'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card review
Staples provides businesses with nearly all the supplies they need to operate. You can pick up office supplies and equipment such as office furniture, cash registers, printers and computers. You can even order business cards or ship items.
The Staples® More Account™ Business credit card is the retailer's branded credit card for small and large companies. It rewards loyal customers with perks including special financing, cash rewards and free shipping. This Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card review breaks the card down to help you decide if the card is a good addition for your business-related purchases.
Staples® More Account™ Business Credit Card
There are plenty of business credit cards available. The question is, how many does your small business need? A branded gas or office supply credit card could be helpful to keep spending organized and limit what your employees can purchase with your credit cards. But is the Staples More Account business card a good option?
Choosing the right business card takes some consideration. Here are the benefits and drawbacks of the Staples More Account business card:
Pros:
No annual fee
Special financing available for larger purchases
Flat rate of 5% in rewards on online and store purchases
$75 off bonus on orders over $150
Business owners with lower-than-average credit may get approved
Cons:
APR of up to 29.99%
It can only be used at Staples and Staples.com
Rewards can only be redeemed for purchases and expire in one month
It does not help you build business credit
Why is this a closed-loop card, and what does that mean?
The Staples More Account Business Credit Card is a closed-loop credit card, meaning it can only be used at the retailer. For companies with multiple employees, the fact may not be a dealbreaker. Staff can only purchase office supplies and business services at Staples with the credit card, which could help your company control employee spending.
Does my business qualify for the card?
Although the Staples More Account card is for businesses, card approval is based on your personal credit. On one hand, small businesses without a credit history don't need to worry about getting declined. On the other hand, a business credit card could affect your personal credit because Citibank (the card issuer) will report your usage and payment history to the personal credit bureaus.
Staples provides a provision in the application process for companies who do not want to personally guarantee the card. To qualify for business-only liability, however, your company must: be structured as a corporation, non-profit, or government entity: have been in business for three years or longer; and have sales of at least $5 million. Many small businesses won't meet the requirements.
How can I apply?
It's fairly easy to apply for the card online. You'll need to complete the one-page form, which should take just a few minutes. Have the following information ready before you apply. There is no "save" feature when you start the application. If you don't complete it in one go, you may have to start again. You'll need:
Your personal information (address and date of birth)
Social Security number
The legal business name (DBA)
Tax identification number
Business structure type (corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship)
Once you complete, electronically sign and submit the application, you should receive a decision in a few minutes.
What are the rewards, and how do I claim them?
Store credit cards such, as the Staples More Account card, are fairly easy to understand; you use them for online or store purchases at the particular retailer.
The Staples card could be considered no frills. It doesn't offer cardholders many bells and whistles but comes with a flat 5% rewards offer on all store purchases. It's a pretty decent rewards rate -- you could fiddle around with revolving categories on cashback credit cards without achieving 5%.
The rewards are not redeemable for cash. They're automatically issued each month in $5 increments for your next purchase. It's important to stay on top of your rewards -- they expire in one month. If you don't apply them to your store purchases within the short window, they're gone. While this strategy is a clever way for Staples to get business card customers to shop at the office supply chain regularly, it's inconvenient for smaller businesses that may not make Staples purchases so often.
How do I get free shipping?
Busy small business owners will appreciate that they can make their purchase online at any time and have the items delivered. Staples More Account cardholders receive free shipping on orders over $14.99.
However, Staples has a couple of fine print restrictions that make the free shipping offer less interesting. Larger-box or oversized orders are not eligible. In addition, design orders, custom printing, and promotional items may not qualify for free shipping.
How do I contact Staples if I have other questions about the card?
If you have any questions, Staples offers live chat during business hours. To make a phone order or for other questions, you can contact Staples support at 1-800-333-3330.
Bottom line
The Staples More Account business credit card is the office-supply retailer's branded line of credit for small business customers. Earn a 5% rewards rate on what you buy, which can be applied to future purchases. Business owners and founders need a credit score of fair or better to get approved. Keep in mind that this card may be a business card, but it pulls your personal credit file and reports to the consumer credit bureaus. If you were hoping to build your company's credit, this card may not be the right choice.
Which office supply credit cards will help me build business credit?
None of the major office supply retailers offer small businesses the option to build business credit. Credit card activity on the branded business cards will be reported on your personal credit history.
However, some smaller office supply companies do offer credit lines that report to the business credit bureaus.
They are:
Crown Office Supplies
Grainger
Ohana Office Products
Uline