Store Cards and Fleet Cards

Retail store cards (office supply, home improvement) and fleet/fuel cards (Shell, WEX, Chevron) sit between vendor credit and bank credit. They are actual revolving accounts, usually underwritten against your business file plus sometimes a soft check on the owner.

Why it matters

Revolving business tradelines diversify the file beyond vendor terms - and fuel cards double as a real operating tool with reporting attached. This is the tier where the file starts to look like a business, not a project.

Key facts

• Fleet card programs report to business bureaus and often approve on file strength without a personal guarantee at the business-card level.
• Store cards at this tier are easier than bank cards but stricter than net-30 vendors; expect a look at Paydex and file age.
• Utilization applies here too - running a fleet card near its limit hurts the same way a maxed personal card does.
• Some programs report to only one bureau; diversify issuers so all three files see revolving history.

In practice

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