Kohl's review: almost impossible to pay your bill 35

I'm not giving Kohl's another dime of my money. I wouldn't mind paying with my routing and account #s but their automated phone system ONLY GIVES YOU 10 SECONDS before cutting you off, then routing you to a live person who is guaranteed to be unhelpful, read robotically from a script, not listen and just throw you right back to the same flawed automated system (this happened four times).

I've never had an issue paying my OTHER bills, but Kohl's clearly hates their customers.

GIVE PEOPLE THE TIME THAT IS NEEDED if you're only going to provide only ONE payment option that involves putting in 9 and 16-digit account numbers! Imagine a 78-year-old trying to do this? But Kohl's DOES NOT CARE.

I paid my bill on March the 10th thru my bank. I never seen it arrive to my bank so made numerous attempts at contacting them with them assuring me my balance was zero. Well i checked today and balance is even more than when i paid it. I called and was told was my bank account didn't have the money. Total bunk as never even showed in my bank. Something is seriously wrong with this company. Once this is paid off i will never do business with this company ever again.

Omg- all of these posts are old so hopefully everyone has cooled off. I just want automatic payment of my minimum balance on the due date to be an option at kohl’s. I am so busy sometimes that I don’t log i. To my account every month and I just saw a 27.00 late fee and my bill is not paid. I know this is my fault but every store and credit card I have offer this option and I feel kohl’s does not to try to collect as a source of income: there probably is a reminder email that comes out but they email me every day about a sale so I mist have missed that. I know this error is my fault but I will have to give up the wonderful savings because they don’t have an option to cover me if I forget to go online every month and pay. 98% of the time I pay my entire balance the week after I shop but I forgot and I don’t like that they do not have my back.

Not processing payments via debit is just limiting routes for your customers to make a payment, therefore losing business. Debit is and will continue to be one of the top ways consumers pay for merchandise. I have multiple accounts with various stores and the worst one to work with payment wise in my experience is Khols by far. I've had the worst online experiences trying to make payments online with Khols compared to any other store out there. Tonight I actually searched the internet out of frustration and found this thread, so I thought I'd add my 2 cents after reading all of the comments in this ongoing debacle which is STILL A CURRENT PROBLEM with NO resolution. Also, in response to Exec "Mac"-- if you are really willing to bend over backwards for customers then why would you suggest to they take extra steps like getting a gift card to pay their account off instead of updating your system to accept payments via debit cards? Your suggestion completely defeats the purpose of making things easier for your customers and further proves you, in fact, ARE NOT WILLING to bend over backwards for your customers". Any Exec that values and knows their job well would be able to see that and SOLVE IT just based on the number of complaints.

The Kohl's website to pay your bill has not been working for me for months. It keeps putting in information in the password section, that I did not put in. I called Kohl's and was told they are having problems with taking online payments and apologized. I pay all my bills online and this is the only place that I can't access it. I would just like to know when Kohl's is going to fix the problem? I am starting to think it is a Kohl's scam to get you to be late on payments so they can make more.

Agreed w/CB.
Simple enough. Kohl's infrastructure needs a redesign. Maybe the NSA can help.
Brand new customer and already I'm done.
Can I get a bailout?

I pay my Kohl's card online and it always works. You should be more interested in knowing valuable information such as your own bank's routing number. Kohl's cannot take money from just an account number. All you really have to do is call your bank or look at your checks. In fact, I have even googled a routing number when I needed it and my bank was closed.

Also, you can pay at the counter, but you do need to know how much your balance is or at least how much you would like to pay. All the cashier does is have you buy a gift card as a regular purchase for the amount you wish to pay, which is then applied directly to your account.

I have never found it "impossible" to pay Kohl's and I have also never had any complaints about their service in the past two years that I have been a customer and card owner.

iCarly- Not that I feel the need to justify my actions with any of you bums, but I don't have debt, nor was I advocating paying credit with credit. ACTUALLY, if you read a little more carefully you would have noticed I said it WASN'T THE BEST OPTION. So pay more attention before you go talking [censor] [censored].

Says the person advocating paying for credit with credit. Good luck with your debt, Madd.

I'm with Cultured on this one.
-1st off account information wouldn't be an issue if Kohls wasn't trying to make a killing on everything they sell, over-charging for crap clothing and underpaying employees. I bet the upper management isn't underpaid. All Kohls would have to do is spread some of that money around a little bit and hire employees with background and security clearance. Problem solved on the account information issue.
-Debit/credit cards work exactly the same when it comes to paying bills online. Account number/security code, end of discussion.
-I've paid plenty of credit card bills with credit cards in the past, not saying it was the best option, but it is POSSIBLE.
-CLEARLY STATED- when referring to any credit card application is complete BS, because all of the pertinent information has so small font you need a 100x microscope to read it.

So Kblue_eyes and Chris and all of the other [censor]s on here who have nothing better to do than try to start [censor] on the internet, you're remedial. Maybe you should try experiencing life for yourself before you start telling someone else how to live theirs.

Pay your bills on time and you won't have a problem. Should you not know how much money you owe?

ok first do you not know the numbers on your checking acct second most stores DO NOT take credit cards debit cards as payments because the banks charge them debit cards are not credit cards but are processed the same way even if you input your code next companies has change the way customer service works the store employee has no access again for the hard headed THE EMPLOYEE HAS NO ACCESS TO THE CUSTOMERS ACCOUNTS only the call center has that information in this time of id theft you would want that also all credit card has late fees even if it 1 dollar read your rules of you card it spelled out for you oh i forgot you dont even know your routing number and hope your bank acct is not with morgan chase because that who handles thier credit cards and i bet you have been back shopping at the store no one ever stays away in my experience the old i never shop here again doesnot scare even me because if the price is good you will suck up and go in

I agree with the original post. It is ridiculous that you cannot pay with your debit card. I go to Macy's all of the time and make my payments in person with my debit card. Why would it be too far fetched for Kohls to do the same?
I have a state issued debit card which does not give me a checking account therefore I have no routing #. So my only option is to go in store with cash in hand to make my payment. It's not horrible but I would expect more from such a large corporation.

You sound like one of those people who believe that if you throw away your bills, you're not required to pay them. You might be able to have them waive one month's late fee because the Post Office ate your statement, but if months go by and you're not paying down your card, it's your duty as a consumer relying on credit to get your own finances in order and figure out why no statement reaches you. It's not Kohls or any other business's job to make sure you pay your bills on time. It's their job to note on your credit that you failed to pay if you do not pay. Honestly, there are so many people on this board who don't manage their own finances and them blame companies for failing to hold their hands. If you are going to use a credit card, be responsible for yourself and handle it.

I have recently filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau due to Kohls unlawful billing procedures. They do not admit fault for being completely unaccountable for their mistakes. I was refunded all late charges when a customer service person admitted that I was not receiving statements therefore causing late fees. Then I receive notification that Kohls reported this against my credit! This company is a joke and will eventually go under once everyone finds out how inept they are. For a company of this size you would think they could hire a few decent customer service agents, definitely not the case. I will never spend another dollar at Kohls again.

I'm sorry to say but you just don't know how to pay a bill. Of course you need your routing number. And Kohl's gives you a lot of ways to pay your bill on time. You can walk right up to the register and pay cash or check. Or you can pay right out of your bank account. It isn't Kohl's fault you can't pay your bill on time.

SaD IGNORANT customer ###. get your ###ing information ready so your payment can go faster. Commen sence.

Just an FYI... Beall's Does let you pay your bill in store With a debit card. It's just like paying with cash. This thread is ridiculous and immature.

I googled just to see if I could an answer to a Kohl's bill payment question and it brought me to this nonsense. Grow up.

kohl's charges to make an over the phone payment, this is wrong ! Why sould someone pay in order to pay? then they won't take a credit or debit card for an instore payment - that's wrong too ! a few simple changes would make customers happy and encourage more buisness, so why don't they try changing their policy ?

I just now canceled my account,

- can't pay unless you have a routing number.
This is because you have to pay with a check online. In order for them to process the check, you have to type in your routing number, account number and check number. This is the typical process anytime you try to pay with a check online.

- can't pay with your debit card at the store.
The store is charged a fee for running your credit card. Again, most department stores have this same policy. This is why most departments stores offer credit cards...to cut down on bank fees. Most smaller stores dont even offer the option of using a credit card because of the fees.

- the person in the customer service area does not know the amount you owe...seriously folks! The customer service area at kohls has not idea how much you owe, so if you dont have your bill with you you basically have to call and be on hold for hours.
Honestly, I wouldnt want any random person being able to access my account info. When you use the credit phone in the store, you get an automated system. You type in your account number and it tells you your balance...the process usually takes about 2 minutes, if that long. The only reason you would be on hold is if you need to speak with someone in particular, and like every other call center...calls get backed up and you may have to wait to speak with a representative.

- customer service over the phone is incompetent! I mentioned that I wanted to cancel my account but had a few questions first...so the rep tells me ok its cancelled, are you serious I hadn't even told her to cancel it yet. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COMPANY.
Ok, you stated that you wanted to cancel your card, maybe they noticed your tone and decided to not go through the whole spill about why you should remain a kohls charge customer. Maybe they didnt know you wanted to ask your questions first or they didnt know that the questions pertained to you wanting to cancel your card.

-I was late on my bill 5 days and got charged 30 dollars, when I had a balance of 50!
Well, your payment was late and that is what happens. It is clearly stated on the credit application. But, if your someone that is not always late, you could probably call and ask to have the fee waived.

-you cant cancel your card at the store...because they don't know your information.
No we cant cancel the card, but from the store you can call the credit center and cancel your card.

- WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE, NEVER EVER WILL KOHLS GET A PENNY FROM ME EVER AGAIN!
I am sorry that you feel this way. I dont think it was bad customer service, you just didnt have a clear understanding of how things work, which happens from time to time. Hopefully, you will read these responses and get a clearer understanding.

Have a great day.

Did you call the Kohl's credit card customer service to ask if they would remove your late payment fee? I have told dozens of customers to call the credit card company directly and they almost ALWAYS get the fee removed! Also, if you call using the store credit phone you never have to wait. The phone in the store is a direct line to the credit company.

I agree that it's silly that as a Customer Service employee I can't access a customer's balance at the register. I don't think that POS associates should be able to tell you that information, but I do think you should be able to find that out as a Customer Service employee. They don't need to give me access to any other information, just the balance. It's fustrating as an employee to constantly have to apologise to customers because I cannot tell them their balance. The best thing that you as a customer can do is COMPLAIN TO CORPORATE! Nothing ever gets done when the employee complains, but when enough customers complain to corprate, you can bet that things will change and fast! All you need to do is ask the employee at the service desk for the corprate number.

I see your logic that if a store associate can open an account why can't they close the account? I think the reason is because we aren't trained to deal with that situation on the store level. I also think that they want to prevent people from just opening a Kohl's charge to get the special discounts, and then closing it the very same day. It's a pretty easy thing to change, another thing to complain to corprate about. I'm sorry that the person you talked to on the phone was rude. Next time, ask to speak to their supervisor and complain.

You can pay your Kohl's charge online. I don't know why you haven't heard about that, but I'm sorry it wasn't brought to your attention! The website is pretty easy to use, and that's how I pay my own Kohl's charge.

As for the debit card thing, that is something I'm on the fence about. On the one hand, I understand your argument that a debit card works like cash, and on the other, I can understand why Kohl's doesn't want to make that an available payment option in the store. Part of the reason why we have the Kohl's charge is to save money on bank fees. The bank charges us every time you use your credit/debit card. However, it's a HUGE inconvinece for the customer to have to bring cash or check. Most people don't carry that stuff around with them (I know I don't!). Again, complaining to the sales clerk or the customer service representive or even the store manager isn't going to do any good. Complaining to corprate is the only way to get your voice heard (not that the employees aren't listening or don't sympatize, just that they can't really do anything about it!)

Did you know that any Kohl's employee can look up your account number for you at the register? All you need to have is your Driver's Liscence and your SSN. We can't accept payment if we can't look up your account or if you don't have your card because we don't know who's account to apply the funds to! The last thing anyone wants is to make a mistake where the amount you paid is put toward someone elses balance instead of your own!

I'm really sorry that you had a bad experience at your local Kohls. Please don't let your experience at one store tarnish the reputation of the whole company. Most of us want you to have a pleasant shopping experience and want to help as much as we possibly can. I'm sure if you tell your concerns to the store manager they will be happy to help you in any way possible.

It is against the law due to the privacy act for kohls to look at anyone's charge account. That is why kohls stores have the charge phone to check balances. Also, we do not take debit cards because our systems are not set up that way. We take cash or check at any register. One can pay over the phone with debit card or online. Debit cards are not the same as CASH... Hope that helps

Also, you can go to the phone in customer service at ANY Kohls and, without even having to speak to a live person, you can put your information in as it prompts you to do and receive your card balance. And if you were trying to pay your bill online you could have easily looked at your account to see how much you owe, so don't complain about the customer service associate not being able to get into your account when you can do that from the comfort of your own home. It is your responsibility, not theirs, to keep track of your finances. You have a bill sent to your house every month. If you can't keep it, your problem, not theirs.

You're ###ing stupid. Period. Why would you want any old associate who works at kohls to have unlimited access to your credit account information. Why don't you try not losing your bill like a ###ing ###, and if you are irresponsible enough to lose a bill don't be too lazy to call the credit office (listed number on back of your card) and find out what YOU ###ing owe. You are the kind of [censored] that makes working at Kohls completely suck.

Cultured Bum has to be the biggest idiot ever. I do not work for Kohls nor even enjoy shopping for clothing, so I am not part of this so-called "Kohl's gestapo". If she applied even 1 ounce of common sense here, she'd realize the problem is 100% her fault.

You don't know your own routing number? (### thinks, "blame Kohl's")
Kohl's doesn't take your ATM/debit card? (Wasn't this true before your bill was late? ### thinks, "blame Kohl's")
You didn't bring YOUR bill? (### thinks "blame Kohl's")
The cashier doesn't have access to your account information? (Good. Why would you want any random person having access? Yet ### thinks, "blame Kohl's")
You call the cancellation department and they cancel your account. (### thinks, "I didn't even tell them to cancel, blame Kohl's")

You are exactly the type of customer that no business wants. Late on your bill, yet you possess their merchandise and you still have the nerve to complain because they haven't wasted more time on you.

I agree totally with everything Rhea posted. Kohl's tries very hard to keep their costumers happy. It is unfortunate that you took your frustration out on customer service, and closed your account, just because you were late with a payment. I pay my charge on line. You need the routing number from your checking account, which is tied to your Debit card! So you CAN pay on line. I have worked for Kohl's for 8 years, at one time could use a gift card as payment. But no longer. We can take only the Kohl's Care for Kids gift cards as payment. If I were to take a regular gift card as payment, I know the cash office would catch it and let me know. I have plenty of customers wanting to use debit, credit and gift cards, I politely tell them cash or check only. I also let them know about the customer service phone if they need their account balance. Most understand it is for privacy reasons, except you. Too bad you closed your account, now you can't get all those great deals when using your Kohl's charge!

I am an Executive at Kohls and I can tell you that we, at Kohls, have a yes we can policy that basically opens the door for us as Executives to help you in any way possible. If you insist on paying your Kohls account with your debit card, you can purchase a gift card (for the payment amount) with your debit card and then pay your account with the gift card. It's the only way around paying your credit card with your debit card. As far as our customer service associates having access to your account, that is a safety issue for our customers. We do have a phone at customer service that you simply have to pick up and speak to the attendant on the other end of the line. We even mke it easy and directy dial the phone for you. You pick up the phone and speak...easy. And I'm not real clear what you are referring to about needing your routing number to process a transaction. We do not need a customers routing number to process ANY transaction at Kohls AT ALL. And, yes, if you are late on your account we do charge a fee...ust like EVERYONE else does. But we will also take into consideration waiving that fee as well (if you have never had any account issues). ou are getting upset with Kohls for things that are our issues. We will bend over backward to help our customers...always!

Do you even know what a Routing number is? This really makes me laugh because the routing number just lets the company that is debiting the amount from your account, know what bank it is from. You have to have that number for ANYTHING you pay for online, or on the phone when you do not pay with a credit/debit card. They can't just put in your account number and have it taken out of your account.
I really think you are just mad at yourself for forgetting a bill and being charged so much that it made the situation worse. Take it as a lesson learned and move on. I also hope that you will be more willing to give out the routing number to your bank as now you know that it won't hurt you at all. Oh and by the way the routing number is the oneof the big group of numbers at the bottom of your checks.

You can pay your Kohl's bill online at any time with a debit card. You can pay in any store, at any register, with cash or a check. The only thing you cannot do is pay for your Kohl's Card with another credit card, because using a credit card to pay for a credit card is, yes, ridiculous. It is also a consumer protection policy.

You seem to take a lot of issue with the fact that this company goes to great lengths to protect your information, even from its own employees. How is that a bad thing? There is a phone in every Customer Service at Kohls to allow you to check your credit amount, but, honestly, shouldn't you know how much it is? You have to be 18 years or older to sign up for a Kohl's Card. Isn't that old enough to manage your own finances without someone holding your hand?

I am sure if you had a Chase card, you wouldn't complain that they charged you a late fee for failure to pay. If you had paid a third of what you owed, you would have paid nothing, which is a far better deal than you'll find with most any other kind of credit card. You wouldn't expect your bank to balance your checkbook for you, but you seem to expect Kohl's to do this for you.

"I mean the person who attended to me was nice enough but I still had to deal with a voice over the phone who certainly didn't care much for her job and was just trying to make a check..."

In your original post, you called this poor person "incompetent, " but here, you admit that their service was "nice enough"? This is not leading much credence to your claims, Cultured. And I think it's interested that you don't want to talk to someone on the phone because they're "just trying to make a check, " but you're outraged that you were not able to deal with someone in person who would also, in your eyes, be "just trying to make a check."

I used to work at Kohls, and I left when I had my baby. But I am insulted by the amount of vitriol here over something that is, in all honesty, your own mistake. Kohl's Card policies are visible everywhere in the store and were clearly outlined on the piece of paper you signed to open the account. I can't speak for the location you shopped, but when I worked there, I did my best to treat each and every customer as kindly as I could, in an effort to make their transaction and questions as pleasant as possible. You can't know how the people at that store and on that line felt about their jobs, but instead see fit to malign them and project onto them for no other reason than they could not change well-known and well-reasoned corporate policy the way you wanted it, when you wanted it. That is the very definition of spoiled and entitled.

[And for another thing, a debit card is not like a credit card, for those who have been saying that, it is like writing a check, because it is coming directly from a tangible bank account, not a computer-controlled credit limit. The reason Web sites will list debit cards under "Visa or Mastercard" is because Visa and Mastercard make *debit cards* too. ]

And Cultured, you are certainly welcome to shop at Kohls with your debit card - Kohls takes credit, debit, check, cash, store card, gift card, store credit, and any combination thereof. You chose to make purchases with your store credit card, and you failed to schedule adequate time to handle that bill after-the-fact. Your failure to plan does not make Kohls at fault for your negligence.

You say, "I'm just fortunate enough to have common sense when it comes to finances and I wish I didn't have to take the fault for all those other people, " but your "experience" has clearly proven otherwise. You chose to use a credit card, did not keep track of how much you owed and when you needed to pay it, you did not pay it on time, despite three easy forms of payment available to you, you were apparently ignorant of the terms of a contract you signed, and you suffered the consequences of this.

Cultured Bum

You are an absolute idiot! Chris is right. What store is going to let you pay a credit card with another credit card?!? And if you would actually do your research before going psycho you would realize that you can pay your Kohls charge card online. So you didn't want to share your routing number with Kohls over the internet, but you would be OK with some high schooler having access to you charge account?

The reason employees do not have access to customer accounts is to protect you, the customer!

And I'm pretty sure that no one at Kohls will be losing sleep over losing you as a customer

I work at kohls as a cashier and no i will not call anyone names...
I'm not 100% sure but i believe you can pay your bill online. No we cannot tell how much you owe we don't have the ability to access that we're not corporate its only so much we can do. and you should be happy about that with all the identity theft and scams going on you don't want a disgruntle employee messing with your account do you?
No you cannot pay another credit card with a credit card. you should be happy thats how people become in debt. yes its a debit card but for the 100000th time It takes it as a CREDIT CARD if it has Visa, Or MasterCard Logo its A Debit Card/Credit Card. Do not take it out on the store call corporate and let them know how you feel maybe it will change somethings. And maybe you should keep track of how much you spend then that way if you don't have your bill you can have a estimate.

You said, "the person in the customer service area does not know the amount you owe...seriously folks! The customer service area at kohls has not idea how much you owe, so if you dont have your bill with you you basically have to call and be on hold for hours."

For the people at work at Kohl's, they honestly can't access your account information. Don't blame the employee's... blame corporate.

Heres the deal...which store, please list, lets you pay a credit card with a credit card? That just does not make sense. Regardless of if it comes out of your checking account, a Debit card, in terms of paying bills, is a credit card. Try purchasing items online, it comes out as a visa/mc. THAT is why you must have cash/check to pay your bills. I do not work for Kohls or any other dept store, but I realize the reasoning behind it. Secondly, I am unsure of where you live, but in the NE we have had multiple information breeches that make me happy that Kohls does not have access to my account. I am sure it is for your protection. You may not like it, but a majority of the customers, I assume do.
You were late on your account. That is where this whole complaint came from. You would not have had to worry about amt due/debit acceptance, ect. If you had paid your bill on time, and with the statement THEY sent you.

A lot of the frustration, I must say, lands squarely in your court.

Wow. . . Responses like this (I'm guessing from the Kohl's gestapo) reflect well the "customer service" found in their retail locations. That's why I spend my money elsewhere!

Are you just completly stupid or what?

No you cannot pay your bill without knowing your account number. How else do you think they can apply your money to your account? Just take a guess and hope that was the right account number? Come on that is just common sense. Like going to the bank and saying I want to deposit money into my account but I don't know my account. Yes they can look up your account because it is a BANK!

Money or check! I can understand this because you know what they get charged a fee each time you use your card. They already give great deals to you with 10 - 80% off of all there products. Why should they lose any more money because you can't get money from the bank, atm, or just write a check.

I am glad the person at customer service can't look up my account. Why give a national chain the ability to look at your account. Centralize this to one department that you have to call. PROTECTION! Did this cause you to waste time to look at your bill and you had to read? Couldn't call the number on the back of your card? Couldn't pick up the phone at customer service? Lazy ###.

You said you watned to cancel your card. They did just that. They must have know what a [censored] you were and canceld the card like you said you wanted. Your the incompetent person.

You were late! Plane and simple. You owe a late fee no matter what they amount is. It says just what they will charge you for when your late. 5 days is really late too. Just as if I was late on my credit card I will get charged a heavy fee. Oh yeah its a credit card! [censored]!

Can't cancel your card in the store of course. Try and reread this post and figure it out unless your just really lazy and just incompetent! [censored]

WORST SERVICE! More like WORST CUSTOMER EVER! There I fixed it for you. [censored]!

Its people like you that Kohl's employees has to put up with and don't get paid enough to deal with. [censored]!