Consumer complaint received 2026-02-17 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: RI

Complaint narrative:
We initially purchased a mattress and adjustable base from XXXX 's for XXXX under a XXXX interest-free promotional financing plan. We later returned the mattress portion of the purchase ( approximately XXXX total with tax ), which we reasonably understood would reduce the balance of the original XXXX promotional purchase, leaving a remaining balance of approximately XXXX under the XXXX interest-free promotion. 
We then purchased a replacement mattress with a cost of XXXX, plus XXXX for delivery, a XXXX recycle fee, and XXXX in sales tax, for a total of XXXX. At that time, we paid an additional XXXX to obtain a XXXX interest-free promotional financing offer. We understood that the entire amount of XXXX would be financed under the XXXX interest-free promotion. 

We were not informed that the return credit would be applied as an offset to the new purchase rather than being credited back to the original XXXX promotional balance. We also were not advised that this would result in XXXX separate promotional financing balances with different expiration dates. Had the return been properly applied to the original XXXX promotional purchase, the remaining balance under that promotion should have consisted only of the king adjustable base in the amount of XXXX, the mattress removal fee of XXXX, and the XXXX mattress plan in the amount of XXXX, plus applicable taxes. 

At no point were we informed that part of the balance would remain tied to the original XXXX promotion or that this would require a substantial payment earlier than the XXXX promotional period we paid for. We only became aware of this issue when reviewing the XX/XX/year> statement, which showed that the earlier XXXX promotion had expired and interest had begun to accrue. As a result, we were charged and paid interest totaling XXXX between XXXX and XXXX. 

Based on the return documentation and replacement purchase invoice, we reasonably believed the return reduced the original promotional balance and that the replacement purchase was fully covered under the XXXX promotion we paid for. The financial impact of structuring the transaction differently was not disclosed. We are requesting correction of the promotional financing terms and reimbursement of the interest charges incurred due to this undisclosed promotional financing structure. 

I would also like to add, during the replacement purchase transaction at the sales desk, the salesperson, the financing representative, and another employee were all discussing different totals and numbers with us at the same time, which was confusing and made it difficult to clearly understand how the return and promotional financing would be applied. At no point during this process was it explained to us that the return credit would be applied as an offset to the new purchase rather than being credited back to the original XXXX promotional balance.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation