Oct. 16--Store credit cards typically carry higher interest rates than general-purpose, use-anywhere plastic, but some are more costly than others for shoppers who carry balances.
Retailers that charge the highest annual percentage rates include jewelry chain Zales, which charges up to 28.99 percent, and office supply superstore Staples, at 27.99 percent, according to a survey released Thursday by CreditCards.com.
The national average for store-branded credit cards is 23.4 percent, compared with 15 percent for all credit cards, says the online credit card marketplace.
Retailers with the lowest credit card rates include department store chains Dillard's and Nordstrom, and kitchen goods merchant Williams-Sonoma, CreditCards.com said.
Nordstrom, for example, has four tiers, ranging from 10.9 percent to 22.9 percent, depending on consumers' creditworthiness.
The 2015 CreditCards.com retail credit cards survey was conducted using the terms and conditions agreements of 64 cards from 42 retailers.
byerak@tribpub.com
