The proliferation of credit cards happened before the proliferation of the internet. How did credit cards work before the internet?

Question

The proliferation of credit cards happened before the proliferation of the internet. How did credit cards work before the internet?

In: 155

Answer 1

Weren’t the first credit cards actually store-specific? I remember parents telling me how hard it was for them to apply and get their first credit card as a young married couple (and I think my Mom couldn’t get one on her own.) And it only worked in sears.

They thought how funny it was that then their (late) teen kids got credit card companies sending us come-ons in the mail with ridiculous credit limits, trying to prey on young people.