Promotional Plans

Deferred-Interest Promotional Plan FAQs

• How can I learn more about how deferred-interest promotional plans work?
  To learn more about how deferred-interest promotional plans work, please visit the What is a Deferred-Interest Promotional Plan? page.
• How can I sign up for a promotional plan?
  We're sorry, but at this time promotional plans are not available by request. You may be offered a promotional plan at the time of a future purchase.
• Where can I find information about my promotional plans?

  Information about your promotional plans can be found on the documents you received when you started your plan or on your monthly billing statement in the "Details of your plans" section.

  You can access your billing statements from the previous 24 months online by visiting the Transactions and Statements page.

• How is the minimum payment due calculated for my deferred-interest promotional plan?

  Your minimum payment due is the total required minimum payment on your account and includes any deferred-interest promotional plan balances as well as any revolving, non-promotional plan balances.

  Here is an example of how a total minimum payment due could be calculated for an account that has both a revolving balance and a deferred-interest promotional plan balance:

  Revolving balance required minimum payment: $75

  Deferred-interest promotional plan required minimum payment: $25

  Total minimum payment due: $100

  If your GEM Account Credit Card account has more than one deferred-interest promotional plan, each plan's minimum payment will be calculated separately and the required minimum payment will be applied to the corresponding plan as outlined in the example.

  Please note, paying only the minimum payment due for your deferred-interest promotional plans may not pay off the balance by the end of the promotional plan period.

  Please refer to your promotional plan details for more information.

• If I pay more than the minimum payment due will the extra amount be applied to my deferred-interest promotional plan balance?

  When you pay more than your minimum payment due, the extra amount will be applied to your account in different ways depending on when your deferred-interest promotional plan expires:

  • One deferred-interest promotional plan expiring in less than 60 days: Any payment amount more than your minimum payment due will be applied to your deferred-interest promotional plan if its expiration date occurs in less than 60 days.
  • Multiple deferred-interest promotional plans expiring in less than 60 days: If you have more than one deferred-interest promotional plan expiring within 60 days, any extra payment amount will be applied to the deferred-interest promotional plan with the earlier expiration date.
  • Deferred-interest promotional plans expiring in more than 60 days: If your deferred-interest promotional plan expires in more than 60 days, your payment will first be applied to the required minimum payment of your revolving balance and deferred-interest promotional plan, then the rest of your payment will be applied to whichever balance has the highest interest rate.

  If you would like to change the way additional payment amounts are distributed between revolving balances and promotional plan balances, please submit your payment online first and follow up with a phone call to Customer Care at 1-866-534-4180 (TDD/TTY: 1-888-819-1918).

  Please note that your credit card's regular payment due date may be different than your promotional plan's expiration date.

• If I don't pay off a deferred-interest promotional plan before its expiration date, how much will I have to pay in finance charges?

  After a deferred-interest promotional plan expires, you will be charged the accrued interest from the date of purchase based on your original purchase amount. Please note that this is not the same as the balance on your deferred-interest promotional plan at the time of the plan's expiration date. It's also important to keep in mind that your credit card's regular payment due date may be different than your promotional plan's expiration date.

  For information about the accrued interest on your deferred-interest promotional plan, refer to the "Details of your plans" section of your billing statement.

  To access your billing statements from the previous 24 months, visit the Transactions and Statements page.

  If your deferred-interest promotional plan has expired and you are having trouble making your monthly payments, we may be able to help. To determine if you qualify for one of our programs, please send us a message through Secure Message Center or call Customer Care at 1-866-534-4180 (TDD/TTY: 1-888-819-1918).

• Why was my recent purchase added to my revolving balance instead of being put on a promotional plan?

  We're sorry, but not all purchases are eligible for promotional plans.

  If you believe your recent purchase was added to your revolving balance in error, please send us a secure message through Secure Message Center or call Customer Care at 1-866-534-4180 (TDD/TTY: 1-888-819-1918).

• How can I avoid paying interest on my revolving balance when I have a promotional plan?

  The way to avoid paying interest on your revolving balance when you have a promotional plan varies depending on when your promotional plan expires:

  • If your promotional plan expires in two billing cycles or less: To avoid paying interest, pay both your expiring promotional plan and your revolving balance in full. Please note, any amount you pay above your minimum payment due for your revolving balance is applied to your expiring promotional plan balance.
  • If your promotional plan expires in more than two billing cycles: To avoid paying interest, pay the total revolving balance plus the minimum payment due for your promotional plan.

  The expiration date for your promotional plan can be found on your billing statement in the "Details of your plans" section. Please note your credit card's regular payment due date may be different than your promotional plan's expiration date.

• How can I avoid paying accrued interest charges on my deferred-interest promotional plan?

  To prevent paying the accrued interest charges on your deferred-interest promotional plan, you must pay the total plan balance in full before the promotional plan expiration date. Promotional plan details, including deferred-interest plans, are listed on your monthly statement in the section called "Details of your plans." You will also see alerts on the first page of your statement letting you know the remaining balances on your plans and the date they need to be paid in full to avoid paying accrued interest. These messages appear in red during the last 3 months of your promotional plan.

• How do I know what type of promotional plan I have?
  You can find information about your promotional plan in the "Interest Charge Calculation" and "Details of your plans" section of your billing statement.
• I have a deferred-interest promotional plan. Why wasn't my payment applied to my account in the way I was expecting?

  We're sorry your payment wasn't applied to your account in the way you were expecting.

  Payments are first applied to your minimum payment due. If you pay more than your minimum, the extra amount will be applied to your revolving balance to avoid interest accruing to that balance.

  For accounts with no revolving balance – or if the revolving balance has been paid in full – the extra amount will first go to any deferred-interest promotional plans expiring in the next 60 days. If no deferred-interest promotional plans are expiring within 60 days, the extra amount will go towards the deferred-interest promotional plan with the highest interest rate.

  If you would like your recent payment applied in a different way, we're happy to help. Please call Customer Care at 1-866-534-4180 (TDD/TTY: 1-888-819-1918).

• Why was I charged interest at the end of my deferred-interest promotional plan?

  When you are unable to pay the full balance of your deferred-interest promotional plan by the expiration date, the remaining balance is added to your revolving balance along with any accrued interest charges.

  After your promotional plan balance is transferred to your revolving balance, you will continue to be charged interest at the standard APR and you will be required to pay at least the minimum payment due until the balance has been paid in full.

• How can I make a payment towards a specific plan on my account?

  While there is no way to specify how your payment is distributed when you submit it, we will be happy to change how your payment was applied once it has posted to your statement.

  If you would like to change the way a payment on your statement was applied, please call Customer Care at 1-866-534-4180 (TDD/TTY: 1-888-819-1918).

• I bought merchandise on a promotional plan and then returned it. Why isn't the return reflected on my billing statement?

  It can take several business days for returned merchandise to post to your account.

  If you made your return since your last billing statement – or a few business days before your billing statement closing date – your return will be reflected on your next billing statement.

  You can access a list of your transactions online anytime on the Transactions and Statements page.

• I returned merchandise I bought on a promotional plan and the return was posted to my revolving balance. How can this mistake be fixed?

  We're sorry your return was posted to the wrong balance. This mistake should automatically correct itself by your next billing statement.

  To submit a dispute and have the payment moved to the correct balance immediately, please contact Customer Care at 1-866-534-4180 (TDD/TTY: 1-888-819-1918).

• Will my minimum payment due be the same every month?

  With the exception of the equal payment promotional plan, the minimum payment due is determined by your balance each billing period. As your account balance increases or decreases, so will your minimum payment due.

• Do I have to make equal payments on my plan every month?

  You can choose the amount you pay each month as long as you pay at least the minimum payment due. Please note, paying only the minimum payment due for your promotional plan may not pay off the balance by the end of the promotional plan period.