someone is benefitting from all our refunds but who ? No one taking responsibility. Reviewed on: 18th June 2023

Why why why did you move to New day!!!

The HSBC John Lewis Card was just not even comparable it was so much better Reviewed on: 16th June 2023

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